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As the cold winds of winter fade, the plum blossoms wake the city to spring. Soon after, cornelian cherries, magnolias, and cherry blossoms follow in a gentle procession. Around this time, tall trees brimming with flowers invite us to lift our heads often and gaze at the sky. When the cherry blossoms fall, it is the shorter flowers that take the stage. Rapeseed flowers, tulips, and roses come into full bloom, and wildflowers paint the world in even more dazzling colors. In Seoul, spring transforms the entire city into a sea of blossoms. Where, then, can we go to truly savor this season? We asked a 30-year veteran taxi driver, someone who knows the hidden corners of the city by heart, for their favorite spots for springtime flower viewing.

A Royal Palace of Blossoms: Changgyeonggung Palace

In the 1970s, when the taxi driver was still a high school student, Changgyeonggung Palace was the destination for his school outing.
Among Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces, including Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Gyeonghuigung, and Changgyeonggung, this palace originally served as a residence for the royal family during the Joseon Dynasty. During the Japanese occupation, however, its halls were torn down, and the palace was turned into a zoo and a botanical garden, its name diminished to "Changgyeongwon." It was not until 1983 that restoration efforts began, carefully returning the palace to its original form. In truth, the driver’s memories are not of Changgyeonggung as we know it today, but of the Changgyeongwon of those times.

There is a reason why the flowers of Changgyeonggung are particularly captivating. The palace was originally named Suganggung, built by King Sejong for his father, King Taejong. Later, King Seongjong repaired and expanded it to house Queen Dowager Jeonghui, his birth mother Queen Sohye, and Queen Consort Ansun, the wife of King Yejong, renaming it Changgyeonggung. As a space built for the royal women, the gardens were exceptionally beautiful, a reflection of delicate thoughtfulness.

Come April, the area around Honghwamun Gate and Okcheongyo Bridge becomes alive with blossoms, and plum, apricot, and cherry trees unfold their flowers. In those days, perhaps fruit was more prized than the blooms, as most flowering trees within the palace were fruit-bearing.

Crossing Okcheongyo and passing through the next gate, visitors are met with Myeongjeongjeon, the main hall of the palace. Those who come seeking flowers often find themselves enchanted by the intricate floral motifs carved into the ceilings and lattice windows of the buildings. Beside Myeongjeongjeon lie Munjeongjeon and Haminjeong, spaces once reserved for the king. Beyond Haminjeong, you find the quarters of the queen dowager, and further still, those of the queen. If you look closely, you will see that the entire complex is cradled within terraced flower beds called hwagye, and one can imagine sitting by the window, framed by a living painting of blossoms outside.
By late April, as the apricot blossoms fall, azaleas and wildflowers fill the space with new colors.

Within the grounds stands Korea’s first Western-style greenhouse, the Grand Greenhouse, completed in 1909. Originally filled with rare tropical plants, today it nurtures native Korean species. In front of the greenhouse lies a small pond, dug during the colonial period as part of an effort to convert the palace into a public amusement park. During the restoration, it was redesigned with an artificial island, following traditional Korean style. Although the apricot and red plum blossoms had faded, the path to the Grand Greenhouse, touched by softer sunlight, still offered a garden full of vivid spring flowers.

Tip: Changgyeonggung at Night: Moonlight Lotus Show
"Moonlight Lotus Show" is part of Seoul’s enchanting nighttime palace programs, alongside the Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung, the Starlight Tour at Gyeongbokgung, and the Night at Deoksugung’s Seokjojeon Hall. Starting from 7 PM, eight locations around Chundangji Pond transform into dreamlike landscapes, each woven with a different media art theme. All visitors to the palace can enjoy this magical sight, free of charge and without reservation.

A Living, Breathing Forest: Seoul Forest

Seongsu-dong, one of Seoul’s most vibrant and fashionable neighborhoods, sees new pop-up stores and exciting events open daily.
On the western side of Seongsu lies the second springtime gem recommended by the taxi driver, Seoul Forest. It is a place where you can enjoy a leisurely picnic with friends, a cozy date with a loved one, or a playful afternoon with family. Afterward, you can easily stroll into Seongsu-dong for shopping, café hopping, or perhaps a bike ride along the Han River.

Once a royal hunting ground during the Joseon Dynasty, this land later hosted Korea’s first water purification plant in 1908, and in the 1940s, it was developed into a public amusement area. Later, it became a racetrack and golf course before finally being reborn as Seoul Forest in 2005, with over 420,000 trees planted, most of them native species.

The forest is filled with thematic gardens, including the Gallery Garden, Bulb Garden, Children’s Garden, Bee Garden, Picnic Garden, Bench Garden, Hydrangea Garden, and Winter Garden, offering visitors a landscape that changes with every season. Even now, reminders of the past remain. The grand horse statue stands proudly at the park’s center, and the old Waterworks Museum quietly watches over the transformation.

From April to June, the park bursts into bloom, drawing many visitors. Under tunnels of cherry and apricot blossoms, people lay down picnic blankets and camping chairs, savoring the beauty. By mid-April, tulips take the spotlight. Stretching from the Horse Statue, past the Winter Pond, and toward the Water Playground, the tulip fields unfurl in a vibrant symphony of colors and shapes. Each year, photographers flock here, drawn to the sight of tulips densely blanketing the gentle slopes beneath giant trees. Although heavy spring rains this year kept some blooms from reaching their full glory, the forest still promises a breathtaking display. After the tulips, peonies grace May, followed by hydrangeas painting June in blues and purples. In Seoul Forest, flowers do not bloom all at once but take their turns, like a gentle gift from nature to let us savor each moment more deeply.

Tip: Seoul Forest is Vast
Seoul Forest spans about 495,000 square meters, with more than 15 entrances.
It is divided into four major areas:
Park 1 hosts Seoul Forest Plaza, floor fountains, Mirror Pond, and themed gardens.
Park 2 is home to the Eco Forest, Deer Enclosure, and Wind Hill.
Park 3 includes the Insect Botanical Garden, Little Animal Farm, Bee Garden, and Butterfly Garden.
Park 4 features the Ecological Learning Field, Children’s Forest Experience Center, Bird Observatory, and Wetlands Ecological Park.
The Sky Road passing through the Eco Forest leads visitors all the way to Hangang Park.

A River of Tulips: Jungnangcheon Stream

The taxi driver described Jungnangcheon stream as "a beautiful but relatively lesser-known flower path in Seoul." The stream begins in Yangju and Uijeongbu, winds through northeastern Seoul, and meets the Han River. From spring to fall, cherry blossoms, tulips, rapeseed flowers, roses, zinnias, and cosmos bloom along the riverbanks, with colorful festivals filling the seasons. From mid-April to early May, tulips are at their best, and the driver recommends a slow walk starting from Eungbong Station toward Yongbi Shelter.

Passing through Eungbong Underpass and stepping onto the riverside path, tulips dancing in the river breeze greet visitors warmly.
Following the path and turning right, you will find the Children’s Dream Garden, a small paradise created by residents and children together on Arbor Day 2024. Here, wildflowers bloom alongside photo zones and swings, inviting visitors to capture memories.

Further along the tulip trail, the Migratory Bird Observatory comes into view. This area, where Jungnangcheon meets Cheonggyecheon and merges into the Han River, is Seoul’s first designated migratory bird protection zone. The reed fields along the riverside offer refuge to migratory birds in winter, while from spring through fall, flowers bloom endlessly.

Continue walking, and soon, you will reach a garden where vibrant tulips bloom in clusters beneath ash trees.Children holding their mothers’ hands, girls dressed in bright dresses for photo shoots, and elderly visitors taking scenic detours, all walk among the flowers with faces brighter than the blossoms themselves. The tulip trail stretches about 1.4 kilometers, from Jungnangcheon Picnic Garden to Yongbi Bridge. The newly created Picnic Garden, themed "Travel in Daily Life," is expected to reach its peak in June, when the hydrangeas come into full bloom.