Yongma Land: Seoul’s Abandoned Amusement Park
Yongma Land
Yongma Land is a small park located in Seoul that used to be a theme park in the 1980s. The park was shut down in 2011 as bigger and better parks opened up in Seoul. Instead of being demolished, Yongma Land found a new lease on life. This abandoned theme park is now a photo spot, used to invoke the experience of an 80s-style park. Yongma Land looks run-down and decaying, but it creates the perfect backdrop for some vintage and horror-themed amusement park pictures.
Yongma Land is a popular filming location for Kpop music videos, dramas, tv programs, and Kpop idol concept photo shoots. Music videos such as Crayon Pop’s “Bar Bar Bar” and Twice’s “Like OOH-AHH” were shot here.
How To Get There
We drove to Yongma Land because there is street parking near the park. But there are public transport options as well. From Seoul Station, Yongma Land is about an hour away. You can take line 1 to Cheongnyangni Station and walk 5 minutes to the Cheongnyangni Station Bus Transfer Center, then take the 271 to Yongma Park bus stop. From there, it’s a quick 8-minute walk up the hill to the park.
Entering the Park
There is an entrance fee to visit Yongma Land of 10,000 won, but if you are having a professional photoshoot, it is 30,000 won. Shooting a professional video is also 30,000 won. We brought our nice cameras and microphones, and set up a tripod as well, but we were only charged 10,000 won per person, so apparently the higher fee is only for commercial use.
Near the entrance of Yongma Land, there is a stand where you can pay. But if there is no one there, call the number. You can pay by cash or bank transfer. I’ve heard that you can pay by card, but to be safe, cash is the best method. Paying 20,000 won for such a small area is a bit high, since the park has absolutely no amenities. Thankfully, there is no time limit in the park, so enjoy getting as many creative shots as you would like.
Our Experience
I visited Yongma Land once in 2018 with my friend, and I wanted to show Michael one of Seoul’s more interesting attractions, so we decided to go together. We went in the early afternoon, which was nice because there weren’t many people there, but it came at the cost of the heat. It was very sunny that day, so we stayed under the shady rides and tried not to linger in the heat for too long. Since this is an old theme park, the rides aren’t maintained and can be a bit sketchy. We had fun pretending to ride on the rides, but some were scarier to get on than others.
Shockingly, all of the rides still turn. You can move them to your liking to get the perfect shot. I was especially concerned when I sat down in the Viking ship, and Michael was able to push it much higher than expected. The biggest issue is the gross condition of some of the rides. The seats are often rotting or rusted, with wet leaves and spider webs inside. Definitely bring long pants, and possibly even some cleaning supplies if you think it will bother you.
While the park can be quite aesthetic, a professional touch is required to get pictures looking super vibey. Prepared for an Instagram vs. reality moment, and only come if you know you can take sick pictures. We’ve been at this for a while, so we were confident we could edit them to look good, but pics right from your phone are kind of underwhelming, as the ride’s colors are washed out and everything is falling apart.
What To Bring
One of my biggest recommendations when coming to Yongma Land is bringing a tripod. Sometimes there are other people around, but I wouldn’t rely on asking someone as they are busy taking their own photos. If you’re alone or in a group, a tripod is the best way to make sure you get the photos you actually want. Don’t worry about being in the way; the entire point of coming here is to take a lot of photos, so take your time and get the shots you want.
Bring water and snacks, as there are literally no amenities inside, and the closest convenience store is down the hill outside the park. Lastly, definitely bring some sun protection if it’s a hot day. You’ll likely be standing around for a while taking photos, and we wished we had an umbrella while setting up shots.
Final Thoughts
Yongma Land is a strange but awesome place. Although it’s small, if you know what you’re looking for it’s not hard to get some amazing photos. Is it worth going out of your way for? Not if you just want to hang out. There are plenty of places in Seoul with a lot more to do that aren’t literally abandoned. But, if you love photography and are looking for a super unique set, you can’t do much better than this.
