About two hours south of Seoul, there's a quiet rural town called Okcheon, where a stunning lotus garden comes to life every summer. What looks like a wide rice field at first glance quickly reveals itself as a sea of green leaves and soft pink blossoms gently swaying in the breeze.
Quiet Beauty in Motion
If you're lucky, you might spot a white heron standing still among the flowers, blending in with the scenery like a part of the landscape.
The lotus blooms stretch far into the distance, with walking paths winding through them. There’s even a small windmill-style photo spot surrounded by colorful flowers—a fun place to snap a few pictures.
A Closer Look Beneath the Surface
Take a moment to really look at the pond, and you’ll notice it’s teeming with tiny life. Small frogs—green and brown—hop between the leaves. They’re only about the size of your thumb, but once you spot one, you’ll start seeing them everywhere.
You’ll also see little snails clinging to underwater rocks and plants, and water striders gliding effortlessly across the surface. It’s the kind of place that brings back memories of childhood summers spent exploring creeks and ponds.
The Air That Stays With You
Oddly enough, one of the things I remember most wasn’t the flowers—it was the air.
Even on a humid day, something about the breeze here felt different. It wasn’t mountain air exactly, but it had the same fresh, clean quality. Like your lungs finally getting the kind of deep breath they’ve been waiting for.
