Goyang: The historic city worth exploring long after the BTS concerts end

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Goyang: The historic city worth exploring long after the BTS concerts end

Published: 10 Apr. 2026, 07:00

WOO JI-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Deogyangjeong Pavilion at Haengjusanseong is set against sweeping views of the Han River. [WOO JI-WON]

Many K-pop fans know Goyang, Gyeonggi, for Goyang Stadium, one of South Korea’s largest venues where global stars regularly take the stage. In fact, BTS is set to perform there on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

But once the encore ends, most people leave — as proven by local travel agencies’ itineraries, which often focus solely on getting to and from Goyang Stadium.

Goyang is a sprawling satellite city that spans about 270 square kilometers (66,718 acres). But even South Koreans often overlook Goyang due to its remote location: approximately 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from central Seoul, or about a half-hour drive.

While government-led initiatives in redevelopment have buoyed the popularity of regions such as Ilsan, much of the progress focuses on constructing high-rise apartments and residential complexes, which is why Goyang remains relatively marginal to both domestic visitors and international tourists. Recently, however, Bamridan-gil has emerged as a hot spot for younger crowds, thanks to its lineup of trendy cafes, bakeries and brunch spots.

But look even closer, and the city reveals a side of itself that’s far more compelling than its glossy buildings or concert scene, such as its layered history, from its proximity to North Korea to its role as the resting place for Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) royalty and the site of one of the most significant battles of the Imjin War (1592-98).

Bamridan-gil in Goyang, Gyeonggi [GOYANG CITY GOVERNEMNT]

So let’s explore Goyang through the lens of history.

From restricted zone to walking trail

Goyang sits along a corridor that once connected Seoul and Kaesong, a city in the southern part of North Korea. Today, it remains one of the closest cities to the border, just about 10 kilometers from the demilitarized zone.

Decades ago, this proximity meant restriction. After the 1950-53 Korean War, the establishment of the DMZ and the civilian control line turned parts of Goyang into a restricted military zone for more than 40 years, when civilians were kept out by barbed-wire fences and guards.

Peace Trail sign along course 5 [WOO JI-WON]

Then in the 1990s, as Ilsan New Town was built to meet Seoul’s growing housing demand, parts of the restricted zone began to open, and efforts to repurpose those spaces began.

This led to the creation of the DMZ Peace Trail.

Stretching across four DMZ border regions — Goyang, Paju, Gimpo and Yeoncheon — the trail spans a total of 12 courses. Courses 4 and 5 pass through Goyang.

Course 4 was created to allow visitors to experience a combination of the traces of the Korean war, the landscape of the Han River and the historical and cultural context and value of various sites, all while enjoying the simple pleasure of a peaceful walk.

Course 5 begins at Ilsan Lake Park, one of the largest artificial lake parks in South Korea and a surprisingly peaceful starting point, not far from Goyang Stadium.

The Goyang Independence Movement Monument stands at Ilsan Cultural Plaza. [WOO JI-WON]

Try taking part in the trail by hopping off the subway at Line No. 3’s Jeongbalsan Station, then head out through exit 2 and cross the Ilsan cultural plaza, a large open square often used as a gathering space for events. At its center stands the 31-meter-tall (102-feet-tall) Goyang Independence Movement Monument honoring 74 independence activists from the region. Right next to it sits a tourism center, which offers helpful information for navigating the city.

After passing through the plaza, the city opens up to Ilsan Lake Park, where you’ll be blessed with a picturesque view: sweeping verdant lawns; beautiful, calm waters, where you’ll be able to spot fish and, if you’re lucky, even a turtle resting on the rocks; and idyllic paths made for both strolling and cycling.

Built in the 1990s, the park remains one of Goyang’s most beloved spaces. The International Horticulture Goyang Korea exhibition is also set to kick off here on April 24, turning parts of the park into a paradise of spring flowers.

Ilsan Lake Park [WOO JI-WON]

From here, the trail carries you past Kintex and toward Goyang Stadium — an easy, hourlong walk. And if you’re not ready to stop, the path continues, winding into quieter residential corners, such as Gajwa Neighborhood Park, and beyond.

A park born from a divided past

Venture farther north, and Goyang’s deeper history unfolds at Haengjusanseong Fortress History Park.

For decades, this area near the Han River estuary was off limits, especially following a North Korean infiltration attempt in 1970, after which military fences were installed along the river, turning the area into a heavily restricted zone.

Barbed wires at Haengjusanseong History Park [WOO JI-WON]

The fences began to be taken down in the 2000s amid easing inter-Korean tensions, and a section of those spaces has been reborn as a public park.

