The World of Apples

Apple varieties, South Korea

Gamhong

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

History

Gamhong (감홍) was bred by the Rural Development Administration’s Horticultural Research Institute, which crossed Spur Earliblaze with Spur Golden Delicious in 19811,2. A seedling was first selected in 1989 as Wongyo Ga-5 (원교 가-5) and, after regional trials, chosen and named in 19921,2. The name joins the characters 甘, “sweet”, and 紅, “red”2.

It proved hard to grow: bitter pit and russet made good fruit difficult to obtain, and in 2022 it covered only 2.6 per cent of South Korea’s apple area2. It made its name at the apple festival held every year in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang, where visitors tasted the local Gamhong. Once it became known that the russet did not lower its value, the rough skin became a mark of Mungyeong apples, and Gamhong was nicknamed the “ugly apple”2. In 2020 a 10-kilogram box of Mungyeong Gamhong cost about 100,000 won, far more than ordinary apples3, and in 2023 the administration planned to make it Mungyeong’s signature crop2.

At a 2019 briefing the administration’s apple research institute said that Gamhong was rated the best-tasting apple grown in the country5. Its area is rising: the Korea Rural Economic Institute estimated 848 hectares, 2.5 per cent of the apple area, in 2023 and expected 943 hectares in 2024, an 11 per cent increase owing to consumer demand4. As the pollen parent in a cross with Hongro, it gave Eazypple, bred in 20196.

The fruit

The administration describes a large fruit of 350–400 grams, oblong and bright red, with 15–16 per cent sugar, 0.4 per cent acid, a distinctive aroma and a very good flavour; it keeps about two months at room temperature1. It is picked in early to mid October1, earlier than Fuji2, and in Mungyeong the harvest lasts only about 20 days3.

Growing

Although a spur type, the tree is fairly vigorous and spreading; it forms flower buds readily, crops heavily, and seldom drops or splits its fruit before harvest1. Russet and bitter pit are its faults1,2. Unbagged fruit russets badly, so bagging is needed for top-grade fruit1. Bitter pit is commoner in large fruit, so growers aim at about 330 grams, cut back nitrogen and spray calcium onto the leaves and young fruit1,2. Side shoots form poorly, and weakened trees soon have bare branches1.

Where the sources disagree

  • Texture. An administration researcher describes the flesh as soft2; a Mungyeong grower calls it very crisp3.
  • Season. The administration counts it a mid-season apple1; The Korea Times calls it mid-late3.

Family tree

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

  • Gamhong South Korea, 1981
    • Parent Spur Earliblaze
    • Parent Spur Golden Delicious

Sources

  1. Gamhong: variety description (in Korean), Rural Development Administration (RDA), variety information sheet. Supports: 감홍 (Gamhong): crossed in 1981 at the Horticultural Research Institute, Spur Earliblaze with Spur Golden Delicious; first selected in 1989 as Wongyo Ga-5 (원교 가-5); regional trials, then finally selected and named in 1992; a mid-season variety harvested in early to mid October; fruit 350–400 g, large, oblong, bright red; 15–16 per cent sugar, 0.4 per cent acid, a distinctive aroma and very good eating quality; keeps about two months at room temperature; a spur type but fairly vigorous and spreading; colours well; forms flower buds readily and crops heavily; almost no pre-harvest drop or cracking; much russet and bitter pit; unbagged fruit russets badly, so bagging is needed for marketable fruit; nitrogen to be watched, lime applied, fruit of 300–350 g aimed at, and calcium sprayed on the foliage; side shoots form poorly and bare branches appear when vigour falls.
  2. Gamhong, "the Hermès of apples", comes into its own 30 years after it was bred (in Korean), Yun Hee-hun, Chosun Biz, 2023-10-08. Supports: interview with Park Jong-taek, researcher at the RDA's apple research institute: Gamhong released by the RDA in 1992; its name from the characters 甘 ("sweet") and 紅 ("red"); artificially crossed in 1981 from Spur Earliblaze and Spur Golden, first selected in 1989, finally selected and distributed in 1992; over 15 Brix, 0.4 per cent acid, soft flesh; shipped from early October, earlier than Fuji; only 2.6 per cent of the apple area "as of last year" (2022), being known to growers as hard to grow, with frequent bitter pit and easy russeting that made good fruit hard to obtain; the annual apple festival in Mungyeong, where visitors tasted the local Gamhong; the russet found not to affect its marketability, the rough skin becoming a mark of Mungyeong apples, and the nickname "ugly apple"; bitter pit commoner in larger fruit, so Gamhong sized at about 330 g, with less nitrogen fertiliser and calcium sprayed on leaves and young fruit; the RDA planning to foster Gamhong as Mungyeong's representative crop.
  3. Mungyeong farmer grows premium apples with honey-sweet flavors, Jun Ji-hye, The Korea Times, 2020-12-10. Supports: Gamhong "a mid-late season apple that was introduced in 1992", famous for its palatability but very difficult to grow; a Mungyeong grower calling it very crisp and honey-sweet; Mungyeong's Gamhong harvest lasting only about 20 days in October; a 10-kilogram box costing about 100,000 won, far more than ordinary apples (2020).
  4. Agricultural outlook: fruit, December 2023 (in Korean), Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), Agricultural Outlook Center, 2023-12-05. Supports: apple area by variety from sample farms and monitors: Gamhong 848 ha, 2.5 per cent, in 2023 and a projected 943 ha, 2.8 per cent, in 2024, an increase of 11.1 per cent, because consumer preference is high.
  5. Arisoo, a good-tasting apple even for an early Chuseok, goes on general sale (briefing, in Korean), Apple Research Institute, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science (RDA); Korea Policy Briefing, 2019-09-04. Supports: in answer to questions, the institute's statement that among the apples now grown in Korea, Gamhong is rated the most delicious, its balance of sugar and acid being close to Arisoo's.
  6. 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: Eazypple bred in 2019 from Hongro (seed parent) and Gamhong (pollen parent), Gamhong being known as a high-sugar premium apple.

  • Arisoo

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

    South Korea, 1994

  • 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