Seoul’s Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil: A beloved autumn stroll course faces preservation battle

Visitors stroll around Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil, the beloved stone wall road in central Seoul, Nov. 7. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

Beneath Seoul’s soaring skyline, where the city’s restless pulse seldom slows, the golden hush of autumn settles over a place largely untouched by time or trends: Deoksu Palace’s storied Stone Wall Road or Doldam-gil.

This 1.1-kilometer promenade, lovingly known as Doldam-gil, is more than a historic pathway; it is a living symbol of romance, resilience and the delicate balance between Seoul’s past and progress.

Running along the outer wall of Deoksu Palace — one of Seoul’s five grand palaces from the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty — the Stone Wall Road forms a tranquil urban haven, sandwiched between the palace’s aged masonry and canopies of ginkgo and maple trees.

Unlike the vast grandeur of Gyeongbok Palace or Changdeok Palace, Deoksu Palace stands apart — compact, approachable and steeped in unique history as the only palace to serve as the imperial residence during the Korean Empire era lasting from 1897 to 1910. A striking blend of neoclassical columns, European-style gardens and traditional hanok structures reveals King Gojong’s bold embrace of modernization.

Autumn foliage blankets the grounds of Deoksu Palace as Junghwajeon and Seokjojeon stand amid the trees in Seoul, Nov. 5, 2019. Korea Times photo by Park Hyung-ki

Today, each autumn, the palace’s stone walls frame a much-loved promenade as trees set the road ablaze with hues of gold, carpeting the broad sidewalks in a quilt of fallen leaves. There, the bustle of Sejong-daero falls away, replaced by the scuffs of footsteps and occasional laughter from friends, couples and photographers capturing the fleeting beauty of the season.

The road receives substantial visitor traffic throughout the year, with figures peaking particularly during weekends and the autumn foliage season. Annually, millions visit the broader Deoksu Palace area, with Doldam-gil itself serving as a major tourist draw.

This stretch is famously the nation’s first road to implement a “pedestrian-priority” street concept, converting a portion of Seoul’s traffic arteries into a sanctuary for pedestrians, not cars. Traffic halts on weekends and during weekday lunch hours, making the road a place for slow promenades, inviting visitors to pause and watch autumn unfold.

Visitors stroll around Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil, the beloved stone wall road in central Seoul, Nov. 7. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

Alongside its beauty, Doldam-gil is woven deep into Korean culture.

The well-known urban legend — “Couples who walk the Deoksu Palace Stone Wall Road will part ways” — traces its origins to the old Seoul Family Court, once located near the palace. Lovers, it was said, would stroll down the path together only to part ways at its end — a tale immortalized in the 1966 song "Deoksugung Doldam-gil" by Nam Jin-song, which laments, “Once two walked this road together, but now I walk alone in the rain.”

Korean pop legend Lee Moon-sae’s 1988 ballad “Gwanghwamun Sonata” evokes the wall’s steadfastness: “Even as time passes, on Deoksu Palace Wall Road, you will still see couples walking together.” The road appears in numerous K-pop songs, dramas and films, often marking a turning point in lovers’ interactions — sometimes the site of confessions, sometimes of breakups, fueling its reputation as Seoul’s most poetic walkway.

Today, young Koreans cheekily defy the legend, posting photos with captions like “Still together, 1,000 days after holding hands along Deoksu Palace’s wall,” breathing new humor and affection into the old superstition.

Yet anxiety lingers alongside admiration. In recent years, the city’s ambitious urban development plans — aimed at creating new visual corridors and greenways — led to proposals to partially remove or alter sections of the wall to widen sidewalks and increase accessibility.

Proponents, including some city officials, have argued that the wall, which has already been dismantled, rebuilt and relocated at times over the past century, offers limited “original cultural value” in its current form. Removing or relocating segments could “create a greater civic space for all,” they claim.

This plan, however, faces strong opposition from preservationists, cultural authorities and much of the public. The Korea Heritage Service insists that the stone wall, even if not completely original, continues to serve its historic function — defining the boundary and protecting the royal context of the palace. Heritage officials stress that these walls are not mere structures but integral aspects of Seoul’s identity and history. They warn that once removed or altered, such heritage elements cannot be easily restored, and the character of the site would be irrevocably changed.

The controversy of Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil has received renewed attention with ongoing disputes brewing between Seoul and national cultural authorities over its approved plans to allow high-rise redevelopment around Jongmyo Shrine, one of Korea’s most sacred UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Visitors stroll around Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil, the beloved stone wall road in Seoul, Nov. 7. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

The controversy centers on the city’s decision to raise height limits in the Sewoon District 4 redevelopment zone, located about 170 meters from the shrine. With a recent Supreme Court ruling in the city’s favor, restrictions that once capped building heights have been lifted, enabling structures as tall as 145 meters to be built nearby.

Cultural authorities have voiced grave concerns, warning that skyscrapers would compromise Jongmyo’s historic skyline and the continuity of its cultural landscape, which are crucial to its UNESCO designation. City officials, meanwhile, defend the project as an overdue revitalization effort for an underserved downtown area and maintain the city government is acting with its rights following the Supreme Court’s ruling, which stated the law does not obligate local governments to seek central government or heritage agency consultation when revising local ordinances affecting non-buffer zones. UNESCO has already sent a letter expressing concern and urging the city to conduct impact studies, while Korean leaders contest the balance between modernization and preservation.

Deoksu Palace Doldam, the beloved stone wall surrounding the royal palace in Seoul, Nov. 7 / Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

The simmering dispute has brought renewed scrutiny to the city’s past — and still controversial — plans to remove sections of the Deoksu Palace Stone Wall. So far, the project to alter Doldam-gil has been stalled by strong public criticism and the heritage authorities’ opposition. Social media platforms have erupted in heated protest, with citizens vehemently defending the cherished Doldam-gil and sharing its vivid autumn splendor online, although no substantial demolition plans have proceeded.

“How can the Seoul mayor even think of demolishing something as beautiful as Deoksu Palace Stone Wall Road?” an online user wrote, while another wrote, "Oh Se-hoon should never meddle with the beauty of Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil,” echoing a widespread demand for stewardship over Seoul’s few remaining historic arteries.

Visitors stroll around Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil, the beloved stone wall road in Seoul, Nov. 7. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin