SEOUL, April 6 (Korea Bizwire) — While the nation witnessed a historic Constitutional Court ruling on April 4, another quiet milestone unfolded in the heart of Seoul: the official blooming of cherry blossoms.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the blooming was confirmed when more than three blossoms opened on a designated king cherry tree in the front yard of the Seoul Weather Observatory in Jongno District. This year’s bloom arrived three days later than in 2024 but four days earlier than the historical average of April 8.
In Yeouido’s famed Yunjung-ro, one of the capital’s most popular cherry blossom destinations, blossoms began to bloom on April 3, also three days behind last year but ahead of the usual timeline. The bloom there is determined by cherry trees officially cataloged under the district’s tree management system.
Cherry blossoms, once they open, reach full bloom quickly — typically within two days in Seoul. Full bloom is declared when at least 80% of blossoms on the tree have opened, with this year’s peak expected by April 6.
Nationwide, the blossoms have begun to emerge in full force, from Jinhae’s Yeojwacheon Stream and Busan’s Namcheon-dong to tourist hotspots like Bomun Lake in Gyeongju, Ssanggyesa Temple in Hadong, and the banks of the Musimcheon Stream in Cheongju.
The annual Jinhae Gunhangje Festival in Changwon — Korea’s largest cherry blossom celebration — also comes to a close this weekend after a nine-day run. The 63rd edition of the festival, which began in earnest on March 29, was notably subdued due to the somber national mood following a series of large wildfires in the Yeongnam region earlier this spring.
Several high-profile events, including the military band parade, a fireworks tribute to Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and the Air Force’s Black Eagles air show, were canceled out of respect for ongoing recovery efforts. Nonetheless, visitors flocked to blossom-lined streets and scenic sites like Gyeonghwa Station and Yeojwacheon, drawn by the soft pink canopy that signals Korea’s most cherished season.
This year also marked the first opening in 57 years of the cherry blossom grove at Ungdong Reservoir, formerly a restricted military site, drawing nearly 20,000 visitors. However, some tourists expressed frustration over limited access roads and a lack of parking infrastructure.
As the festival winds down under clear skies, latecomers continue to enjoy the fading petals, taking in one last glimpse before the season slips away. The city of Changwon plans to hold a review session next month to assess this year’s festival and propose improvements for 2026.
With spring in full bloom, South Koreans are finding a moment of beauty and renewal — even as the nation grapples with political upheaval and natural disasters — in the fleeting, familiar petals of cherry blossoms.
Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
