Camellia is one of the representatives of winter Jeju, but it also contains other symbols. As the camellia’s blooming season comes, there are many places and festivals where you can see camellia flowers, such as the Hueari Camellia Festival and Camellia Hill. Camellia's flower blooms in winter so it is famous in winter season. The camellia’s blooming period is from November to April, and camellia flowers start blooming from November and all the flowers will be fully bloomed in December.

When we think of camellia, in Korea, we naturally think of Jeju, but I also think of the 4.3 incident. The camellia is the symbol of 4.3. It is known that the camellia is called a flower that symbolizes 4.3 because of the influence of artist Kang Yu-bae's 4.3 series "The Camellia Flower Falling" in 1992. Camellia flowers bloom in winter and red flowers all fall to the ground in April. The appearance of the flower’s head falling reminds the people who collapsed weakly at the time of 4.3. Kang Yu-bae's work resonated greatly, indicating that the 4.3 victims silently fell to the ground as cold as a red camellia flower.

The Jeju 4.3 incident was a genocide in which many residents were sacrificed during the armed conflict between the Namrodang armed group and the subjugation group in Jeju from March 1st, 1947, to September 21st, 1954. It is a heartbreaking history in which more than 10 percent of the population of Jeju died or went missing. Jeju 4.3 is one of Korea's tragic history, which has long been forgotten or distorted. However, since the 1990s, various efforts have been made to find out the truth of the incident and restore the honor of the victims, and in 2000, a special law was enacted to find out the truth of the Jeju 4.3 and restore the honor of the victims. In 2006, Jeju 4.3 Peace Park was opened, and in 2011, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is good to go around tourist attractions while enjoying the camellia of Jeju, but I hope when we think of camelia, the history of 4.3 comes to mind. Visiting places where Jeju 4.3 happened and learning about it has the meaning of commemorating the victims, learning reflection and lessons, and emphasizing peace and human rights. If you have a chance to come to Jeju this winter, I’ll recommend you visit the places of 4.3.