Come early spring, everyone in Korea is waiting for the cherry blossoms to bloom. But in one village in Yangpyeong, the “sansuyu” or cornellian cherry is the star of the spring season.

Sansuyu ~ up close

Yangpyeong is a county in Gyeonggi province and it is just an hour away from Seoul. It is a favorite place for Seoulites to visit during the weekend because of its proximity to the capital. The Jungang line connects the city to the place making it a convenient get-away.

This weekend (April 4 & 5) in Yangpyeong will mark an early spring event ~ “Sansuyu and Hanwoo Festival” ~ sansuyu for the blossoms and “hanwoo” for Korean beef.

The way to Sangsuyu Village

Last Sunday, my family and I visited the place called “Sansuyu Village”. It was a treat for us to visit this farming neighborhood even if the trees are just starting to blossom. There were already tourists in the area ~ bikers, hikers, photographers and families just enjoying the weekend. In front of the village center, there were old ladies selling corn, green onions, beans and more! Who could resist the freshly cooked corn at only 1,000 won a piece? Not us!

Ajummas buy and sell farm products

We took a stroll around the area. The sansuyu trees line the road all the way up to the hill. There were old hanok (Korean traditional) houses and new pension homes along the way. I joked to my husband that we should get a house here ~ I would love to spend my golden age living in a house with picket fences and a small organic vegetable garden. My husband prefers to have a hanok house, though.

Yangpyeong is a favorite get-away of city-dwellers.

We didn’t miss the cattle farms in the village. My son was just so excited to see cows ~ alive! Korean cows are called “han-woo” and if you were to go eat at a han-woo restaurant in Seoul, expect to spend at least 50,000 won per person. I’m a certified carnivore but my son chooses not to eat “dead animals”.

This cow seems excited to see us ~

I love visiting the countryside whenever I can. Just a simple walk along the village relaxes me. I love seeing old and new houses. Although much of the mountain is still brown, the splash of green farms, yellow sansuyu flowers and the clear blue sky reminds me of why we endure the cold winter months.

Sansuyu trees guard the plants below.

Springtime in Korea is such a lovely season. I enjoy joining the hordes of mountain hikers and hearing the laughter of ajosshis and ajummas while they enjoy a kettle of cold makkeoli (rice wine) and the humble buchimge (Korean pancake).

Take a rest in this traditional Korean gazebo.

If you want to enjoy the “Sansuyu and Hanwoo Festival”, head to Yangpyeong this weekend. You can find the information on how to get there from the Korea Tourism Organization website.

By Ana Park for the Korea Blog