# Tapgol Park

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Public park in Seoul, South Korea

Tapgol Park The pavilion in the center of Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul Interactive map of Tapgol Park Location 99 Jongno, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea Coordinates 37°34′16.00″N 126°59′18.56″E / 37.5711111°N 126.9884889°E / 37.5711111; 126.9884889 Area 15.056 hectares (37.20 acres) Historic Sites of South Korea Designated 1991-10-25 Reference no. 354 Korean name Hangul 탑골 공원 Hanja 塔골公園 RR Tapgol gongwon MR T'apkol kongwŏn

**Tapgol Park** ([Korean](/source/Korean_language): 탑골 공원), formerly **Pagoda Park**, is a public park located at 99 [Jongno](/source/Jongno), [Jongno District](/source/Jongno_District), [Seoul](/source/Seoul), South Korea. It is 1.50561 ha (3.7204 acres) in area.[1] The park was previously known as **Pagoda Park** until May 28, 1992.[2]

It is served by [Jongno 3-ga Station](/source/Jongno_3-ga_Station) on Lines [1](/source/Seoul_Subway_Line_1), [3](/source/Seoul_Subway_Line_3) and [5](/source/Seoul_Subway_Line_5) of the [Seoul Subway](/source/Seoul_Metropolitan_Subway).[2]

## Description

This park was once the site of the 15th-century Buddhist temple Wongaksa. The word *tap* means "[pagoda](/source/Pagoda)", and the park gets its name from the [Wongaksa Pagoda](/source/Wongaksa_Pagoda), a 10 storied stone pagoda ([National Treasure](/source/National_Treasures_of_South_Korea) No.2[3]) located in the park.[1] It did not become a park until 1897, when it was organized as a garden via the proposal of [John McLeavy Brown](/source/John_McLeavy_Brown), an Irish advisor to King [Gojong](/source/Gojong_of_Korea).[2]

One of the monuments in the park is the Monument of Wongaksa built in 1471 to record the founding of Wongaksa (temple) in 1465.[3][4] On the front is an inscription composed by Kim Suon with the calligraphy done by Seong Im. On the back is found an inscription composed by Seo Geo Jeong with the calligraphy done by Jeong Nam Jong.[3] The [turtle shaped base](/source/Bixi) is constructed from granite and the body is cut from marble. The monument measures 1.3 meters/4.3 feet wide and stands 4.9 meters/16.2 feet in height. Two elaborately carved intertwined dragons rising toward the sky holding a Buddhist gem reside on the top of the monument.

Tapgol Park is historically important as the site of the origin of the [March First Movement](/source/March_First_Movement) 1919, an important part of the [Korean independence movement](/source/Korean_independence_movement) as the first location for the reading of the Proclamation of Independence.[2] There are a number of [bas-relief](/source/Bas-relief) statues representing Korean national heroes, as well as a monument to independence movement.[2]

**Appearance in K -Drama**

The park is also briefly featured in [Squid Game Season 2](/source/Squid_Game_season_2) episode 1 “*Bread and Lottery.”* In the scene, the recruiter passes out lottery tickets and bread to the homeless there before stamping down the remaining bread. This contrasts the ideals of the Proclamation of Independence against the lived reality of modern day Korea.

## Gallery

		- Ten bas-relief to commemorate March 1, 1919 Independence Movement

		- Entrance, center writing says "3 1 Door" where "3 1" refers to the March 1st 1919 Independence Movement

		- Monument to Wongaksa

		- Monument to the [Korean Declaration of Independence](/source/Korean_Declaration_of_Independence)

## See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Tapgol Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tapgol_Park).

- [Seodaemun Independence Park](/source/Seodaemun_Independence_Park)

- [List of parks in Seoul](/source/List_of_parks_in_Seoul)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [사적 서울 탑골공원 (서울 塔골公園) : 국가문화유산포털 - 문화재청](https://www.heritage.go.kr/heri/cul/culSelectDetail.do?pageNo=1_1_1_0&ccbaKdcd=13&ccbaAsno=03540000&ccbaCtcd=11&ccbaCpno=1331103540000). *[Cultural Heritage Administration](/source/Cultural_Heritage_Administration)* (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-09-17.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:1_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:1_2-4) ["Tapgol Park (탑골공원)"](http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/whereToGo/locIntrdn/locIntrdnList.do?vcontsId=104563&menuSn=351). *Tapgol Park (탑골공원)*. Retrieved 2023-09-17.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_3-2) [서울 원각사지 대원각사비](https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0014630). *[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Korean_Culture)* (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-09-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [원각사(圓覺寺)](https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0040579). *[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Korean_Culture)* (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-09-17.

[37°34′16.00″N 126°59′18.56″E / 37.5711111°N 126.9884889°E / 37.5711111; 126.9884889](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Tapgol_Park&params=37_34_16.00_N_126_59_18.56_E_source:kowiki_region:KR)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tapgol Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapgol_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapgol_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.