On March 3, amidst unseasonably warm temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius, visitors thronged the plum blossom forest in Doksan-ri, Jinju, where they were welcomed by the sweet aroma of blooming flowers even before seeing the blossoms. This unnamed forest, with its 10,000 plum trees, was established by the couple Park Jung-yeol and Bae Deok-im in 2008 and opened to the public in 2019. Known for its picturesque red and white flowers, the forest has become a popular spring destination; however, due to excessive visits, it took a brief hiatus in 2023 and is now open once again to visitors eager to experience the beauty of plum blossoms in bloom.

This year, unlike the previous year when cold snaps caused delays and even flowerless festivals, many types of flowers are blooming early. The Yangsan Cultural Foundation has rescheduled its annual Wondong Plum Blossom Festival from March 14-15 to the 7-8, ahead of schedule, noting that the blooming rate of plum blossoms in Wondong reached 60-70% by March 3, double what it was the previous year on the same date. This trend of early blossoming isn’t isolated to Gyeongnam; the Hongmae Flower Festival in Jeonnam’s Sinan-gun, which had struggled last year due to lack of blooms, managed to attract over 20,000 visitors as flowers bloomed quickly from February 27 to March 2 this year.

According to the Forest Service’s blooming forecast map released on February 24, 2023, higher temperatures in March and April this year compared to last are expected to lead to earlier flowering times. This early blooming is not only a delight for festival-goers but also highlights the impacts of climate change patterns on seasonal activities and local economies reliant on floral tourism.