Han River Running Guide: 7979 Seoul Running Crew, Routes, Hours, and Safety Notes

Han River running in 2026 is centered on organized, accessible programs as much as individual exercise. For anyone searching for Han River Night Running, the clearest current option in the source material is ‘7979 Seoul Running Crew,’ a free Thursday evening running program operated from April 16 through October 2026 by Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Future Han River Headquarters.¹

The program is designed for people who want to run at night without needing to belong to a private team. Seoul’s official program description frames it as a way to run freely at Seoul night spots “without needing to belong to any team,” while still providing structure through coaches, pacers, and route guidance.¹

Han River Running: What 7979 Seoul Running Crew Offers

7979 Seoul Running Crew runs every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. from April to October 2026. Its listed bases are Banpo Hangang Park Moonlight Square, Yeouido Park, and Cheonggye Plaza, with participant areas divided for beginner, intermediate, and advanced runners.¹

The Seoul Night culture portal also lists the same Thursday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. schedule and identifies the locations as Cheonggye Plaza, Banpo Hangang Park Moonlight Square, and Yeouido Park Culture Yard.² For runners, that matters because the program is not presented as a single one-off race. It is a recurring night sports program with multiple gathering points, making it easier to choose a site based on ability level, commuting route, or preferred running environment.

The session flow is practical rather than complicated. The program is described as moving through warm-up, course and safety guidance, running and photo-taking, and finishing stretches.² That sequence gives first-time participants a useful expectation: arrive ready to warm up, listen to the route and caution briefing, run with the group, and leave time for a proper cool-down.

The official summary also notes guidance by coaches who were formerly track-and-field athletes, the presence of safety pacers, and a ‘Run-tiquette’ campaign that includes low-speed and low-noise running.¹ In a night-running setting, those details are more than decoration. They point to a program built around shared public space, where runners, walkers, cyclists, and evening visitors may all be using the same park areas.

Practical Facilities for Yeouido Runners

For runners using the Yeouido area, Seoul announced an open shower facility on the first floor of the Yeouido Hangang Park Information Center. The facility is free to use after exercise and is connected to the Yeouinaru Station Runner Station program and commuting runners and riders.³

The shower facility operates daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and includes five individual shower booths each for men and women, lockers, and changing rooms. Seoul also listed QR entry authentication, CCTV, and emergency safety bells as security measures.³ Those hours are especially relevant for people combining running with commuting or an evening workout, because they extend well beyond the 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. running-crew window.

Park Jin-young, head of Seoul’s Future Han River Headquarters, said the city is improving facilities and services so citizens can exercise more conveniently and comfortably in Hangang parks.³ For readers planning a run, the useful takeaway is simple: if Yeouido is your base, the available source material confirms both organized running activity nearby and a post-exercise shower option at Yeouido Hangang Park.

Events, Distances, and Safety Points to Know

The 2026 source material also includes other Han River running events, though some have already passed by June 19, 2026. ‘2026 Hangang Wellness Week – Short Running Experience’ was listed through Seoul Public Service Reservation for May 31, 2026, gathering at the Mulbit Stage in Yeouido Hangang Park. It used a 3 km course between the Mulbit Stage and the marina helicopter boarding area, accepted 60 advance applicants, and was free to join.⁴

Another past event, ‘Burning Run 2026,’ was reported as taking place on May 25, 2026, in the morning at Seoul Yeouido Hangang Park Mulbit Stage. Its courses were 5 km, 7 km, and 10 km, with timing chips provided for the 7 km and 10 km distances. Registration was reported as first-come, first-served for 5,000 people through the official website until 1 p.m. on April 29, 2026.⁵

The safety side is equally important. Seoul raised concerns about the Seoul Hangang Ultramarathon that had been scheduled for May 16, 2026, describing it as a large-scale night marathon promoted without approval for use of Hangang Park. The city also noted that a drone light show was scheduled the same day at Ttukseom Hangang Park, where about 30,000 spectators were expected, creating pedestrian-safety concerns.⁶

The Future Han River Headquarters said that forcing through an unapproved large-scale night marathon “seriously threatens pedestrian safety.”⁶ For ordinary runners, the practical lesson is to distinguish between approved public programs and unapproved large group runs. Night running can be enjoyable, but crowded riverside parks require route awareness, quieter group behavior, and attention to official use rules.

About the Author

Patrick Choi

Administrator

View All Posts