The Seoul International Garden Expo, which began at Seoul Forest, has expanded this autumn to Maeheon Citizen's Forest in Seocho-gu. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Maeheon Citizen's Forest, featuring 51 autumn gardens created by 367 citizen gardeners. The event aims to promote a culture of gardening in daily life by incorporating guided tours, performances, and relaxation programs.
The city of Seoul is hosting the '2026 Maeheon Citizen's Forest Seoul International Garden Expo' from October 1 to 27 in the Maeheon Citizen's Forest area of Yangjae-dong. This fall event builds on the ongoing expo that started in May at Seoul Forest, extending the garden experience from Seoul Forest to Yangjae-dong and connecting nearby walking paths and local events to foster a culture of gardening beyond the park.
The theme of this year's expo is 'Citizen's Garden.' A key feature is the direct involvement of citizen gardeners in all aspects of garden creation, management, and programming. According to the city, this is the largest participation ever, with 367 individuals taking part, making citizens both the audience and the creators of the gardens.
A total of 51 new gardens have been established, covering an area of 3,823 square meters. This includes four artist gardens, five citizen gardens, and five student gardens among 14 competition gardens, along with 31 gardens created by citizen gardeners and six corporate and institutional gardens.
Citizen gardeners from the Seoul Citizen Gardener Association and all 25 districts of Seoul, as well as participants from Busan, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, Chuncheon, and Jinju, have contributed to the gardens. The layout allows regional citizen gardeners to showcase their work and interact with one another.
The artist gardens include 'Maeheon Forest Table: From Forest to Table,' 'Green Curation,' 'The Flow of Light,' and 'Between Benches.' Corporate and institutional gardens feature contributions from Hyundai Motor, Korea Mazz, Seoul Guarantee Insurance, the Life Insurance Social Contribution Foundation, KB Kookmin Bank, and L'Occitane. Visitors can explore gardens created through competitions alongside those made by citizens and corporations throughout the forest.
Programs are also in place to share stories about the citizen-tended gardens directly with the public. A 'Garden Docent' program will operate daily at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. during the event, offering guided tours that start from the information center and cover both the newly created gardens and the 40-year-old forest. Citizen gardeners will introduce the gardens and share insights about the creation process and the stories behind the works. Participation can be reserved in advance or done on-site.
The 'Garden Prescription' program, aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being, will be held 128 times during the event. It includes health trekking, forest interpretation, herb therapy, and forest play, with tailored programs for general citizens, youth, vulnerable groups, and citizen gardeners. Activities such as perfume making, aroma experiences, pot making, and terrarium workshops will also be available, allowing participants to relax and rejuvenate through interaction with plants.
Evening performances and film screenings will take place in the forest during the fall. The 'Autumn Night Forest Theater' will screen films during the opening week and again on October 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The 'Live in Every Corner' performances will occur every Saturday and Sunday in October at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Attendees can participate in both the film and performance events on-site.
From October 16 to 18, a related event called 'Flower Festa' will also be held. After exploring the gardens, visitors can access products necessary for cultivating plants in their daily lives at the garden market. A total of 20 companies will showcase gardening and lifestyle products, linking experiences with sales. The forest will feature design benches, bean bags, and relaxation zones, along with food trucks and direct trade markets to enhance visitor convenience.
The expo's spatial scope extends beyond Maeheon Citizen's Forest. The city has created seven linear gardens along major walking paths, including the entrances to Yeoui Stream and Yangjae Stream, as well as Gangnam-daero and Maeheon-ro, covering a total area of 3,580 square meters. Five key gardens at the Yeoui Stream and Yangjae Stream entrances span 2,580 square meters, while two street gardens along Gangnam-daero and Maeheon-ro cover 1,000 square meters.
The linear gardens follow the paths that citizens walk, placing gardens and informational facilities along major pedestrian routes to ensure that visitors encounter gardens on their way to the park and naturally arrive at the expo site. During the event, local activities will be linked to encourage expo visitors to explore the surrounding areas and for local citizens to visit Maeheon Citizen's Forest.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon expressed hope that this event, where citizen gardeners directly create and cultivate gardens, will foster a culture of collaborative gardening. He stated, "We will showcase the Seoul International Garden Expo regionally so that the benefits of gardens can be felt throughout Seoul."
