Cherry blossom viewing is a big deal every year in Korea. Rightfully so, considering the country is full of cherry blossom lined streets, and they are all amazingly beautiful. Every year droves of people visit famous places like Yeouido in Seoul, Jinhae, and Gyeongju to catch a glimpse at just the right time. People battle crowds, inclement weather, and time at the cherry blossom festivals. While it can still be a great time, they haven’t been my favorite Spring experiences.

I think the best place to see cherry blossoms in Korea is in your own back yard! Not literally, of course, we all know there are no back yards in Korea! But exploring your neighborhood and finding its own charms has been a great pleasure of mine while living in Yangsan for the past 4 years. Granted, Yangsan happens to be a particularly beautiful city, but I know it’s not unique! I know the phrase “find the beauty around you” seems cliche, but I’ve found it to be a very easy thing to do anywhere I’ve been in Korea.

I’m not saying that the more famous festivals aren’t worth going to – I’ve been to two myself – but if you’re someone that likes to avoid huge crowds and traffic, don’t feel like you’re missing out! I love watching the progress of cherry blossoms in our neighborhood, and I don’t think one of the famous festivals is a “must-do” in Korea. A lot of you may disagree, but I hope it at least inspires some of you to discover some lesser-known gems near you.

As I’ve said multiple times, we’ve been lucky to live in some gorgeous places. I wanted to share a few videos we’ve made over the years in our Korean neighborhoods.

The first video is from our first year in Korea, when we lived in Yangpyeong in Seoul, near a river that flowed into the Han and had cherry blossom lined walking paths.

The next two videos are from Yangsan. We’ve moved twice within this mountain neighborhood, and I think it’s just as beautiful in the Spring as Jinhae or Gyeongju.

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