Gigi Onag discovers an unusual garden in Jeju Island that serves as an inspiring testament to the tenacity of human will and creativity.
It seemed that we hardly had a chance to settle in our seats when the 50-minute Korean Air flight from Seoul began to caress the runway of Jeju International Airport. With its proximity from Seoul, it is hardly surprising that many young Koreans pick this island destination for their first solo trip sans the safe haven of family. In fact, this mid-week flight to Jeju was mostly filled with local secondary-school students toting backpacks for an overnight field trip.
Scaling the heights of 1,950-metre Mount Halla by joining one of those hiking trail tours is almost de rigueur for first-time visitors. Jeju’s unique lava tube caves, declared a Unesco World Heritage site last year, also beckons. With no proper outdoor gear, we had to give these sights a miss. But there are still a lot of things to do, see and explore in Jeju.
We decided to take the less-travelled path. Almost an hour’s drive from the Jungmun Resort Complex in the outermost part of the island, we set course for Spirited Garden, which is said to be the only outdoor bonsai garden in the world.
Also known as Bunjae Artpia or Bonsai Art Park, it is the life’s work of Sung Bum-young who transformed the 33,000-square-metre barren wasteland into an emerald eden of miniatures trees and landscapes. The park was only opened to the public on July 30, 1992.
Spirited Garden features 2,000 bonsai of about 100 species displayed in a meticulously constructed space filled with Jeju’s famous tangerine trees and other ornamental plants.
“People saw me as the town’s eccentric. People thought it was a monumental waste of time,” says the self-taught farmer and bonsai artist, who single-handedly built the stonewalls and stone structures in the garden using Jeju’s volcanic rocks (picture above right). “But growing bonsai for me was a way of seeking truth and getting in touch with nature.”
Now, 40 years after, what islanders viewed as Sung’s folly is a source of local pride. Spirited Garden has been described as “the most beautiful garden in the world” and has brought prominent world leaders to Jeju. Indeed, it is the only place in Korea which had been visited by two Chinese presidents – Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.
Seeing Spirited Garden is an awe-inspiring testament to the tenacity of human will and creativity. It is hard to imagine that a thing of beauty could be created from a nondescript patch of land.
Visitors coming here are advised not to just breeze through the park, but to take time to really appreciate the details of each bonsai plant. For those who need assistance, onsite guides are available to explain the origin, name and inspiration behind each bonsai plant.
A tour will lead them to some must-stops: the enclosed bonsai nursery, the visitors’ gallery where they can sign their name on the guestbook and see framed photographs and notes left by foreign dignitaries and other prominent personalities who have come to admire Sung’s work, as well as sections within the garden which have become popular venues for private outdoor events. The morning half-day sortie ends with the Pottery Buffet of broiled pork, pan-broiled squid, hard-boiled mackerel soy and a range of side dishes at the garden’s Yuyeon Restaurant, which can seat up to 250 people indoor and 60 people outdoor.
Most days, visitors get to see Sung – already in his 70s – in his blue overalls continue toiling away. He is currently overseeing the construction of an enclosed garden within the park for private social functions. “My work here is still far from finished. We are still building and new ideas still inspire us,” says Sung.
FACT FILE
- Spirited Garden is open daily between 0830 and 1800 from November to February and between 0830 and 1930 from March to October. Admission fee is 9,000 won (US$8.64) for adults, 7,000 won (US$6.72) for senior citizens and 5,000 won (US$4.80) for children aged five to 12. Group rates are available for 30 people and more.
- Some 94 percent of visitors fly into Jeju. Leading carriers Korean Air and Aseana Airlines run several flights to and from the island via Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. Limousine bus service is available between 0620 and 2200 at the Jeju International Airport to take visitors to major hotels in the city. Fares are 3,900 won (US$3.74) to Jungmun and 5,000 won (US$4.80) to Seogwipo. The limousine bus schedule runs on regular 15-minute intervals.
- There are now several direct international flights to Jeju from Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing and Hongkong.
- Jeju has a mild oceanic climate with an annual average temperature of 15ºC. Divided into four seasons, temperatures can climb to over 30ºC in the summer month of August.
