Cheonggye Stream – The Heart of Seoul

Cheonggye. The very meaning of the name, “clear creek”, implies a natural clear water flowing through Seoul’s city center. A refreshing breeze of picturesque canopy, it shelters its various inhabitants from the steel glare of modern Seoul.

An abundance of fish glides their way around, among reeds, plants and small stepping stones placed at intervals throughout the stream. Its hard to believe all this exists literally seconds away from the towering skyscrapers of Seoul. Even harder yet to imagine the dry and polluted concrete that lies on top of it a mere five years ago.

During the first half of the century, squatters filled the stream as Seoul’s homeless sought refuge there in makeshift shelters. The stream broke its banks whenever it rained, making the area reek of sewage. In 1968, it was paved over and buried beneath an elevated crosstown highway. By the turn of the century, it had all been dead and buried, forgotten by Seoul’s inhabitants except for one, Lee Myung-Bak, Seoul’s now president of South Korea.

An ambitious project to restore the stream was launched, starting with the concrete flyover – out it went and in came 20 scenic bridges in its place. The stale, stinking water was flushed out and restored. Along with the new water, almost 11km of greenery and wildlife came as well.

Seoulites loved it. The beautiful night lights and natural embrace of the stream serves as an oxygen mask in a city that is quickly outgrowing its capacity to expand. To many, the stream provides a much-needed breath of fresh air, even as the supply to this “oxygen mask” is just as artificial.

The problem is that during spells of dry weather, Cheonggye Stream would be nothing but a cracked stream bed. In order to keep it flowing all year round, water is now pumped from the Han River and from nearby sources. Detractors pointed out that the government has created a faux vision of nature instead of restoring the natural ecosystem here.

Even so, it seems harsh to focus only on these and dismiss the stream as a sham. Follow the windy breeze next to the river and you’ll notice right away how Seoulites have embraced the stream.

Families gathered around Palseokdam – a pond carpeted with various rare stones – to enjoy a breath of fresh air while their children squeals in delight as they spot ducks and cranes. Couples strolled arm in arm, enjoying the refreshing breeze and the occasional jet of water. Colorful murals adorn the walls flanking the stream. Further along, both the stream and its walkway grow wider, and nature truly takes over with an abundance of trees, fish and birds.

Cheonggye’s successes were plenty, and though mistakes were made – both cultural and technical – it shouldn’t detract from its achievement. The government has managed to reclaim an area of natural beauty in the heart of a bustling city, breathing life back into its downtown.