Wonimisan is a Magical Mountain of Azaleas South of Seoul

Cherry blossoms aren’t the only early spring blooms to burst forth each year in Korea and some of the other blooms are really magical. Azaleas (진달래) are just beautiful and you can see them in numbers on the Wonmisan mountainside (원미산) just south of Seoul in Bucheon. Looking for a mountainside of flowers this spring in Korea? Here is where to go.

Plan your trip to see azaleas this spring in Korea:

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How To Get There

Address: 21-1san, Chunui-dong, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do (경기 부천시 춘의동 산21-1)

By Subway: Bucheon Stadium Station, exit 2. Walk straight and you’ll see signs for the azalea hillside just after the stadium.

What To Expect

We’ve gone to visit the azalea hillside three different years and it’s always beautiful. One year it is was rainy and was just a few people tough enough to traipse through the paths with umbrellas and raindrops. One year, we went in the evening and another year we went just a bit early for all of the blooms to bloom because the hillside was going to be fenced off to bar crowds from coming due to Covid. It doesn’t matter when we’ve visited though, it’s been beautiful and worth the trip south.

Often you’ll find a few scattered azalea bushes here and there in Seoul and the bushes themselves can be a bit bare when it’s just one or two but put them all together in one place and it’s indeed a sight to see.

Azaleas come in a few different colors and you’ll usually see red or white ones around Korea. I really love these light purple/pink ones though. They’re a very appealing color if you ask me. These are also a bit taller than the small bushier red and white ones.

While Wonmisan can be busy, don’t worry too much about the crowds. Because these azalea bushes are tall, it’s easy to find little hidden paths and spots to take pictures and even sit for a beautiful break. We’ve found people having little picnics here and there surrounded by flowering azalea bushes and it’s pretty magical.

We’ve visited in the morning, mid-day, and in the evening and never found it extremely crowded. There are definitely people there, don’t get me wrong, but again, it’s always been easy enough to spread out and have a path to ourselves.

This is one of those places that I go back to every year because it’s just beautiful and gives me that spring has arrived feeling. Cherry blossoms do that too, but these pink/purple flowers do it in a different way. In a vibrant spring-leads-to-summer way.

When do azaleas bloom in Korea?

Where to see azaleas in Korea

Wonmisan in Bucheon isn’t the only place to see this beautiful sight, there are other great places to go. If you’re a flower hunter like me, then check out these other beautiful flower spots in Seoul to check out year round. For azlaeas in Seoul, you should also visit the amazing Buramsan mountainside and here are some other beautiful azalea flower spots in Korea.

Goryeosan Mountain (고려산)

Address: Gocheon-ri, Naega-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon (인천 강화군 내가면 고천리)

This mountain is in the heart of Ganghwado Island in Incheon. The peak of Goryeosan Mountain is 436 meters up so it does require a bit of a hike but it’s not too strenuous if you’re not an avid hiker. This hike can get extremely popular when it’s in full bloom. Keep that in mind. Go during the week if you can avoid the weekend.

Gunpo Royal Azalea Hill

Address: 1152-10 Sanbon-dong, Gunpo, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 군포시 산본동 1152-10)

Usually host to an azalea festival, the Gunpo Royal Azalea Hill will overwhelm you with the site of azaleas. The azaleas here are planted really closely together so you weave through well planned paths and it’s like you’re walking or floating on a wave of pink/purple azaleas.

Hwangmaesan Mountain (황매산)

Address: Hwangmaesan-ro 1202 beon-gil, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do (경상남도 산청군 차황면 황매산로1202번길)

Included in CNN’s “50 Beautiful Places To Visit in Korea”, Hwangmaesang has been a filming site for popular films like Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War (태극기휘날리며), Welcome to Dongmakgol (웰컴투 동막골), A Story Of Bangja (방자전), Queen Seok Duk (선덕여왕), Horse Doctor (마의), and Bridal Mask (각시탈). This is a good one to visit if you reside in the southern regions of Korea.

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