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Treetop relaxation and gourmet cuisine in the heart of Seoul at Surak Hyu

Published: 04 Jul. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 09 Jul. 2025, 12:48

LEE SOO-JUNG
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Three tree houses at newly built relaxation village Surak Hyu are seen surrounded by lush greenery in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

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On an overcast Saturday afternoon, my college friend and I arrived at a village of tree houses and wooden cottages in northern Seoul's Nowon District to spend a night at a new wellness sanctuary.

The relaxation village nestled in lush greenery, called Surak Hyu, is located in the middle of Mount Surak, just a 15-minute drive from Nowon Station.

As the first urban-style forest retreat in Seoul, Surak Hyu offers environmentally friendly lodging options and a range of recreational and culinary experiences that bring visitors closer to nature.

Guests staying at Surak Hyu should walk on a wooden bridge for their check-in at the guest center in Nowon District in northern Seoul. The photo was taken on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Approximately two weeks ahead of its grand opening in mid-July, I was lucky enough to have a chance to stay the night at the village.

The getaway in nature began with clean air. The summertime humidity amplified the scent of the greenery, reminding me that I was at the very center of the woodland.

Midair sleeping

A view of a tree house surrounded by lush greenery at a newly built wellness village, called Surak Hyu, in Nowon District in northern Seoul on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Although I was not chosen to sleep in one of three tree houses, I was able to have a quick glimpse of both inside and outside of it — cabin No. 16, named “Starry Night.”

The tree houses sit up to 14 meters (45 feet) above the ground — a height equivalent to a building's third floor.

The tree houses were initially designed to be perched atop actual tree trunks. However, architects built the cabin on metal beams to protect guests from earthquakes and typhoons.

A queen-sized bed is on the loft inside a tree house at wellness village, Surak Hyu, in Nowon District in northern Seoul on June 28. The skylight window projects sunlight directly onto the bed. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Cabin No. 16 was a double-decker unit, featuring an attic-like loft with a skylight window positioned directly above the bed.

An open-air terrace served as a scenic lookout point, offering a panoramic view of the entire wellness village at a glance. Stepping closer to the railing on the terrace, I felt as if I were levitating. When I turned my head to the right, a tree branch and several leaves greeted me at eye level. I asked myself, “Is this what a giraffe sees every day?”

The interior of a tree house at Surak Hyu in Nowon District in northern Seoul on June 28. There are two holes in the window. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

The house whimsically allows guests to stretch their arms into the forest through the palm-sized holes in the windows. They can feel the breeze blowing from the forest or touch rain droplets inside the room.

“The holes are to ease the sense of being confined that people feel in their rooms in high-rise hotels,” Kim Gu, general manager of Surak Hyu, said, noting that child visitors love the feature.

The tree house is the most expensive accommodation type in the wellness village, with rates per night ranging between 200,000 won ($148) and 250,000 won.

Foreigners can also book their stays for up to two nights if they have a free-of-charge membership at a state-run reservation platform managed by the National Forest Service. (www.foresttrip.go.kr)

Unwind under the sky

A skylight window is installed directly above a queen-sized bed in cottage No.1 at wellness village Surak Hyu in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Despite weeks of longing to sleep inside the tree house, I got a single-floor wooden cottage, cabin No. 1, named “Sunny after Rain.” Spanning approximately 33 square meters (355 square feet), it featured two queen beds with crisp, white linen bedding, an LP player, Wi-Fi and a fully marble bathroom with an automatic and heated bidet.

Yet, brand-new furniture was not the primary catalyst of my excitement. The true highlight was two overhead windows on the ceiling, which allowed guests to gaze directly at the sky from their sunlit rooms. At night, the windows became starlit.

While lying in bed, I could see drifting clouds and leaves dancing in the wind. It was heavenly. It was like having an outdoor picnic but without the heat and humidity.

The cottage also came with a view of a garden filled with wildflowers and Oriental oak trees. Its minimalist interior, featuring wooden flooring and white walls, served as a simple canvas that accentuated the outdoor greenery and colorful flowers.

An interior of cottage No. 1 at Surak Hyu in Nowon District, northern Seoul on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

In what appeared to be an all-inclusive cottage, something was missing: towels, soaps, shampoo, body wash and toothpaste. The tree house also lacked sanitation products.

This minimizes the human impact on the environment. However, if guests wish to have a shower, they should bring their own shower gel or cleanser. As long as you bring your own soap, you can stay as clean as you like.

The four-person cottage is 150,000 won per night on weekends and during peak season, and 120,000 won during the regular season and on weekdays. For smaller units accommodating up to two guests, prices range from 55,000 won to 90,000 won.

One with nature

A hotel staffer revives a fire using a torch at one of Surak Hyu's three fire pits in Nowon District in northern Seoul on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Surak Hyu gives you much more than just trees and clean air. It runs a variety of activities for people of all ages.

At 7:30 p.m. every evening, Surak Hyu staffers light fires at three fire pits in front of the guest center. Of the three, two were modern technology-fueled types. The other one was a traditional live fire pit where visitors could place dried oak firewood.

Loving the scent of the burning oak, I circled the fire pit and sniffed the smoke, just like an elated airport detector dog that had just found what it was looking for. A shower of aromatic smoke with crackles of burning firewood perfected my summer night. The scent evoked my nostalgia, reminding me of my Girl Scout camping trip when I was 11.

