A Perfect Day Trip from Seoul: How to Experience Suwon Hwaseong

After a few days in Seoul, you start to feel like you’ve covered the palaces, the Han River, and Hongdae — and you’re wondering what else there is. That’s exactly where Suwon Hwaseong Fortress comes in. No KTX ticket to book, no advance planning required — just hop on the subway with your T-money card and go. The fact that you can reach a fortress city a Joseon-era king built in memory of his father, just one hour from Seoul, is the whole appeal of this trip.

How to Get From Seoul to Suwon Hwaseong

Subway Line 1 runs directly from Seoul Station or the Gangnam area all the way to Suwon Station with no transfer needed. The ride takes about an hour, and it costs exactly what you’d pay for a regular subway fare on your T-money card — no booking, no extra cost. If you’d rather save some time, you can also take the Mugunghwa or ITX-Saemaeul train from Seoul Station, which gets you there in about 30 minutes for roughly ₩2,700.

Once you arrive at Suwon Station, a short bus or taxi ride gets you to Hwaseong Haenggung, where the day really begins.

Hwaseong Haenggung — Where the Day Starts

Hwaseong Haenggung was the temporary royal palace where King Jeongjo stayed whenever he visited his father Crown Prince Sado’s tomb, and it’s known as the largest surviving temporary palace from the Joseon Dynasty. Admission is a very affordable ₩1,000 for adults, and on weekends you can also catch martial arts performances or a changing-of-the-guard ceremony.

Beyond the palace itself, what makes Hwaseong Haenggung special is that it’s the starting point of the entire fortress city. Your whole day naturally flows outward from here, which makes it the perfect first stop.

Haenggung-dong — A Different Character Around Every Corner

Surrounding the palace, Haenggung-dong is a neighborhood of old hanok houses, murals, and small gift shops all mixed together. Skip the fixed route and just wander — one alley might surprise you with a shop styled like an old-school photo studio, and the next with a wall of colorful murals.

Give yourself about 30 unhurried minutes to walk through here. The point of this neighborhood isn’t any single destination — it’s the walk itself.

Tongdak-geori (Fried Chicken Street) — Where Locals Actually Eat

A short walk from Haenggung-dong brings you to Tongdak-geori, Suwon’s own “fried chicken street.” Locals consider this THE place for chicken in Suwon — a strip of old-school shops that have been frying up traditional Korean fried chicken for decades. It’s a completely different experience from franchise chicken chains — crispy, savory, old-fashioned tongdak.

Planning this as lunch or an early dinner lets you fill up while also getting a genuine taste of Suwon’s local food culture. Recipes vary slightly from shop to shop, so it’s worth comparing two or three before you pick.

Haengridan-gil — A Break at a Trendy Cafe Street

After lunch, head to Haengridan-gil for a coffee break. This street of cafes and small shops, built into converted old hanoks and aging storefronts, has a quieter, more local charm than places like Ikseondong or Seongsu-dong in Seoul.

Plenty of the cafes here have photogenic exteriors too, so it’s a good spot to rest and recharge from the morning, and a great chance to grab a shot worth posting on Instagram or Pinterest.

This street also happens to be a real filming location for the tvN drama Lovely Runner (선재 업고 튀어). The main characters Sun-jae and Sol’s first date scene was filmed right here on Haengridan-gil, which appears as Sol’s house in the show, sits in this same alley. If you’ve watched the drama, you’ll recognize familiar frames around nearly every corner.

Seojangdae at Night — The Best Way to End the Day

As the sun starts to set, head up to Seojangdae, at the top of Paldalsan Mountain. This was the command post King Jeongjo used to direct his troops, sitting at the fortress’s highest point — and today it’s known as the best night-view spot overlooking all of Suwon.

Walking the entire fortress wall takes 2–3 hours, but for a day-trip finale, just the stretch from Hwaseong Haenggung up to Seojangdae is plenty. It’s a completely different mood from the alleys you walked through earlier in the day — quiet, grand, and a fitting way to close out the trip.

[Optional] Flying Suwon — Hwaseong Haenggung From Above

If you have extra time and energy, consider adding Flying Suwon, a fun bonus activity. It’s a tethered helium balloon that rises up to 150 meters, giving you a bird’s-eye view of Hwaseong Haenggung and the entire city of Suwon. Tickets cost ₩18,000 for adults, and it operates 11:00 AM–8:30 PM on weekdays and 11:00 AM–9:00 PM on weekends and holidays (subject to change based on weather conditions).

It’s not essential, but seeing the same palace you walked through earlier from high above gives you a completely different perspective — well worth the time if you’re into photography.

Checklist: Your Suwon Hwaseong Day Trip at a Glance

• Choose Subway Line 1 (~1 hour) or the Mugunghwa/ITX train (~30 minutes, ~₩2,700)
• Bring cash or card for the Hwaseong Haenggung entrance fee (₩1,000 for adults)
• Plan Tongdak-geori as lunch or an early dinner
• Take your time at Haengridan-gil — sit down at a cafe, don’t rush
• Flying Suwon is optional — only add it if you have time to spare
• For Seojangdae, you only need to walk the Haenggung-to-Seojangdae stretch, not the full loop
• Check Flying Suwon’s website the day of your visit, since weather can cancel flights

Pinterest Pin Captions (Options A/B/C)

• Option A (K-drama fan hook): “The Lovely Runner filming location is only 1 hour from Seoul — did you know that?”
• Option B (visual hook): “Seojangdae at night — this kind of view exists just outside Seoul?”
• Option C (practical info hook): “Your complete Suwon Hwaseong day trip, T-money card only (Haenggung → Fried Chicken Street → Haengridan-gil → Seojangdae)”

Publish all three and compare performance, then carry the winning pattern into future Suwon/day-trip content.

• https://trendkultur.com/suwon-hwaseong-haenggung-dong/