Spring season in Korea: Where to see spring flowers •

Spring season is my favourite of the four, whether in Korea or another country. It’s the time of year when all the wildflowers put on a show and the trees come into bloom after a long winter. The fresh flowers add a pop of colour to every area they grow in.

You’ll likely see azaleas and canola flowers while going about your normal spring season activities in Korea. But what if you’re new to the country or are looking for one flower type in particular? Maybe you want to tick off a bingo card of spring flowers in the country during your short trip so don’t have much time to explore.

Well, that’s why I have created this post, to try and save you some time and effort in finding them all. Take a look below to see some of my favourite locations to see these pretty wildflowers so you can fill your camera feed with bright petals and seas of colour.

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Country:	South Korea (Republic of Korea)
Currency:	South Korean Won / KRW
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Cherry Blossoms outside of KPN University in Busan

See the cherry blossom trees

Expected to bloom: Late March to early April

If you don’t know already, these pink trees are an event in themselves. Every spring season in Korea the cherry blossoms come out in full force and people flock to see them. They’re only around for a short timeframe so if you want to see them in multiple cities, you need to plan ahead. While living in Busan I was able to visit neighbouring towns to see the cherry blossoms and enjoy the main event of spring in Korea.

You’ll find sprinkles of cherry blossom trees throughout the country and in different regions. Still, some of the most popular places include Jinhae, Seoul, Seoraksan National Park, Gwangju, Hwaggae, Busan and Daegu to name just a few.

Take a look at these posts to see how you can find the cherry blossoms yourself:

Canola fields in the Daejeo Ecological Park in Busan

See the canola (rapeseed) flowers

Expected to bloom: March & April

Every spring season in Korea, you’ll see hills and fields covered by a sea of yellow canola flowers. These flowers always stand out due to their bright shade of sunshine yellow. The flowers are not very tall, nor do they last for more than a few weeks each year.

However, they tend to attract photographers and excited tourists wanting their perfect springtime pictures. These wildflowers tend to show up in many areas around the country but here are some of our favourites:

Banpo Hangang Park – Seoul (TBC 8th – 10th May)
Daejeo Ecological Park – Busan
Changnyeong Nakdonggang Youchae Festival (TBC 14th – 18th April)
Cheomseongdae Observatory – Gyeongju
Sucheon Bay National Garden
Udo Island & Mt. Sanbang – Jeju Island
Noksan-ro & Seopjikoji – Jeju Island

See the tulips

Expected to bloom: In April

The Netherlands is the first country people think of when it comes to tulips, but there are multiple opportunities to see them here in Korea too. Tulips have long been one of my favourite flowers due to their bright-coloured petals and sleek shape.

Although these flowers are not categorised as wildflowers, they are typically found in festivals that take place in the spring season each year in Korea. If you would like to see these flowers the two best places to do so are at the Mazeland Tulip Festival on Jeju Island which takes place between mid-March and mid-April or you can visit Taean one month later between mid-April and mid-May.

Taean Tulip Festival (TBC 13th – 27th April)
Everland Tulip Festival
Mazeland Tulip Festival – Jeju Island
Shinan Tulip Festival

Smell the Roses

Roses are a symbol of romance and love and often one of the first flowers people think of. They come in a multitude of sizes, shapes and colours and are stunning in every way.

During the spring season in Korea, you’ll be able to enjoy roses at a few locations around the country. One of the best places is at the Seoul Rose Festival which takes place in mid-May every year. There are also lots of rose gardens in the cities that come to life during the season that you can enjoy too.

Seoul Rose Garden & Festival
Everland Theme Park

Azalea flowers in bloom on the Cheonjusan Mountain in Changwon

Find the azalea fields

Expected to bloom: Mid-March to Mid-May

If you ever see a field of purple, it’s likely a field of brightly coloured flowers known as azaleas. Every year these shrubs They’re a type of wildflower found all over the country and they bloom just for a few weeks during the spring season each year in Korea.

Depending on the part of the country you’re in, the flowers might blossom at a slightly different time. For example, in Changwon (1.5 hours from Busan) there is a hike through an azalea field at full bloom the 1st week of April. However, the Seongpanak trail and Eongtto trails on Mt Hallasan have their own azalea field bloom in mid-May. Here are some fantastic trails I found that showcase azalea fields during the springtime: