JAKARTA - A small farming village in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea is experiencing a sharp increase in visitor numbers, after a large hackberry tree appeared recently in the popular series, 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'.
The 500-year-old tree is featured in episodes 7 and 8, where a fictional village called Sodeok-dong faces damage due to plans to build a road that divides the hamlet and requires the tree to be cut down.
Located on top of a small hill in the middle of the village, the so-called "protective tree" symbolizes the value of the village in the ENA drama. A government review initiated to designate the tree as a natural monument halted development plans and saved the village.
In real life, the hackberry tree is located in Dongbu Village in Bukbu-ri, Changwon. With a height of 16 meters and a circumference of 6.8 meters, this tree was designated for protection by the local government in 2015.
After the episodes aired, the village of about 70 people saw a sudden spike in visitor numbers, with photos of the visit being posted on many blogs and social networks.
While the villagers put up a tree sign at the village entrance, the Changwon city government joined in on promoting the new landmark. It says on its official blog, the hill offers a full view of Dongbu Village as well as part of the Nakdong River beyond.
Due to the newfound concern, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) has decided to examine whether the tree is worthy of designation as a natural monument, adding the plan had been in the works since last year, even before 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' started airing.
"We value the tree as a cultural heritage considering its shape, age, and growing conditions," CHA said in a release on Monday, as reported by the Korea Times, July 25.
"We will soon begin on-site inspections with experts, local government officials and residents and decide whether to designate it as a natural monument."
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