[Eye Plus] A warm breeze heralds the start of autumn

The weather seems to be getting cooler a little late this year.

Hot air still arrives at the peak of the day, and air conditioning is still running on high in most of Seoul’s packed buildings.

But rest assured, Chuseok, the traditional Korean harvest holiday, is less than a week away. This is when the temperature drops and we say a sure goodbye to summer.

On the outskirts of the capital city, nature is already colored in shades of autumn.

Some 60 kilometers west of Seoul on Incheon’s Ganghwado, endless rice paddies glow with a brilliant gold.

Red chilies are spread out on the bare street, drying under the last of the summer sun, and big ripe pumpkins remind us that autumn is almost here.

Beds of purple cosmos and bright yellow sunflowers dance to the soft breeze, splashing the landscape with life.

After Chuseok, the rest of the greens will bloom red, orange and yellow, with the foliage showering onto the streets in no time.

The scenic beauty of nature is even more special when there’s only a short time to cherish it.

So if you find yourself picking up long sleeves in the morning, don’t hesitate to take a trip to the nearby countryside with friends and family.

Photos by Park Hyun-koo

Written by Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)

By Choi Ji-won(jwc@heraldcorp.com)