Autumn is a golden time. In autumn, one can even fall in love with Seoul. It is a true gift, wrapped in golden, crimson, rustling wrapping paper. As autumn envelops the city with leaves and warm sunlight, it becomes cozier. Even the most ordinary, unassuming places gain a certain charm. Seoul has many unassuming spots. There are just parks with soft, springy pathways. Squares and areas with outdoor gym equipment, where lively grandpas and grandmas, known as adjoshi and ajumma in Korean, swing energetically — those who haven’t ventured into the mountains. Seoul’s autumn is the time when flowers in countless planters throughout the city are replaced with frost-resistant cabbages. It is the yellow fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree under your feet. The local janitors and municipal authorities don’t have a fixation on collecting fallen leaves. They lie on the roads and in parks for weeks, collected in bags but without fanaticism or inquisitorial bonfires. Leaves are everywhere, as there are many trees in Seoul. The entire city is the color of gold and wine. Gold swirls in the air, crimson drops fall on the asphalt. Perhaps it’s the leaves that create this magic, like in childhood, when everything around is in semitones, slightly mysterious, but promises only joy and extraordinary adventures. You walk, holding your mom’s hand, squinting, and exposing your face to the soft autumn sun…
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