Everland Used to Be a Farm Called 'Natural Farm'

Hey, I'm Yongi. Today I want to talk about the place everyone thinks of first when they hear Yongin — Everland. But did you know Everland wasn't always this name, or even this same vibe, from the start? The name, and the whole atmosphere this place carried, used to be pretty different from what it is now. Even a name you've walked past without a second thought actually holds a pretty long story behind it. I was genuinely surprised myself the first time I heard about this. I actually kept blurting out, 'Wait, seriously? That Everland?' over and over. So today, let's slowly unpack that old story together, one piece at a time.

Natural Farm — When It Was Literally a Farm

Everland first opened its doors in 1976, and back then it wasn't called 'Everland' — it's said to have been named 'Natural Farm.' Doesn't that already feel completely different just from the name? From the word 'farm' alone, you get a sense of wide-open land embracing nature, rather than the flashy theme park image we picture today. It might sound unfamiliar to younger generations now, but back then, that name probably felt perfectly natural.

In the days when it went by Natural Farm, the story goes that it leaned much more toward a farm or ranch than the roller coasters and flashy parades we associate with it now. It's said to have started as a space where you could get close to animals across wide meadows and feel nature as you walked around. Set side by side with today's theme park image, the starting point was really humble. Imagining wide meadows and animals filling Natural Farm instead of thrill rides paints a completely different picture, doesn't it? I find that contrast pretty fun to think about.

I find it fascinating how a single name can hold the whole mood of an era inside it. When you're riding the flashy attractions at Everland today, it's hard to believe this place was once a farm. But I think it's exactly because of that humble beginning that it was able to grow into what it is now. A quiet start doesn't make today's value any smaller — if anything, knowing about that modest beginning makes today's Everland feel even more special.

From Farm to Theme Park, the Moment the Name Changed

As time passed, in 1996, the name Natural Farm is said to have changed into the 'Everland' we know today. A name change like that isn't just a new sign out front — it probably meant the whole identity of the space shifted in a big way. There must have been a lot of thought and decision-making packed into changing just one name. Over those twenty years, this space and the people visiting it must have changed quite a bit too.

It seems this was around the point where it shed its farm image and started defining itself clearly as a full-fledged amusement park, a theme park. After that name change, Everland is counted among Korea's oldest large-scale theme parks, and it's held onto that standing ever since. Just one name change, and yet the road it walked afterward turned out long and solid. Sticking around for that long stretch of time feels pretty impressive to me.

Every time I think about this transformation, I realize all over again how much story a single name can hold. Going from Natural Farm to Everland wasn't just a change of appearance — it's the time and memories people built inside it, piling up layer by layer. So whenever I look at Everland, it doesn't feel like just a theme park to me, but like one scene from the long stretch of time Yongin has walked through. Next time you happen to visit Everland, I hope you'll take a moment to think back on the history behind that name.

Today, Yongin's Signature Landmark

Today's Everland is the landmark most people think of first when they hear the name Yongin. Being counted among Korea's oldest large theme parks, its presence is big enough that even people who've never been to Yongin have probably heard the name at least once. Honestly, I feel a quiet pride knowing a place that's held its ground for this long is right here in our town. There are probably more people who know the name Everland than who know the name Yongin.

From a humble name like Natural Farm to becoming a name that represents Yongin today, there must be countless stretches of time in between that we don't fully know about. Honestly, knowing even this much makes me look at our own town with a lot more affection. I want to keep digging up those stories, one by one, and bring them to you. Even in the moment the name changed, people's footsteps must have kept coming, one after another. I'll keep bringing more stories like this about Yongin, so look forward to it. If you enjoyed today's story, make sure to wait for the next one.

🐉 Real Photos, via Yongi