Cheongju's Musimcheon Stream in North Chungcheong Province has undergone a dramatic transformation. Once dark at night, the stream now glows with light, and its waterfront has become a living space where citizens walk, rest, and enjoy cultural activities.
In 2023, Cheongju City established a master plan for utilizing the Musimcheon stream space and has been implementing projects in phases from short-term to mid- and long-term initiatives. The city aims to develop Musimcheon into a leisure and cultural space integrated with citizens' daily lives and a representative healing destination in the urban center.
Musimcheon Reborn in Light, Emerging as Nighttime Attraction
Musimcheon has become Cheongju's new nighttime scenic destination with lighting added to bridges and waterfront spaces.
Seomun Bridge and Cheongnam Bridge have been decorated with media facades, transforming the bridges themselves into nighttime attractions. The Mochung Bridge area now features landscape sculptures, scenic lighting, and a rest area with cherry blossom benches, converting what was once a pass-through space into a place to linger.
The city plans to install landscape lighting on the sides, underside, and piers of Heungdeok Bridge by May this year, further brightening Musimcheon's night scenery.
Beyond bridges, landscape lighting along the Musimcheon waterfront in Bunpyeong-dong creates an environment for enjoying cherry blossom views even at night. A musical fountain combining lights and music was installed near Bangseo Bridge, while an illuminated floor fountain near Musimcheon Sports Park creates an atmospheric waterfront space.
From Flower Gardens to Water Parks and Sports Infrastructure
Spaces for citizen rest and leisure have expanded significantly.
Following the tulip garden (2,000 square meters) near the roller skating rink in Sajik-dong, the city created flower gardens in the Uncheon-dong area (6,900 square meters) and Bangseo Bridge area (1,000 square meters). A large-scale flower field exceeding 30,000 square meters was cultivated near the Organic Agriculture Complex Service Support Center, adding visual attractions for citizens visiting the Musimcheon walking trails.
A "picnic zone" spanning 4,210 square meters was established near the First Uncheon Bridge where visitors can spread blankets and relax. A deck pathway was installed between Cheongju Bridge and First Uncheon Bridge, allowing citizens to enjoy cherry blossoms more safely and comfortably.
Leisure spaces targeting families have also emerged. A space near Cheongnam Bridge that serves as a water park in summer and a sledding hill in winter drew strong responses, with approximately 1,600 visitors in summer 2025 and 2,300 in winter.
Health-promoting spaces beyond rest and play are also expanding. The city plans to complete a ground golf course and six pickleball courts on 7,737 square meters at 662-1 Uncheon-dong by March, and an 18-hole park golf course on 24,562 square meters at 218-13 Bangseo-dong by June.
Safer and More Pleasant
The city is working to improve the pedestrian environment so citizens can use Musimcheon walking trails more safely and comfortably.
In 2024, the city completed the "Musimcheon Bicycle Path and Walking Trail Separation Project" that began in 2019. The 10.6-kilometer section from Jangpyeong Bridge to Kkachinae Bridge now separates bicycle paths and pedestrian walking trails by approximately one meter, enhancing pedestrian safety.
Nighttime safety has also improved. A total of 9,800 road markers were installed along the left and right bank walking trails and crosswalks from Jangpyeong Bridge to Kkachinae Bridge, brightly illuminating the Musimcheon trails at night.
Portable toilets along the Musimcheon walking trails, which were difficult to maintain, are being replaced with flush toilets. Of the original four flush toilets and 14 portable toilets, eight portable toilets were converted to flush facilities in 2025. Six additional conversions are planned for this year.
A Space to Stay and Enjoy in Daily Life
Having laid the foundation for Musimcheon's transformation through short-term projects, the city begins full-scale implementation of mid-term projects this year.
The first mid-term project is the "Bangseo Waterfront Park Development Project." Linked with the Musimcheon musical fountain, this project will create a waterfront park featuring a multipurpose plaza and rest areas. Detailed design is currently underway, with completion scheduled for 2028.
Additionally, the city plans to install a pedestrian-only scenic bridge connecting Musimdong-ro and Musimseoro between Cheongju Bridge and First Uncheon Bridge by 2030. A stepping-stone bridge connecting the musical fountain, Bangseo Waterfront Park, and Wonmaru Market will also be built near Bangseo Bridge. These additions are expected to improve citizen mobility while revitalizing surrounding commercial districts.
Other projects to be implemented in phases include the Cheongju Bridge Sports Park remodeling, Munam pedestrian bridge construction, Seomun Bridge landscape improvement and waterfront space development, Munam Waterfront Park creation, and the narrow-mouthed frog ecological wetland remodeling.
The city plans to complete mid-term projects sequentially by 2030, developing Musimcheon into an urban waterfront space where citizens can walk, stay, and enjoy themselves in their daily lives.
Cheongju Mayor Lee Beom-seok said, "The transformation of Musimcheon adds a small respite to citizens' daily lives." He added, "We will continue to make Musimcheon a space people want to walk, stay, and return to."
