At the entrance to an autumn mountain, a foreign student asked me. "We're going to look at the autumn leaves, so why is it called 'danpung-nori'? It's not a playground." Autumn leaves are something you look at, so it's understandable that "nori" (play) sounds strange. ## The answer is the picnic mat in the bag If you open the bags of people going leaf-viewing, you'll find a picnic mat. I've also got a thermos with gimbap, tangerines, and hot tea. We're not going just to look at the trees. We're going to spread out a mat, sit down, eat, chat, and relax. For Koreans, autumn foliage isn't a sight you snap one photo of and be done with; it's something you spend the whole day enjoying together. ## "Nori" is a word for doing things together We often attach "놀이" to outings to enjoy a season, like 꽃놀이 (flower viewing) or 물놀이 (water play). So "let's go leaf-play" carries more of a feeling of "let's spend a day together" than "let's go see the autumn leaves." It's usually something you say to family, friends, or coworkers. It isn't really used for someone who is going alone. ## Try Using It Now Ask a friend, "Do you want to go autumn leaf outing this weekend?" Go ahead and ask them. That way, you naturally end up talking about which mountain to go to and who will pack the lunch. The time when the leaves change color varies a little every year. Before you go, check the Korea National Park Service website or app. On autumn weekends, famous mountains are very crowded, so it's best to set out early. Be sure to take your trash back with you.