Seongdong-gu's Underground Garden Wins Korea's First Prize at Japan Indoor Greening Competition

Seoul's Seongdong-gu said its underground indoor garden "Wangsimni Araesupgil" won the Public Interest Foundation Urban Greening Organization Award at the 2026 Japan Indoor Greening Competition, held Wednesday at the Hibiya Convention Center in Tokyo.

The win marks the first time a South Korean entry has taken a prize at the Japan Indoor Greening Competition. District Mayor Yoo Bo-hwa said the recognition validates the international standing of the district's "5-Minute Everyday Garden City, Seongdong" policy and its model for creating indoor gardens in public facilities.

Now in its 12th year, the Japan Indoor Greening Competition is organized by the Japan Association for the Promotion of Indoor Greening and sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It is held annually to identify outstanding examples of indoor greening and promote the social value and public benefit of urban vegetation.

Wangsimni Araesupgil, the award-winning entry, is a public indoor garden built in 2024 in an underused below-ground space at Wangsimni Station. Located in the concourse of Line 5's basement level — between exits 4 and 5 — the garden features large flower beds, a variety of plants, gardening accessories and rest seating. It has become a popular green retreat where commuters and passersby can pause and connect with nature amid their busy daily routines.

Judges particularly praised the garden's pot-insert wall greening system, which makes plant replacement and maintenance straightforward, and the district's success in transforming idle subway station space into an everyday indoor rest area accessible to all residents.

Seongdong-gu is expanding green spaces throughout residential areas under its "5-Minute Everyday Garden City" policy, aiming to bring gardens within easy reach of every resident. The district plans to build on the award to further refine its garden-city model centered on public facilities and everyday living spaces.

"This award is a meaningful achievement that shows our '5-Minute Everyday Garden City' policy has earned recognition not only at home but internationally, for both its excellence and its public value," District Mayor Yoo said. "We will continue to expand neighborhood gardens and further develop Seongdong-gu's distinctive garden-city model."