A 700 year old tree?? So I’ve been living in Goseong for years, but only recently became observant of the old trees around.
Background
Many of these trees are found in a gathering place of a village, such as near the “town hall”, or a resting place between rice fields. They were planted in central locations for reasons other than shade and convenience, however.
Since ancient times in Korea, these trees have been thought to represent protection over a village. Still today, though not as much as in the past, rituals and ceremonies are held at the tree.
There is almost always some kind of gazebo or resting platform under the tree. They make for a shaded, casual meeting area, but also a space for prayer and offerings to the tree. As a Christian, I do not feel good or amused about that, but I see the tree as simply an old and majestic piece of God’s creation that ultimately grew as allowed by His hand alone, and therefore it is interesting to me.
Goseong has a few old forests such as Jangsan Forest, but this post focuses on individual trees that have been granted a “protection” status by a special agency that helps manage the tree, along with a designated caretaker in the community, such as the village head. These trees under conservation are assigned an identification number, and this info is all posted next to the tree. This is how I got the ages, height, etc for this post.
I will list these trees from youngest to oldest, according to the signs posted next to the tree. (I factored the designation date into the age.)
Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite! 😀
Index of 33 Old Trees
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Select one of the tree “cards” below to jump to more photos and details!
Species: Pine
Address: 485-4, Songgye-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 1039-2, Geumsan-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 443-1, Cheokbeonjeong-ri, Sangri-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Willow
Address: 431-1, Yongsan-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 968-1 Yeondang-ri, Yeongo-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Quince
Address: 1053, Cheokjeong-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 85, Sinchon-ri, Sangri-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 419-2, Hwadang-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Chionanthus
Address: 190-15, Usan-ri, Goseong-eup
Species: Hackberry
Address: 362, Eunwol-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 1111, Bongam-ri, Donghae-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 1391-6 Samdeok-ri, Hoehwa-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 581, Jwayeon-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Korean Pear
Address: 1032, Miryong-ri, Samsan-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 5-1, Gamseo-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 304-1, Dangdong-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 1546-1 Samdeok-ri, Hoehwa-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 1588-3 Dupo-ri, Samsan-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 600-10, Jeoyeon-ri, Guman-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 652-1, Gobong-ri, Sangri-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: San 124, Wolheung-ri, Hai-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Peugeot
Address: 620-3, Sambong-ri, Samsan-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 401-1, Yongwari, Guman-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 296-2, Geumsan-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 870, Sinbun-ri, Yeonghyeon-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 620, Cheonggwang-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 108-2, Samlag-ri, Maam-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 892-10 Naseon-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 566, Naegok-ri, Donghae-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 660, Geumsan-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Zelkova
Address: 480, Gacheon-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Hackberry
Address: 124-1, Songsan-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Species: Ginko
Address: 1052, Cheokjeong-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
1. Pine in Songgye-ri
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Age: 160 years old
Species: Pine
Height: 8M
Address: 485-4, Songgye-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
This is the only pine in the list. I guess there are really two trees.
2. Hackberry in Geumsan-ri
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Age: 190 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 20M
Address: 1039-2, Geumsan-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
I happened across this tree while driving down a road I haven’t driven down before.
It is next to a random warehouse on the side of the road with a little gazebo under the tree.
3. Zelkova in Sangri-myeon
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Age: 200 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 25M
Address: 443-1, Cheokbeonjeong-ri, Sangri-myeon, Goseong-gun
Although one of the youngest in the list, this tree is super cool to stand under. It feels so majestic the way its branches stretch so far out, like arms reaching out in a deliberate way.
This zelkova tree is just a minute drive from Sangri Lotus Park. It’s in a valley surrounded by mountains and always seems to be misty and foggy and rainy every time I am in this area.
The tree just looks so strong and full of life.
Even Noah liked the tree.
It took a lot of time to put this together, not to mention all the time spent driving and walking through many villages, but that helped me become even more familiar with Goseong in Gyeongsangnamdo and more aware of how people are living here.