It was a bit childish, but I wanted a grander and bigger fire. Ironically, the more dried oak I threw in, the weaker the flame became. Then, I realized that I had utterly failed — I had killed the fire. An attentive staffer professionally revived the flame and helped me enjoy it until 9:30 p.m.

Guests can take a rest or enjoy their coffee at the guest center or the reception area in the wellness village, Surak Hyu, in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on June 28. Board games, vinyl records and books on the shelf can be borrowed for free. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

The guest center lends up to three vinyl records from its vast collection, ranging from Lady Gaga’s latest album, “Mayhem,” to classic music records by Korean pianist Yunchan Lim.

Two Gen Z-ers — my friend and I, whose musical tastes are more in line with millennials — chose a vinyl record of the Harry Potter soundtrack. Howgarts-like melodies echoed inside the room, making the space more mystical, especially with darkness projected through the window from the ceiling.

Four Buddhist temples are near Surak Hyu. Guests are encouraged to visit those temples. However, they will be evicted from the room if they perform shamanist rites inside their cabins or anywhere on the compound of Surak Hyu.

Nature is full of flavors

A complimentary appetizer and side dishes are served for dinner at Chef Hong Shin-ae's restaurant in Surak Hyu in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

At Surak Hyu, food delivery is banned. With no kitchenette and barbecue facility, there is only one dining option: food researcher and celebrity chef Hong Shin-ae’s restaurant.

Chef Hong, who previously ran a fine-dining restaurant called "Salt" in southern Seoul, is now dedicating her energy and resources to her longtime aspiration of serving home-cooked and healthy meals in a natural setting. She believes that fresh, naturally grown ingredients are the key to achieving genuine health and well-being.

Hong’s restaurant in Surak Hyu, called “Seasons of Seoul,” serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night snacks — all of which have different menus, but all cooked with naturally sourced and seasonal ingredients.

Chef Hong Shin-ae poses for a photo with food that would be served for guests staying at Surak Hyu in Nowon District in northern Seoul in an undated photo. [SURAKHYU]

Most dishes are Korean, including kimchi cold noodles, North Korean-style cold noodles, spicy sauce-seasoned grilled pork, potato pancakes, bulgogi (thin strips of grilled marinated beef) and doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean stew).

“The menus and ingredients are exactly what I eat at my home,” Hong said. “This way, guests are my family. By using organic and fresh vegetables in everyday food, I hope to remind people of the value of having healthy home meals.”

And indeed, the food felt homemade and organic. Only naturally sourced ingredients and fermented seasonings produced with craftsmanship are in Hong’s kitchen. Each table had a pamphlet listing the names and detailing stories of fishers, a pig farmer and vegetable farmers.

The dinner began with an appetizer: five mashed potato balls topped with sweetened and stir-fried anchovies. The crunchy anchovy was well paired with the melting texture of the potato balls.

Boneless boiled fish, grilled beef and mung bean jelly salad with toppings of seaweed and bulgogi were served for dinner at Surak Hyu in Nowon District in northern Seoul on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

When it came to the main dish, my friend ordered a boneless Jeju hairtail fish boiled in a mild, spicy sauce, which I also tasted. The mild spiciness helped me focus on the fish's tenderness. My dish was grilled beef marinated in soy sauce. The flavor was subtle, leading me to assume that the chef used no artificial flavor enhancers at all. Most of all, they were all easy to digest.

“I want to serve only organic ingredients that I consume,” Hong said. “I hope that the guests can embrace the food here as a part of nature.”

Of all the dishes, my favorite was the French toast served for breakfast. Not exaggerating, but it was the best French toast I have ever had in my life, besting even the world-famous French toast of Tokyo.

French toast with blueberry compote and white cream and a sunny-side-up egg are served for breakfast at Surak Hyu in Nowon District in northern Seoul on June 29. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

A warm, milky cream foam flowed from the fluffy part of the bread when I had my first bite. The foam melted the soft part of the toast, while the sugar-coated surface was crispy, with a cinnamon flavor. I was awe-struck.

The handmade blueberry compote and white cream topping the toast amplified the flavor. A cup of black coffee and a sunny-side up egg were served together. I devoured all of them in seven minutes.

“All I want is for people to indulge in genuine and perfect rest here at Surak Hyu, when I am here to cook food for them with Korea’s finest ingredients,” Hong said.

A wooden trail with lighting allows guests to safely walk around Surak Hyu in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on June 28. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Cho Seung-hyeon, a Nowon resident in his mid-30s who was staying at Surak Hyu with his family, said Surak Hyu is seemingly meant to provide “pure meaning of relaxation,” unlike other commercialized accommodations that prioritize guests’ spending.

“When most lodging facilities [like Surak Hyu] are outside the greater Seoul area, it is nice to have Surak Hyu in the vicinity of my home,” Cho said. “I want this place to be well-maintained and become Nowon District’s signature site."

Hahm, a 27-year-old resident of Nowon District and my friend who joined the overnight stay, said her experience was “refreshing that Seoulites could explore and be exposed to nature in the city.”

“I discovered a new aspect of Seoul through Surak Hyu,” Hahm said.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]