YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is known for its thrilling rides and much-loved animals like the Bao panda family. But if you need another reason to visit Everland, the park's unique fall foliage is open to public visitors for the first time.
The theme park's latest attraction is a 14.5-million-square-meter ginkgo tree area named For Rest, considered the largest colony of ginkgo trees in Korea. But this is a limited-time attraction -- it's only open to the public until Sunday.
In the 1970s, Everland planted almost 30,000 ginkgo trees at Hyangsusan, a mountain in Yongin, as the centerpiece of a greening project. This mountain area has been secluded from the public eye since then.
Asked why the forest is open this year, an Everland official explained that it was finally time to showcase the forest of mature ginkgo trees in the bright golden hues of autumn.
“Though we had 30,000 trees, two-thirds were cut down to create more spaces for the ginkgo trees to grow healthily,” said Lee Joon-kyu, the head of the plant and content team at Samsung C&T.
Lee explained that if the trees are too close to each other, they compete to get more sunlight, which forces them to grow only vertically.
“The branches were too thin. The trees didn't have many leaves either. We needed quite some time to let our ginkgo trees get thicker and turn the area into a lush forest,” Lee added.
The Everland attraction is unique as a ginkgo forest, but like other popular fall foliage sites like Seoraksan and Naejangsan, it features gently sloped walking trails, benches for resting and scenic views of the mountains in their fall colors.
Everland’s For Rest is not overcrowded, so it's also special for its tranquil atmosphere.
“We joke that when we go to some of the best places to enjoy the vivid colors of the season, we see more tourists than ginkgo or maple trees. But this is a place where people can really take a break from crowded spaces and find emotional refuge,” another Everland official said.
In 2022, the ginkgo tree forest was opened to visits by groups from businesses and organizations, but only in limited numbers to maintain the area's pristine condition and to ensure safety.
This year, however, Everland is opening the forest to the public from Friday to Sunday, with reservations accepted online.
A total of 30 visitors each day will be able to explore the ginkgo tree park and join other programs, including forest meditation, trekking and an art tour of the nearby Hoam Museum.
For more information and reservations, visit Everland’s official website or call (031) 320-8200.
If you can't make it to Everland's For Rest, several other destinations in the Yongin area offer a chance to see a variety of trees in their seasonal flaming reds, dazzling yellows and brilliant oranges.
At the nearby Yongin Folk Village, the fall foliage serves as a brilliant backdrop for hanok, or Korean traditional houses.
Though the Korean Folk Village is renowned for its exciting cultural performances, exhibitions and attractions featuring traditional Korean culture, every corner of the park is a stunning visual feast.
Hantaek Botanical Garden, located at the southernmost tip of Yongin, is another place where visitors can take a light stroll along a paved path.
If the crisp autumn breeze is a little too chilly, you can warm up and view tropical plants and flowers at the greenhouse.
While the Korean Folk Village is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Hantaek Botanical Garden is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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