4. Willow in Yongsan-ri
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Age: 215 years old
Species: Willow
Height: 12M
Address: 431-1, Yongsan-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Surrounded by buildings, this tree is labeled as a kind of willow.
5. Zelkova in Yongdang-ri
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Age: 215 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 25M
Address: 968-1 Yeondang-ri, Yeongo-myeon, Goseong-gun
Nothing special with this tree, compared to others.
It’s on the side of a somewhat main road with rice fields on the other side.
6. Quince in Cheokjeong-ri
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Age: 215 years old
Species: Quince
Height: 13M
Address: 1053, Cheokjeong-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
Quince is used in traditional Chinese medicine, and in Korea, people make a kind of jelly out of the hard fruit which can be mixed with water to drink as a “tea”.
The tree is actually next to the oldest tree in this list. The blue arrow in the photo marks the quince tree.
I am not sure how healthy the tree is, as many of the leaves were down in late September, while most other trees still had full leaves.
7. Zelkova in Sinchon-ri
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Age: 260 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 15M
Address: 85, Sinchon-ri, Sangri-myeon, Goseong-gun
A row of 3 trees are here, with a fairly large bell hanging from one of them.
They are surrounded by rice fields and the mountains.
8. Hackberry in Hwadang-ri
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Age: 265 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 20M
Address: 419-2, Hwadang-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
A pair of domes of stacked rocks are next to this tree.
There are also gravestones which look more like what the USA uses for graves.
The sea is just across from the tree. A sign here also talks about Yi Sun-shin, a cherished Korean war hero, having some presence here around this village.
9. Chionanthus in Usan-ri
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Age: 270 years old
Species: Chionanthus retusus
Height: 18M
Address: 190-15, Usan-ri, Goseong-eup
A sign here indicates a “chionanthus retusus” tree, or Chinese Fringe tree. Supposedly they have beautiful white flowers. I am not sure if this sign is referring to the tree across the street, or just many of the trees in general along the road.
The trees along the road are aged in general. Perhaps this road looks beautiful during spring blossoms.
10. Hackberry in Eunwol-ri
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Age: 270 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 15M
Address: 362, Eunwol-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
This one has a dome of stacked stones next to it.
The branches protruding in an odd shape from certain angles.
It’s surrounded by crops in a village near the mountains.
11. Zelkova in Bongam-ri
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Age: 270 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 25M
Address: 1111, Bongam-ri, Donghae-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree is short with a wide stump.
12. Zelkova in Samdeok-ri
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Age: 290 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 20M
Address: 1391-6 Samdeok-ri, Hoehwa-myeon, Goseong-gun
I found this tree in front of a store selling stone products.
Not much to say about this one. The benches would be a decent place to read a book if it weren’t for the barking dogs.
13. Zelkova in Jwayeon-ri
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Age: 310 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 20M
Address: 581, Jwayeon-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
This is a group of 3 trees along a country road along rice fields.
They are in a pretty setting. But we have more interesting trees to look at, so moving on…
14. Korean Pear in Miryong-ri
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Age: 315 years old
Species: Korean Pear
Height: 16M
Address: 1032, Miryong-ri, Samsan-myeon, Goseong-gun
This is the only Korean Pear (AKA Asian Pear) tree in the list. It’s next to a hanok, a traditional Korean style house.
Though the pears are rather small, there are quite a few on the tree.
The old hanoks appear to be still in use as more of a warehouse than an actual house of living in.
The tree is a bit up along the mountainside on the edge of a village. The sun was setting when I was here.
15. Hackberry in Gamseo-ri
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Age: 315 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 30M
Address: 5-1, Gamseo-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
Up on the mountainside of Georyusan mountain, this very cool looking tree sits above a village.
To get to it, I walked to the edge of the village and followed this driveway through bamboo and between two walls of stacked rocks.
