A subway station plaza that commuters once rushed past without a second glance has been transformed into a "charm garden," bursting with hydrangeas and drifting cool mist.
Songpa-gu in Seoul announced it has created a 300-square-meter "charm garden" at the entrance plaza of Asia Neighborhood Park, tying the project to the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo.
The plaza at the park's entrance connects directly to a subway station and sees heavy foot traffic, yet had long served as little more than a passageway, offering residents nowhere to stop and rest.
In response, the district gave the plaza a full makeover. As part of its "Garden City, Songpa" master plan, the project went beyond simple landscaping — converting the pedestrian plaza linked to the subway station into a garden where people can unwind amid nature.
Island-shaped garden beds planted with hydrangeas and a variety of seasonal flowers and shrubs give visitors plenty to look at, while uniquely designed benches offer a place to relax in the heart of the city.
Cooling fog systems have also been installed throughout the garden. Effective at lowering ambient temperatures and reducing fine dust, the systems run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. during heat waves — cycling three minutes on and one minute off — giving park visitors a visual sense of coolness and reducing the perceived temperature.
Songpa-gu District Mayor Seo Gang-seok said he hopes the charm garden at Asia Park will serve as "a healing space where residents, as well as domestic and international visitors to the Jamsil Sports Complex area, can briefly connect with nature," adding that the district will "continue to expand green spaces that blend beautiful gardens with climate-response facilities, building Songpa into a city within a garden."
Beyond Asia Neighborhood Park, the district has installed and is operating cooling fog systems at five green spaces frequented by residents, including Garaknu ri Park, Samjeon Park, the green area at Garak Market intersection, and the flower beds in front of the Songpa-gu office.
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