휘트니스
Private Road Running Club

Ten years ago, running wasn’t the trend it is now in South Korea. The casual observer would have been hard-pressed to spot anyone partaking besides the occasional ajeossi (a middle-aged man), most likely wearing a pair of short shorts. Since then, however, the running scene has greatly expanded, and the culture surrounding it has too—thanks in no small part to one underground crew of DJs. 

Since it was founded in 2013 by members of the 360 Sounds collective, membership at Private Road Running Club has grown to be hundreds strong, with between 30 and 50 members showing up regularly for runs. And Seoul, with its urban variety and versatility, has become a premier running city. One day, a runner could choose mountain courses and dirt trails; the next, the wide-open space of a park or the flat, even path of a track. In spring, dedication to the practice will be rewarded with the sights and scents of cherry blossoms; in autumn, the foliage falling in rich rusts and auburns. 

For PRRC co-founder James Lee McQuown there is no better way to get to know the city. “There’s an intimacy that develops when you traverse certain distances by foot. You get a feel for the environment, you notice the wildlife, you take in the smells, and even feel the season—all things that would be missed if locked away in a car or train.”

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