One of the first things I noticed when I came to Korea were the trees. But this wasn't due to the different varieties or any other typical botanical observations. No, it had to do more with the fact that most of the trees I saw in Busan were propped up, even adult ones. Recently I was told that in the traditional beliefs, the trees were seen as givers of life or something, so you had to take care of them. Apparently the practice of supporting them with bamboo or wood is a remnant of that belief.