Hanguk Trail Running: Namsan

    Namsan stands 265.2m tall. The Namsan Trail, called "Namsan Dooraegil" in Korean," loops around the mountain while reaching the peak from the south slope (7.5km, 298m). There are a number of shorter and less kept trails that all lead to the summit. I have the pleasure of living close to Namsan, and enjoy the trails on most days of the week. The love for this mountain--as far as records go--began from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) (Kim, n.d.). "Nam" means south in Korean, and "san" means mountain. The name originated from its location in relation to the capital city of Korea at the time, Hanyang. Once revered as a holy sight, memorial services were held on the mountain in spring and fall. It even served as an important landmark, holding a beacon which would be lit for the king to see in a state of emergency. The pine-rich forests, as referenced in the national anthem, were being developed into a park just before the annexation of Korea in 1910.

    "Hanyang Park" was completed under the Japanese rule (1910-1945) with a stone monument to celebrate it. The inscribed stone contained the names of the pro-Japanese collaborators involved in the park's creation on the back. The names have since been removed by the descendants of the collaborators. The damaged areas are still visible today. The cherished mountain had become a place of sorrow and resentment for the Korean people. Even the dense pine forests were cut down by the Japanese to dampen the Korean people's national spirit.

    Namsan goes through a series of developments after Korea's liberation. Cable cars are built in 1962; Namsan Library is completed in 1965; and Namsan Tower is erected in on 1975. In 1994, six hundred cultural artifacts representing the daily lives of the Korean people and the essence of Seoul were buried on the mountain slopes as time capsules. The capsules are scheduled to be retrieved on November 29, 2394.

    Namsan is absolutely stunning, and the trails are incredibly well maintained. The conveniently located bathrooms are clean--they even have background classical music! There are CCTVS and emergency bells to ensure safety. The trails are separated from the roadway and the bike paths. The mountain is accessible via car or public transportation. Parking can be precarious at times as Namsan is a popular destination for all the reasons mentioned above. The forests are particularly beautiful in fall. The weather is perfect, as the trees shield you from the wind and the warm sun breaks through the branches. The foliage on the trees and the fallen leaves truly leave you in awe. I sometimes catch myself saying it is "picture-perfect."

    GPX files are available upon request (please leave a message). They range from easy to impossible--no--difficult. The easy run takes place on the north face, the loop is 6.8km with inconsiderable ascents. The intermediate course is on the south slope (6km, 400m). The difficult course encompasses both courses (13km, 427m). There is a bonus trail which begins from Haebangchon and takes you up to the peak (1.6km, 200m). The trail is unpaved, making it that much more beautiful. Here is an overview of the courses:

Conditions	Easy	Intermediate	Difficult	Bonus
Lit at Night	ü	ü	ü	X
Wild Life	X	X	X	ü (I was once chased by a magpie for 200m in the dark in early spring)
Paved	ü	ü	ü	X
Bathrooms	ü	ü	ü	ü
Water Fountains	ü	ü	ü	ü
CCTV & Emergency Bells	ü	ü	ü	X
Accessible by Car	ü (Paid)	ü (Paid)	ü (Paid)	ü (Paid)
Accessible by Public Transportation	ü	ü	ü	ü

    I only have one ask of you: Respect the mountain. Clean up after yourself. Do not do it for the next person on the trail. Do it for the mountain and all the animals that call it home, from the hottest summer day to the coldest winter night. My father, an avid fisher who never catches any fish, always told me, "Leave the place you visit just as you found it."

S.G.
January 21, 2025

P.S. Here is the link to the difficult course GPX file. Please leave a comment for the other courses!
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/328285411

Reference:

1. Kim. J. (n.d). 서울의 역사와 함께 한 남산. 행정안전부 국가기록원: 기록으로 만나는 대한민국. https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/koreaOfRecord/southMountain.do