Due to the cold snap, a 'Cherry Blossom Festival Without Cherry Blossoms'... Some Events Postponed

Late Cherry Blossom Bloom Due to Cold Snap
Jeju Jeonnong-ro and Ulju Jakcheonjeong Open Without Cherry Blossoms
Gyeongju, Cheongju, and Gangneung Festivals Postponed

Due to the sudden cold snap delaying the cherry blossoms' blooming, those preparing related events timed with the bloom are growing anxious. Some local governments, facing the prospect of holding cherry blossom festivals without any blossoms, have postponed their festivals.

In Jeju City, the '17th Jeonnong-ro King Cherry Blossom Festival' is scheduled from the 22nd to the 24th, and the '6th Jangjeon-ri King Cherry Blossom Festival' is planned for the 23rd to 24th. On the 20th, Yonhap News reported that although lanterns or lights were hung and event tents were set up along the streets of Jeju City where the festivals are to be held, most cherry trees only had buds without any blossoms.

Initially, it was forecasted that cherry blossoms in Jeju would bloom three days earlier than usual, starting on the 21st, but the prediction was significantly off. While temperatures were similar to the average, the amount of sunlight was less than usual. The cherry trees monitored by the Jeju Regional Meteorological Office only sprouted on the 18th. This is nine days later than last year and eight days later than the average, and the Meteorological Agency expects the cherry trees to bloom only by early April.

Despite this situation, the cherry blossom festival events are expected to proceed as planned. A Jeju City official told Yonhap News, "Although today (the 20th) and tomorrow will be somewhat chilly, sunny weather is expected, and temperatures are forecasted to rise from Friday, so we have hopes that the currently formed flower buds might bloom."

Ulsan City will also hold the '5th Ulju Jakcheonjeong Cherry Blossom Festival' starting on the 23rd, but the opening ceremony is expected to take place without any blossoms. The organizers had moved the festival schedule a week earlier than last year based on early-year high-temperature forecasts predicting earlier blooming, but the recent sudden cold weather has shown no signs of cherry blossoms blooming.

[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

Some festivals have postponed their openings due to the lack of cherry blossoms. Gyeongju City, which originally planned to hold the 'Daereungwon Stone Wall Cherry Blossom Festival' from the 22nd to the 24th, decided to delay the opening by a week to the 29th. This schedule change was made because March temperatures were lower than average, frequent rain delayed the cherry blossoms, and the Meteorological Agency forecasted rain in the Yeongnam region this weekend. Cheongju City in Chungbuk also postponed the 'Food Truck Festival with Cherry Blossoms,' originally scheduled for three days starting on the 22nd, to the 29th to 31st due to rain and delayed cherry blossom blooming.

The 'Solol Blossom' cherry blossom festival in Gangneung City, originally planned for the 21st to 23rd, was also postponed to the 28th to 31st. This festival, held in Gyo 1-dong, Gangneung, features buildings and lighting that usually cause the cherry blossoms to bloom earlier, so it was scheduled to be held earlier than the Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival, with preparations including lighting installation completed. However, due to the cold snap, no cherry blossoms have bloomed, leading to the festival's postponement.

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