Cornelian Cherries Bloom on Inwangsan
In early spring, Inwangsan in Seoul transforms. Among the granite rocks and fortress walls, bright yellow blossoms appear—Cornelian cherry flowers, known as sansuyu in Korean. These small, vivid flowers bloom before the leaves come out, turning the still-bare branches into bursts of gold. Against the backdrop of grey stone and the city's skyline, the effect is striking. Sansuyu trees are one of Korea’s earliest signs of spring. The flowers are tiny—each with four narrow petals—but they grow in clusters that light up the mountainside. On Inwangsan, you’ll see them tucked between boulders, lining trails, and blooming near the old Seoul Fortress Wall. They add a soft, living contrast to the mountain’s strong, weathered landscape. These trees aren’t just beautiful—they’re meaningful, too. The fruit of the sansuyu tree, which comes later in the year, has been used in traditional Korean medicine for centuries. But in spring, it's the flowers that capture attention. De...
