Nami-seom and the forest shaped by a river
Published on 09/23/2026 at 00:30 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Nami-seom is a forested river island in the Bukhan River, within Chuncheon in Gangwon Province, South Korea. Its half-moon outline and tree-lined avenues give the place a clear visual identity: water surrounds a low island whose interior is arranged through woodland, gardens, paths and cultural buildings.
Nami-seom: an island made by rising water
Nami-seom took its present island form in 1944, when the Cheongpyeong Dam raised the water level of the Bukhan River. Higher ground that had been separated during floods became enclosed by water. The island covers about 430,000 square metres and has a broadly half-moon form. Nami-seom’s river setting places it close to Gapyeong while its administrative address belongs to Chuncheon.
The island lies in the northern Han River system, in a landscape of water, wooded banks and low mountains. Its outline is most apparent from the ferry approach, where the river frames the planted interior. Paths cross the island between riverside clearings, mature trees, gardens and buildings used for exhibitions, performances, food and accommodation.
From General Nami to a wooded cultural park
The name recalls General Nami, a military commander of the Joseon Dynasty. He lived in the fifteenth century and became associated with a burial tradition connected with a stone mound on the island. The historical figure gives Nami-seom a Joseon-era reference, while the island itself belongs mainly to the twentieth-century landscape of dams, forestry and tourism.
Min Byeong-do acquired the island in 1965. Tree planting transformed open, sandy ground into a wooded setting, and Gyeongchun Tourism Development Co., Ltd. was established in 1966. the island’s 1960s development forms the background to its present combination of woodland, recreation and cultural programming.
Nami-seom is also associated with the Korean television drama Winter Sonata, filmed there in 2002. The connection appears in statues, display spaces and locations linked with the drama. It sits alongside music, exhibitions, picture-book spaces, performances and seasonal landscape features.
Tree avenues, gardens and riverside spaces
The island’s most visible feature is its network of tree-lined paths. Korean pine, ginkgo and metasequoia avenues create distinct planted corridors, while riverside routes open towards the Bukhan River. The colour of the landscape changes through spring blossom, summer foliage, autumn leaves and winter snow.
Gardens occupy clearings between the wooded routes. Some are arranged around stories, memorials, regional themes or community planting. The island also contains the Song Museum, Picture Book Playground and MICE Center, together with restaurants and Hotel Jeonggwanru. the cultural facilities on Nami-seom show how the island combines landscape with public programming.
Animals and birds are part of the island environment, including squirrels, rabbits, deer, peacocks and geese. Cultural spaces sit among trees instead of being separated from them. The result is a place where the river edge, planted avenues, gardens and buildings form one connected setting.
Visiting Nami-seom: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Nami-seom lies in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon Province, at 1 Namiseom-gil, Namsan-myeon. The usual mainland approach is Gapyeong Wharf, followed by a ferry across the Bukhan River.
- Gapyeong Station is the named railway station associated with the mainland approach. The ITX-Cheongchun railway connects Seoul-area stations with Gapyeong, followed by local transport to the wharf.
- The island is explored on foot along tree avenues, riverside paths and garden routes. Bicycle hire, a story tour bus and the UNICEF Charity Train provide additional ways to move around the grounds.
- The official language is Korean and the currency is the South Korean won.
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Frequently asked questions about Nami-seom
Where is Nami-seom?
Nami-seom is in the Bukhan River in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon Province, South Korea. The mainland ferry approach is near Gapyeong, while the island belongs administratively to Chuncheon.
What can visitors see on Nami-seom?
Visitors find tree-lined avenues, gardens, riverside paths, cultural buildings, animals and spaces connected with Winter Sonata. The island also has museums, exhibitions, performances, restaurants and accommodation.
What makes Nami-seom distinctive?
Its distinctive character comes from the combination of a half-moon river island, a landscape formed in 1944, and woodland developed through planting from the 1960s.
