Spring has arrived in Korea, and I had a blast there in March and April for my brother’s wedding in Seoul. (Check out my blog post about Korean weddings here.) I went to many places and ate lots of Korean bingsu, and among many other things, I really enjoyed the Cherry Blossom Festival at Seokchon Lake and the Park. It was the peak of spring in Seoul.
Seoul is known for shopping and eating out at countless restaurants and cafes. So visiting Korea and enjoying nature there can often be overlooked.
But the nature in Korea is breathtaking!
In my opinion, one of the best things to do in Korea is to enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival at Seokchon Lake Park in the spring.
Seokchon Lake Park
Seokchon Lake Park is a pretty big lake of 217,850 ㎡ with an average depth of 4.5 m.
It is divided into the south and the east parts of the lake.
Seokchon Lake has a gorgeous park and a walking area of 2.5 km around the lake.
Korea has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, so you can go for a walk around Seokchon Lake Park to enjoy every season.
There are also many events held at the park! So it’s never boring to visit here.
The L Tower in Jamsil, Seoul, has become the landmark of Korea! It has 123 floors with 555 m height. Source: Lotte Group
Jamsil
Jamsil is a neighborhood in Songpa District in Seoul, Korea.
Jamsil is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Korea: the L Tower (you can go to the top of the building to have a sky view!), shops, restaurants, Seokchon Lake Park, an amusement park called Lotte World, and more!
I lived in the Songpa district for most of my life in Korea, and I have been going to Jamsil for all kinds of shopping and to meet my friends and relatives.
It is still my go-to place whenever I visit Korea.
I went to the sky view of the L tower. Look how small all the skyscrapers of Seoul are from the top!
Things to Do in Jamsil
Oh my goodness, there are way too many things to do in Jamsil!
No joke, I spend most of my shopping and hanging out here while visiting Korea every time.
But to give you a grasp of the idea, here is a list of places you can visit and do in Jamsil.
- Jamsil Underground Shopping Mall
- L Tower with countless shopping malls and restaurants
- Seokchon Lake Park
- Lotte World Amusement Park
- Aquariums
- A Folk Museum
- Theatres
- Jamsil Stadium
So when you go to Seoul, make sure to check out Jamsil.
And of course, one of the things you can do there is to enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival at Seokchon Lake Park in the spring.
Then, with no further ado, let me tell you about it.
It was the best spring activity to walk around Seokchon Lake Park for the Cherry Blossom Festival! Source: Songpa News
Seokchon Lake Park Cherry Blossom Festival | Spring in Korea
Several Cherry Blossom Festivals are happening in Korea (and other countries like Japan.)
Cherry blossoms bloom and fall within two weeks, so you’d have to run to the Cherry Blossom Festivals during late spring in Korea.
Late Spring in Korea (Late March–May)
I realized that late spring is the best time to visit Korea, from late March to late May.
Technically, the spring starts in February and lasts until late May.
But to feel the real spring mood and feeling to the fullest, late spring is the perfect time.
There are so many reasons, so I had a difficult time narrowing it down to a few points.
I’m sharing these few points with you to let you know what spring is like in Korea.
1. Perfect Weather
First and foremost, it has the perfect temperature and weather!
It has perfect, mild weather.
It has the lowest daily temperature of 5°C (41°F) and the average daily temperature of 15-20°C (59-68°F).
That means you can wear light, long sleeves without any jackets!
After living in Norway for five years now, that feels magical.
And it only rains for a few days in the spring. (You know, there are rainy seasons in the summer and fall in Korea.)
Many dishes with strawberries will be on the menu like this at Ediya Coffee! From the top left to the bottom right, the names are Fresh Strawberry & Banana Cream Flatccino, Strawberry & Banana Cream Latte, Real Strawberry Honey Riccotta French Toast, Strawberry Latte, Seasonal Strawberry Juice, and Strawberry Honey Black Tea.
2. Strawberries in Season
Many fruits are in season in Korea in the spring, but my favorite is strawberries.
Hear me out; it is truly great.
Restaurants and cafes would have seasonal strawberry menus in the spring.
Many restaurants start offering cakes and desserts with strawberries, and cafes offer many strawberry drinks, like this strawberry latte.
Many spring shoots and vegetables in Korea are only available at this time of the year!
3. Spring Namul
Namul is a Korean-cooked vegetable side dish.
Among all the namul dishes, namul made with the sprouts that come in the spring is called the spring namul (봄나물 bom-namul).
Because the spring namul is only available during the spring, eating the spring namul is the best way to savor the spring!
You can feel the scent of spring at a local market and the supermarket. That is one of the things that I miss about Korea. There are a variety of seasonal vegetables and fruits, so it’s always exciting to go to restaurants and markets.
There are so many spring vegetables in Korea, including shepherd’s purse, wild chives, wild garlic, aralia, and mugwort. These various spring shoots and vegetables that endured the cold winter for a long time contain more nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
Do you know about mugwort? It’s a Korean herb that smells and tastes like a combination of daisy and sage. I shared mugwort latte and mugwort rice cake recipes on my blog.
4. Lots of Flowers Blooming… Including Cherry Blossoms
Many flowers are blooming in the spring that are unique to Korea!
