Please keep to the right. If you're going to take photos, please line up.
At about 12 p.m. on the 8th, at the summit of Yeonjutdae on Gwanaksan Mountain in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Hikers lined up on the rock to take proof shots. The line stretched more than 50 meters. Some waited close to an hour to get the best composition. As people trying to take photos and hikers trying to pass got mixed together, there was barely room to stand around the summit.
An office worker surnamed Kang (27), met at the summit that day, said, "I'm preparing to change jobs, and I heard that if you climb Gwanaksan Mountain, blocked fortune will open up, so I started up on Sunday morning."
Recently, as word of mouth spread that Gwanaksan Mountain is a "mountain that clears blocked fortune," it has emerged as a new hiking hotspot among people in their 20s and 30s. But with crowds packing the narrow trails, some voiced concerns about slipping accidents.
◇ 20s and 30s flock after seeing SNS… "Feels like waiting at a hot restaurant"
Around 10 a.m. that day, at the entrance to the Gwanaksan Mountain trail in front of Seoul National University in Gwanak District, Seoul. Every one to two minutes, when a bus arrived, dozens of hikers got off. The trailhead was already crowded with people who had finished their hike and others warming up.
Hikers in their 20s and 30s were especially noticeable. Some entered the trail holding takeout coffee instead of water bottles. Most wore light outfits such as sneakers and fleece jackets instead of trekking poles or specialized hiking boots.
The reasons young hikers are seeking out Gwanaksan Mountain were largely similar. On a recent TV program, a fortuneteller said Gwanaksan Mountain is "the place with the best energy in Seoul," and noted it is "a place with such strong energy that if you make the same wish three times, it will come true." That became the catalyst.
Related posts also surged on social media. As of the 12th, there were 320,000 posts on Instagram with the "Gwanaksan Mountain" hashtag (#). A college student surnamed Lee (23) said, "I've barely ever climbed a mountain, but I heard I could gain good energy, so I tried hiking for the first time."
◇ Trails where the snow hasn't melted… "Going down is scarier"
From the Engineering Building at Seoul National University to Yeonjutdae and back takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. The relatively gentle trail is also cited as a factor drawing young hikers.
An office worker surnamed Kim (32), who came down after reaching Yeonjutdae, said, "It was steeper than I expected, but seeing the view from the top made it worth the climb."
However, because the snow that fell over the winter had not completely melted, slippery sections remained on the trail. Hikers were losing their balance and falling at a rate of about one per minute.
Some even crawled up the rocks or slid down with their bottoms on the ground.
One hiker said, "I somehow made it up, but the path is so slippery that going down is even scarier." Some hikers gave up on reaching the summit and turned back.
There were also voices pointing out a lack of amenities. From the trailhead to the summit, all the restrooms were under construction and unavailable. A hiker identified as A said, "As more people visit Gwanaksan Mountain, it seems necessary to improve the amenities as well."