A 500-Year-Old Tree in Changwon Dongbu Village
Issues Arise Such as Illegal Garbage Dumping and Parking Problems
Tourists continue to visit the area around the 'Changwon Bukburi Zelkova Tree' in Daesan-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gunchan] As tourists searching for the 'Sodeok-dong Zelkova Tree' featured in the ENA drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo increase, a rural village in Changwon is suffering from issues such as illegal dumping of trash.
Since the 25th, posts updating the status of the 'Sodeok-dong Zelkova Tree' have been continuously uploaded on online communities and social networking services (SNS).
This Zelkova tree appeared in the episodes aired on the 20th and 21st. In the drama, it was depicted as being located in 'Sodeok-dong, Giyeong City, Gyeonghae Province,' but in reality, it is situated in Dongbu Village, Bukbu-ri, Daesan-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam. The tree is estimated to be about 500 years old. It stands 16 meters tall and has a circumference of 6.8 meters. In the drama, this tree was portrayed as the 'Dangsan Tree' that has steadfastly protected the village for a long time. In fact, Zelkova trees are often regarded as the Dangsan Tree of villages.
After this fact became known, many people visited the village to see the Zelkova tree. Photos of the 'Zelkova tree status' shared online showed dozens of tourists gathered around the tree taking pictures. Additionally, numerous cars were parked in a line along the road next to the village's rice fields, forming a parking queue.
Various side effects have reportedly emerged due to the sudden influx of people. A netizen who identified themselves as a resident of a neighborhood next to Dongbu Village said, "The drama has become very popular, so many people come to see it," adding, "Please enjoy your visit, but take your trash with you. There is a lot of garbage, and the elderly and villagers are struggling to clean it up." Another netizen reported, "There is a grave on the path up to the Zelkova tree hill, but many children are stepping on it."
In response to the problems, Changwon City installed trash bins at three locations near the Zelkova tree and plans to request the installation of public restrooms and police traffic guidance in the future.
Meanwhile, the Cultural Heritage Administration plans to conduct a natural monument designation survey to assess the cultural heritage value of the Changwon Bukbu-ri Zelkova tree featured in the drama. Recently, Changwon City explained on SNS that "the tree is large enough for four or five adults to hug, and its location and growth condition appear excellent, making its preservation value very high." A Cultural Heritage Administration official stated, "We plan to investigate the tree's history, growth condition, and cultural heritage value, and review the possibility of designating it as a natural monument together with village residents and local governments."
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