Private Movie Theater and Yacht Tours... “You Can’t See Apartments Like This in Gangnam”
On the afternoon of the 4th, I visited ‘Royal Park City II (Ropa II)’ in Seo-gu, Incheon. This newly built, 1,500-unit, state-of-the-art apartment complex started its move-in process last month, and is causing a stir with its community facilities that rival 5-star hotels and its landscaping that resembles a world-class luxury resort.
The developer, DK ASIA, is making its dream of creating a “resort city” in the 1.23 million square meter area of Seo-gu, Incheon a reality. The Royal Park City brand is aimed at creating Korea's largest private new town, with a grand plan for 36,500 units. The first phase, ‘Royal Park City I (Ropa I)’ which consisted of 4,805 units, began moving in last June, and Ropa II is the premium pilot district for the second phase, with 20,000 units planned.
This apartment complex is considered a showcase for the evolution of “K-apartments,” attracting attention from industry professionals, including construction companies for major developments in Gangnam and those planning hotels and resorts.
From the initial planning and design phase, this project aimed to provide an experience that stimulates all five senses, not just a simple living space, making it possible to create a truly unique apartment.
Waterfall buckets, reminiscent of Caribbean Bay, beautiful gardens, a hotel-quality swimming pool, and glamping grounds are some of the features that were incorporated into the design.
It only took about 30 minutes from Seoul Station to take the airport railroad, and then another 15-minute drive from Geomam Station to reach the apartment complex. Within about 1 hour from central Seoul, I arrived at the complex.
From the entrance, the massive gate reminded me of the luxurious resorts in Las Vegas or Macau. The curved marble pillars, which were more difficult to construct and costlier than regular square shapes, set the tone for the high-end atmosphere from the first impression.
The height of the gate reaches 11 meters, and the 330-meter long stretch is the longest and most extravagant gate in Korea. The grand scale, combined with specialized design patterns and lighting, makes it feel like entering a resort city.
At night, the gold lines and linear lighting enhance the gate’s grandeur.
A Resort-Like Garden with the Scent of Long-Distance Fragrance
Beyond the entrance, a view unlike any other apartment complex unfolded. The first impression resembled the beautiful gardens of the Palace of Versailles in France, with high-end resort-like aesthetics. It was like experiencing both a resort and a botanical garden in one space.
Throughout the complex, various sculptures were placed, and European-style fountains spouted water. Pine trees, some as tall as 20 meters and thick enough that an adult man couldn't wrap his arms around them, stood prominently throughout the complex. The apartment's landscaping includes 80 different species of trees and over 1.8 million plants, primarily evergreen conifers, offering a lush, year-round green experience.
Notable trees included the Blue Angel, which maintains a green hue throughout the year, as well as varieties such as the Golden Round Winter and Round Winter plants.
One standout feature was the ‘Manryang’ or ‘Fragrance of Ten Thousand Miles,’ the Osmanthus tree, which is known for its sweet fragrance that travels long distances. This was the first time that a large-scale planting of Osmanthus trees had been done in Korea, with over ten times the number typically seen in other luxury apartments.
The landscape area exceeds the legal required amount by more than twice, covering 38% of the development's total area. The bamboo forest path between buildings also captured attention.
Every aspect of the landscaping was thoughtfully executed. The interior gardens embraced a design where green hills surrounded the complex like a basin, reflecting traditional Korean landscaping techniques. Instead of flat land, small hills were created, and special trees and flowers were planted in the mounds.
In the main walking paths and key landscape points, a ‘mulching’ technique, which mixes Hongdol (red stone) and Baekdol (white stone), was used to create both a visual appeal and maintain the soil structure.
Sound Landscaping: Adding Music to the Experience
From the very first step into the complex, visitors hear the refreshing sound of water spouting from fountains. The main water feature, a 400-meter long waterway, was inspired by the Italian Villa d'Este, famous for its garden art.
Walking along the cascade path, one can enjoy continuous water sounds, creating a feeling as though one is walking through a valley. Large fountains and sculptures of cherubic angels enhanced the water experience, and the space transforms at night, offering music, lighting, and water displays.
Playground and Green Space Like a Theme Park
Strolling through the expansive grounds felt more like visiting a theme park than an apartment complex. The landscaping work was carried out by Samsung C&T, Korea’s top landscape company.
The children's playgrounds featured concepts taken directly from Everland, with water play areas mimicking Caribbean Bay, complete with large pirate ships, water buckets, and cannons—features rarely seen in residential complexes. Other areas featured animal sculptures such as pandas, elephants, and lions, creating an immersive experience for children.
The Scale of the Surrounding Park is Also Exceptional
The abundant green spaces extend beyond just the apartment complex itself. Surrounding the apartments, five themed gardens spanning an area of about 66,000㎡—equivalent to 10 football fields—have been developed.