I spotted a deer in the bamboo.
Around the corner on the left sits the tree.
It has some nice moss growth and sort of looms over the village.
The other interesting thing is this abandoned (I think) hanok sitting in the middle of weeds around the bamboo and rock wall.
It feels like going back in time. I imagine the person who used to live here and what life might have been like.
And I’m not sure what this little structure is next to the old tree.
16. Hackberry in Dangdong-ri
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Age: 320 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 14M
Address: 304-1, Dangdong-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree is not far from a trail leading up Georyusan Mountain. I found it on accident by following a small road along a stream.
The mountain in the background is Georyusan Mountain. The tree has apparently received a lot of care with some kind of cement filling in the branches which are also shackled to suspension cables.
A burial mound and gravestone are next to the tree.
17. Zelkova in Samdeok-ri
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Age: 320 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 20M
Address: 1546-1 Samdeok-ri, Hoehwa-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree leans over a stream running through a village.
The tree apparently has been damaged with a severed or fallen branch due what seems to be natural causes. The stump still looks cool and the tree appears otherwise healthy.
It looks like the area near the tree received a lot of infrastructure updates, including new exercise equipment.
18. Hackberry in Dupo-ri
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Age: 320 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 18M
Address: 1588-3 Dupo-ri, Samsan-myeon, Goseong-gun
Near a marina in the sea sits this tree under which construction workers appeared to be working on a new parking lot and a walkway.
The symmetrical shape of this tree makes me think it has been carefully pruned to have the appearance it has.
And how about that network of branches?
This reminds me of lightning bolts. Or veins in human organs. Or a river network viewed from far away…
19. Zelkova in Jeoyeon-ri
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Age: 370 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 20M
Address: 600-10, Jeoyeon-ri, Guman-myeon, Goseong-gun
Surrounded by rice fields, this tree is fairly typical of some other old trees in this list.
The covered shelter next to the tree looks out over the rice fields and villages next to the mountains in the distance.
20. Zelkova in Gobong-ri
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Age: 400 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 15M
Address: 652-1, Gobong-ri, Sangri-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree has quite fat, wide trunk.
I tried to show its width using my hand as a reference.
The tree is right next to the road at a building that I believe is the town hall meeting place.
I found it interesting how the lamp was set up on the tree.
21. Hackberry in Wolheung-ri
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Age: 410 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 25M
Address: San 124, Wolheung-ri, Hai-myeon, Goseong-gun
One of the most interesting to me in this list is this group of five trees on the edge of a village on a mountainside.
There are farms around the trees.
The trees face this view of the village and rice paddies below from the mountainside.
Here is another view of the golden, unharvested rice paddies below on the morning of September 26, 2021.
The group of 3 trees behind the 2 larger ones also look kind of eerie.
These trees are actually common locations for people to practice shamanism, and there is a sign warning people to not do this here.
I climbed the rock between the two larger trees and took a few photos.
Some paths led through the thicket behind the trees, but I didn’t investigate. They probably lead to tombs.
I had some fun experimenting with editing photos.
22. Puegeot in Samsan-ri
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Age: 415 years old
Species: Peugeot
Height: 12M
Address: 620-3, Sambong-ri, Samsan-myeon, Goseong-gun
As trees age, their trunks can begin to hollow out, as can be seen with this one.
As I understand, this Peugeot tree produces edible fruit like ginko nuts and the tree is sometimes used to make paper. In South Korea, this tree is grown primarily in Jeolla and Gyeongsangnamdo.
The tree grows right up along the edge of the road in a thicket of bamboo.
I could see through the other side.
23. Zelkova in Yongwa-ri
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Age: 415 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 22M
Address: 401-1, Yongwari, Guman-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree’s circumference is larger than others around its age.
It’s bordered by rice fields and greenhouses in a village. It’s also next to some gravestones. These pictures were taken on a misty morning.
