Tapgol Park, once a symbol of independence, now labeled a 'haven for the homeless'

The main setting of the first episode of Netflix’s Squid Game Season 2 is Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul. In the scene, the character "Ddakji Man" (played by Gong Yoo) approaches the homeless people gathered in the park, offering them a "small gift"—a choice between a lottery ticket and a piece of bread. Most choose the bread. The drama paints the homeless as people who recklessly chase after a lucky break and ruin their lives. But even more disheartening than this distortion is the way Squid Game portrays Tapgol Park itself.

The pavilion where Ddakji Man crushes the bread underfoot is the very site where the March 1st Declaration of Independence was read aloud 106 years ago. According to the preamble of South Korea’s Constitution, this park is where the nation’s legal legitimacy began. However, in Squid Game, which amassed 87 million views worldwide last year, Tapgol Park appears as a space where homeless individuals sprawl about in broad daylight—an image that does not align with reality. Right next to the park, a free meal service has long provided a lifeline for those in need. Yet, despite multiple visits, I found it difficult to spot anyone who appeared homeless inside the park.

Nonetheless, public perception of Tapgol Park seems to reflect the drama’s portrayal. When I brought up the topic with those around me, many responded with remarks like, “Isn’t that actually the case?” or even admitted, “I didn’t know the March 1st Movement started there.”

Today, aside from the annual March 1st Movement commemoration ceremony, Tapgol Park is practically a forgotten space. Inside the park stands the Ten-Story Stone Pagoda of Wongaksa, once designated as “National Treasure No. 2” under an obsolete numbering system. This pagoda is a masterpiece of Joseon-era stone architecture, yet few people know of its existence. Even office workers seldom visit during their lunch breaks. This starkly contrasts with the past, when Tapgol Park was affectionately known as “the cherished gathering place of ordinary citizens” and “a park that breathes with the people in the heart of Seoul.”

One primary reason for its current state is the enclosing walls that have turned the park into an isolated “island.” The walls obstruct visibility along the northern and eastern perimeters, leading to long-standing issues such as public urination and street drinking in the adjacent alleys. Even at lunchtime on January 25, I witnessed two men engaged in a fistfight, prompting police intervention.

Originally established in 1897 as Korea’s first modern-style park, Tapgol Park did have walls, as seen in old photographs. Imagining an open park without barriers at the time may have been unrealistic. However, according to the Jongno District Office, the current walls were built in the early 1980s after demolishing the Pagoda Arcade, a shopping complex constructed in the 1960s. These walls hold no historical value. Moreover, the park has been expanded southward, shifting its location from its original layout. A partial demolition and excavation of the western wall last year yielded no traces of the original structure.

There is no compelling reason to maintain a newly constructed wall that only serves to keep the park isolated. While research into the original boundary may be worthwhile, a restoration effort using low-growing trees or landscaping would suffice to mark the park’s perimeter. Removing the walls may raise concerns about protecting cultural assets like the stone pagoda. Still, given that the park is already freely accessible, it is unlikely to create new security risks.

Jongno District is gradually moving toward transforming Tapgol Park into an open, citizen-friendly space. The true goal should be to reintegrate the park into everyday life, allowing people once again to experience the spirit of the March 1st Movement.