The way I look at how I think of parks in Korea

⚠ Warning : I'm not good at English

Now I'll show you three parks around downtown in Daegu
and tell how I think about those parks.

*From: OBS

This is Gukchae-Bosang Memorial Park(=Gukchae park).

- It has about 43,000 square meter and is the widest park of the three parks.
- It is apart from the main street
- there's a university hospital and a residential area around this park.
- There's some events like the countdown on December 31 and the night lighting on trees.

*From: daegu.go.kr

This is 2.28 Memorial Park(=2.28 Park).
- It has about 14,300 square meter and is located in the center of town
- There is a stage for citizen and some events on the stage.

*From: daegu.go.kr

Lastly this is  Gyeongsang-Gamyeong Park(=GG Park)
- It has about 16,500 square meter
- It is also apart from the main street but less than Gukchae Park.
- There is a industry and tool street called Bukseongno and amenities for the elderly.
- There are almost the whole senior citizens in GG Park and because of them, young people don't go to the park well 





And now I'll mumble about the detail of the parks.

Gukchae Park has wide sidewalks and is open to the view.

I think this two things raise quality of this park.
You couldn't understand why I stress this part
but a wide path is very important in a small country like us.

But 2.28 Park is different with Gukchae Park.
Although the park is small, there is  lots of trees, 
shrubs and grasses excessively.
 For those reasons, the park has narrow paths 
and the view of the park is very lowered inevitably

This space is in the Gukchae Park and 
I think this is nice because t
here are both sunshine and shade and enough privacy.
 But because of little shrubs blocking the view in 'B',
 it has much privacy more than needs.
So I just wish, removing those shrubs and being open to the view.

If you get into 'A', you could watch a view of 'B'.

Unlike the previous space(But the same park),
 this space is totally in the shade.

It is similar with the previous one but because of shade
 and the boring view it looks secluded.

2.28 Park has a stage and lots of water spaces.
I think the idea of making that stage is come 
from overseas countries' advanced examples
 but this small scale of the park is enough already full with 
trees, shrubs and water things.
 So It could've been better if they left the park amply.

It is the square of the Gukchae park.

Unlike other parks, there isn't a fountain or a statue.

There is basketball stands in the wide space.

Because of basketball stands, 
many people come to this park to play basketball and

sometimes there is a contest and because of people 
who play basketball this park looks more activated.

But if there isn't people playing basketball, 
like the picture, it looks very desolate.

*From: economicpost.co.kr

Gukchae park is located in the edge of the center of town.

That means the park isn't in pedestrian circulation(flow).

For that reason, many citizen don't go to the park naturally and 
the park is easily secluded especially when the weather isn't nice.

So the park try to gather people using Luminarie, beautiful lighting and a beautiful path.

But I just think if this park is connected to the center of town better and try to gather people when the weather is very hot and cold because when the weather is cool and warm, it's easy to gather citizen but if not, it's so so hard because of no reason to go to the park.
Anyway their efforts are very nice but I wish they make a long-term strategy.

Those bridge and traditional buildings are located in GG Park.

That bridge is the fact that it provides help to visually 

but also makes the park narrow.

And traditional buildings make this park look Korea 

and that means those buildings give this park identity

 but the buildings take up the park inefficiently 

because we can use the buildings.

Those benched are located in the direction of the park
 but they were located in the direction of the road in the old days.
I think the present direction is better than before 
because paths look wider.
But I feel the lack of the view of the park
 when I seat on the bench because of shrubs.

I think the most problem of Korean parks is this line thing.

Even though the park is small, 

they want to spread grass and plant shrubs

 making the park more and more narrow.

When trees are planted enough for citizen to rest in parks,

 I think, the rest of spaces will be used by people.

I wish don't think a park should be almost covered with 

nature like trees and grass.

+

Lastly

There isn't the standard way to make parks.

So I just wish, 

they make the park that is suitable for Korea and its weather.

and don't apply western parks to Korea

 because unlike the west, 

the grass is hard to grow in Korean weather 

and excessive trees and shrubs don't need in a small country, Korea 

and we have very very enough mountain and

 that means we have lots of nature all over the country.

And if they want to more activate parks, 

they should have to care about pedestrian flow to the parks.