The city of Seoul is hosting the '2026 Maeheon Citizen's Forest Seoul International Garden Expo' from October 1 to 27 in the Maeheon Citizen's Forest area of Yangjae-dong. This fall event builds on the ongoing expo that started in May at Seoul Forest, extending the garden experience from Seoul Forest to Yangjae-dong and connecting nearby walking paths and local events to foster a culture of gardening beyond the park.
The theme of this year's expo is 'Citizen's Garden.' A key feature is the direct involvement of citizen gardeners in all aspects of garden creation, management, and programming. According to the city, this is the largest participation ever, with 367 individuals taking part, making citizens both the audience and the creators of the gardens.
A total of 51 new gardens have been established, covering an area of 3,823 square meters. This includes four artist gardens, five citizen gardens, and five student gardens among 14 competition gardens, along with 31 gardens created by citizen gardeners and six corporate and institutional gardens.
Citizen gardeners from the Seoul Citizen Gardener Association and all 25 districts of Seoul, as well as participants from Busan, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, Chuncheon, and Jinju, have contributed to the gardens. The layout allows regional citizen gardeners to showcase their work and interact with one another.
The artist gardens include 'Maeheon Forest Table: From Forest to Table,' 'Green Curation,' 'The Flow of Light,' and 'Between Benches.' Corporate and institutional gardens feature contributions from Hyundai Motor, Korea Mazz, Seoul Guarantee Insurance, the Life Insurance Social Contribution Foundation, KB Kookmin Bank, and L'Occitane. Visitors can explore gardens created through competitions alongside those made by citizens and corporations throughout the forest.
Programs are also in place to share stories about the citizen-tended gardens directly with the public. A 'Garden Docent' program will operate daily at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. during the event, offering guided tours that start from the information center and cover both the newly created gardens and the 40-year-old forest. Citizen gardeners will introduce the gardens and share insights about the creation process and the stories behind the works. Participation can be reserved in advance or done on-site.
The 'Garden Prescription' program, aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being, will be held 128 times during the event. It includes health trekking, forest interpretation, herb therapy, and forest play, with tailored programs for general citizens, youth, vulnerable groups, and citizen gardeners. Activities such as perfume making, aroma experiences, pot making, and terrarium workshops will also be available, allowing participants to relax and rejuvenate through interaction with plants.
Evening performances and film screenings will take place in the forest during the fall. The 'Autumn Night Forest Theater' will screen films during the opening week and again on October 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The 'Live in Every Corner' performances will occur every Saturday and Sunday in October at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Attendees can participate in both the film and performance events on-site.
From October 16 to 18, a related event called 'Flower Festa' will also be held. After exploring the gardens, visitors can access products necessary for cultivating plants in their daily lives at the garden market. A total of 20 companies will showcase gardening and lifestyle products, linking experiences with sales. The forest will feature design benches, bean bags, and relaxation zones, along with food trucks and direct trade markets to enhance visitor convenience.
The expo's spatial scope extends beyond Maeheon Citizen's Forest. The city has created seven linear gardens along major walking paths, including the entrances to Yeoui Stream and Yangjae Stream, as well as Gangnam-daero and Maeheon-ro, covering a total area of 3,580 square meters. Five key gardens at the Yeoui Stream and Yangjae Stream entrances span 2,580 square meters, while two street gardens along Gangnam-daero and Maeheon-ro cover 1,000 square meters.
The linear gardens follow the paths that citizens walk, placing gardens and informational facilities along major pedestrian routes to ensure that visitors encounter gardens on their way to the park and naturally arrive at the expo site. During the event, local activities will be linked to encourage expo visitors to explore the surrounding areas and for local citizens to visit Maeheon Citizen's Forest.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon expressed hope that this event, where citizen gardeners directly create and cultivate gardens, will foster a culture of collaborative gardening. He stated, "We will showcase the Seoul International Garden Expo regionally so that the benefits of gardens can be felt throughout Seoul."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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