This large-scale park was created by DK ASIA as part of a donation program. Under the plan to establish a "resort city," the developer has put significant effort into creating surrounding infrastructure from the very beginning.
The park is so vast that it takes more than 10 minutes to tour by golf cart. Among the gardens, there is a family garden inspired by Central Park in New York, as well as the Royal Garden, a flowerbed along a fir tree forest path.
The Royal Garden, which stretches 235 meters, features a European-style fountain that gushes cool water. In the Flower Garden, concerts and various events will be held, making daily life feel like a festival.
Additionally, there are the Kids Water Garden, themed around whales, and the Picnic Garden, designed to resemble a forest, among others.
Luxury Community Facilities Beyond Expectations
DK ASIA has created a “staycation” lifestyle with its community facilities, offering a level of luxury that surpasses even Gangnam's premium apartments. The facilities cover 2,700 pyeong (about 8,900 square meters) and include a private movie theater, a state-of-the-art indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a fitness center equipped with premium ‘Technogym’ equipment, an indoor golf practice range, a large kids’ café, and even a glamping site.
Exclusive Yacht Tours and High-End Services
A unique service for residents is the luxury yacht tour along the Ara Waterway, named ‘Royal Marina,’ which is the first of its kind in Korea. Residents can enjoy a day tour or a sunset tour on a 66ft luxury yacht, with the opportunity to appreciate the scenic views of the waterways.
The development also offers a premium limousine bus service connecting the apartment complex and the marina.
A Grand Vision for the Future: The Resort City
‘Royal Park City II,’ located near Wanggil Station, is the first key development of the second phase of DK ASIA’s ‘Royal Park City’ project in the Seo-gu area of Incheon.
DK ASIA’s DK First is responsible for the project’s implementation, while Daewoo Engineering & Construction is handling the construction.
The first phase, ‘Royal Park City I,’ located near Geomam Station, saw a record 84,730 applicants during its subscription in 2020, setting the highest record for Incheon. The competition rate reached an average of 27:1 at that time.
The second phase, which will cover 736,000 pyeong (approximately 2.4 million square meters), will house a total of 21,313 households. Royal Park City II is a premium demonstration district within the second-phase development.
If DK ASIA’s third-phase urban development project is included, the total size of the new city will reach 1.23 million pyeong (around 4.1 million square meters), creating a large-scale new city. This would be the largest privately-led urban development project in history. Considering that the first-phase new city, Gunpo Sanbon New Town, covers 1.27 million pyeong, this new development will be on a similar scale.
DK ASIA is the first in Korea to brand an entire city, calling it a "Resort City," which is a large-scale urban development driven entirely by the private sector. Despite not being a public bidding project, significant investment has been made in landscaping and community features to enhance marketability and create a new upscale residential area, drawing attention for its innovative approach.
Once completed, the Royal Park City is expected to raise the value of the Incheon area. Incheon is the third-largest city in South Korea, after Seoul and Busan. With the planned district division of ‘Geomdan-gu’ in 2026, attention is being focused on whether this area can establish itself as an emerging affluent neighborhood.
‘Royal Park City II’ is located close to Incheon Subway Wanggil Station and Geomdan Saryeori Station, and it offers fast access to Seoul’s city center through Geomam Station on the Airport Railroad. DK ASIA also plans to operate shuttle buses for commuting to nearby elementary schools and office workers.
In the future, Wanggil Station will be served by a combined train, which is expected to alleviate congestion on Incheon Subway Line 2 during rush hours. These combined trains will connect two 2-car trains, forming a 4-car train.
The road traffic environment is also set to improve. A 4.5km, four-lane, automobile-exclusive tunnel called the Jungbong Tunnel, which will connect Wanggil-dong and Gyeongseo Samgeori, is scheduled to begin construction in 2027. Once completed, it will reduce travel time to Starfield Cheongna to just 8 minutes.
Royal Park City II will be composed of 160 units of 59㎡A, 203 units of 59㎡B, 199 units of 74㎡A, 248 units of 74㎡B, 252 units of 84㎡A, 254 units of 84㎡B, 114 units of 84㎡C, and 70 units of 99㎡.
All units are designed with a 4-bay flat structure and feature three open sides with large windows to maximize the sense of space. The basic ceiling height is 2.3 meters, with an elevated 2.42-meter vaulted ceiling design. High-end porcelain tiles are installed on the floors, and German-made kitchen faucets and Italian-made kitchen doors are all part of the high-quality fittings.
Notably, the 84㎡A units have expanded the living room space to the maximum and include an alpha room.
The 99㎡ units are equipped with sliding doors at the kitchen entrance, allowing the living room and kitchen to be separated. These units also feature an alpha room in the kitchen, offering additional options for a display case, desk, and wine cellar.
