Graduation and school entrance season, which comes around in March in Korea, has arrived. The record-breaking cold temperatures are slowly fading away as spring creeps up.

Along with the change in seasons, people are flocking to the flower market in Yangjae-dong, southeastern Seoul. 



The Yangjae Flower Market is the largest in Korea, a hub of some 120 wholesale and retail stores, an auction house and greenhouses that sell all sorts of flowers, succulents and bouquet-making material.





Customers can buy flowers by the bouquet or create their own customized bunches at a packaging booth inside the market.

Bouquets typically range from 20,000 won ($18) to 50,000 won or more.

Among the most popular flowers are freesias, which traditionally signify innocence, and roses, which signify enduring passion. Families, couples, friends and solo shoppers take a walk through the burst of blooming plants. 






Some of the country’s most renowned flower shops are located here. Taekwang carries quality bulbs such as tulips, amaryllis and lilies. Gimpo Terrarium sells herbs and easy-to-grow foliage plants such as ivy and ferns at affordable prices. Heuksong specializes in wildflowers such as adonis, liverleaf, rockcress.

Written by Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)  
Photos by Park Hyun-koo (phko@heraldcorp.com)