Bugaksan is a mountain located on the back side of Gyeongbokgung and Cheongwadae (Blue House: president’s house), and one of the mountains that passed by Seoggwak Pass or Seoul Fortress Wall, along with Inwangsan, Namsan and Naksan. So, it is special because you can walk the trail with the ancient Fortress Wall, and you can see the amazing view of Gyeongbokgung, Gwanghwamun and Namsan Tower.
Seoul Fortress Wall was constructed during King Taejo’s ruling period, after he built Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo, and had been always maintained by the kings after him. This wall surrounds the capital area, Jongmyo, and all royal palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeonghuigung. It has 4 main large gates (Sadaemun) located in the north, south, east and west: Sukjeongmun, Sungnyemun (also called Namdaemun), Heunginjimun (also called Dongdaemun), Donuimun. Between them, 4 small gates (Sasomun) are situated: Changuimun, Souimun, Gwanghuimun, Hyehwamun.
Now, even though some of the walls are missing, but the gates are still there. We can walk circling Fortress Wall, passing all 4 mountains and all 8 gates.
Today, I only walked through Bugaksan, between Malbawi Information Center and Changuimun Information Center. This section (yellow mark on the map below) required an identification card and many security guards, because it is located near Cheongwadae. So make sure you bring your passport or alien registration card. We have to fill up a form, give it to the staff by showing our identity card, then we get a pass to go inside the trail. Picture taking is only allowed in designated areas, but there is no clear sign where is allowed and where is not. I was once warned by the guard when I took a picture in some random place.
One of interesting places to see in this trail is Incident Pine Tree. This is the site where Lee Su Geun went on 1-Day Jongno Trip in 1N2D!
On January 21, 1968, a group of 30 commandos led by Kim Sinjo of the North Korea’s 124 Unit sneaked into Seoul to ravage the Blue House (Cheongwadae) before confronting Korean defence forces which led to a fierce combat. The pine tree standing here still keeps a trace of the combat and is called the January 21st Pine.
This trail in Bugaksan will pass 2 gates: Sukjeongmun (one of the large gates) and Changuimun (one of the small gates). There are 3 possible courses:
Course 1: Malbawi Information Center – Sukjeongmun Gate – Baegakmaru – Changuimun Information Center – Changuimun Gate (2.3 km)
Course 2: Sukjeongmun Information Center – Sukjeongmun Gate – Baegakmaru – Changuimun Information Center – Changuimun Gate (2.2 km)
Course 3: Changuimun Gate – Changuimun Information Center – Baegakmaru – Sukjeongmun Gate – Malbawi Information Center (2.3 km)
All the courses will take approximately 2 hours to finish. I took the first course, and I was glad to take that. Because apparently, the trail between Baegakmaru and Changuimun is really steep. In Course 1 and 2, the trail is going from Baegakmaru down to Changuimun. While Course 3 will go from Changuimun up to Baegakmaru with steep stairs, it is more tiring.
From Changuimun, you can continue to walk around the peaceful neighborhood Buam-dong 🙂
How to get to Malbawi Information Center
Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line No. 3) Exit 2. From Anguk Station, take bus #02 to Sungkyunkwan University rear gate. Walk to Waryong Park, you can see already the piece of Fortress Wall from there. Follow the wall, it leads you to Malbawi Information Center.