Dream Forest in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul has been transformed into a new healing space for citizens. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the opening of the "Garden Culture Healing Center" on the first floor of the Dream Forest Art Center starting this May.
This newly opened center offers a space where visitors can directly experience nature and gardens. It features indoor and outdoor gardening program rooms, a garden consultation center, a plant-themed rest area, and an unmanned café. Covering an area of 425 square meters, the center is designed to provide citizens with opportunities for relaxation and healing.
Six types of gardening programs are available five days a week, including Home Gardening, Horticultural Therapy, a Children’s Garden School, and a Fragrant Garden program. These programs, tailored for diverse participants, are operated by the Seoul Citizens’ Garden Society Cooperative. Citizens can apply through the Seoul Public Service Reservation website (https://yeyak.seoul.go.kr), with some programs allowing on-site reservations.
Alongside the opening of the healing center, the previously aging observation deck has also been refurbished. Surrounded by Mt. Byeokosan and Mt. Opaesan, the deck now offers a comfortable resting area with chairs and self-service beverage machines on its 2nd and 3rd floors, providing scenic forest views for visitors to unwind.
Park Cheol-su, Director of the Seoul Northern Parks And Leisure Center, stated, “We have reorganized the aging facilities to meet the evolving needs of the public after 16 years since its opening in 2009. This space will contribute to enriching the daily lives of citizens.”
The Garden Culture Healing Center is expected to become a new cultural and recreational hub for the Dream Forest, which serves as a vital green space in the Gangbuk area where greenery is limited.
Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government