Have you ever noticed that just when the weather starts getting warmer and flowers begin to bloom, suddenly it gets cold again? In Korea, people call this “꽃샘추위 (Kkot-saem Chuwi)”, which literally means “the cold that is jealous of flowers.”

It’s a short cold snap that happens in early spring, usually around March. After a few warm days that make you think winter is finally over, the temperature suddenly drops again. Because it often happens when spring flowers are starting to bloom, Koreans jokingly say the cold weather is “jealous” of the flowers.

During 꽃샘추위, people often feel confused about what to wear. One day you might wear a light jacket, and the next day you suddenly need a winter coat again. Because of these sudden temperature changes, many people also catch colds around this time.

Even though it’s a little annoying, 꽃샘추위 is also seen as a sign that real spring is coming soon. After this last bit of cold weather passes, the temperature usually rises steadily and the flowers fully bloom.

So if you visit Korea in early spring and suddenly feel a cold wind after a warm day, don’t worry — it’s probably just Kkot-saem Chuwi, the “jealous cold” of spring!

If you want, I can also make a shorter / more casual version (the kind people often post on English free boards in Korea).