The comparisons are ubiquitous: Jeju is like Hawaii, pajeon is like pizza, Chuseok is like Thanksgiving. Abundant and familiar to anyone who has spent time in Korea, these analogies flatten out the nuances of reality, drain them of their unique character and rob them of their distinctive character. Likewise, as Seoul revels in the global attention of the newly reopened Seoul Station overpass, a project also known as Seoullo 7017, the comparisons to New York’s High Line are pervasive. Nine out of ten articles predictably compare the project to the High Line, an archetype that has siblings in Chicago, Atlanta and even Paris. But despite the obvious similarities, the project is not Asia’s High Line. Instead, it is a path that tells a living history, illustrating the complexities of Seoul’s urban landscape: a city eager to pursue transformation, but quick to dismiss uncomfortable realities.