Seocho's "Leel Upper House" by Landscape Master Youngsun Jeong Gains Attention as a High-End Eco Complex

Frugal Yet Elegant, Splendid Yet Unpretentious... The Landscape Philosophy of Youngsun Jeong

Mastermind Behind Seonyudo Park and Seoul Botanic Park, Now Leading the Landscape Master Plan for Leel Upper House

Youngsun Jung, CEO of Landscape Architecture Suan

Leel Upper House is attracting attention for creating a nature-friendly residential space on a site of approximately 56,000 pyeong, which includes about 40,000 pyeong in Heonin Village, Seocho-gu, Seoul, and an additional outer forest area of around 16,000 pyeong. This development is being built so that the residential complex is nestled within the forest itself, organically combining housing, landscaping, and woodland amidst the mountain terrain where Daemo Mountain and Inreung Mountain meet, in order to provide a rare ecological living environment in the heart of the city.

The landscape masterplan for Le L Upper House was led by Youngsun Jung, CEO of Seoan.

The landscape master plan for this complex has been entrusted to Youngsun Jeong, Korea’s first female landscape architect. In this complex, where only a portion of the approximately 56,000-pyeong site is used for buildings and the majority is devoted to landscaping, Jeong meticulously designed not only the overall site but also the interiors of each residence. Spaces such as Central Park, Big Tree Park, Rain Garden, Rock Garden, Garden Lounge, Secret Garden, as well as terraces and rooftop gardens in select units, have been created to enable nature to seamlessly permeate everyday life, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.

Youngsun Jeong, CEO of Seoan Landscape Architecture, graduated as the first in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies in 1975, and in 1980 became Korea’s first female national certified landscape and land development engineer. For over half a century, she has expanded the boundaries of Korean landscape architecture. She is acclaimed for elevating landscaping from mere garden decoration to a realm of artistic creation and was the first Korean to receive the Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award, known as the “Nobel Prize of Landscape Architecture.” This year, her achievements were recognized once again as she was selected as the recipient of the prestigious Pony Chung Innovation Award. Even in her eighties, she remains active in the field.

The lifelong philosophy she has embraced is "frugality without shabbiness, splendor without extravagance." This aesthetic is evident throughout her landscaping projects. From the Asian Athletes’ Village Apartments and the Seoul Arts Center, to the Hoeam Art Museum’s Huiwon Garden, Seonyudo Park, Cheonggye Plaza, Asan Medical Center, Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail, and the Seoul Botanic Park—every space she has shaped is infused with her unique sensibility that organically connects nature and people.

Her design philosophy, focused on restoring the order of damaged nature, is fully realized at Leel Upper House. Rather than artificial embellishment, she preserves the natural terrain as much as possible, creating spaces within that order where people can dwell. Her landscaping is not about crafting nature, but about highlighting its inherent flow. At Leel Upper House, the forest is no longer just a scenic backdrop—it is a living, breathing environment.

This rare and expansive natural environment within the city center serves as an irreplaceable premium in itself. By minimizing the building footprint and preserving the ecosystem, this high-end development approach is setting a new standard for the future of Korea’s luxury residential culture.

Daily life in a space shaped by a master committed to coexistence with nature is the way of living that Leel Upper House offers its residents. The “Leel Upper House Gallery” is currently open in the Ttukseom Park area by the Han River, where visitors can experience the brand philosophy, the value of the forest, and the lifestyle. Visits are available by advance reservation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.