Daegu to hold largest-ever flower expo at EXCO starting Thursday

Daegu city will host the 17th Daegu Flower Expo at EXCO from Thursday through Sunday, the city announced Monday, billing the four-day event as a celebration of floral art and the healing power of flowers and gardens.

This year's expo will be the largest in the event's history, with 153 companies occupying 916 booths.

The expo draws its theme from the classic novel "The Secret Garden," a symbol of growth and healing, and will fill the exhibition halls with large-scale floral installations and high-quality artistic works.

At the heart of the event is the Theme Pavilion, designed by florist Kim Young-ju of Piverde Korea under the concept "The Secret Garden: Gate of Time, Waltz of the Forest" — a three-room installation with each space evoking a distinct atmosphere. The exhibition also features the Cheongna Award section, where 10 teams selected through a national open call present their own interpretations of a secret garden; a general display hall housing a French guest pavilion, a Korean traditional flower arrangement hall and the Yeongdo Velvet Garden pavilion; a local government section featuring North Gyeongsang Province and the Goyang International Flower Festival; and the concurrent 21st Korea Cup Flower Design Competition.

In the Cheongna Award section, each of the 10 finalists presents a distinct secret garden work filtered through their own artistic vision.

The general display hall brings together a range of special exhibitions: a French guest pavilion showcasing a contemporary European sensibility; a display by the Korean Traditional Flower Arrangement Hwa-on Society, which highlights the lines, negative space and natural qualities of Korea's indigenous floral aesthetic; and the Yeongdo Velvet Garden pavilion, featuring a leading local company.

The 21st Korea Cup Flower Design Competition, held concurrently with the expo, is the country's most prestigious floral design contest, drawing top florists from across the nation. The winner receives the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award and earns a spot on the national team for international competition.

"This year's Daegu Flower Expo will be a meaningful cultural event that brings together the sensibilities of world-class masters, the aesthetics of our traditional floral art and the technology of our region's leading industries — all in commemoration of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France," said Park Ki-hwan, director of Daegu's economic affairs bureau.