Mountain Azaleas: Heralding the Spring Transformation of the Korean Landscape

Written and photographed by Steve Robinson

From the brown and barren tundra-like conditions of winter to the lush vibrant colors of spring, the transformation of the Korean landscape in April and May is quite magical. The blooming of the cherry blossoms is the first wave of color and aesthetic beauty to grace the towns and countryside. This delightful gift of nature has both Koreans and expats flocking out with their cameras to document the blossoms in many famous and not-so-famous locations. What follows almost immediately after the blossoms is the blooming of the azaleas on the Korean mountains. This is maybe a little less known and less publicized, but it’s my favorite subject to photograph in Korea.

Whether it’s in my hometown of Jinju or at a more famous location such as Hwangmae Mountain, where a two-week azalea festival is held, I just love to get out and capture these beautiful flowers. My preferred time is around sunrise and sunset, as the light on the flowers and the general mountain scene can be truly breathtaking. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to get some mist or clouds drifting across the mountains, which just adds to the wonderful and ethereal scene.

The Author
Steve Robinson is a native English-speaking teacher from Durham in the UK who is currently residing in Jinju. He has been living in Korea for seven years, mostly teaching in public schools. It was during his time in Korea when photography became a real passion for him, so he began to take it far more seriously. There’s so much diverse and colorful beauty to be found in Korea, especially in spring and autumn. Although Steve thoroughly enjoys his life here in Korea, he’s planning to move back to the UK at the end of the year to do at least a year’s worth of full-time photography there, capturing the diverse beauty of northern England, where he grew up. For more photos, please visit his website at www.steverobinsonphotos.com.