Pabellón Coreano de la Amistad (Korean Friendship Pavillion)

Inaugurated in March 1968 as part of Mexico’s international exchange program for the Mexico City Summer Olympics, the Korean Friendship Pavillion was gifted to the country by the South Korean government. It’s actually a copy of a pagoda located in Seoul’s Tapgol Park. Known in 1919 as Pagoda Park, it was the site of the first reading of South Korea’s Proclamation of Independence.

This replica was painted and carved in South Korea and assembled on-site. The country’s diplomatic mission in Mexico is responsible for the pavilion’s upkeep and maintenance. 

The pavilion is located in a section of Chapultepec Park normally reserved for people over the age of 60. This section was designed based on the value and respect bestowed upon the elderly in East Asian cultures. The danzón dance style, commonly associated in Mexico with older couples, is often heard and practiced in this section of forest.

In addition, the pavilion is seen as a symbol of the robust presence of Korean culture in Mexico. The ethnic neighborhood known as Pequeño Seúl (Little Seoul), is located a few kilometers away.