Korea Now

A Day Trip to Daejeon April 20, 2023

Traveling to South Korea's fifth largest city in the rain

DAEJEON-SI IS a city located in the central region of South Korea. While popular for its numerous research institutions, the city also serves as a transportation and administration hub for the country. Even though Daejeon is commonly described as a city that lacks entertainment, my own skeptical outlook on Daejeon was soon washed away by the blissful memories I had made on my trip. By visiting different places in Daejeon and immersing myself in the cultural beauty the city had to offer, I was able to take a break from the hectic lifestyle back in Seoul.

Hanbat Arboretum, the center of horticultural exhibitions

Photographed by Choi Go-Eun
With 19 different themed gardens—including an herb garden, an indoor tropical botanical garden, and a magnolia garden—Hanbat Arboretum is the largest artificial arboretum in Korea. First opened in 2004, Hanbat plays a prominent role in providing horticultural experiences to the citizens of Korea. The arboretum regularly hosts special events and programs, such as the Mu-gung-hwa Experience Program in celebration of the National Independence Day, which provides unique experiences to its participants. The arboretum is largely divided into two areas: the West Garden and the East Garden. The West Garden is full of trees and forests, while the East Garden is occupied by flower themed gardens. Due to the vast size of the arboretum, it is recommended to choose only one area to visit, according to your preferences. You can enter the gardens free-of-charge and the arboretum is open on every day except for Mondays.

In order to visit the Hanbat Arboretum, I took the bus heading to the Government Complex Daejeon Terminal in Seoul, as it only takes a 15-minute walk from this terminal to arrive the destination. Even though it was a rainy day, the parking lot was full of families visiting the arboretum, hand-in-hand.

Before examining the indoor gardens, I decided to take a look around the East Garden. Despite the rainy weather, the laughter of children, the damp air of the forest, and the sounds of raindrops splashing onto the tree leaves immediately freshened my mood. The indoor tropical botanical garden became a perfect shelter from the pouring rain as it was filled with palm trees that formed layers of lush green canopy. The tropical botanical garden is known to house 250 different species of tropical plants, exhibiting an exotic scenery created by the diverse flora’s organic patterns and unique colors.

Photographed by Choi Go-Eun
This article was contributed by Yonsei University's student-led English monthly, The Yonsei Annals, written by its reporter Choi Go-Eun. Read the full article at the Yonsei Annals' website: http://annals.yonsei.ac.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=10777

List

SINCHON·INT′l

Admissions

Korea Now