South Korea has four distinct seasons – Spring, summer, autumn and winter. Koreans eating fresh seasonal fruits depends on different seasons. As a matter of fact, seasonal fruits have the best flavor when in season. When you visit to Korea, don’t forget to buy those fresh juicy seasonal fruits or enjoy the fruit festival!
Winter – Spring
Strawberry
There are no other strawberry can be as fresh as the ones in Korea. The location in Korea’s rural provinces sets perfect conditions as the water and soil are particularly clean. Also, those strawberries are cultivated by using eco friendly methods, harvested during early dawn to ensure freshness and each berry is examined by experts. This is Korea’s secret behind those sweet, juicy strawberries! It is only available from mid December until early May but you could only taste the best strawberry from February until early April. When winter comes, you can purchase fresh strawberries everywhere and find many desserts are make with fresh strawberries in Korea. Some hotels are hosting luxurious “strawberry buffets”. A huge table filled with the finest strawberry desserts: tarts, cakes, macarons, pastries, cheesecake, cupcakes, pudding, ice cream, chocolate fountains and anything you can think of!
Check our article : Strawberry buffet
Check our strawberry picking tours:
Strawberry picking, snow sledding & lighting festival one day tour
Nami Island Petite France tour
Tangerine
Tangerines are smaller and sweeter than orange. The best Tangerines grown in Jeju Island. Jeju Island is Korea’s Hawaii, this beautiful Island is a hot spot for honeymoons, it also became the center of Korean sweet tangerine. The best time to eat Tangerines are November to February every year. There are many farms provide Tangerine picking experience, try it and bring some to home while visiting Jeju Island!
Jeju Citrus
Jeju citrus also called Hallabong, it cultivated on Jeju Island. The Jeju citrus is a crossbreed of an orange and a tangerine, it is harvested during winter. The price is a little bit expensive than tangerine but it is worth to buy if you visit Jeju Island.
Summer
Oriental Melon
The Korean Oriental Melon also called Chamoe, it is a type of melon primarily grown in Korea. Skins are bright yellow, crunchy, juicy and sweet. The flavor similar to a pear, it is a must eat summer fruit for Korean people because of its low price.
Grape
The best geobong grapes grown in Cheonan, the major grape producer in Korea. Cheonan also held the Grape Festival during summer every year. During the festival, visitors can experience foods making with grapes such as wine, jam and juice, etc. Korean Geobong grapes are blackish-purple or almost black skin, the flesh is very juicy and sweet.
Peach
Korean peaches are tasty and juicy as same as Japan peaches. It is a must eat fruits in summer, especially for women. The beautiful and plenty Korean dessert – Peach Ice Flakes also became famous on SNS since this summer.
More info about recommend Korean dessert
Summer – Autumn
Apple
Korean apples are very juicy and the sizes are bigger than regular apples. It gets harvest when summer comes, you may find apples during spring or winter the price should be very expensive. Apples are one of the healthy food that can improve your overall health and detoxify the liver. The ingredients of Korean cabbage kimchi always include apple because of its sweet flavor and vitamin.
Pocheon Tour with Apple picking experience
Autumn – Winter
Persimmon
Persimmons are available everywhere once the weather starts getting cool. It usually gets harvest from October to November. There are 3 different kinds of persimmons, the first one is Damgam, it has a light orange color with a flat bottom, crunchy and sweet and you could eat when it is not completely ripe. It commonly cut into segments and eat without skin. The second one is Hongsi, Hongsi must eat when it is very ripe, it looks like a full water balloon and it is super soft and liquefied. The last one is Yeonsi, super soft and juicy, it is similar with Hongsi. Those persimmons can transform to Gotgam, which is a dried persimmon. Korean people like to put it in the freezer and enjoy it as a frozen fruit!
I would like to try your peaches, seems it might be better than the us mainland.