The World of Apples

Apple varieties, South Korea

Arisoo

Bred to follow Hongro as South Korea's Chuseok apple; it colours in summer heat, and its cut flesh barely browns

History

Arisoo (아리수) was bred by the Rural Development Administration’s National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science from a 1994 cross of Yoko, the seed parent, with Senshu1,2. The aim was a high-quality red apple for mid-season1, and the administration presents it as the successor to Hongro for the Chuseok holiday, one that colours even in hot weather3. First selections were made in 1995–2007, and the selection Wongyo Ga-53 (원교가-53호) was tried in several regions in 2007–20102. Chosen in 2010 at the Apple Research Institute, it was registered in 20131,3 and released to growers from 20143. The name joins ARI, the institute’s initials, to su, from a character meaning “excellent”3.

Its area grew from 150 hectares in 2016 to about 300 in 20193. In 2023 the Korea Rural Economic Institute reported that more Hongro growers meant to change to varieties such as Arisoo5, and in 2026 it covered about 2.4 per cent of South Korea’s apple area4.

The fruit

The fruit is large and globose, 260 grams in Kwon and colleagues’ study, its yellowish-green ground 80–100 per cent covered by a red flush, with a smooth, shiny skin and some russet; the flesh is white, crunchy and firm1. It colours well even where it is hot at harvest1,2 and keeps about 30 days at room temperature2. Cut flesh hardly browns, suiting it to fresh-cut fruit1; after 24 hours, cut Arisoo had scarcely browned, unlike Hongro3. It ripens in early September1,4, on 13 September on average in the 2008–2010 trials, five days after Hongro2. In fruit from 2020 it had the least sugar and the most acid of five Korean varieties, yet eleven trained tasters gave it the highest overall acceptability, rating it the sourest, with strong apple, pineapple and fruity notes6.

Growing

On M.9 rootstock the tree is less vigorous than Fuji or Gala and bears from its second year1; it crops readily on spurs and drops almost no fruit before harvest2. Its S-alleles are S3S7: it is cross-compatible with Fuji, Gala and Golden Delicious, but not with Tsugaru, which has the same pair1. It is moderately resistant to anthracnose, Alternaria leaf spot and Marssonina blotch2. The administration recommends it for all of South Korea except low-lying parts of the south coast, South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla2.

Where the sources disagree

  • Sugar and acid. 14.0 °Brix and 0.33 per cent in the administration’s trials2,4; 14.3 per cent and 0.35 per cent in Kwon and colleagues’ study1; 16 °Brix and 0.43 per cent at a 2019 briefing3; 13.69 °Brix and 0.43 per cent in fruit from 20206.
  • Size and flesh. 285 grams2,4 and yellowish-white flesh2 by the administration; 260 grams and white flesh by Kwon and colleagues1.
  • Rootstock. About 10 centimetres of M.9 rootstock left above ground, by the administration’s variety description2; 5 centimetres, by its 2018 guidance as cited by Kwon and colleagues1.

Family tree

Parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, as the entries in the atlas record them.

  • Arisoo South Korea, 1994
    • Seed parent Yoko
    • Pollen parent Senshu Japan, 1966
      • Parent Tōkō
      • Parent Fuji Japan, 1939
Arisoo
Where Arisoo came from.

