Goyang

Goyang sits in the northwest corner of Gyeonggi Province, bordering Seoul directly and covering several urban districts with residential, commercial, and green spaces. The city spreads along the Han River and includes a mix of modern high-rises, wide parks, and older residential neighborhoods.

The name emerged in the early 15th century when two neighboring administrative areas were merged. The region remained largely agricultural until the 1990s, when construction of new planned cities began.

The Goyang International Flower Festival transforms the city each spring with extensive floral displays, garden installations, and horticultural exhibitions.

Many neighborhoods can be explored on foot, though covering larger distances requires public transport or a bike. The bike-sharing system allows visitors to ride along the riverbanks and through parks, while buses and the metro connect different districts.

The boundary with Seoul runs so close that some streets abruptly shift administrative zones, and visitors often don't notice when they cross back and forth between the two cities. Part of the city lies in the civilian control zone near the demilitarized zone, limiting access to certain northern areas.