Oil Tank Culture Park & Haneul Sky Park
Haneul Sky Park kept coming up in numerous lists and recommendations, so we definitely knew were were going to make it there, but then I saw something else unusual in the area that also sparked my interest…oil tanks!
World Cup Park is the green spaces and areas around the Seoul World Cup Stadium which was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. There is so much to do in this area because not only is the stadium here, but there are also 5 sub-parks:
Pyeonghwa (Peace) Park
Haneul (Sky) Park
Noeul Park
Nanjicheon Park
Hangang Riverside Park (Nanji area)
We took the metro to the World Cup Stadium station. Upon exiting, we ended up right in the World Cup Stadium’s parking lot, so while were were there, we took a quick look around before heading to our first destination.
Oil Tank Culture Park
A very small park and events area that didn’t even make the list as one of the 5 World Cup parks, but definitely the most unusual when it comes to architecture. With the impending arrival of 2002 World Cup and the corresponding new stadium next door, this space was closed until it was re-born as Oil Tank Culture Park in 2017.
Because we entered the park walking through another park from the Stadium, the first tank we encountered was T3. This is the entrance. At first glance, this doesn’t even look like an oil tank, but when we went through that small door, this is what we saw.
Formerly called the Mapo Oil Depot which was built sometime in the 1970’s, it stored “69.07 million liters of oil” and was off limits to the public. One of the tanks, T3, is preserved "as-is” without any modifications or renovations. Visitors are not allowed to wander inside this old diesel fuel storage tank, but you can get a look at the exterior through closed gates.
T6 is the Community Center and holds the most modern modifications with a café, library, and circle rooftop viewing area. While it may look like a long-standing building of the area, it was actually newly built and not part of the original buildings (although the exterior steel plates were re-purposed from T1 and T2.
T1 was turned into the stunning Glass Pavilion. Not a bad upgrade for something that used to hold gasoline within its walls. The light and acoustics in here are just incredible.
T2 is the Concert Hall. Indoor performances can be held, but up the outdoor staircase (or an elevator) is a stunning outdoor amphitheater.
T4 is the Culture Complex which makes use of the dark, windowless tanker, and high circular walls for rotating art exhibitions and events.
And the last tank that we hit was T5 which is called the Story Hall. A quiet darkened theatre with an almost 360 degree screen projecting very calming images. What’s not seen in the photo are these not-quite seats/not quite beds made out of rope that you can recline on and watch the show. This was a very good place to rest our feet.
Haneul Sky Park
A short walk away from Oil Tank Culture Park is Haneul Park consists of a vast grassland located at the highest point in the area. To save time and our feet, we took the shuttle bus up to the park for a small cost, but there is a staircase of 291 steps that can be taken for free.
Getting off the shuttle bus, we were already rewarded with great views. And yes, we were glad that we took the shuttle both up and down.
It’s hard to believe, but this green open space was once a landfill for 15 years. What a difference a little time and care can make.
Most of the area is wild open field, but there are a few pretty little cultivated gardens near the convenience store/visitor’s center. The convenience store has a raised deck which is perfect for getting an overall view and enjoying a cold drink.
While were was a map posted near the convenience store, we eventually gave up and just started wandering. The grass was low enough in some parts that we could see over and plan our next destination, but also, in the tall areas, it was just fun to not know what was beyond the next turn.
The main type of grass found here is pampas grass, also known as eulalia. This is no ordinary grass. There is a Seoul Eulalia festival held here in the fall when the grass blooms (more on this later).
There are so many paths crisscrossing this area through fields of grasslands which lead to little surprises. Every once in a while there is an art sculpture that makes for a great photo op or a offers some shade.
An enormous cosmos field just getting ready to bloom for the fall. We were a bit early in September, but we got a little sneak peek. I can only imagine how gorgeous this would’ve been in October and November.
So, back to the pampas grass and what makes this park so unusual. In the fall, when the grass blooms, these ends become a bright pink and then the whole area transforms into this beautiful otherworldly color which is supposed to be just amazing around sunset (and also why the park has extended hours in the fall).
There are 22 lookout points scattered around the edges of the park which give stunning views of Seoul going from mountain to river.
While we only had time to explore one out of the five parks here, we did end up walking through Pyeonghwa (Peace) Park on our way back to the station.