Sources

  1. 'Arisoo', a midseason apple, Young Soon Kwon, Soon-Il Kwon, Jeong-Hee Kim, Moo Yong Park, Jong Taek Park and Jinwook Lee, HortScience 56(9):1139–1141, American Society for Horticultural Science; archived copy, Internet Archive, 2021. Supports: a red apple ripening in early September; from a cross of Yoko (seed parent) and Senshu (pollen parent) made in 1994 to breed a high-quality red mid-season apple; selected in 2010 at the Apple Research Institute of the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, RDA, and registered in 2013; evaluated for four years in Gunwi (lat. 36°16′ N, long. 128°27′ E); trees less vigorous than Fuji and Gala on M.9, bearing from the second year after planting; S-genotype S3S7, compatible with Fuji, Gala and Golden Delicious but not with Tsugaru (S3S7); fruit large (260 g), globose, yellowish-green ground with an 80–100 per cent red flush, smooth and shiny skin, some russet; flesh white, crunchy and firm; 14.3 per cent soluble solids and 0.35 per cent titratable acidity; good red colour even under high summer temperatures; negligible flesh browning, suiting fresh-cut fruit; M.9 rootstock to be exposed 5 cm above ground (citing RDA, 2018).
  2. Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), variety name Arisoo (in Korean), Rural Development Administration (RDA), National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, variety description. Supports: 아리수 (Arisoo): cross Yoko × Senshu (양광 × 천추) in 1994; sowing, raising and first selection 1995–2007; regional trials 2007–2010; selection Wongyo Ga-53 (원교가-53호); matures in early September; red, colouring well even where temperatures are high at maturity; 285 g; 14.0 °Bx and 0.33 per cent acid; yellowish-white flesh; fruits on spurs so that yields come easily; almost no pre-harvest drop; moderate resistance to anthracnose, Alternaria leaf spot and Marssonina blotch; keeps about 30 days at room temperature; for fresh eating; suited to all of Korea except low-lying parts of the south coast, South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla; M.9 rootstock with about 10 cm exposed; 2008–2010 trials: average maturity 13 September, Hongro 8 September.
  3. Arisoo, a good-tasting apple even for an early Chuseok, goes on general sale (briefing, in Korean), Park Kyo-seon, Apple Research Institute, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science (RDA); Korea Policy Briefing, 2019-09-04. Supports: Arisoo bred in 2010 as the successor to Hongro as a Chuseok apple, colouring brightly even at high temperatures; variety registration completed in 2013 and distribution to growers from 2014; the name from the English initials of the apple research institute (ARI) and the character su, meaning "excellent"; 16 °Brix and 0.43 per cent acid; cut flesh scarcely browning after 24 hours, unlike Hongro; area about 150 ha in 2016 and an estimated 300 ha in 2019.
  4. Korean varieties lead the Chuseok apple market (press release, in Korean), Rural Development Administration (RDA), National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science; Korea Policy Briefing, 2026-09-20. Supports: Arisoo ripens in early September, with bright red skin, crisp texture and a sweet-and-sour taste; it "currently" covers about "2.4%" of South Korea's apple area; attached table: early September, red, 285 g, 14.0 °Brix, 0.33 per cent acid.
  5. Agricultural outlook: fruit, December 2023 (in Korean), Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), Agricultural Outlook Center, 2023-12-05. Supports: Hongro needing more labour than other varieties and being vulnerable to disease, growers increasingly intend to change to varieties such as Arisoo.
  6. Antioxidant and flavor properties of different apple cultivars grown in Korea, Keono Kim, Myeongbin Park, Dagyeong Kwon, Yu Wang and Jeehye Sung, Food Chemistry: X 32:103263, PubMed Central, 2025. Supports: the Apple Research Institute of the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science at Gunwi-gun, Daegu (author affiliation); fruit harvested in 2020; of five Korean cultivars, Arisoo with the lowest soluble solids (13.69 °Brix) and the highest titratable acidity (0.43 per cent), rated sourest by eleven trained panellists, with high intensities of pineapple, apple and fruity notes, and given the highest overall acceptability.

  • Gamhong

    Named in 1992 for "sweet" and "red", it proved hard to grow and made its name at the apple festival in Mungyeong

    South Korea, 1981

  • Hongro

    The first apple bred in South Korea, named in 1988 to ripen for Chuseok; only Fuji covers more of its orchards

    South Korea, 1980

  • Photograph of Wang Young apples at the National Fruit Collection, Brogdale, one cut across.

    Wang Young

    South Korea, by 1967