Leaves came tumbling down within an hour of turning golden... What happened to the Bangye-ri ginkgo tree?

[Financial News] The Bangye-ri ginkgo tree in Wonju, Gangwon Province, which is more than 1,300 years old, shed all its yellow leaves in about an hour just as its fall colors peaked, disappointing visitors.
On the 7th, a post titled “The Bangye-ri ginkgo tree in Munmak-eup, Wonju, Gangwon Province, that didn’t want weekend guests” was uploaded to social media (SNS).
The post showed the Bangye-ri ginkgo tree, a natural monument in Wonju, Gangwon Province, going from displaying a profusion of golden leaves to becoming bare in an instant.
As recently as the day before, the Bangye-ri ginkgo tree had been showing off its bright yellow leaves and majestic form.
Estimated to be about 1,319 years old, the ginkgo tree is a major fall foliage destination, turning golden from top to bottom each autumn and drawing visitors from across the country.
However, at around 7 a.m. on the 7th, strong winds began to blow, and the ginkgo leaves came pouring down as if it were raining. In just an hour, so many leaves had fallen that the branches were plainly visible.
The morning low in Wonju that day reportedly fell below -5°C, and strong winds were also blowing.
In autumn, a layer of cells called an abscission layer forms between a ginkgo tree’s leaf stalks and branches, preparing it to shed its leaves. The leaves may have fallen all at once when freezing temperatures arrived while the tree was in this state, it is reported.
For this reason, the Bangye-ri ginkgo tree’s peak came to an end early this year, and visitors who had traveled a long way for the weekend could not hide their disappointment.
[email protected] An Ga-eul Reporter