{"id":971,"date":"2026-04-16T16:22:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T07:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/?p=971"},"modified":"2026-04-16T17:34:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T08:34:57","slug":"spring-in-korea-paju-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/spring-in-korea-paju-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring in Korea\u2019s Countryside: A Self-Sufficient Garden Life in Paju"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[ Korean Version ]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring in Korea<\/strong> is more than a simple change in the weather; it is a hard-earned reward, especially here in the quiet countryside of Paju. While the morning air still carries a sharp -1\u00b0C bite even in mid-April, the grey peaks surrounding our village are finally waking up, turning a lush and hopeful green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s almost surreal to look at these vibrant buds today and remember the winter we just endured. Only a few months ago, this entire landscape was blanketed in snow\u2014a frozen stillness that made us wonder if the thaw would ever arrive. Yet, it is this dramatic transformation that makes the season so captivating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our household, gardening is a way of life deeply rooted in seasonal rhythms and traditional food culture. This week, we finally stepped back into the soil to prepare for another year of growth\u2014a moment we\u2019ve been patiently waiting for all winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Transformation Worth Waiting For: Grey into Green<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Spring<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But as the grey peaks and snow-covered fields finally turn into a soft, lush green, the warmth settles in\u2014and with it, our garden begins to wake.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Scenic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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1. Growing Our Own Food: A Nearly Self-Sufficient Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We aren’t professional farmers, but my parents\u2019 passion for gardening has evolved into a nearly self-sufficient lifestyle. We produce nearly all of our own vegetables and fruit throughout the year.<\/strong> It\u2019s a labor of love that keeps our table fresh, organic, and deeply rewarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Working<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This morning, after spending time with the kids in the yard, I joined my father to lay down plastic mulch in the red pepper field. In Korean gardening, this is a vital task to keep the soil warm and prevent weeds. It was a peaceful moment\u2014just us and the quiet anticipation of the harvest to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Green<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Vibrant<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Green<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Garlic and onions are the backbone of Korean cuisine. Seeing them survive the freezing winter and push through the soil is the first true sign that our garden is alive again.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. The Jewel of the Garden: Korean Pears and BBQ Culture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve never had a Korean pear<\/a> (Bae, scientifically known as Pyrus pyrifolia<\/em><\/strong>), you\u2019re missing out. Unlike Western pears, they are round, incredibly crisp, and massive. Korean pears are not only enjoyed fresh, but also commonly used in Korean BBQ marinades for their natural sweetness and tenderizing properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Close-up<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The white blossoms are currently at their peak. Even our cherry blossom tree, which took five long years to finally bloom, has joined the garden’s celebration this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photos<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Looking at this photo from last year, you can see the scale of what we grow. Even though the trees look small, they were heavy with massive, golden fruit by autumn. It’s a reminder of why we put in the work every spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. More Than Just a Garden: Spaces for Life and Memories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our garden isn’t just for crops; it\u2019s a living space. It\u2019s where conversations stretch late into the night and ordinary days quietly turn into memories.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Exterior<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"spring.jpg\tA<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The greenhouse is our favorite winter hangout\u2014nothing beats grilling Korean BBQ by the wood stove while the wind howls outside. Now that it\u2019s warming up, I\u2019m also getting ready to fire up our handmade Italian-style pizza oven for the first time this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And then there\u2019s the “luxury” dog house. I spent nearly $1,500 building this custom home for Rocky, but he prefers sleeping inside the main house on the floor with us. It\u2019s one of those “funny yet sad” moments of pet ownership that every dog lover can relate to!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Meet the Furry Family Members<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our six dogs are the true owners of this yard. They keep us company through every season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Small<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Rocky,<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Meet Jadu<\/strong>, our newest family member named after the fruit. Seeing the dogs run through the fresh spring grass makes all the gardening work worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spring is Worth the Wait<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From the flat peach trees we just planted to the soybean seedlings ready for the soil, the rhythm of our life is back in sync with nature. Spring in Paju may arrive late, but when it does, it fills every corner of our garden\u2014and our lives\u2014with something worth waiting for.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Young<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Fresh<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Beautiful<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Decorative<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83c\udf55 Special Invitation to My Backyard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By the way, that handmade pizza oven didn’t come easy.<\/strong> I\u2019ve shared the full story of my DIY journey\u2014from a spectacular first-time failure to the successful build that now serves as the heart of our backyard gatherings. If you’re curious about the process (and the mistakes I made along the way), [Check out the full Pizza Oven project here]<\/a><\/strong>. I\u2019d love to show you how it all came together!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[ Korean Version ] Spring in Korea is more than a simple change in the weather; it is a hard-earned reward, especially here in the quiet countryside of Paju. While the morning air still carries a sharp -1\u00b0C bite even in mid-April, the grey peaks surrounding our village are finally waking up, turning a lush … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[184,183,185,182,180,188,187,174,189,181,186],"class_list":["post-971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-country-living-paju-life","tag-backyard-garden","tag-country-house","tag-dogs","tag-gardening","tag-homegrown-food","tag-korea","tag-korean-life","tag-korean-pear","tag-life-with-dogs","tag-paju","tag-rural-life"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=971"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1006,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/971\/revisions\/1006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pajuparadise.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}