Famous Korean ginkgo tree drops all its golden leaves in about an hour

Imagine driving more than three hours for the perfect autumn photo, only to find a bare tree. That's what happened to many visitors in South Korea last weekend.

The Bangye-ri ginkgo tree in Munmak-eup, Wonju (a city in Gangwon Province), is a well-known spot for picture-perfect autumn shots. As late as the afternoon of 6 November, it was covered in dense, bright yellow leaves and looked magnificent.

Then the wind picked up. Around 7 a.m. the next day, strong gusts sent the leaves tumbling down, and within about an hour the tree was bare.

Tourists who happened to be there said the leaves fell "like rain". One joked that the tree simply didn't want guests over the weekend.

Those who arrived later were left disappointed. Posts and photos on social media showed visitors, some of whom had checked the tree online the day before and driven for hours, standing in front of bare branches.