Eungbongsan: Where To See Forsythias This Spring In Korea
Spring in Korea is gorgeous and most people look forward to the cherry blossoms that will bloom across the country. However, there are some flowers that bloom just a bit earlier and as soon as they do, they paint the scenery a glorious yellow. If you’re ready for spring and are ready for any and all flowers, then don’t miss the forsythias (개나리).
You can find them all over, but one mountainside stands out when we mention forsythias in Seoul and that is Eungbongsan Mountain (응봉산) because it’s just covered in the beautiful golden yellow flowers. This mountain is small and easy to get up and down on in just an hour total. Take the kids, take yourself, take some friends and see the forsythias in Seoul this year.
Plan a trip to Eungbongsan Mountain this spring in Korea:
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How To Get There
Address: 271 Eungbong-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul (서울 성동구 응봉동 271번지)
By Subway: Eungbong Station (Jungang line, exit 1). Turn left aftr you exit. Walk along the road following the train line. At the first road, turn right. Turn left at the next road. Walk straight ahead and you’ll see a wooden staircase which means you’ve made it.
What To Know
Eungbongsan Mountain got its name from the Joseon Dynasty period when the king used to hunt from the mountain with a falcon. The mountain was given the name Maebong, with ‘mae’ meaning falcon in Korean which is Eungbong in Hanja. The peak of the mountain is just 95.3 meters high and when you get to the top, you’ll find an octagonal pavilion. The Palgakjeong Pavilion is beautiful and is a popular place on the first day of the year for people to view the first sunrise.
When To Visit Eungbongsan Mountain
While you can visit throughout the year, there are two times in the year when the mountain is especially popular.
January 1st
It is popular in Korea to see the first sunrise of the year from a mountaintop if you’re in the middle of the country, or from the east coast if you can head there. In Seoul, there are a few mountains that are the most popular for this and Eungbongsan is one of them. This is likely because it’s so easy to get up to quickly so you don’t have to wake up hours before sunrise.
It only takes 30 minutes to get up to the top. Once there, you’ll find performances at the pavilion. It’s a good spot in the city of Seoul to celebrate the New Year the way Koreans celebrate.
Early Spring
The best time to visit this mountain in my opinion though, is in the spring when the entire mountain is covered with blooming forsythia flowers. Spring in Korea can be beautiful and this mountain is one place that will convince you of that. There are also cherry blossom trees at the same time. As mentioned, you can find forsythias all over the place, including one of my favorite parks, World Cup Park, but Eungbongsan Mountain has such an abundance in one spot that it’s a must see.
They also host the Eungbongsan Mountain Forsythia Festival (응봉산 개나리축제). I try to steer clear of places during festival periods just because they can be so busy. I suggest visiting as early in the day as you can stand, during the week, or just before the festival is set to begin if you want to try and miss the crowds.
Which Route To Take
If you start from the subway station and follow the directions above to get to the mountain, you’ll follow this path up to the peak. This peak is a popular spot in Seoul for photographers as they can get panoramic views out over Seoul. It’s easy to get up to and provides a beautiful shot both by day and by night in Seoul out over the Han River, Seoul Forest, out to Lotte Tower, N Seoul Tower, and beyond.
From here, you can go down the north side and leave the mountain, but to get another great view, follow the path to the left which heads toward the Han River and Yongbigyo Bridge (용비교). If you take this path, there are stairs that switch back and forth. This is where the cherry blossoms bloom and then you end up on the traffic bridge which gives you a perfect view of Eungbongsan Mountain with the train passing in front. If you wait a bit, you can get a beautiful shot of the train passing beneath the gloriously yellow mountainside.
Keep following the road and it’ll drop you right into Seoul Forest and Seongsu-dong, the Brooklyn of Seoul as they call it, where you can easily find restaurants and cafes to get something to eat. Enjoy the day and see what you can see!
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