Are you one of those die-hard Korean love story a.k.a. Koreanovela fans? If you are, then I suggest you take a little over 6 minutes of your time to watch this! The Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) released a mini-Koreanovela video last year entitled Miss Flower Spring and they released it once again in time for their spring and our summer in the Philippines (March to June). I instantly fell in love with South Korea all over again (see my posts on my Seoul and Busan trips) when I saw this last week. This time I longed to return again for my 5th trip on a different level and theme - seeing the flowers in full bloom and the charm of being there on spring! A Korean couple I met a few months ago (whom I fondly call Sajang-nim and Samo-nim hehe) recommended that I go back during the month of May and visit them, when the weather is just right (not too hot and not too cold) in Korea =) For now, let me take you on a tour to another set of interesting places in Korea through this video (watch the full video below in this post). There are a few highlighted destinations here but given the chance, I'd like to travel to Yeosu via Korean Air then take a train to Suncheon to see the Naganeupseong Folk Village first! I know that I have said over and over again that I'm game for another Korea trip, this time I'm super convinced to add a flower/springtime tour (choosing to travel on a certain month to catch everything bloom instead of a particular destination) into that long list =)
Image from the KTO FB Page
After seeing this video in HD, my head was populated with visions of me in the place of that girl! Haha. Um because she got to travel to a lot of cool places! How I wish I could bring Jeff to those places and fall in love there again and again. We did go together last time at the Taipei International Flora Expo and loved it! This time though, instead of just seeing the plants in display or moulded into designs, it would be very nice to go to the actual fields of plants, trees and flowers, to see them in their natural planted state, just get lost for a moment, see them before they get picked or die and get to know more about how to grow or take care of each one. I guess I just have a weak spot for flowers, natural scenery, piano music and romance. Hehe.
Image from the KTO FB Page
In just 6 minutes, you'll see the progression of love between the girl with music in her head and the cute photographer as well as the most beautiful sceneries in Korea that you'll want to go to (if we have the same taste in travel).
They will take you to the pinkish royal azalea fields of Hwangmaesan (mountain located at the southeastern part of Korea, near Busan) held every May annually.
I love that the place in the video. Girls would most likely feel so at home and photograph beautifully here.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
They will take you to the pinkish royal azalea fields of Hwangmaesan (mountain located at the southeastern part of Korea, near Busan) held every May annually.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
I love that the place in the video. Girls would most likely feel so at home and photograph beautifully here.
Image from the KTO FB Page
Next, you will be whisked away to the Naganeupseong Folk Village (located at the southwestern part of Korea) for persimmon (kam) trees.
The trees are probably still bare of fruit at this time (May to June) preparing for harvest time in autumn (October to early December) so you won't notice the trees much or differentiate the persimmon tree from other trees in the video.
Still, I think the Folk Village has its charm with all the Korean straw-roof houses, the people living there and well-preserved castle area.
It will be such a bonus if the surroundings are filled with ripe orange persimmon hanging from the trees.
If you'd like to see me eating "kam" during my Seoul trip, just click here haha. FYI, there are 2 types of persimmon in Korea: the fuyu persimmon or dan gam (crunchy like an apple when ripe) and the hachiya persimmon or tteolbeun gam (gooey soft and messy when ripe, the one I ate haha). Persimmons are used to make a traditional Korean drink called sujeonggwa =)
Image from the KTO Spring Video
The trees are probably still bare of fruit at this time (May to June) preparing for harvest time in autumn (October to early December) so you won't notice the trees much or differentiate the persimmon tree from other trees in the video.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
Still, I think the Folk Village has its charm with all the Korean straw-roof houses, the people living there and well-preserved castle area.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
It will be such a bonus if the surroundings are filled with ripe orange persimmon hanging from the trees.
Image from the KTO Site
If you'd like to see me eating "kam" during my Seoul trip, just click here haha. FYI, there are 2 types of persimmon in Korea: the fuyu persimmon or dan gam (crunchy like an apple when ripe) and the hachiya persimmon or tteolbeun gam (gooey soft and messy when ripe, the one I ate haha). Persimmons are used to make a traditional Korean drink called sujeonggwa =)
You will notice in the video a sudden appearance of white and pink trees like below.
This means that you've already traveled up from the southwest to the west of Korea onto the Gaesimsa Temple for the cherry blossom trees!
There are lots of places to see cherry blossoms in Korea but according to the Seosan government website, you can also see royal azalea blossoms here.
It must be a very serene place to contemplate, especially if that high up the mountain and you're surrounded by that full white/pink bloom (see my failed attempt to look for sakuras in my last Japan adventure haha).
I'll share with you my friend's recommendation for a cherry blossom spot in Busan soon=)
Image from the KTO FB Page
This means that you've already traveled up from the southwest to the west of Korea onto the Gaesimsa Temple for the cherry blossom trees!
Image from the KTO Spring Video
There are lots of places to see cherry blossoms in Korea but according to the Seosan government website, you can also see royal azalea blossoms here.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
It must be a very serene place to contemplate, especially if that high up the mountain and you're surrounded by that full white/pink bloom (see my failed attempt to look for sakuras in my last Japan adventure haha).
