Somewhere in that in-between stretch of early December where autumn hasn’t quite let go of winter, my friend Seoyeon and I joined a walk along Yolo Course 9 — a route nicknamed “Insaeng Samnak,” loosely “the three joys of life,” through Samnak Ecological Park. It’s another walk organized jointly with the local deaf community, and this one opened with something I hadn’t seen before: everyone, hearing and non-hearing alike, learning a short sign-language song together before setting off.
Crossing Gangbyeon Nadeulgyo, the pedestrian bridge just after the start near Renecity Station.
Route waypoints
Over the bridge and into the wetlands
The walk starts at Renecity Station on Busan’s light rail, crossing Gangbyeon Nadeulgyo — a covered pedestrian bridge over the road — before dropping down toward Samnak Ecological Park proper. A small lotus pond just inside the park had settled into its bare winter look, still striking enough that half the group stopped for photos before continuing.
Reed beds and a very large lotus field
The trail winds through reed beds tall enough to feel a little isolating if you were walking alone, before opening onto a genuinely large lotus field running alongside the main Gamnaetgil path — a spot that, more than one long-time walker in our group mentioned, is significantly more impressive in full bloom come spring. Even bare and wintering, the shapes and shadows across the field made for one of the more photogenic stretches of the walk.
Park golf, snacks, and a reported frog sanctuary
Near a public park golf course, the group stopped for a proper rest — snacks, water, a bathroom break, and enough downtime for both individual and group photos in warm winter sunlight that made the whole stop feel more like a picnic than a pause. Someone pointed out a stretch of the trail known locally as habitat for a particular species of frog known for its loud, distinctive call in summer; a detail I’ve filed away for an excuse to come back in warmer months.
The view along the Nakdong River levee road, apartment towers and distant hills lining the route toward Gupo.
Along the levee to Gupo Station
Leaving Samnak Ecological Park, the trail shifts onto the elevated levee road running alongside the Nakdong River, apartment towers and distant mountain ridgelines framing the walk on one side, steady traffic on the parallel road on the other. A narrow, direct shortcut let our group get ahead of another team that had started earlier, weaving carefully past faster-moving cars before dropping onto a quieter deck path for the final approach into Gupo Station — the walk’s finish line, on Busan’s Metro Line 3.
Trail info at a glance
- Distance: approx. 8 km
- Walking time: about 2.5 hours
- Difficulty: Easy — flat riverside, wetland, and levee walking throughout
- Start: Renecity Station (Busan-Gimhae Light Rail)
- Finish: Gupo Station (Busan Metro Line 3)
- Best season: Spring, when the lotus field along Samnak Ecological Park is in full bloom
Map of the route
The route at a glance
A few practical notes
This route runs from one light rail line to a subway line, so it’s an easy one-way walk without needing to double back. The lotus field is worth timing a return visit around if you can manage a summer walk instead of a winter one. Watch for traffic on the short levee-road shortcut near the end — it’s a working road, not a pedestrian-only path.
For transit connections between Renecity and Gupo, see our guide to getting around Busan.
Walked in early December, mild and sunny for the season, in the last stretch of the year’s community walking series.
More walks nearby
Other walks in Nakdong River, Gangseo and Gadeokdo on this site: