Following two Chinese students on their trip to the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival

Following two Chinese students on their trip to the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival

Chosun.com Media Reporting Team media@chosun.com

“We have many chrysanthemums at Zhejiang Sheng, where I live in China, but I’ve never seen such a beautiful collection of flowers in my entire life!”

Two Chinese students currently studying in Korea - He Lu and Ju Ye, both 26-year-olds - gasped with delight as they visited the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival late last month.

The Chosun.com Media Report Team followed them for a closer look at how foreigners enjoy one of the greatest festivals of Gyeongnam

The annual event wrapped up on Nov. 2.

<Ju Ye, left, and He Lu pose at the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival on Oct. 24 in Masan, Gyeongnam.>

When the two Chinese students arrived at Masan Station early morning on one fine autumn day, they each held a handful of articles and promotion pamphlets about the chrysanthemum festival.

“A friend of mine who visited the festival last year recommended I do the same,” said He. “Now that I’m actually here in the host-city, I’m so psyched.”

A whopping amount of 100 million chrysanthemums were on display at this year’s festival, 100,000 of which were used to create around 300 artworks spread in seven different zones.

<Millions of diversely-colored chrysanthemums were on display this year.>

At one point during their visit, the pair stood on top of the 7 meter-high Chrysanthemum Observatory and looked around the exhibition.

What especially caught their attention was the Daryundaejak, an art piece that was enlisted in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest number of flowers bloom from a single chrysanthemum root. This year, 1,507 flowers were recorded to have bloomed in total.

<The Daryundaejak breaks the world record year after year for having the largest amount of flowers bloom from a single chrysanthemum root.>

The windmill and tunnel, all decorated by chrysanthemums, were eye-catching as well. The pair captured their rare moments with their cellphones as they giggled out of excitement.

“I thought chrysanthemums only blossom in fields, but the way they’re displayed here beside the blue ocean makes me feel like I’m looking at a picture,” said Ju, adding, “This is a really exotic festival, and I can’t wait to come back next time with my family.”

<The 14th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival was held for 10 days this year since Oct. 24 in Masan, Gyeongnam.>

In this year’s chrysanthemum festival, a comprehensive range of chrysanthemums were featured, and various programs were available for visitors on the side lines.

Don’t forget to visit the event next year, where you can drink chrysanthemum teas, watch a concert, create your own flower pot and most importantly, swim through a sea of dazzling flowers.