Image from the KTO Spring Video
I'll share with you my friend's recommendation for a cherry blossom spot in Busan soon=)
Image from the KTO Spring Video
After scenes of super flowers, the location of romance will dramatically change back to the southwest of South Korea to feature the rolling green hills of Boseong for the Green Tea Festival (held every May).
Image from the KTO Spring Video
What a perfect sight, right?! Here's one more!
Image from the KTO FB Page
Although tea is harvested several times a year, I heard there is a best time of the year which will produce a better-tasting yield. What more fun it is to discover for ourselves when than to head directly to a tea plantation, right?
Image from the KTO Spring Video
Although awkward at first like these two lovers in the video, I'm sure the love for these kinds of greenery and the added towering trees can be cultivated with the right timing and experience. I think the trees below are sequoia like the ones in Nami Island.. I myself would love to discover if I would get tire of seeing nature at its best in Korea.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
If you're looking for a happy place in Korea, then I guess you'll love the "all yellow" cole flower scene in this video.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
You'll be reminded to keep it light and will naturally gravitate towards doing this (above) with all the yellow haha. I have a picture of me with cole or rapeseed or canola flowers all around in Jeju (will post it soon hehe).
Image from the KTO FB Page
The next scene actually caught me by surprise. I immediately thought that I don't have to go all the way to the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands to see tulips!
This was my first attempt at the Taiwan Flora Expo. Hello faker haha.
The one in KTO Miss Flower Spring video (April to May) looked way cooler! Hahaha.
I guess I would just have to visit the tulip fields in Taean-gun now for a closer look! If you know the language of flowers, the love story of the two people in the video deepens here as you will realize that the girl is now a bit more eager to get the guy's attention - that's love realized =)
Image from the KTO Spring Video
This was my first attempt at the Taiwan Flora Expo. Hello faker haha.
The one in KTO Miss Flower Spring video (April to May) looked way cooler! Hahaha.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
I guess I would just have to visit the tulip fields in Taean-gun now for a closer look! If you know the language of flowers, the love story of the two people in the video deepens here as you will realize that the girl is now a bit more eager to get the guy's attention - that's love realized =)
Image from the KTO Spring Video
The last scene becomes the most controversial scene of them all haha. The video takes us to the Gochang Hakwon Tourism Farm (April) for the green barley field.
I've never seen unprocessed barley before so it was interesting for me to see it up close on the screen.
From a distance, I'll probably just see mid-sized grass hehehe.
My favorite scene is when the music stopped and she finally spoke the only word in the entire video in Korean. I'm dying to find out what she said means (coz I can't find it nor spell it right on Google..) although it might be in the likes of "carry me" haha.
For me, the iconic "man carrying the woman on the back" is the ultimate moment that tells me that this is definitely made in Korea and can only be done in Korea without question haha. You can also hear the sound of nature like very light chirping of the birds in the background. Just imagine doing that in Korea - a silent morning in the fields then letting your loved one carry you.. It's the ultimate kilig moment hahahaha.
What a very nice way to end an awesome trip... hehehe. I wonder if there's a Miss Flower Spring Part 2..
Image from the KTO Spring Video
I've never seen unprocessed barley before so it was interesting for me to see it up close on the screen.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
From a distance, I'll probably just see mid-sized grass hehehe.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
My favorite scene is when the music stopped and she finally spoke the only word in the entire video in Korean. I'm dying to find out what she said means (coz I can't find it nor spell it right on Google..) although it might be in the likes of "carry me" haha.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
For me, the iconic "man carrying the woman on the back" is the ultimate moment that tells me that this is definitely made in Korea and can only be done in Korea without question haha. You can also hear the sound of nature like very light chirping of the birds in the background. Just imagine doing that in Korea - a silent morning in the fields then letting your loved one carry you.. It's the ultimate kilig moment hahahaha.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
What a very nice way to end an awesome trip... hehehe. I wonder if there's a Miss Flower Spring Part 2..
Oh, don't forget to watch until the very end to get to know what the girl was really up to haha.
Image from the KTO Spring Video
Going to these places personally can definitely be included in my already extensive off the beaten track and things to do list in Korea!
Image from the KTO FB Page
Check out the full Miss Flower Spring video here or watch below (don't forget to click on the settings reel beside the YouTube icon below and select HD!!!):
If you want to know more about Korea or if you're preparing for a trip, I highly recommend going through the KTO website. I've been using that since 2009 for my trips to Korea =) We have a KTO office in Manila, you can find them easily through the KTO Manila Facebook page.
Check this out for the List of Spring Flower Festivals in Korea this year!
You can get to a lot of places in Korea via Korean Air =)
You can get to a lot of places in Korea via Korean Air =)
Feel free to tell me below:
What do you think of the Miss Flower Spring video and the efforts of the Korea Tourism after watching it? Did it tug your heart? Would you consider having a flower/nature-themed trip like above? =)
