Episode: South Korea

Presenter: Melissa King

Melissa walks through endless rows of what is the beginning of one of the worlds most cherished drinks. The rolling green fields are in fact camellias. While most of is associate camellias with big showy flowers, believe it or not, this is the home of tea.

The Boseong Tea Plantation is a tourist hotspot located on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula and it is the heart of Korea tea industry. 40% of all domestic tea comes from crops in the region, from a massive 90 acres.

About 350 metres above sea level it is the perfect climate for tea. The crop is hand picked from April through to June. The earliest harvest has the best flavour, but the leaves picked later in the season are sought after for their health benefits.

Both green and black tea are grown from the same plants however they are processed differently. Green tea is harvested then dried, whereas the leaves for black tea are steamed before the drying stage begins.

About 200 years ago a Buddhist Monk Cho-e brought green tea to Korea from China. It is now so popular that there is green tea, both hot and cold in almost every vending machine.

Boseong Tea Plantations