“If you’re an SNS user, you got to come here. There are tons of images of this tree showing up online.”
The words came from one of the many visitors to Olympic Park in southern Seoul. They were referring to a tree that stands alone on a gently rolling grassy hill. The tree, nicknamed the Lone Tree, has become somewhat of a hot spot for teens and students who enjoy sharing what they do every day online. Many people are spotted taking selfies of themselves and the tree with their smartphones.
The Lone Tree stands on a broad, gentle hill inside Mongchontoseong Fortress, a ring of mud ramparts built during Baekje times (18 B.C.-A.D. 660). It is a point of pilgrimage, mingling with the surrounding greenery and the blue sky above to provide a nice view of nature, outside and beyond the hustle and bustle of the capital.
The tree has long been a spot for couples or as a backdrop for wedding photos.
Apple, the U.S. tech group, too, has acknowledged the tree, using it on its official homepage in March 2015.
Lone Tree, busy taking selfies from different angles and in various poses. They mobilized anything they could, including tripods and selfie sticks, to get the best shot of themselves against the tree. They chose the best few among the many images and shared them online.
Drawing much attention were female visitors dressed like famous actresses in a well-known soap opera. They even posed as if they were in the TV show.
When asked if they were comfortable with all the unwarranted attention, the women said, “You haven’t seen anything yet. We’ve seen people come here way more fully ‘equipped’ than us, trying to take the best picture they can. You can easily find their shots online.”
Olympic Park was established in 1986 to commemorate Seoul’s hosting of the Asian Games in 1986 and the Summer Olympics in 1988. The park houses a variety of sculptures and artworks dedicated to the success of the Olympics.
Equipped with a gymnasium, a fencing arena and a swimming stadium, a range of sports still takes place here. Recently, the park has been transforming itself into a pop concert venue for all the K-pop fans who fly here for a show.
By Jeon Han, Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writers
hanjeon@korea.kr