WEBZINE ACC

Meet ACC’s nature through the “ACC Green Walking Tour”

ACC is a space for culture and art only, you say? No! ACC is also a space for nature.
Nearly 10 years after its opening in 2015, as ACC has grown to become a leading art and cultural space in Korea, one other group has matured along the ACC as well: The ACC’s trees and plants, which have silently expanded their roots, growing stems and leaves, and growing taller over time. Now, the mature trees provide generous shade with their lush leaves, and the pretty flowers that bloom every season are a delight to the eyes. The “ACC Green Walking Tour” is a seasonal tour program that showcases the beauty of the flowers and trees that have taken their place throughout the ACC. From spring to summer, when the ACC is at its greenest, visitors can enjoy the flowers and plants of the National Asian Culture Center and embrace the greenery in their hearts.

Stories told by Chinese trumpet vine, false goat’s beard, and Maengsan abelia

From the Chinese trumpet vine, audaciously rising to the heavens as a herald of summer, to false goat’s beard, a light pink flower with a misleading name, and Maengsan abelia, whose small white blossoms gift us with a deep fragrance, the plants that we had overlooked over our visits to the ACC come back to us with their unique and special beauty. During this season of summer, their vivacious spirit greets us as we tour the space in the National Asian Culture Center.

“ACC Green Walking Tour” takes place over about 40 minutes and takes one from the Asia Culture Plaza to the Underground Green Island, the Butterfly Fountain, and the Yeolin Madang. From late May to early June, the tour was run along a different path in consideration of flowers in the season, from Sangsang Madang to the ACC Culture Exchange, Plaza Bridge, and Yeolin Madang. A treasure hunt discovering the stories of nature hidden throughout the ACC: Each step brings one to a new world that one had overlooked.

“You’re breathtaking, golden rain tree; thank you so much, hackberry tree”

Climbing the stairs from the Green Island brings one to a striking view of a golden rain tree, one of the most recognizable and brilliant sights of the ACC in summer. This golden rain, seemingly suspended in the air with green leaves, leaves a gentle, yet dazzling image in one’s mind. Even from afar, one can see the wave of gold covering the canopy of the tree. In time, these flowers will form the fruits that can be used to make Buddhist prayer beads.

The hackberry tree at the center of the Asia Culture Plaza is the largest and the tallest tree in the complex. Green and round hackberry berries are sweet and nutritious, making them a favorite among the birds. Enoki mushrooms grow on old hackberry trees or trunks, and the canopy offers shade. ACC’s hackberry tree thus serves as a popular restaurant for birds and a green shelter for visitors.

“Our summer days under the crape myrtle tree”

In August, at the end of the rainy season, visitors should definitely take a stroll along the crape myrtle trees in the Yeolin Madang next to ACC Creation. About 40 crape myrtle trees, adorned with red flowers that stand under the scorching sun, form a forest along the hillside. They seem to be beckoning us to enjoy the summer, despite the difficult conditions. Under the shade of their colorful flowers, you can escape the heat and make memories of summer days.

Gardenias with their white flowers and fragrant scent, quince trees with their green leaves and green fruits, familiar and humble daylilies, spiraea, flowering quince, Korean abelia leaf, osmanthus, hosta-leaf orchid, Korean hydrangea, horned holly, leather-leaf viburnum, and Korean winter hazel … One notices plants that one has overlooked through the guided tour. It is amazing and inspiring that so many different plants live together in the ACC. Just by looking at them, you start to open your mind to nature.

Experience program: Bundle-making using flowers and plant materials

After the walk, we head to the Bamboo Garden in the ACC Creation with a heart full of joy. If one enjoyed the stories of nature with one’s eyes and ears on the walking tour, one can explore the beauty of nature with one’s hands here. This is an experience program where you can make your own artwork using flowers and plants and seasonal materials and themes that change throughout the year, like a macramé planter or flowers and a plant material bundle. On this day, the participants made a green-colored bundle by combining spring and summer flowers and various plant materials. This was preceded by an explanation of the materials used, such as false spiraea, grevillea, germander speedwell, billy buttons, and miniature bullrush, along with tips on how to make the bundle.

Despite their clumsy touches, the participants’ expressions are sincere.
These bundles can survive for a month as long as the water is changed frequently, so they can bring in a lush piece of nature into one’s home. In total, 24 sessions of “ACC Green Walking Tour” were held. Next year, the program will return with the trees and flowers that have grown for yet another year.

Though this program is at its end this year, this is not the end of our journey through ACC’s nature. In the next season, from September to October, the ACC will host the “ACC Colorful Walking Tour” program. If you feel tired and weary, head to the ACC and enjoy the companionship of its nature there.

• No Hyeong-mi | “ACC Green Walking Tour” participant, Buk-gu, Gwangju

  “I took part in the program with my elementary school–aged child, and it was really fun to learn about trees and flowers that I didn’t know before. I used to think they were just grass or flowers, but now I think I can name them.”

• Ha Ye-rim | “ACC Green Walking Tour” participant, Buk-gu, Gwangju

  “I’ve been to the ACC a number of times before, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt the ACC as deeply as I did today. I learned a lot about the plants through the docent’s explanations, and it was very satisfying and rewarding to make the bundle with my hands.”