Today, wide-open fields stretch toward the Han River. Former guard posts have been transformed into riverside lookouts, and remnants of the barbed wire remain — now part of a photo zone — as reminders of what once stood there.

Nearby, the Janghang Wetland remains off-limits to direct entry, but visitors can experience it through guided programs that include access to observation decks and an ecological center. Programs are offered several times a day from Tuesday to Saturday, and reservations can be made online.

Janghang Wetland ecological park [JOONGANGILBO]

The city continues to shed its old reputation as a military stronghold to reposition itself as a place of peace in other ways as well. For example, in 2020, Goyang removed two antitank barriers, one in Naeyu-dong and the other in Jiyoung-dong, which had stood for more than 40 years after being installed in the 1970s for defense.

Victory on the ridge

Let’s step even further back into history: the Joseon era.

Near the Haengjusanseong Fortress History Park sits Haengjusanseong Fortress, the site of one of South Korea’s most significant historic battles.

A view of the Han River from Haengjusanseong Fortress [WOO JI-WON]

Perched along the ridge of Mount Deogyang, the fortress features a dual structure, with an outer earthen wall and an inner stone wall, and overlooks the Han River to the southwest and Changneung Stream to the southeast — a naturally strategic vantage point that once made it a longstanding and powerful defensive stronghold and logistical hub.

First constructed during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668), it has evolved over the centuries, from consisting of sturdy stone walls during the Silla era (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) to its reconstruction in the Goryeo period (918-1392).

The fortress is best known as the site of the Battle of Haengju, one of the three great victories of the Imjin War. In 1593, Gen. Gwon Yul (1537-1599), commanding just 2,300 troops, held off an estimated 30,000 Japanese forces to secure a dramatic victory.

A statue of Gen. Gwon Yul (1537-1599) stands at the entrance of Haengjusanseong. [WOO JI-WON]

Today, a bronze statue of the general stands at Haengjusanseong’s entrance, as if still guarding the fortress.

From the fortress, the Han River stretches out below, framed by bridges and distant mountains. Two steles stand at the top of the site: the original monument built by Gwon Yul’s followers in 1602 to commemorate the victory, now preserved inside a pavilion, and the 2.2-meter reconstructed stele built later in 1845, after the original fell into poor condition.

Original stele built in 1602 to commemorate Gen. Gwon Yul's victory against Japanese forces [WOO JI-WON]

Second stele built in 1602 to commemorate Gen. Gwon Yul's victory against Japanese forces [WOO JI-WON]

Additional structures along the fortress, such as shrines and memorial halls, were built during restoration efforts following the Korean War, which continued into the late 20th century.

Haengjusanseong is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays. It will also host nighttime viewing events on Saturday and April 25.

Where kings and queens still rest

Of course, there’s more to Goyang’s history than battlefields.

In Deokyang District lies Seooreung, or the West Five Royal Tombs, designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2009. Located within a forested landscape, the site brings together five Joseon-era royal tombs — Gyeongneung, Changneung, Ikneung, Myeongneung and Hongneung — and additional burial grounds for crown princes and royal family members.

Gyeongneung at Seooreung [WOO JI-WON]

Its origins date back to 1457, when King Sejo (r. 1455-68) chose the area as the burial site for his eldest son, Crown Prince Uigyeong (1438-1457). Over time, more royal tombs were added, and it is now the second-largest royal burial complex of the Joseon Dynasty after Donggureung in Guri.

Among those buried here are figures closely tied to King Sukjong (r. 1674-1720), the 19th ruler of Joseon.

A visitors walks toward Myeongenung. [WOO JI-WON]

Near the entrance stands Myeongneung, one of the most prominent tombs on the grounds, where King Sukjong is buried next to Queen Inhyeon (1667-1701) on the right and Queen Inwon (1687-1757) on the left. In front of the tombs sits a T-shaped ritual hall known as jeongjagak, where ancestral rites were once performed. A stone pathway leads toward it before splitting in two. The slightly elevated center path was reserved for ritual ceremonies, while the path to the right, the “king’s path,” was used by the monarch himself. Walk along the king’s path, as advised, for a taste of what it once felt like to be royal.

Spread across roughly 1.87 million square meters (462 acres), the tombs are scattered across the landscape but connected by well-maintained paths lined with pine trees. Along the way stands the jesil, where royal tomb keepers once lived while tending the grounds.

At first glance, the tomb mounds may appear modest in size, but Joseon royal tombs were designed to harmonize with their landscape, using the surrounding hills and forests to create a sense of grandeur when viewed from a distance.

People walk along a path set between pine trees at Seooreung. [WOO JI-WON]

Haengjusanseong is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays and requires an entrance fee of 1,000 won (67 cents).

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]