Seoullo7017 was an overpass that connects the east and west sides of Seoul Station and has been transformed into a park. It was inspired by New York’s High Line, an abandoned railroad track transformed into a park. The road, known as the “Seoul Overpass,” was old and in danger of being demolished because of a poor safety inspection. Revitalizing this abandoned space was more complicated than building a new one, but it was a meaningful task. The result is a viewpoint where people can take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the night view of the Seoul Station area. With Sungnyemun Gate, Namdaemun Market, City Hall, Deoksugung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate, and Gyeongbokgung Palace nearby, it’s a great place to explore on foot. It is also widely known as the filming location for BTS’ “With Seoul” music video and the drama Vincenzo.

Transforming an overpass into a park

The overpass in front of Seoul Station was built in 1970, connecting the west side of Seoul Station to Namdaemun Market. More than 40 years after its construction, it was deemed unsafe and planned to be demolished, but citizens protested against it, transforming into a park. The overpass constructed in 1970 was reborn as a park in 2017 and was named “Seoullo7017,” which has multiple meanings: a road used by vehicles in the 1970s, 17 pedestrian walkways for people, and a road built in 1970 at a height of 17 meters.

The decision to remodel instead of demolish the building as an urban renewal project has revitalized the surrounding commercial area. Flowers and trees have been planted along the 17 pedestrian paths to create greenery, and benches, cafés, and tourist information centers have been built. Large circular pots and pine trees, as well as roses and silver grasses, are planted to give people a sense of the seasons as the flowers bloom and the leaves fall.

BTS hotspots are here.

Seoullo7017 has a long history with BTS. BTS has been an honorary tourism ambassador for Seoul since 2017, and their first promotional video, “Seoul Life,” and music video for their theme song, “With Seoul,” were filmed on Seoullo 7017. It’s the same road where the members walked in a line, saying, “When I want to take a walk, I walk in the sky,” making it one of the BTS hotspots for ARMY members traveling to Korea. The nighttime lighting is a delicate mix of blue and purple colors, making it a popular photo spot for BTS fans.

Filming location of the drama “Vincenzo”

In 2021, several scenes of the internationally popular drama Vincenzo were filmed at Seoullo7017. The drama tells the story of Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki), a mafioso who comes to Korea from Italy after his organization betrays him, and Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been), a tenacious lawyer, who brings the bad guys to justice. Song Joong-ki said he was attracted to the character because he is a dark hero but also has a comedic side. He shared a funny story about when he was in New York City to present an award at the Emmy Awards, and a man on the street said, “I recently watched a drama called Vincenzo, and you resemble the main character.” Even after the show ended, the popularity of Vincenzo continued to grow, and some travelers purposefully visited Seoullo7017 to see the filming locations and merchandise.

Sparkling night view spots

Seoullo7017 has multiple entrances and exits. You can access it via elevator, stairs, or ramp from Seoul Station, Seoullo Terrace at Hoehyeon Station, Mallijae Road, Cheongpa Road, etc. The Seoul Station connects many neighborhoods, so you can walk around and see various neighborhoods such as Malli-dong, Jungnim-dong, Cheongpa-dong, and Hoehyeon.

At night, the area takes on a different charm from what you see during the day. Many people visit after dark to enjoy the night view. When the lights installed around the large flower pots are turned on, the entire Seoullo7017 is illuminated. The blue lights with purple hues gently color the surroundings, so you can enjoy a lovely nighttime stroll. 

There are a few nighttime highlights, the first of which is the fountain you’ll see as you walk up to Seoullo Terrace at Hoehyeon Station. The fountain is illuminated and sparkles with the sound of refreshing water. The second is near the Seoullo Peeping Pot, a great place to look out over Seoul Square. Located opposite Seoul Station, Seoul Square is where the former headquarters of Daewoo Group was located, and it was featured in the drama Misaeng. At night, the exterior walls of Seoul Square are illuminated with various graphics. Overlooking the Seoul Station intersection is another hot spot. It’s always a busy intersection, and at night, you can see a long line of cars with their lights tucked into their tails. You can also see the illuminated Sungnyemun Gate at the end of the lights.