In the pansori story “Simcheongga심청가,” Simcheong ends up at the underwater palace after she is sacrificed to the sea king. There she is united with her mother who died when she was young and was reincarnated as a flower with the help of the sea king. When a big flower bud is spotted floating on the sea, sailors fish it up and take it to the emperor, since the big, fragrant bud was obviously a rare specimen. At the time, the emperor was mourning his wife by tending to the flowers and plants in the garden. Pansori aria “Hwachotaryeong화초타령” or “Song of Flowers” lists the emperor’s favorite flowers such as the lotus that bloom in August, the red lotus flowers in autumn, fragrant plum blossoms that flower in early spring, peach blossoms, chrysanthemums, peonies, and azaleas. There are many different flowers in the song but it appears that the emperor likes spring flowers the best, judging from the number of spring flowers listed in the song. Here’s Hong Ji-yoon singing “Song of Flowers.”

Song of Flowers/ Sung by Hong Ji-yoon

The flower-loving emperor was ecstatic that he was given a rare flower bud that was found in the sea. He planted it in his garden and named it “gangseonhwa강선화,” which means a heavenly being that morphed into a flower. The emperor went to the garden every day to see the bud. Then one day, the bud opened up to reveal a beautiful girl, Simcheong심청. Her handmaid, who had accompanied her from the sea palace, relayed the sea king’s order that the emperor should wed Simcheong, which the emperor had no reason to refuse. Therefore, Simcheong, who sacrificed herself to restore her father’s eyesight, ended up becoming an empress. March 22nd was chunbun춘분, one of 24 seasonal divisions that refer to the time when spring flowers begin to bloom. It is at that time of the year when people enjoy all the seasonal delights of spring, such as the balmy breezes, warm sunlight, and heady scents of flowers. It’s enough to make people’s hearts flutter. Here’s folk band Akdan Gwangchil singing “Love Has Bloomed.”

Love Has Bloomed/ Sung by Akdan Gwangchil

This merry tune usually makes people feel cheerful and energetic, yet some people complain of lethargy and depression even when the weather is sunny and warm. When you feel unmotivated and unfocused, when you find yourself gaining weight even though you have no appetite and suffer from insomnia, you could be suffering from seasonal depression. Statistics show that more people become depressed in March and April than in the middle of winter. Seasonal depression could be caused by the amount of sunlight and ensuing hormonal imbalance. Also, thinking that everyone else is out enjoying themselves could make them feel more depressed. At times like this, doctors suggest taking a walk in the sun for more than 30 minutes to lift your mood, because natural light and physical activity help increase blood circulation to the brain and adjust the level of mood-lifting neurotransmitters. In addition, instead of looking at other people’s social media posts, growing flowers and plants could provide some respite to depressed people. It is natural for people in emotional difficulties to want some tender loving care, but sometimes they can feel comforted by taking care of something else. These days, pet plants instead of pet animals are in fashion. As people stay indoors longer during the pandemic, tending to plants at home has become a popular hobby. People who are into home gardening not only grow flowers but also cultivate herbs, lettuces, tomatoes, and other vegetables. We hope that everyone enjoys healthy and fun spring days as we play a folksong from the southern region titled “Hwachosageori” sung by Sung Chang-soon and Jeon Jeong-min.

Hwachosageori/ Sung by Sung Chang-soon and Jeon Jeong-min