Seoul Marathon

The course

Start at Gwanghwamun Square, under Gyeongbokgung. The first kilometres run south past Sungnyemun, the old south gate, then east through Euljiro and along Cheonggyecheon, the stream the city buried and later uncovered, to Dongdaemun and the Design Plaza. Then the course doubles back on itself. A long out-and-back along Cheonggyecheon as far as Gosanja Bridge makes up the distance lost when the finish moved: the Olympic Stadium was closed for rebuilding, so the race ended on a temporary line outside it, at the Jamsil Sports Complex east gate. After that it is working Seoul. Sinseol-dong, Gunja Bridge, Seoul Forest. Wide roads, long straights, thinner crowds. This is where the race is paced rather than performed. The Han River comes late. The lift onto Jamsil Bridge is the one real climb, exposed above the water and timed for legs already spent. Then Jamsil station crossroads, and the east gate. Flat and fast, point-to-point, with a few short climbs and descents in the closing kilometres.

Start

Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno-gu, central Seoul

Finish

Temporary finish line outside Jamsil Olympic Stadium, at the Jamsil Sports Complex east gate (잠실종합운동장 동문), Songpa-gu — the stadium itself is closed for remodelling and the line has been outside it since the 2024 edition

Shape

point-to-point

Terrain

Flat, fast city roads on a south-easterly line across the city. The main climb is the rise onto Jamsil Bridge over the Han River, late in the race and exposed to wind above the water. Sources also describe short climbs and descents in the closing kilometres; otherwise the gradient is negligible.