A night in the trees: Seoul’s new forest retreat Surak Hyu draws summer crowds
Three treehouses are clustered together at Surak Hyu forest retreat in Nowon District, Seoul. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho
Treehouses, once the stuff of childhood dreams, are being reimagined as adult hideaways. No longer tucked away in remote forests, these whimsical dwellings are now springing up in urban areas, offering a romantic escape into nature.
Seoul’s first forest retreat with elevated cabins, Surak Hyu, officially opens in the northern district of Nowon on July 17, bringing that fantasy to life.
Despite being a brand-new facility, demand has already outpaced supply. All rooms for July sold out in just three minutes during a reservation trial in June. The next round, for August, closed in about four minutes.
To experience the buzz firsthand, this reporter visited Surak Hyu for a night, and followed up with a stop at Korea’s original treehouse haven in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.
Treehouses built on a steel frame at Surak Hyu forest retreat in Nowon District, Seoul. Wooden cabins are built atop a steel frame. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho
A forest cabin with a sky view
Nestled within 9,800 square meters of forest on the slopes of Mount Surak, Surak Hyu is the result of an eight-year, 21.37 billion won ($15 million) investment by the Nowon District Office.
The facility offers 25 rooms in 18 buildings, accommodating up to 105 guests. Treehouses, the most coveted option, cost 250,000 won per night during peak season. Other rooms range from 70,000 won for a two-person suite to 150,000 won for a four-person unit.
There are only three treehouses at Surak Hyu, each perched on a steel frame 12 to 14 meters above the ground, giving the impression of floating among the trees. A steep staircase leads to the entrance, which opens to a panoramic floor-to-ceiling window framing the forest like a painting.
A skylight with a circular opening allows guests to hear and smell the forest without fully opening the window. Each unit also has a balcony for a closer view of the natural surroundings.
Sunshine Garden at Surak Hyu forest retreat in Nowon District, Seoul / Courtesy of Nowon District
Inside, the treehouses are built with wood interiors, creating a warm, rustic atmosphere. The two-story layout includes a loft with a double bed and small nightstands.
With low ceilings under two meters, the loft feels snug, like a true forest hideout. Lying in bed under the skylight, one can gaze directly at the sky and treetops, evoking a sense of sleeping under the stars.
Lee Hyun-joo, 51, who stayed at Surak Hyu earlier this month, described the experience: “At midnight, the sky above the skylight was bathed in starlight and moonlight. With no light pollution, it felt like our family was the only one left in the forest."
A treehouse at Surak Hyu forest retreat / Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho
Tech-free, music-rich
Surak Hyu encourages analog relaxation. There are no TVs or computers in the rooms — instead, each comes with an LP player and a curated collection of records, many donated by local residents. Guests can borrow additional LPs, books and board games from the visitor center.
Surak Hyu’s landscaped areas are divided into three themed gardens: Sky Garden at the entrance, Sunshine Garden near the rooms and Starlight Garden by the treehouses.
Visitors are encouraged to explore before check-in or after check-out. More than 70 species of flowers and plants fill the grounds, while wooden animal sculptures made from pre-construction trees add whimsical touches. Guests might even spot the native brown katydid, a local insect species.
Accessibility is another key feature. Surak Hyu is just 1.6 kilometers from Buramsan Station on Seoul Metro Line 4, making it unusually easy to reach for a forest retreat. The site includes barrier-free paths and rooms designed to accommodate wheelchair users.
“We wanted to create a space like the overseas treehouses we admired,” said Jeong Yoon-kyung, an official of Nowon District Office. “Although we couldn’t build many treehouses due to high costs, we used natural materials and large windows throughout to create that same cozy, elevated forest feel.”
The Acorn House at Treehouse in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Treehouse
Korea’s treehouse pioneer in Pyeongtaek
While Surak Hyu brings treehouses to the city, Korea’s most iconic treehouse retreat is found in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.
Known simply as Treehouse, the site features four distinct cabins — named Huckleberry, Tom Sawyer, Acorn and Ginkgo — and has become a beloved day-trip destination through word-of-mouth. Though overnight stays aren’t offered, visitors can book daytime access from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Built over 20 years ago, Treehouse began as a father’s gift to his daughter. “When I was little, I read about treehouses in books and begged my dad to build one,” recalled Jung Sol-hee, now the CEO of Treehouse. Her father shared that childhood dream and constructed the first treehouse in 2003 in their backyard.
Huckleberry, the oldest treehouse at Treehouse in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, built over 20 years ago / Courtesy of Treehouse
Afterward, he studied treehouse architecture in the U.S., adapting those techniques to Korea’s native trees and climate. Over time, he built each structure with a different concept and method, eventually expanding to four large-scale cabins and several experimental ones, including a hanging treehouse and one for animals.
The Acorn House is the newest and most advanced, with high ceilings and large windows. Nearby is a guest house for lodging and a year-round heated swimming pool, which can be reserved in 90-minute blocks for exclusive use.
The Ginkgo House, rebuilt from the original 2003 structure, is especially popular with families thanks to its cozy layout and proximity to the pool.
Up a forested road, the Huckleberry and Tom Sawyer houses offer a more classic experience. “These are closer to the original idea of a treehouse — rustic, simple and fully immersed in the forest,” said Jung. “My personal favorite is the Tom Sawyer.”
Jung encourages visitors to unplug and embrace the soop-cation, or forest vacation ( forest is soop in Korean). “Treehouses offer a way to bring nature into your space,” she said. “You don’t have to go far or for long to experience something truly different.”
Tom Sawyer treehouse offers a classic forest vacation experience. Courtesy of Treehouse
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.