Travel
Blooming sunflowers transform Jinju’s old railroad walkway into a vibrant attraction
haps Magazine Korea
August 19, 2024
(Jinju City)
The old railroad walkway in Jinju, where 150,000 sunflowers are in full bloom, creates a picturesque scene perfect for capturing those memorable “life photos.”
The walkway, which stretches from Jinju Railway Culture Park to the Knowledge Industry Center, has become a popular destination for locals seeking a moment of beauty and relaxation.
The creation of this vibrant pathway is the result of ongoing efforts by Jinju City to revitalize the undeveloped section of the old Jinju Station railroad site, located north of the Railway Culture Park.
After numerous negotiations with the National Railroad Corporation and the railroad site management office, the city successfully opened the old railroad walkway to the public in January.
This new path spans 430 meters, connecting the Railway Culture Park to the Cheonjeon-dong Knowledge Industry Center, and merges with the existing Street of Hope, forming a 1.4-kilometer-long walkway.
The area around the walkway has been carefully cultivated, with flowers representing each season — spring, summer, and fall — planted across 16,000 square meters, allowing visitors to experience the changing seasons as they stroll.
After the spring yuchae blossoms, the summer sunflowers, planted in June, began blooming in early August. Now in full bloom, the 150,000 sunflowers offer a bright and cheerful display, providing a much-needed respite and a healing experience for citizens weary from the summer heat.
The sunflowers are expected to remain until the end of the month. As the season changes, the city plans to replace them with a cosmos flower road, offering a romantic and serene setting for fall.
Several projects are underway on one side of the old Jinju Station railroad site, including the relocation and construction of the National Jinju Museum and the creation of a cultural street.
The larger “Old Jinju Station Railroad Site Regeneration Project,” which includes plans for an urban forest, citizen’s plaza, and an aerospace public science museum, is progressing steadily, with completion of the entire project in sight.