Wolhwawon is a traditional Chinese garden in Hyowon Park in the city of Suwon. The garden was attributed to a friendly pact made between the provincial governments of Gyeonggi-do in Korea and Guangdong in China as to exchange of each other’s cultural heritages. I was surprised when I learned that Walhwawon has been open to the public since 2006. How come that this great photo spot has hidden from everyone’s attention for years? 

The garden is very easy to find and travel to. From Seoul, a number of buses can take you right to the east gate of the Hyowon Park. And all you have to do is walk a stone’s throw distance across the park. Follow the signs that lead to the entrance of the Wolhwawon. 

Surrounded by high walls, the Wolhwawon is a secluded place where the hustling and bustling city environment is blocked out making it a perfect space to keep your anxiety at bay. Besides, it has all the elements created for relaxation such as plants, ponds and pavilions. And every path inside is deliberately designed for visitors to stroll around in the particular order that they were laid out. 

Evidently, the entire garden cannot be seen all at once. And the walls of the garden are set with a bunch of windows offering views of a different area of the garden. Each window is unique both in terms of its shape and framework. This can simply be a heaven to you if framing in photography is your thing. 

Wolhwawon seems to give out magnificent scenery in every season. So you can visit the garden all year round. In summer, the lushly green of the trees beautifully contrasts with the bleak white walls and the sleek black architectures. During autumn, the entire garden turns into a colorful wonderland where you can enjoy a mixture of yellow, orange and red foliage. And during winter, a monochrome scenery of the black pavilions covered up with white snow can turn the garden into the coolest photo spot within only a blow of a blizzard.

And last but not least, if you are a K-drama fan, you would not want to miss out visiting Wolhwawon. It was used as a filming location for many popular TV series including Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (달의 연인-보보경심 려).

If you are planning a trip to Suwon, put Wolhwawon on the list. You can expect the great tranquility of a traditional Chinese garden that is barely seen in Korea.

Access Map

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