The advent of the Spring. Nature takes up a new look. We wake up slowly from long winter dream. We free ourselves from choking scarfs and heavy sweaters like an armor. Spring – a time when we unlock our feelings, desires, when we open our eyes widely, breathe in the fresh air and simply enjoy every single moment of our life. Drunk with a fragrance of cherry blossom and overwhelmed by feelings we walk through the park, so alive, probably like never before, catching the ray of sunshine and smiling at each other…That is how I can try to describe the feeling you can experience during one of the most charming festivals in Seoul, South Korea as well as in the whole world, known as Yeouido Spring Flower Festival.
THINGS TO DO ON YEOUIDO SPRING FLOWER FESTIVAL
This celebration is an excellent opportunity to run away from hustle and bustle of grey gloomy cities and to relish the cherry blossom in the company of your family, friends or the person you are in love with. Yeouido Spring Flower Festival is very young, probably not so advertised and world-known as Hanami in Japan or the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. The festival was celebrated for the first time in 2005. In 2020 it will be traditionally held during the first or second week of April when all around is in blossom. The easiest way to get to the location of the festival is a subway. Firstly, get to the National Assembly Station (Subway Line 9), Exit 1 or 6, then walk straight for 300m (about 5 minutes). And here you are at one of the most romantic festivals on the planet.
As it is Flower Festival, the first thing you should do is take your time and enjoy to the fullest the beauty of cherry trees in full bloom and some other flowers that you can find at the festival, such as azalea, forsythia, royal azaleas, bridal wreath spirea, deutzia. Very soon you will blend in with people walking to and fro, chatting and taking selfies. But, of course, this festival doesn’t end after you took a selfie and walked around for 10 minutes. Another thing that will capture your attention is myriads of food trucks full of finger-licking street snacks. You will see a lot of people with mats and tents eating fried chicken and drinking beer, you can do the same, borrow or rent a tent, or simply join people and make new friends. You can order some food or come to any of street vendors.
No doubts, when you think about the festival, street food is a must. Try something exotic, for example, beodengi, street food made with silkworm pupae. If you like spicy food, try also tteokbokki that comes with orange or bright red sauce called gochujang. Another flavorsome street snack is jwipo, a traditional Korean pressed fish jerky, traditionally served hot. To continue the top list of mouth-watering delectable Korean street food, it is recommended for every visitor to try odeng (easy-to-eat fishcakes on a skewer), savory and sweet at the same time gyeranppang (egg muffins) and many other street snacks you that you will find at the festival.
Beodengi
Tteokbokki
Gyeranppang
Apart from stuffing your stomach, you can enjoy a photo exhibition, street performances of acrobats, singing contest, traditional Korean percussion music. Also at the festival, you will see some tents where visitors can try on and take a photo in traditional clothes, called Hanbok. If you are with children they can have some fun at the temporary roller skating rink. For couples, there is nothing more romantic than riding a tandem bicycle. The culmination of the celebration is the breath-taking fireworks along Hangang River.
If you lack something romantic in your life, or if you simply want to spend some time with your dear people, Yeouido Spring Flower Festival is more than perfect. Besides, the atmosphere of cherry blossom and cheerful people around is, probably, the best cure for those, who are tired of sitting in the office in front of the laptop whole day and whole night, drowning in the daily routine, thinking about billions of problems that invade their heads every day and every hour.
How little we need sometimes to feel alive again and wake up happy next day.
