[WEEKEND GETAWAY] Hikers and hipsters unite in trendy Ui-dong

However much a neighborhood is rooted in its past, everywhere eventually changes over time. Ui-dong in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul, is no exception.

Young hikers take pictures on Yeongbong Peak at Mount Bukhan in Seoul. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

However much a neighborhood is rooted in its past, everywhere eventually changes over time. Ui-dong in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul, is no exception.

Dating back to the 1980s and 90s, Ui-dong was considered a major neighborhood for hiking or MT – short for membership training, a Konglish term that refers to a retreat or a workshop. The neighborhood is now making a comeback, catching the attention of younger Koreans.

Traditional restaurants that used to serve Korean food and makgeolli— an alcoholic drink made with rice, yeast and water—are getting replaced by trendy cafes and hotels with a mountain view.

The beginning of those change dates back to the Covid-19 pandemic. Limits on indoor activities brought outdoor pastimes into the limelight. Gradually that trend shifted onto the hashtag wave on social media and younger Koreans began to flock to mountains and parks.

The other side of the change relates to issues in the restaurant industry. Restaurants that used to target the older generation failed to resume their business during lockdown due to social distancing restrictions. Instead, modern cafes that could accommodate people eating or relaxing on their own began to open.

As a result, it is no longer a rare sight to see young people in either hiking gear or fancy outfits around Ui-dong, excitedly clutching onto their phones to capture the special cafe treats.

If you are interested in visiting somewhere for both an active and relaxing getaway, Ui-dong is the place for you.

Cafes and bakeries

People enjoy their drinks at a Hanok cafe Sunwoongak. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

These days, you can easily judge the trendiness of a place by the number of modern cafes. New cafes popping up here and there are a familiar sight in Ui-dong. No longer does hiking automatically mean a combination of makgeolli and local food, with plenty of appetizing drinks and desserts now available.

Café Sunwoongak serves both as a Hanok cafe and a wedding hall. Once a furtive meeting spot for politicians and government authorities during the military dictatorship, it is now an elegant part of the neighborhood that invites tourists from afar.

Highground Bakery can accommodate multiple visitors at once since it used to be an in-service education institute for group visitors. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

Highground Bakery is also a large cafe that hosts small weddings with terraces, rooftop space and a massive parking area. It offers a variety of creative bakery goods along with handmade beverages. It used to be an in-service educational center targeting companies that came in groups for workshops, but is now a vast cafe stretched across two buildings and two floors. The cafe has an elevator, so older visitors need not worry about tackling the stairs.

Okryuheon, a traditional Korean restaurant, now serves coffee and dessert as Cafe Relax. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

Another example of a Hanok restaurant that has shifted to a cafe is Okryuheon, rebranded as Café Relax. The restaurant presented Korean course meals for more than 30 years, handed down through four generations before the pandemic hit. Now it offers coffee and side dishes for visitors coming for the view. Café Sunwoongak@cafe_sunwoongak223 Samyang-ro 173-gil, Gangbuk District, Seoul20 minutes awayby foot from exit 2, Bukhansan Ui Station, Ui LRT line (Ui-Sinseol) Business Hours: 12:00 p.m. – 8: 00 p.m. (Last order 7 p.m.), Days off informed on Instagram and Naver MapPhone number: 010-4395-1105Highground Bakery @highground_bakery_official161 Samyang-ro 181-gil, Gangbuk District, Seoul Business Hours: 10:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m.Phone number: 02) 991- 5777Café Relax@cafe_relax._142 Samyang-ro 181-gil, Gangbuk District, SeoulBusiness Hours: 11:00 a.m.—9:30 p.m.Phone number: 02) 993-1829

Ui-dong Family Camping Ground

Ui-dong Family Camping Ground opened March 2021 and welcomes campers with clean facilities. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

If you are beginning to worry that Ui-dong is just another gentrified corner of Seoul for the well-dressed and the trendy, you are solely mistaken. Ui-dong keeps the natural side alive for families too.

Ui-dong Family Camping Ground offers camping and glamping options, the latter sparing you the burden of having to prepare your own camping equipment. What’s more, reservation dates open a day in advance for foreign visitors, with two regular decks saved for those unfamiliar with the competitive Korean ticketing process.

The camping ground is open at a comparatively affordable price range, with the camping deck set at 35,000 won and glamping at 95,000 won, including 5000 won for electricity. With a group of four, you can reserve a spot for a memorable experience outdoors with a great view overlooking the mountain. Make sure to bring documents that prove your identity if you go for the foreigner’s reservation option. Campfires and pets are prohibited for safety.

28 Samyang-ro 181-gil, Gangbuk District, SeoulCheck in from 2:00 p.m., Check out until 11:00 a.m., Closed on TuesdaysPhone number: 02) 944-2941, 2942Reservation website: https://tickets.interpark.com/goods/21000833

Paraspara Hotel

Jacuzzis are one of the big attractions of Paraspara. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

Ui-dong has upped its chic level with the opening of Paraspara Hotel in Aug. 2021. Paraspara Hotel is known for its rooftop infinity pool and Jacuzzi. It boasts its stance as a luxurious resort, consisting of 14 buildings and 334 rooms. Fine dining is a part of the experience, as is a relaxing session at the rooftop Jacuzzi.

“There has been a noticeable rise in the number of young visitors who come modestly dressed, compared to that of usual visitors in hiking gear,” cultural commentator Kim Sun-hee remarked. Now people are looking to Ui-dong for a peaceful, less-crowded area that offers both nature and chic.

Paraspara's Four Season Cake inspired by Mount Bukhan. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

Another hit among younger Koreans is Four Season Cake, a 15,000-won mini cake carefully crafted to resemble the shape of Mount Bukhan. This treat is a social media regular, with budding influencers typically photographing the cake with the mountain view as the background.

@paraspara_seoul689 Samyang-ro, Gangbuk District, SeoulPhone number: 02) 3408-5000Website: https://www.paraspara.co.kr/Mount Bukhan

Young hikers take selfies on Yeongbong Peak at Mount Bukhan. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

With the hiking culture gone viral, Mount Bukhan is recognized as a popular spot to visit for foreigners too. Yeongbong Peak is one of the many visited peaks on the mountain since its 604-meter (1981 feet) height is not too challenging for beginners. Taking an Insta-worthy shot is a plus, as the mild hike can keep you from looking too sweaty. Another course you can take for a challenging route is heading to Baegundae Peak that measures 836 meters in height and 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) in length.

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center offers multilingual services for foreign hikers. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center, located five minutes away from Bukhansan Ui Station, is the place to stop if you are going for a spontaneous hike with nothing ready. It welcomes local and foreign visitors looking to rent hiking gear, as well as offering hike tours which can be booked in advance. The center provides multilingual information services for foreign hikers, maps and guidebooks included. There are changing rooms, showers and lockers available.

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center52, Samyang-ro 173-gil, Gangbuk District, SeoulBusiness Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6: 00 p.m. (Closed on Mondays, the day of the Korean New Year, the day of Chuseok.)Phone number: 1533-2608Website: http://www.seoulhiking.or.kr/

BY BAEK JONG-HYUN, KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr]