Detour

GO TAKE A HIKE In Seoul, where exercise tends to consist of the occasional sprint to catch an incoming subway, and seclusion is what you find in the private compartments of a noraebang, or karaoke parlor, Namsan—South Mountain—is a quick fix for the nature-starved. The mountain's ribbon of concrete steps may seem daunting at first, but you'll soon find your rhythm. Exertions on a Stairclimber are never rewarded with a panorama of Seoul.

Namsan was once known for its magnificent pine trees, and its shaded heights were a haven for scholars seeking alpine inspiration amid the pedestrian pre-occupations of the capital. The mountain's contemporary history is not so dignified. It took on a sinister reputation under nearly three decades of military dictatorship, when the once-feared Secret Police was headquartered on its slopes. Last year the compound returned to its roots and was transformed into a writers' retreat. Even more recently, the ugly government-owned apartment complexes were demolished to make room for a botanical park with manicured gardens.

Today, Namsan's 1,000-odd steps are as frequented by Spandex-clad runners as by lapdog-toting ajumas, older Korean women, and retired gentlemen with their newspapers. From the summit of Namsan the megalopolis of Seoul sprawls before you. The historic part of town, with its complex of royal palaces, lies at the mountain's base just to the north, while to the south the Han River glitters on its way to the port of Incheon and the Yellow Sea. And just below, nestled in a sea of greenery, is a reminder of South Korea's unenviable honor as the final holdout in the Cold War: the Yongsan garrison, the joint headquarters of the United States Eighth Army and the United Nations Command for South Korea. If you're a North Korean spy forget it. The pay binoculars are fixed so Yongsan is out of view.