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Seoul announces Namsan renewal with a gondola, observatory and a nod to 'KPop Demon Hunters'

Published: 02 Dec. 2025, 21:06 Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 09:36

A render of Mount Namsan after renovation, designed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

A gondola capable of reaching the top of Mount Namsan from Myeong-dong Station in just five minutes will be built in central Seoul. A 360-degree observatory offering panoramic views of the capital will also be installed. The Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters building — long considered an eyesore blocking the mountain’s scenic view — will be torn down.

That is, if all goes according to plan. The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday announced a comprehensive plan to enhance access to Namsan and develop the area into a more attractive destination to draw in more than 11 million people annually. The initiative, tentatively titled “A Better Namsan,” will be implemented in stages starting in the first half of next year.

The Namsan style

The most eye-catching element of the project is a gondola. The city plans to install 25 cars, each accommodating up to 10 passengers, with the capacity to transport more than 2,000 people per hour.

Currently, the Namsan cable car has been operated exclusively by Namsan Cable Car for 64 years across three generations. Facing criticism over the monopoly, the city started on a rival gondola project in September 2024. However, construction was halted after the company filed an administrative lawsuit against the city. The Seoul Administrative Court is scheduled to deliver a first ruling on Dec. 19.

Even in the event of a legal defeat, the city maintains that the project can be completed by March 2027 because the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in July preannounced a revision to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Urban Parks and Green Areas that would permit the installation of cable facilities — such as gondolas — over 12 meters (39 feet) in height within urban parks like Namsan. If passed, the revision would nullify the main legal argument made by Namsan Cable Car, which claims the city is violating regulations on natural park zones.

A render of Mount Namsan after renovation, designed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Once the ministry submits the revision to the Ministry of Government Legislation and it passes both the vice ministers’ meeting and a Cabinet meeting for presidential approval, the city can resume construction regardless of the lawsuit. A variable, however, is that the ministry has not taken any action on the revision since Kim Yun-duk assumed the post of land minister in July — a delay of over 100 days.

“The presidential office has also raised concerns about the cable car monopoly,” said Kim Chang-gyu, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Balanced Development Headquarters. “We urge the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to quickly move forward with the revision.”

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik echoed that sentiment during a senior secretaries’ meeting on Monday, saying, “There is considerable public dissatisfaction with the current Namsan cable car service, which stems from the fact that a license granted as a special favor in 1961 has been maintained for over 60 years.”

A render of Mount Namsan after renovation, designed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Demolition for ecological restoration

Once visitors reach the peak via gondola, they will be greeted by a new 360-degree observatory. The existing plaza will be redeveloped to include a viewing platform above and a rest area below. Design work is scheduled for February 2026, with construction to be completed by December 2027. “The observatory will be equipped with night lighting and a media wall to make the site a leisure destination that can be enjoyed day or night,” Kim said.

The fire department building in Yejang-dong, built in 1961 and obstructing the view from the mountain’s north slope, will also be demolished. The city plans to complete the demolition two to three years after the fire headquarters relocates to Jongno District in central Seoul in 2031.

Critics have raised concerns that new construction and demolition could damage Namsan’s natural environment. A civic group advocating for the protection of the mountain's forest warned that “cutting down trees and other artificial developments could lead to ecosystem destruction.”

In response, the city said it will reinvest revenue from gondola operations into a “sustainable ecology and leisure fund” for ecological restoration. It also plans to designate additional ecological landscape conservation zones, restore native pine species and remove invasive plants.

A render of Mount Namsan after renovation designed, by the Seoul Metropolitan Government [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

A render of Mount Namsan after renovation, designed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

“Some environmental damage is inevitable during construction,” said Kim Sang-ik, the director of urban regeneration policy of the Seoul government, “But with the exception of a 20-square-meter [215-square-foot] site used for anchor installation, the area will be fully restored once work is completed.”

Tourism upgrades inspired by ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

With a growing number of foreign visitors drawn by the Netflix animation “KPop Demon Hunters,” the city plans to add two more tourist information centers on Namsan. In 2026, it will launch a new walking tour in foreign languages, guiding visitors through Seoul Tower, Hanyang City Wall, the beacon station and other landmarks.

Additional content-based programs themed around the animation are also in the works, including a "KPop Demon Hunters" cover dance challenge and a gardening experience based on the character Derpy.

New themed gardens will be created near the entrances of the neighboring Myeongdong, Haebangchon and Gyeongridan-gil areas. Known as “Welcome Gardens,” they will make the mountain more approachable for casual walkers. On Namsan, about 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) of new trails will be added, including a Sky Forest Trail and North Forest Trail. The Namsan Korean Forest Garden will be redesigned with traditional Korean landscaping elements, and a new space with water-based features will be created near the Mokmyeok Sanbang, a traditional Korean restaurant near the city’s Namsan offices.

“Namsan as a whole will become a grand garden — a key component of Seoul’s tourism appeal," said Lee Soo-yeon, director of the city’s Garden City Bureau.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY MOON HEE-CHUL [[email protected]]