I haven’t realized how much I miss them all. Azalea, camellia, and magnolia are blooming on the trees.
There are purple violets and yellow dandelions on the fields, like little jewels.
And not to mention cherry blossoms blooming and covering the whole branches with little delicate white and light pink flower petals… It’s a spectacular sight to see cherry blossoms swaying to the wind, like a cloth made out of flowers.
Cherry Blossom Festivals in Seoul, Korea
There are many other cherry blossom festivals in Korea other than the one at Seokchon Lake Park. Here are two other very famous cherry blossom festivals in Korea.
Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival
Do you see the green area (an ellipse shape) in the middle of the map? That’s Yeouido Park!
Location: Yeouido Park, Seoul, Korea
There is an annual cherry blossom festival at Yeouido Park, right along the Han River in Seoul.
There are more than 1600 cherry blossom trees of Jeju Island origin and nearly 90,000 flowers, including azaleas, forsythias, and spireas.
Yangjaecheon Cherry Blossom Festival
Location: Water Sound Garden, Gangnam-daero, Seoul, Korea
Alongside the Yangjaecheon stream, there is a park and a forest. This is another great annual cherry blossom festival to go to.
I wasn’t able to go this time, but I saw that there was a Cherry Blossom Food Event too!
They had cherry blossom Korean jeon, mini burgers, Dalgona muffins, velvet cake, cocktails, beer, and mackgoli!
Other Cherry Blossom Festivals in Korea
There are also many other cherry blossom festivals all over Korea other than the ones in Seoul.
Usually, the further south you go, the earlier cherry blossoms bloom. So if you are in Korea a little earlier than the time cherry blossoms in Seoul bloom, check out other places in Korea like Gyeoungju or Gapyeong Eden Cherry Blossom Festival.
Cherry Blossom Yogurt Cream Cake, Chamomile Blossom Drink, and Cherry Blossom Ice Cream at Twosome Place Cafe in Korea
Cherry Blossom Foods and Desserts
Many cherry blossom festivals also serve foods and drinks with a cherry blossom theme.
Look for cherry blossoms at festivals, restaurants, and cafes. You’ll be able to find something about cherry blossoms, from shapes to ingredients.
Seokchon Lake Park Cherry Blossom Festival
The Cherry Blossom Festival in 2024 was held for five days, from the 27th to the 31st of March.
There are 1,000 cherry blossom trees along the lake here.
And there’s a saying that a couple who visits and walks here gets to be in a relationship! 😉
I went here three times during the cherry blossom festival—at night, on a rainy day, and on a sunny day.
That’s the beauty of nature. It changes its beauty every time. There is no exact moment. I believe that nature is the best form of art.
I wanted to savor the different look of cherry blossoms and the park.
So here is the video of the Cherry Blossom Festival at Seokchon Lake Park.
My Instagram: Seokchon Lake Park Cherry Blossom Festival
Cherry Blossom Festival at Seokchon Lake Park in Seoul, Korea.
Spring is here! You feel the warmth and smell a hint of cherry blossom in the air… You could try little boats on the lake too.
And get a glass of cherry blossom drink, perhaps?
3 Tips for Cherry Blossom Festival
1. Blooming time can differ
I suggest you be available a few days before and after the cherry blossom festival.
Cherry blossoms are highly subjective to the weather and the temperature, so they may bloom sooner or later than the forecasted day!
Sometimes, or many times, the cherry blossoms bloom on slightly different dates from the Cherry Blossom Festival dates.
2. Cherry Blossom Food & Drinks
There are many food and drink menus with cherry blossoms as ingredients or as shapes!
Feel the cherry blossom with all your five senses.
3. Wear a spring outfit
A field full of blooming cherry blossoms looks and feels like a dream on Earth.
You’d want to take lots of pictures and videos of the cherry blossoms and yourself to capture the moment in your memory!
Even if you don’t want to take pictures of yourself, wearing a beautiful, bright spring outfit will make you feel lighter and brighter.
4. There might be a lot of people
Just keep in mind that these cherry blossom festivals are one of the most expected events in the spring.
It is open to all and sets a romantic mood, so there will be lots of couples and families.
You might also find it difficult to find a parking lot. Using public transportation would be a good choice.
And please take your trash with you after you get your takeout and drinks!
Summary of the Spring in Korea
I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed the Cherry Blossom Festival at Seokchon Lake Park in Seoul, Korea.
I have been living outside of Korea for more than a decade now.
I hadn’t visited Korea during the spring, and I had completely forgotten about how beautiful and amazing it was.
When I visited Korea this spring, I fell in love.
The weather, fruits, and vegetables in season, the light greens on the field, flowers blooming, and the whole spring mood… It was breathtaking.
So if you have a chance, you should definitely visit Korea during spring!
I would be so happy if you decided to come to Korea to enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festivals during the spring after reading this article.
That’s why I wanted to share this experience with you all—it’s too good to enjoy it only by myself!
Other posts you might love…
Strawberry Latte Recipe | Inspired by Starbucks Menu
In spring, strawberries are in season in Korea. Many restaurants and cafes serve seasonal menus with strawberries during spring. And one of the most popular drinks with strawberries is the strawberry latte! It’s literally spring in a cup to me. I tasted it at Starbucks and had to make it and share it with you all.
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