A Visit to Soooso.o: Ulsan's Hidden Gem Private Garden
Did the autumn of 2025 get a whiff of burning leaves?
I've been so busy surrendering to the reality of everyday life that I've been living life in a blur, barely taking time to reflect.
By chance, I encountered Ulsan's Private Garden No. 9, 'Soooso.o,' on TV! Watching the garden scenery on the small screen, I felt that I needed to give myself a break, even if just for a day or a moment, so I decided to visit. Shall we take a quick look at Ulsan's private gardens?
Ulsan's Private Gardens
No. 1 / Onsilium / Ulju-gun Sangbuk-myeon
No. 2 / Guam Garden / Nam-gu Wangsaeng-ro, Guam Stationery Rooftop
No. 3 / Bali Garden / Ulju-gun Onyang-eup
No. 4 / Four Seasons Garden / Ulju-gun Dudong-myeon
No. 5 / Woohyang Garden / Ulju-gun Beomseo-eup
No. 6 / Now Ije Garden / Buk-gu Sincheon-dong
No. 7 / Bunny Honey Garden / Ulju-gun Dudong-myeon
No. 8 / Guam Sandeul River / Buk-gu Hwabong-dong
No. 9 / Soooso.o / Jung-gu Seongan-dong
When visiting private gardens, some are open to the public, but it is recommended to check the exact address, operating hours, and admission fees (or order one drink per person, etc.) before visiting.
The road to 'Soooso.o,' the first private garden designated in Jung-gu, required a long drive through winding country roads past the Seongan Hamwol Stadium.
Along the way, the 'Seongan Old Road Art Museum' caught my eye. It was located under a small bridge where pedestrian and vehicle paths were separated.
The 'Seongan Old Road Art Museum' was created in 2022 as part of the Ulsan Metropolitan City Village Plan Contest and Village Grant Project, promoted by the Seongan Culture Sympathy Community.
On the east side wall, there were works drawn by 500 elementary school students living in Seongan-dong under the theme of 'Dreams, Hopes, and Family,' and on the west side wall, there were four works exhibited from the 2021 Seongan-dong photo contest.
It felt like a surprise event space providing attractions to those visiting Seongan Old Road.
Ulsan's 9th Private Garden, the First in Jung-gu / Soooso.o
After passing the Seongan Old Road Art Museum, I drove further into the countryside and arrived at the private garden cafe located to the right of the Pungam Village Community Center.
The first impression upon entering the garden entrance, bordered by bricks and steel structures, felt a bit rigid, perhaps because it wasn't a lush green forest.
Although the boundary was cold, I slowly took a step forward with a strange expectation that the scenery unfolding inside would have a completely different texture.
Soooso.o
Address: 187-2, Pungam-gil, Jung-gu, Ulsan
The triangular and circular cafe logo, seemingly based on the initials, was adorable. As I entered the alley, a nonchalant gray cement building greeted me first.
Although it looked indifferent, I was curious about what stories might be hidden within that indifference, and what kind of light and texture the real face of the garden behind the building would hold.
Ulsan's 9th Private Garden 'Soooso.o,' selected by the Korea National Arboretum
What is a Private Garden?
Private gardens refer to gardens created and registered by individuals or corporations in accordance with the Act on the Creation and Promotion of Arboretums and Gardens, and open to the public.
- Features: Gardens cultivated and operated by private individuals, not public institutions, reflecting the philosophy and personality of the garden owner, and usually accessible for a fee or through the purchase of beverages.
- Purpose: To spread garden culture and provide opportunities for public rest and aesthetic experiences.
The cafe 'Soooso.o' is a gray cement building standing without any elaborate techniques, so I didn't have high expectations at first, but I pushed the door open.
However, each window and door harmonized to create a wonderful photo within a square frame.
It was a holiday morning, but perhaps because it was early, the quiet harmony created by light and lines inside the heavy gray building was peaceful.
The view of the garden in the distance gave me the first impression of a piece of art hanging there.
The owner, who majored in architectural design, worked in the city for a long time before returning to his hometown and opening a cafe where he wanted to spend quiet time with nature. He built the bricks one by one, laid the floors, and did the interior himself.
I think the space he created at his own pace provides the quietest temperature tea to those who come to heal.
The charm of this cafe is the sunlight and natural scenery coming through the large windows. It felt like a space where the charm of the cafe and the garden coexist.
It's really like a painting. It was a space with the charm to capture my attention with this peaceful temperature and make me want to rest all day.
Looking at the scenery outside the window and the verdant greenery beyond the window frame may be the most peaceful time in the world.
You can enjoy desserts such as Dango and Ang-butter Monaka, as well as various beverage menus such as Cinnamon Cream Latte and Mint Tea.
Samdu Art Award Exhibition Hall
The space facing the cafe was a small gallery.
Samdu Art Award Art Space
Culture Together, Life Together
A space where you can appreciate the art collection of Choi Young-soo, CEO of Samdu Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
Choi Young-soo, CEO of Samdu Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., a local company in Ulsan, established the Samdu Art Award in 2022, and this year marks the 4th anniversary.
The Samdu Art Award was established because he felt the need for interest and contribution to the development of Ulsan's culture and arts in Ulsan, which was the only city in the country without an art award.
The Samdu Art Award exhibition hall currently features works by Andy Warhol, an American painter, film producer, and master of pop art.
The joy of meeting familiar works makes me stop and stare for a long time.
The small exhibition hall is arranged so that you can savor each work up close.
You can fully experience the message and visual pleasure conveyed by Andy Warhol's pop art.
According to the data, the cafe 'Soooso.o,' Ulsan's 9th Jung-gu's first private garden, was registered on October 17, 2025, and is an urban-type plant garden with 470㎡ (40.6%) of the total area of 1155㎡ created as green space.
I left the gallery and went to the garden trail. In mid-November, when I visited, it was calmly colored with autumn light rather than flowers in bloom.
When it was first created, there were a total of 50 species of plants growing here, including 9 species of tall trees, 8 species of shrubs, and 33 species of herbaceous flowers.
The owner said that he would lay grass and plant new herbaceous flowers to meet again in the spring.
Soooso.o is a model case of a green resting place in the city, created voluntarily by private individuals!
I pose in front of the autumn chrysanthemums, which still hold the breath of the last autumn, and capture the fragrance in a frame.
I can hear the story of the wind between the pampas grass that is taller than me.
These photos will remain like small records that will hold today's emotions for a long time, and if I recall them again in the future, the wind and fragrance of that day will be revived.
I went up a little further in the cafe garden. The small reservoir and pavilion above make the scenery of the garden even richer.
I took a short walk along the wooden deck road leading to the gazebo. The thought that came to mind on the road where the autumn sunlight permeated through the drooping verdant leaves!
"I'm glad I came here." I exclaim.
The 9th private garden located in Jung-gu, Ulsan, the cafe garden Soooso.o, was a place where you could not only drink coffee but also experience culture and take a walk in the beautiful garden to fully feel the atmosphere of late autumn.
Autumn will come again, right? This moment, gently overlapping like now!
Yes! After all! It's Ulsan.
※ This content is from the 'Ulsan Metropolitan City Blog Reporter's' manuscript and may differ from the official position of Ulsan Metropolitan City Hall.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/ulsan_nuri/224088974477
No comments yet.
