Children's Grand Park (Korean: 어린이대공원) or Seoul Children's Grand Park is a park complex in Gwangjin District, Seoul, South Korea. Facilities at Children's Grand Park include hills and hiking trails, Zoo, garden, and an amusement park.[1] Children's Grand Park is a leisure facility for families, offering a botanical garden, amusement facilities, and diverse performance events.[2] The facility first opened on Children's Day (May 5), 1975.[1]
It has a number of attractions for children, including a Marine Animal House with seals and polar bears, a Small Animal Village, and a Parrot Village.[3] Nearly 62% of the park's total area of about 530,000 m2 (5,700,000 sq ft) consists of trees and grass and various facilities.[1]
History
Seoul Children's Grand Park is an eco-friendly park, because it obtained ISO 14001 certification[4] and was designated as an educational experiencing place by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education for operating various educational programs for children.[5][unreliable source?] Seoul Children's Grand Park was originally the royal tomb for Empress Sunmyeonghyo, who was the Queen of the last King, Sunjong, of the Greater Korean Empire. In 1926, the tomb was moved to Yangju-gun (currently the city Namyangju) in Gyeonggi Province when King Sunjong died. In 1970, by order of President Park Chung Hee, construction of the park started and opened the following year.[3]
On April 20, 2005, six elephants escaped from the Children's Grand Park, causing chaos in the parking lot, shops, and houses, and injuring a 52 years old woman.[6] On March 16, 2009, that incident was also featured on the Discovery Channel's Destroyed in Seconds season 1 episode 31 at the time.[7] Among the South Korean celebrities, Lee Sang-woo[8] and Kwak Do-won,[9] who were late because of this incident, mentioned this story on the air. Inspired by this incident, Kim Tae-won who's the lead guitarist/songwriter of Boohwal, rearranged a part of Ennio Morricone's work, Gabriel's Oboe,[10] and created the second half and releasing the song 4.1.9 The Elephant Escapes (4.1.9 코끼리 탈출하다)[11] on July 5, 2005.[12]
On February 12, 2015, an accident occurred in which a zookeeper was bitten and killed by two lions at the zoo's Ferocious-Animal Village during the day.[13]
In April 2021, the park reopened to the public following eight months of renovation. The park now features 14 rides including a roller coaster, a Viking ship ride, a merry-go-round and bumper cars. The zoo is inhabited by 90 animal species and provides several educational programs that promote the importance of nature and wildlife conservation.[14]
At 2:50 on March 23, 2023,[15] a Grant's zebra[16] named Sero[17] (세로; lit. Vertical)[18] escaped from the Children's Grand Park and he roamed through residential areas and city streets.[19]
Soccer field (1), health square (4), tennis court (1 (3-sided)), futsal field (1 (2-sided)), gate ball field (1)
Cultural facility
49
59,777.43m2
Restaurant and convenience store (3), restroom (13), information center (1), octagonal hall (1), parking lot (3), kiosk (2), other convenient facility (drinking fountain, public phone, chair)
Convenience facility
24
2,029.20 m2
Restaurant and convenience store (3), restroom (13), information center (1), octagonal hall (1), parking lot (3), kiosk (2), other convenient facility (drinking fountain, public phone, chair)
Management facility
24
2,029.20 m2
Main entrance (1), rear gate (1), Guuimun (1), Neungdongmun (1), substation (1), storage for facility maintenance (1), Office of Tree Management (1), water treatment facility (1), Music Fountain Control Center (1), Train Hill (1), other convenient facility (fence, information sign, street light, high voltage transformer room)
^롯데홈쇼핑 세번째 미세먼지 저감 녹지공간 조성 [Lotte Home Shopping's third fine dust reduction green space creation]. Financial News (in Korean). 27 December 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
^초등학교 체험학습 장소 선택 서울교육인증기관 서울시립시설 현장체험학습 크레존 창의체험 프로그램 [Elementary School Experiential Learning Location Selection Seoul Education Accreditation Agency Seoul Municipal Facilities Field Experiential Learning Crezon Creative Experience Program]. Naver Blog. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
^［강제소환🏅#52］ '이상우'가 촬영에 늦은 이유? 집 앞에 코끼리가 돌아다녀서..ㅣ KBS 091029 방송 [［Forced Summons🏅#52］ Why was 'Lee Sang-woo' late for filming? An elephant roamed in front of the house.. l KBS 091029 broadcast] (in Korean). KBS StarTV: 인물사전 (published 29 October 2009). 26 January 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
^코끼리, 예술가에게 영감을 주다 [Elephants inspire artists]. Gwangju Dream (in Korean). 16 December 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
^부활 김태원의 기타 라이브 '4.1.9 코끼리 탈출하다' ［김태원클라쓰］ [Boohwal Kim Tae-won's guitar live '4.1.9 Elephant Escapes' ［Kim Tae-won Class］] (in Korean). 김태원클라쓰. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
^"〈연합인터뷰〉20주년 맞은 록그룹 부활" [〈Yonhap Interview〉 Revival of a rock group celebrating its 20th anniversary]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 28 June 2005. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
^"탈출 소동 얼룩말 있을 곳은 초원"…동물원 환경 비판 ["The place where the zebra is to escape is the meadow"... Criticism of the zoo environment]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 26 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
Lee, H. S. (2015). Measurement of visitors' satisfaction with public zoos in Korea using importance-performance analysis.Tourism Management, 47- 251–260. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2014.10.006
