Climb, Wish, Repeat: Discovering Gwanak Mountain in Seoul

 Hi, Friends!👋

 Today I want to introduce Gwanaksan, a mountain I recently hiked. In Eastern philosophy’s five elements, Gwanaksan is known as a mountain with strong “fire” energy. 🔥🔥🔥

 There’s a legend that if life feels stuck or you have a wish, you climb Gwanaksan and make your wish three times—and it will come true. It’s right in Seoul, so it’s super easy to get to by public transport.

 The route that starts from Seoul National University’s College of Engineering is the most popular, so since it was my first time, I went with that. Take Line 2 to Seoul Nat’l Univ. Station and come out of Exit 3—you’ll see a bus stop right in front with people lined up. Hop on bus 5531 from there. 
 

 Ride the bus into the Seoul National University campus and get off at the Institute of Construction and Environmental Engineering stop—the trailhead for Gwanaksan is right there. It’s a popular mountain, so a lot of people get off at that stop; just hop off with the crowd and you’ll see the entrance immediately. 👍👍

 Since it was winter, the little stream was frozen. And Gwanaksan has a lot of rocky paths with pretty steep climbs, so as a first-timer, I found it quite tough. 😵😵😵

 There were wooden deck paths here and there like this, but most of the trail was uneven, rocky terrain.

 In the end, I gave up with about 800 meters left to Yeonjudae, the summit. I was really bummed, but I felt like I might hurt myself if I pushed any further. My legs were jelly on the way down—they were literally shaking. The Yeonjudae cliff and the summit weather station were right there in front of me, which made it even more frustrating.

 This is a photo of Yeonjudae at the summit that I grabbed from another blog. The actual highest point of Gwanaksan is Torch Rock next to the weather station, but that area’s off-limits. So when people visit, they use this spot for their “summit proof” photo—the marker stone was set up for that. 😍😍😍

 If you look toward the summit from the Yeonjuam side, you’ll spot a small tiled-roof house perched on the 30‑meter Yeonjudae cliff. Colorful lanterns sway in the breeze, and you can hear the soft rhythm of a moktak drifting through the air. 

That’s Eungjinjeon, one of the halls belonging to Yeonjuam. In this hall, Shakyamuni Buddha is the main figure, and the space depicts the world of faith surrounding his sixteen disciples. It’s long been known as a place where prayers “take,” so many believers have visited over the years. It’s only about 18 pyeong in size, but even today—especially during exam season—parents come here to pray, since it’s considered a particularly auspicious spot. 💖💖💖

 I headed down with a heavy heart, taking it slow—and honestly, the descent was even tougher. You have to put your weight into each step, and since it’s all rocky stairs, it’s easy to slip if you’re not careful. Next time, I’m definitely coming better prepared with hiking boots and poles. The elevation isn’t crazy high, but the terrain is no joke. 😫😫

 On the way down, I passed by those wish-stone towers and made a heartfelt wish of my own. And next time, I’m definitely making it to the summit!