Exercising after work at Seoul Plaza... Seoul Metropolitan Government expands the scope of recreational sports
- Input
- 2026-08-31 11:22:55
- Updated
- 2026-08-31 11:22:55
On weekends, they take on the challenge of swimming, cycling, and running along the Han River. Instead of going out of their way to visit a gym to exercise, the program transforms the spaces where citizens live into their own playgrounds. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 31st that it will operate the nighttime recreational sports program "Exercising Seoul Plaza" at Seoul Plaza every Thursday at 7 PM from September 1 to October 29.
Now in its fourth year, "Exercising Seoul Plaza" is held during seasons ideal for outdoor exercise, such as spring and autumn. This time, you can choose from a variety of exercises according to your preference, including stretching, diet dance, bodyweight training, and barre. Trainers, posture correction specialists, and physical therapists are on-site to provide one-on-one exercise consultations, allowing participants to receive guidance on workout methods tailored to their physical condition.
On September 10 and October 29, special operations will be held at Ttukseom Hangang Park, allowing participants to experience a unique workout amidst the night view of the Han River and the cool river breeze. 'Exercising Seoul Plaza' is characterized by the fact that anyone can easily participate without any special equipment or professional exercise experience. It is designed so that people can stop by on their way home from work to enjoy exercises suited to their physical condition and preferences, and even receive exercise consultations and physical fitness measurements all in one place.
The main exercise area offers a variety of programs, including stretching, nighttime diet dance, bodyweight exercises, and barre. At the Exercise Prescription Center, trainers, posture correction specialists, and physical therapists provide personalized one-on-one consultations to guide individuals on exercise and management methods, such as managing forward head posture and lower back pain, as well as correcting posture. Seoul City has recently been expanding the scope of recreational sports.
This involves utilizing various locations throughout Seoul—including plazas, the Han River, parks, and subway stations—as spaces for recreational sports. The strategy is to create an environment where citizens can naturally exercise in their daily lives by combining this with a system that measures individual physical fitness and prescribes customized exercises. A representative program is the '7979 Seoul Running Crew,' which began in 2022.
Last year alone, a cumulative total of 5,013 people participated. This year, the program will operate for 30 weeks from April to October, based at locations such as Gwanghwamun Plaza, Yeouido Park, and Banpo Hangang Park. The Han River serves as a venue for large-scale recreational sports festivals.
Approximately 890,000 people visited the "3rd Leisurely Hangang Triathlon Festival," held at Ttukseom and Jamsil Hangang Parks last June, over three days. Among them, 25,000 people directly participated in the swimming, cycling, and running triathlons.
By focusing on completing the course according to one's physical fitness rather than competing for records, the target audience was expanded to include children, the elderly, foreigners, and people with disabilities. Efforts to connect recreational sports with personal health management are also gaining momentum.
The Seoul Fitness Center measures citizens' physical fitness status, including muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance, and experts prescribe personalized exercise methods based on the results. Starting September 5, it will operate from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays and Sundays of every month in the lobby on the 1st floor of the Seoul City Hall main building.
Currently, a total of 20 Seoul Fitness Center certification centers are operating throughout Seoul, including in Gwangjin-gu, Songpa-gu, Yongsan-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Seodaemun-gu, and Seocho-gu. Cho Seong-ho, Director General of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, stated, "'Exercising Seoul Plaza' is a lifestyle sports program that allows anyone to exercise and recharge their vitality without burden on their way home from work," adding, "We will continue to expand various lifestyle sports content so that citizens can enjoy both exercise and leisure close to their daily lives.
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[email protected] Lee Seol-young Reporter