연리지(Yeon-ri-ji) means the bottom of two trees are attached to each other, so they became one tree as if they loved each other passionately..
Here's real love story related with Yeonriji
A young train employee was working at Andong Station a long time ago, but one winter night, he went to see the train and found a young woman who collapsed on the platform. She was a girl who returned home after her nursing studying from Seoul.
A few days later, the woman visited the man to thank him and the meeting began to love. At that time, there was no place for the two to meet and spend time, so they always walked around the five-story tower or sat in love each other. And they planted two cherry blossom trees promising their love.
As time goes by, they loved each other deeply and promise to be together in the future..
However, around a few years later, he was chased by the Japanese police and left for Manchuria.. Eventually after liberation, he was forced to join the North Korean army and serve as an officer, which led to the war that led him to Andong.
Although he was about to retreat back to the North due to the South Korean military's counterattack, he could not leave the cherry tree. so he surrendered to the South Korean army..
He believed the cherry tree he planted would be okay for him as long as it didn't die. He always waited for her by the tree after surrender..
After the war, the woman also visited the cherry tree at Andong Station again. And there was a service worker standing there like a miracle. They two were so overwhelmed that they couldn't even speak and weep..
Many years later, there is no way to know the news of them. However, the cherry tree that they planted in front of them reaches out to the blue sky nowadays, Two trees became one tree as if to tell their warm love.
These days, young couples still visit Andong Station's the cherry tree and pledge their love in front of it.
