You know spring is about to be in full swing in Seoul, South Korea when the day is getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, as well as the 벚꽃 (bot–ggot), a Korean word for cherry blossoms, appear. It is the season that always brings my sluggish means of social media back to life after a seemingly never-ending winter hibernation. Whenever I see a bud of this world-famous flower, my planner is automatically filled with names of spots around the city for cherry blossom viewing, the bit in which has become a fun annual plan I have committed to for years. And in this post, I’ve gathered and created a list of places in Seoul, both famous and lesser-known, where the magnificent displays of cherry blossoms can be admired. 

Side note: the majority of cherry blossoms in Seoul are Yoshino cherry trees, the variety that is characterized by its pale, pinkish flowers – the species of blossoming tree you will find in the following viewpoints. And because of the nature of this flower, the peak season tends to span from the end of March until the middle of April. Thus, if you plan your visit to Seoul to fall around that time, the higher chance you can get to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

1. Sindaebang Station | 신대방역

Address: 서울특별시 동작구 대림로 2 [Naver Map]

Sindaebang Station is a station on Seoul Subway Line 2. It is a stopping point for Nangok district of Sillim-dong, an area located in southern Seoul. And similarly to many other train platforms in the city, Sindaebang Station is surrounded with recreational zones filled with greenery. But what makes Sindaebang Station earn the place in this list is that those lush green leaves materializing during the summer months belong to the cherry trees. 

Every spring, the station implodes with strips of white, fluffy clouds of flowers. I’d go so far and call it a hidden gem to behold the celebration of spring in the city. When visiting the station, get out of either exit 2 or 3, walk along the promenade by a waterway called ‘Dorimcheon’ until you reach the overpass. The picturesque scenes await at the surface of the bridge.

2. Nangok Road | 난곡로

Address: 서울 관악구 난곡로 356 [Naver Map]

Still lingering around the Sindaebang Subway Station, stepping out of the platform exit number 1 and 2, there Nangok Road lies across the street. I highly recommend you to take a walk along the footpaths or make a dinner plan in one of the diners here if an experience of the nightime cherry blossom viewing is a longing you put on your bucket list. 

The first kilometers of Nangok Road, extending to Nangok Junction (난곡 사거리) from Sindaebang Station Junction (신대방역 사거리), is fringed with long line of cherry trees, as well as local eateries and boutique stores. At night, the flower path is illuminated with soft lights from the storefronts in the area, creating a romantic and ethereal atmosphere which is barely seen in any other neighborhood of Seoul.

3. Boramae Park | 보라매공원

Address: 서울 동작구 여의대방로20길 33 [Naver Map]

Located in Sindaebang-dong and a former Air Force Academic site, Boramae Park is also noted as an attractive place to sightsee cherry blossoms in the city. During the first few weeks of April each year, a small road laid across the Air Force Historical zone is put under the spotlight as the blossoms of the deciduous cherry trees planted along it come into full bloom. The park is a large open space that features a variety of amenities including a musical pond, playgrounds, picnic grounds, and outdoor exercise fields making it an ideal destination for relaxation, particularly during the springtime.

4. Yeouido Cherry Blossoms Road | 여의도 벚꽃길

Address: 서울 영등포구 여의서로 60-2 [Naver Map]

Yeouido is a vast island on the Han River, abloom with over 1,000 cherry blossom trees. The yearly celebration event that is organized around the island’s National Assembly Building, is known as one of the most popular spring festivals in Korea. Anticipate in mingling in throngs of flower aficionados if you plan on swinging by during the spring event, which usually falls in the first or second week of April. If you are able to, visit the venue in the early morning and avoid the weekends. Also note that during the festival, the roads will be blocked for pedestrian use only; so, the most efficient way to reach the flowers is taking the subway. The closest station is National Assembly Station (국회의사당역) of Seoul Subway Line 9.

5. Dorimcheon Station | 도림천역

Address: 서울 구로구 신도림동 [Naver Map]

In the direction of exit 2 of Dorimcheon Station, a stop for a train bound between Sindorim and Kkachisan, this is where you may want to stop by on your next springtime visit to Seoul. From exit 2, a walkway that stretches over 700 meters along the Dorimcheon waterway – as the name of the station was dominated from, is fully covered with hundreds of ornamental cherry trees providing a stunning backdrop during the blooming season. 

That said, the path seems to be overshadowed by the bigger and more popular flower viewing spot: Anyang Stream Walkway Mokdong section, which is located in the same area. So, if you are looking for a lesser-known, or lesser-crowd, or more secluded place to enjoy the spring experience in the city, then you should put a pin on Dorimcheon Station. It is a perfect spot for not getting people into the background of your photos.

6. Anyang Stream Walkway in Mokdong | 안양천 산책로

Address: 서울특별시 양천구 목동  411-27 [Naver Map]

Anyang Stream Walkway is a very long passageway following Anyangcheon (안양천) or Anyang Stream, which the flow begins in Uiwang City of Gyeonggi Province and ends up meeting the Han River near the Seongsan Bridge. Along the path, even if there are sections where cherry trees are clustered, the part where the river passes through the Mokdong neighborhood seems to have the highest density of the flowers, making it the most visited place for cherry blossom sightseeing in the western Seoul. 

