Cyclists ride past Namdaemun Gate during a Critical Mass ride in Seoul, Jan. 17. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

A group of Korean and foreign cycle enthusiasts gathered at Sinyongsan Garo Park in central Seoul on a cold but sunny Jan. 17 afternoon. Even though it was the middle of winter, about 30 showed up for the 14th Critical Mass in Seoul to ride through the city's busy central core.

Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride held in hundreds of cities worldwide to promote cycling, protest car-centric infrastructure and advocate for safer, more sustainable urban mobility.

Previously, Seoul had Critical Mass gatherings going back to about 2001, but there had been nothing since the COVID-19 pandemic until 2024, when Kim Eui-ho and fellow cyclists discussed bringing it back. They began organizing monthly rides, inviting anyone willing to pedal through the city together. Today, they say they are the only active Critical Mass group in Seoul.

Kim Eui-jo participates in a Critical Mass ride in Seoul, Jan. 17. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Kim is the co-founder of Gridy, a bicycle messenger service. He explained to The Korea Times that the goal is the same as any other Critical Mass in the world.

“However, one point that may differ from other cities is that Seoul has an extremely low population of people who ride bicycles for daily purposes," he said. "Our current objective is to bring out such people, share the joy of cycling as a community and help those who are not used to city riding by providing a safe and pleasant atmosphere of riding bicycles together."

Cyclists pass Samgakji Station during a Critical Mass ride in Seoul, Jan. 17. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

For many residents, cycling in Seoul feels risky. The city’s roads are dense with buses, taxis and impatient drivers. Bike lanes, where they exist, are often fragmented or obstructed. Kim admitted that Seoul's streets are far from bike-friendly.

“However, we are still surprised that there have not been as many ‘incidents with drivers’ as we expected," he said. "Riding as a large group definitely shows our presence to drivers and pedestrians. Because we ride very slowly, we experience more safety than when riding solo through the city streets. 'Safety in numbers' is a real thing.”

Source: Korea Times News