SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – The crisp autumn weather that has settled across most of South Korea is drawing weekend visitors to popular foliage viewing spots, though the seasonal color change has arrived notably later than usual this year.
At Baekyang Temple in Jangseong County, South Jeolla Province, visitors were finally able to enjoy the autumn scenery during the first weekend of November, weeks after when fall colors typically peak in the region.
The delayed arrival of fall colors this year has been attributed to an unusually prolonged summer heat.
The science behind autumn colors lies in trees’ response to cold temperatures. When trees detect cold weather, they cut off nutrient flow to their leaves, causing chlorophyll – the compound responsible for leaves’ green color – to break down. This process reveals the vibrant autumn hues. For this transformation to begin, nighttime temperatures must drop below 5 degrees Celsius.
This year’s extended summer heat disrupted this natural process, affecting both the timing of fall colors and flower blooming patterns across the country.
The season’s first autumn colors appeared significantly later than usual at major landmarks: 6 days later at Seoraksan, 11 days later at Naejangsan, and 15 days later at Hallasan compared to previous years.
Despite the delay, visitors to Baekyang Temple were still able to immerse themselves in the seasonal atmosphere, even if the foliage wasn’t as brilliant as in typical years at this time.
Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
