[Student Reporters] 16th Goyang Korea Flower Show breathes new life into the floricultural industry of Korea

Suejung Lee/11th grade, Daewon Foreign Language School

The 16th Goyang Korea Flower Show famous for its huge scale was held for 15 days from April 29 to May 15 at Goyang Flower Pavilion and part of Ilsan Lake Park. Under the sponsorship of Goyang International Flower Foundation about 53 international enterprises from around the world and 141 national enterprises participated in this show.

The opening ceremony of the Goyang Korea Flower Show was held on April 29 by introducing approximately fifty million flowers of 5000 different varieties. Under the motto "The fascinating meeting of Eastern and Western flowers" several types of flowers from unique Eastern and Western blooms to rare and new strains were shown in this show.

The interior pavilion is divided into three sections with different themes. In the first pavilion visitors could see flowers that represented different nations and flowers that Korea exports to other nations. Also European Flower Art was on display in this pavilion.

The artistry of flower decorations shown in this European Flower Art exhibit did not only enable the viewer to experience the beauty of flowers visually but also through sound and smell.

In the second pavilion flowers butterflies insects and fish were all arranged in harmony allowing visitors to appreciate the value of nature. Another prominent attraction here was the Video Art Flower. This exhibit presented how flowers could be expressed in the 21st century using the most advanced technology.

The last pavilion had unique attractions that could only be seen at this flower show. Here visitors could witness plants that were from out of this world. Some orchids unveiled were new strains grown by Korea's first astronaut Soyeon Lee in outer-space.

In the outdoor pavilion patrons could appreciate flowers on a bigger scale. In a tulip garden placed outside three million tulips were arranged harmoniously-creating a colorful exotic mood.

And in the middle of the outdoor pavilion the Goddess of flowers Flora made out of topiary added to the beauty of the flower garden. Korean wild flowers which were very small in size and rare potted plants gave great joy to visitors. Many events including performances and concerts were also held in the outdoor pavilion.

The 16th Goyang Flower Show closed on May 15 with a great cheer for it had brought unprecedented results. The show made $15000000 in exports and gave new vitality to the floricultural industry of Goyang City. Along with the great success of the show people now had new hope for the diminished floricultural industry of the whole nation to see recovery.