Sangju Maengmundong Pine Forest

On the northern slopes of Songnisan, in the village of Sango-ri in Hwabuk-myeon, Sangju, stands a grove of pine trees several centuries old. Every August the ground beneath them is carpeted with the purple flowers of lilyturf (maengmundong), and photographers come to capture the red pine trunks rising out of the purple haze. The grove is small enough for an easy stroll and is open free of charge at any time.

From old pines to a purple forest

The Sango-ri grove used to be known simply as a stand of old pines. Once lilyturf was planted across the forest floor, it became a late-summer flower spot. Lilyturf is a shade-tolerant perennial with slender stems densely packed with tiny violet flowers. In the middle of the grove stands an octagonal pavilion painted in traditional dancheong colours, and beside the forest a path runs through a tunnel of pines.

What is lilyturf?

Lilyturf is an evergreen perennial related to the lily family. Its tuberous roots have long been used in traditional Korean medicine, and once the flowers fade it bears small black berries in autumn. Because it copes so well with shade, it is often planted to carpet the floor of old woods, and similar pine-and-lilyturf groves have appeared across Korea. What sets Sango-ri apart is the thick, red trunks of its centuries-old pines rising out of the flowers, which give photos real depth. At peak bloom, hundreds of photographers and visitors a day come to this small grove.

The flowers that disappeared

For several years after 2016, the lilyturf here failed to bloom. The cause turned out to be too much nitrogen fertiliser, which made the plants grow leaves but no flowers. Staff from the Hwabuk township office divided and replanted the clumps, stopped fertilising for two years, and cleared away all the old leaves in spring so that fresh shoots could come through. In August 2020, after four years, the purple carpet came back.

A drama scene

In the 2023 tvN drama Castaway Diva, the scene in which Seo Mok-ha and Kang Bo-geol finally confess their feelings and embrace was filmed in this grove. If you have seen the series, the purple flowers between the pines will look familiar.

Tripto tips

• When to go: lilyturf usually flowers from early to late August. Timing varies from year to year, so check bloom reports before you set off. Outside the season, come for a walk in the old pine forest.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to an hour for a loop of the grove and some photos. The grove is small, so weekdays or early mornings are far calmer than weekend afternoons.
• Opening and fees: open at all times, every day; no entry fee.
• Photo tip: the purple looks richest in early morning or late afternoon, when the light slants through the pines, rather than at midday.
• Watch out for: stepping into the flower beds crushes the plants. Please take your photos from the paths.
• Getting there: the grove is in a rural valley far from central Sangju, so a car is easiest. Hwabuk-myeon is the northern gateway to Songnisan National Park, so it pairs well with the Hwabuk-side trail up to Munjangdae peak, and it makes a shady place to rest before or after the hike.