[Report] "Missed Cherry Blossom Viewing" Yeouido Cherry Blossom Path Crowded with Spring Visitors... Strong Hope for Return to Normal Life

Yeouido Yunjungno Cherry Blossom Path Returns After 3 Years
90,928 New Cases on the 11th... Below 100,000 for the First Time in 48 Days
Government Begins Discussions on 'Post-Omicron System' Including Mask Mandate Lift

On the morning of the 11th, citizens are walking along the cherry blossom path on Yunjung-ro, Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "It's nice to see cherry blossoms after a long time. It feels like we're back to before the COVID-19 pandemic."

On the 11th, Gong Mo, a man in his 30s whom we met at Yeouido Yunjungno Cherry Blossom Road in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, said with a smile, "I don't think I've properly seen cherry blossoms for several years because of COVID-19. This time, I even took a vacation to fully enjoy cherry blossom viewing with my family."

He came to see the cherry blossoms with his wife and said, "I heard many people go to see cherry blossoms on weekends, so I deliberately came on a weekday morning. But it still seems crowded now," adding, "I think everyone missed the ordinary daily life of flower viewing and taking photos."

At around 10 a.m. that day, Yunjungno Cherry Blossom Road was packed with spring visitors who came to see the fully bloomed cherry blossoms despite it being a weekday morning. From couples on dates to middle-aged and older people dressed in hiking gear, men and women of all ages enjoyed the spring. Most were wearing masks, but many were seen either hanging their masks on their chins or taking them off when taking 'proof shots' under the cherry blossoms.

Yeouido Yunjung-ro, a famous cherry blossom spot, has been fully opened for the first time in three years. This is the first time Yunjung-ro has been fully opened without any restrictions on the number of visitors since the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@

Park Mo, a university student who came to see the flowers with his dog, said, "I originally planned to see the cherry blossoms with a friend, but my friend tested positive for COVID-19, so I came alone," adding, "I also caught COVID-19 in early last month, but it wasn't as bad as expected. Many people think of COVID-19 like a cold, and since the number of confirmed cases is decreasing, I think social distancing will end soon." He added, "It's my first time visiting Yeouido to see cherry blossoms. The scenery is better than I expected. It really feels like spring is coming."

The pedestrian path of Yunjungno Cherry Blossom Road has been fully open for the first time in three years. This area was completely closed in the spring of 2020 right after the COVID-19 outbreak to prevent the spread of infection, and last year it operated on a reservation system through a lottery. However, this year, all visit restrictions have been lifted, and the cherry blossom path has been open since the 9th.

Meanwhile, at Yeouido Hangang Park, citizens were seen sitting closely together on mats. Gu Mo, a university student who gathered with club members, said, "Everyone had difficulty coordinating schedules because of part-time jobs and academies, but today we all matched schedules and came together," adding, "When the number of confirmed cases exceeded 300,000, we refrained from going outside. But the number of confirmed cases is gradually decreasing. I think returning to normal life is possible."

Regarding the mask-wearing mandate, he said, "I think it would be better for high-risk groups, such as the elderly who are vulnerable to COVID-19, to wear masks," but added, "For others, it might be better to leave mask-wearing up to personal discretion. After all, many people take off their masks and talk in cafes."

On the morning of the 11th, citizens are resting near Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@

The reason citizens are expressing hope for a return to normal life seems related to the recent decline in confirmed cases. The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight that day, the number of new COVID-19 cases was 90,928. This is the first time in 48 days since February 22, when the number of new cases fell below 100,000, with 99,562 cases reported then.

Given this situation, local business owners nearby also expressed optimism about sales recovery. Lee Mo, a cafe owner in his 30s near Yeouinaru Station, said, "Since the beginning of this month, the number of customers has started to increase. Especially on weekends, many people come to Yeouido to see the cherry blossoms, so sales have increased considerably," adding, "Since social distancing will be lifted from next week, I think sales will rise even more."

This optimism among small business owners was also found in online communities. One netizen posted on the small business community 'Because It's Hard, I'm a Boss' saying, "Sales have recovered to the level they were before after a long time," adding, "It really feels like we're moving toward a world where COVID-19 is over. I even thought about closing my store in July, but seeing the faces of customers who come makes me grit my teeth and think, 'Let's stand up once again.' Now I just want to walk on a path of flowers."

Meanwhile, the current social distancing measures limiting private gatherings to 10 people and business hours until midnight will end this weekend. In this regard, the government has begun discussions on adjusting the overall social distancing system.

Son Youngrae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at the COVID-19 response briefing that day, "We have started discussions on how to handle the entire social distancing system, including lifting the mask mandate," adding, "We are also reviewing comprehensive measures related to the post-Omicron system."

He explained, "We are still reviewing at a general level, and since there are many issues to consider, we are in the stage of gathering opinions from experts and within the government for discussion."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.