222 강남 Gangnam
Station Sign (Line 2)
Korean name
Hangul	강남역
Hanja	江南驛
Revised Romanization	Gangnam-yeok
McCune–Reischauer	Kangnam-yŏk
General information
Location	804 Yeoksam 2-dong, 303 Gangnamdaero Jiha, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Operated by	Seoul Metro Shinbundang Railroad Corporation
Line(s)	Line 2      Shinbundang Line
Platforms	4
Tracks	4
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Key dates
December 23, 1982[1]	Line 2 opened
October 28, 2011[1]	Shinbundang Line opened
Passengers
(Daily) Based on Jan-Dec of 2012. Line 2: 207,410[2] Shinbundang Line: 19,856[2]
Services
Preceding station Seoul Metropolitan Subway Following station Yeoksam Next counter-clockwise Line 2 Seoul National University of Education Next clockwise Sinnonhyeon towards Sinsa Shinbundang Line Yangjae towards Gwanggyo

Gangnam is a station on Line 2 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. The station is located within the Greater Gangnam Area between the Gangnam and Seocho Districts of Seoul, South Korea. The station is the busiest station on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, serving over 70,000 daily passengers on average.^[3]

This station serves as a crucial transfer point between Line 2 and buses to all over Seoul and southern Gyeonggi Province. It became the northern terminus of the Shinbundang Line on October 29, 2011 until May 28, 2022 when it was extended north to Sinsa, whereas the southern terminus being at Gwanggyo.

Both stations have two tracks and two side platforms.

History

• December 9, 1982 - The station name was decided to be 'Gangnam Station'.
• December 23, 1982 - Line 2 station completed.
• October 29, 2011 - Shinbundang Line station completed.

The station

Entrance number 9 to the station

The area surrounding the station is an important commercial and entertainment district. The station is located at the western end of Teheranno, home to many corporate headquarters and impressive towers, while the area immediately to the north of the station is densely packed with bars, restaurants and clubs. There are also many shops in the subway station below ground. In 2007, the area was the 10th most expensive shopping street in the world with an average rent of US$431 per square foot.^[4]

The section of Gangnam Boulevard from exit No.2 of this station to exit No.5 of Sinnonhyeon Station of Line 9 is designated as a smoke-free zone by the Gangnam District office.^[5]

Line 2 runs on the right hand track, whereas the Shinbundang Line runs on the left hand track; this is because the Shinbundang Line is a national railway line (which typically runs on the left), while Line 2 is a subway line (which typically runs on the right in Seoul). This can be confusing to tourists making a transfer here, as many tourists are accustomed to riding on either the left-hand track or the right-hand track.

Station layout

Passenger load

In 2007, it was the busiest subway station in the Seoul Metropolitan Subway system, with approximately 123,000 daily passengers using it on average.^[6]

In a survey conducted in 2011 by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs on 92 Administrative divisions across the country, it reported that Gangnam Station had a daily average of 110,129 people boarding and 114,338 people alighting the subway. Making this the busiest public transit stop, with more than 100,000 people every day.^[7]

Vicinity

• Exit 1: KIPO Seoul Office, Yeoksam Tax Office
• Exit 8: Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters)
• Exit 10 : Seoul Seocho Elementary School
• Exit 12 : Yeoksam Post Office, National Library for Children and Young Adults

The headquarters of South Korean skincare and cosmetics manufacturer Skin Food is in the DaeRyung Scecho Tower in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu nearby to this station.^[8]

References

37°29′52.54″N 127°1′39.30″E / 37.4979278°N 127.0275833°E / 37.4979278; 127.0275833