"On the Way to See Wooyoungwoo's Zelkova Tree"…The 'Sodeokdong Zelkova Tree' in Wooyoungwoo Trending on SNS

The cast members are sitting in front of the large zelkova tree in Sodeok-dong featured in the ENA drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo."
[Photo by Eunbin Park, Instagram capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A hackberry tree in Dongbu Village, Changwon, Gyeongnam, is becoming a hot topic. It recently appeared as the so-called 'Sodeokdong Hackberry Tree' in the ENA drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," gaining prominence.

In episode 7 of "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," which aired on the 20th, a majestic hackberry tree appeared against the backdrop of the fictional area Sodeokdong. For the residents of this village, facing the threat of disappearance due to a new road construction plan, the hackberry tree is a tree full of memories.

In the drama, the hackberry tree is also called the "Sodeokdong Natural Monument." There is also an expression about this tree: "No one who climbed that tree and played as a child, no one who did not hold a feast under that tree on a joyful day, and no one who did not pray earnestly at that tree."

The actual location of this hackberry tree is Dongbu Village, Bukbu-ri, Daesan-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam. The hackberry tree, measuring 16 meters in height and 6.8 meters in circumference, is large enough to require four or five adults to hug it. Also, due to its excellent site environment and growth condition, it was designated as a protected tree of the village in July 2015. The tree's age is estimated to be about 500 years.

The Zelkova tree in Dongbu Village, Bukbu-ri, Daesan-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Changwon City Official Blog]

According to the official Changwon City blog on the 24th, the number of visitors to Dongbu Village to see the "Sodeokdong Hackberry Tree" has increased since the drama aired. In fact, certification photos of the hackberry tree have been continuously posted on social networking services (SNS). A signboard saying "Way to the Extraordinary Attorney Woo Hackberry Tree" has already been hung in the village. Recently, actress Park Eun-bin, who plays the drama's protagonist Woo Young-woo, also posted a photo taken with this tree as the background on her SNS.

In response, Changwon City also posted on its official SNS to promote Dongbu Village. This post included the location and information about the hackberry tree. According to Changwon City, the tree is located behind Dongbu Village. From there, visitors can see the entire village at a glance and also overlook the nearby Nakdong River.