Two Jeju Private Gardens Named Among Korea’s 30 Best; Spirited Garden and Gasirim Arboretum Selected

【Financial News, Jeju—Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 Spirited Garden in Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju City, and Gasirim Arboretum in Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo City, were selected for the “2026 Beautiful Private Gardens: 30 Selections” after an evaluation of 45 private gardens nationwide.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and KAGI on the 29th, KFS and KAGI conducted expert on-site evaluations and a public online preference survey of 45 private gardens that had passed the first document review, ultimately selecting 30.
On-site evaluations accounted for 80%, while the online preference survey accounted for 20%. A total of 19,204 people participated in the online survey.
A private garden is a garden created and operated by a corporation, organization or individual. It is a privately cultivated space opened to the public and used for tourism, visitor experiences and the expansion of garden culture.
The selection process evaluated more than the landscape. It also examined the operating philosophy of the person who created each garden and the garden’s ongoing maintenance.
Two Jeju gardens made the final list of 30. Spirited Garden in Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju City, features bonsai and garden trees arranged alongside stone walls made of Jeju volcanic rock and a pond. Its distinctive features include the use of Jeju’s characteristic stones and vegetation, as well as the long-term cultivation of bonsai.

Gasirim Arboretum in Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo City, features a forest centered on sasanqua camellias and plant landscapes that change with the seasons. It was designed as a space where visitors can view the plants up close along stone walls and forest paths.
The selection of the two gardens is expected to go beyond promoting individual tourist attractions and serve as an opportunity to connect Jeju’s garden tourism resources with a nationwide promotional network.
KAGI plans to award the selected 30 gardens the “Beautiful Private Garden” certification mark. The marks will be distributed at the end of October, along with brochures and online content introducing the selected gardens. Promotion will also continue through Jeongwon Nuri and the Jeongwon TV YouTube channel.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province plans to link the selection results with the 2026 Republic of Korea Jeju Garden Culture Expo, which will be held from November 6 to 10. The province intends to promote private gardens in Jeju, including Spirited Garden and Gasirim Arboretum, at the expo and expand exchanges and joint promotional efforts among the gardens.
“The long-standing efforts to cultivate gardens in Jeju have drawn attention in a nationwide evaluation,” said Lim Hong-cheol, director of Jeju’s Environment and Forest Resources Bureau. “We will highlight the unique features of each garden in conjunction with the Garden Culture Expo and continue fostering exchanges among private gardens.”


[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter