SEOUL (ANN/THE KOREA HERALD) – In Korea, the tradition of “ujeon nokcha,” or green tea made from the first pluckings of the harvest season, reflects a pursuit of excellence in tea cultivation.
These initial gatherings yield leaves prized for their sweet, soft, and subtle flavours, symbolising the pinnacle of quality.
The timing of harvest not only impacts taste but also signifies the concentration of nutrients within the plants, with the first pluckings of the year heralding the arrival of spring’s bounty at its finest.
In Korea, ujeon nokcha leaves are harvested before “goku,” one of the 24 seasons of the year according to the solar calendar.
A new season starts every 15 days, and goku (pronounced gok-u), the sixth season of the year and the last season of the spring, falls around April 20. Goku means spring rain that enriches the grain, while ujeon means before the rain.
Korean ujeon, equivalent to Chinese “mingqian” and Japanese “shincha,” traditionally uses tea leaves harvested in South Gyeongsang Province’s Hadong County and South Jeolla Province’s Boseong County.
WAIT FOR MAY FOR NEW HARVEST
A tiny, quiet tea house located in a residential area in Eungpyeong-gu offers various teas including Korea’s unique green tea from the Hadong and Boseong regions.
While only a small batch from last year’s harvest of ujeon green tea is currently available at Woon Cha, and it still does taste great, the shop owner plans to start offering this year’s Ujeon green tea in early May.
“The reason is just that I don’t want to bother farmers at this particular time, because they’re already very busy. I also believe that even though tender leaves are plucked before goku, it’s important to give it time to ripen so the leaves can hold more moisture and for the raw smell of fresh cut leaves can disappear,” Woong Cha owner Park Jung-woong told The Korea Herald.
Woong Cha is open daily from noon to 10pm, but it’s better to check Instagram for the opening hours because it’s a one-man-run shop that often changes its hours.
DESSERT PAIRINGS
Located near Mangwon Station on Subway Line No 6, Keochageu invites visitors to taste carefully brewed tea and coffee alongside well-paired desserts.
Keochageu, whose name comes from an abbreviated Korean word for drawing coffee and tea, specialises in tea courses and one-day tea classes that explore different nuances of tea variations from green tea to white, oolong, yellow, dark and black, as well as the full-bodied flavour of flannel drip coffee.
This year’s ujeon green tea will be available from next week, according to the shop owner Yoo Ha-yeon.
Keochageu is open every day from 10am to 8pm.
TEA FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
Located at the edge of Seoul Forest, Matchacha Seoul opened in 2018 to offer seasonal tea variations not just from within Korea but from abroad, such as China’s white tea and “qingcha,” also known as oolong tea.
Under the concept of “enjoy our selection of tea in simplicity and mindfulness,” those who make reservations can participate in a tea course and private tea classes, which are conducted in Korean only. The place is open for walk-in guests as well only during April and October.
Matchacha is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