24. Zelkova in Geumsan-ri
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Age: 420 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 13M
Address: 296-2, Geumsan-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
This zelkova is just down the street from the 190 year old hackberry. I found it a few minutes later.
Some rice grows next to the tree with (of course) a little gazebo next to it.
25. Zelkova in Sinbun-ri
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Age: 420 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 35M
Address: 870, Sinbun-ri, Yeonghyeon-myeon, Goseong-gun
Next to this tree is an American-style house with siding and a grassy yard.
The trunk has some large knots.
It’s fairly tall and just burly in general.
I happened to drive by it in the fall one day while exploring Yeonhwasan Provincial Park.
26. Zelkova in Cheonggwang-ri
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Age: 440 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 17M
Address: 620, Cheonggwang-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
This one is behind a village up on a round deck next to some rice fields.
One of the large branches is starting to hollow out and is being used to stash a water bottle.
27. Hackberry in Samlag-ri
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Age: 440 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 25M
Address: 108-2, Samlag-ri, Maam-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree I can remember from early on in Korea as it is along a main road and the supporting stack of bricks was noticeable from the road.
As I understand, trees tend to get hollow as they get advanced in age. You can see that in this one, and there is more of that cement-like stuffing on some of the trunk.
28. Zelkova in Naseon-ri
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Age: 510 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 20M
Address: 892-10 Naseon-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
These trees stick out on a rural road between rice fields. They’re in a historic kind of area with other temples and things.
29. Zelkova in Naegok-ri
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Age: 540 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 40M
Address: 566, Naegok-ri, Donghae-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree is in the middle of a village.
I found a praying mantis on the trunk.
Here is an example of people leaving an offering for the tree. This is a rice cake and a bottle of something.
30. Hackberry in Geumsan-ri
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Age: 550 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 22M
Address: 660, Geumsan-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
This tree is probably my favorite. I love how it’s up on a hill overlooking a very countryside view of a small village.
It just looks so cool and unusual.
Bamboo grows behind the tree.
31. Zelkova in Gacheon-ri
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Age: 550 years old
Species: Zelkova
Height: 18M
Address: 480, Gacheon-ri, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun
A stone tower supports this leaning tree.
It’s it the middle of a bunch of rice fields. Across the fields is a village at the foot of a small mountain.
32. Hackberry in Songsan-ri
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Age: 740 years old
Species: Hackberry
Height: 26M
Address: 124-1, Songsan-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun
This one appears to be two trees. I am not sure if it’s one tree that split or not, because each of the trunks don’t look comparable to the sizes of the other trees in this list.
This tree (or trees) are along a tiny country road.
33. Ginko in Cheokjeong-ri
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Age: 840 years old
Species: Ginko
Height: 35M
Address: 1052, Cheokjeong-ri, Daega-myeon, Goseong-gun
This ginko tree is the oldest tree in Goseong that I am aware of.
It is growing in a bunch of tall grass on the edge of a village.
The bark appears to almost be dripping from the tree.
While I was taking pictures of this tree, a giant “murder hornet” flew by my head. This is not unusual here in the mountainous countryside, so after running away, I crept back to get more photos.
I heard the sound of a chainsaw in the distance…but soon I realized this was actually the sound of a giant hornet nest in the tree! The hornets were coming and going from the trunk. I feel lucky I have these pictures before I realized this.
Maybe this fall or winter when the hornets are less active, I’ll muster up some courage to get a few more photos. UPDATE: Here they are!
One more thing to note is if you walk around the corner you will come to Je Jeong-gu’s grave (and the house he grew up in is in the area too). I found this by accident strolling with Noah. Je Jeong-gu is a National Medal of Honor recipient and dedicated his life to helping the poor. The award-winning (for its architecture) Je Jeong-gu Community Center includes a memorial hall for him and was built in his honor in 2021 at Daega Reservoir.
한국인으로서 깊은 감사를 드립니다.
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감사합니다! Thank you for your support!