The area also hosts a cherry blossom festival during the peak season. Although without such an event, it easily gets crowded when the weather gets less cold since walkers and cyclists love this area as well. So, again, go early in the morning to have all the cherry blossoms to yourself, or visit late after dinner time for a more memorable experience of the flowers that are lit up with colorful spotlights.

7. Gangnam Station | 강남역

Address: 서울 강남구 역삼동 [Naver Map]

Many of you may feel surprised, just like I first did, to discover that there is a proper spot for cherry blossom viewing popping out right in the middle of the bustling business district such as Gangnam. It is a street called Yeoksam-ro-7-gil that is located nearby Gangnam Station of Seoul Subway Line 2. Starting from Gukgiwon Entrance Junction (국기원입구 사거리), stretching westward in the direction of Ssari Gogae Park (싸리고개공원), the roadway is brimmed with about-900-meter-long lines of cherry trees on both sides. During each spring, the sidewalks are greeted with numerous career men and women coming after their lunch break to relish the joy of the season. Beyond that time, the flowers are relatively free of admirers. So, visit the road anytime other than at noon on the weekdays, the place is simply your blossom shooting playground.

8. Hapjeong Station | 합정역

Address: 서울 마포구 합정동 [Naver Map]

Located almost merging into the hipster vibe oozing area of Hongdae, Hapjeong is a modest version of the hottest area for outings in Seoul’s Mapo district. That being said, Hapjeong can become more popular during the flower blooming months when long lines of cherry trees on Yanghwa-ro 6-gil (양화로 6길) turn the familiar eatery street into a springtime wonderland filled with beautiful pastel flowers. Many storefronts look even more magical when they are framed with flimsy clouds of cherry flowers, offering numerous photo ops for your camera. These memorable sceneries can be found immediately outside of Hapjeong Station Exit 5 during the first weeks of April.

9. Greylab Cafe | 그레이랩

Address: 서울 마포구 토정로3길 16 [Naver Map]

When you are down on exploring the area of Hapjeong, don’t forget to drop by for a cup of apple tea at Greylab Cafe. It is an aesthetic coffee shop with lovely decor and trendy interior. They have a very relaxing outdoor seating area in the back that features three fully-grown cherry trees, making the place very worthy to be on this list. If you would like to see the cherry blossoms at their prime at Greylab, feel free to follow their Instagram account (@greylab_) to keep up with the blooming progress.

10. Seoul Forest Park | 서울숲

Address: 서울특별시 성동구 성수동1가 699-2 [Naver Map]

Now moving towards eastern Seoul, this time it is down on the north bank of the Han River. Seoul Forest is a vast urban park that is home to a diverse array of fauna and flora including those of ornamental cherry trees. If your sole purpose of visiting the park is to take a good picture with the biggest star of the season of spring, then you don’t want to waste a minute getting lost in this massive space. Head to the Culture and Art Park or the Ecological Forest Zone for the most intensive cherry blossoms background. And if you are a creative photo enthusiast, Seoul Forest is basically your field of amusement. There are many photo opportunities at every turn, especially when the flowers are all around.

11. Seokchon Lake Park | 석촌호수공원

Address: 서울특별시 송파구 잠실동 [Naver Map]

If you love flowers and/or framing in photography is something you enjoy, then you might want to consider bee-lining to Seokchon Lake Park on your next visit to Seoul during the springtime. It is located at the foot of one of the elegant city landmarks, Lotte World Tower, and is surrounded with over 1,000 gorgeous cherry trees. It is an impeccable spot to shoot the iconic skyscraper with a special frame of cherry flowers. Although I ain’t going to hide the fact that the park always gets very busy when the blossoms are at their peak (usually around mid-April), however, it is a massive area, which can mean the more space you will find to relish the beauty of the season on our own 🙂

12. Seoul National University | 서울대학교

Address: 서울대학교 유전공학특화창업보육센터 105-1동 [Naver Map]

Most of the university campuses in Korea are brimmed with clusters of cherry trees including Seoul National University (SNU), one of the top three institutions in the country. Its main campus in Gwanak district is where you can find bundles of the blossoming trees, in which the peak season normally falls late in April in accordance with its higher elevation of the Gwanak Mountain foothill. Exploring the school is also a piece of cake since there are four bus routes shuttling in and out: 02, 5511, 5513, and 5516. For this coming flower season, you should hop on the Nakseongdae bound bus: 02, and alight at the stop number 21289 by the Genetic Engineering Department – a long line of the cherry blossoms awaits~????

There you have it – all the recorded spots to see cherry blossoms in Seoul! Which one is your favorite?

Spots Mentioned in This Post

Interested in a Seoul Cherry Blossoms Tour?

Did this entry help you? Or Did you enjoy my photos? Help support my small blog by giving a little cup of joe. I am always grateful when readers reach out wanting to support 🙂

p.s. This post is independently created. However, when you book or purchase something through the retail links, I may earn an affiliate commission to help keep Ploy’s Little Atlas running. Thank you very much for your support!

p.p.s All images used (unless specified) are owned by the author of the blog and permission is required for a repost. Please, reach out via social media channels to ask beforehand if you’d like to use them.