Background <p>Radish greens, the leafy by-product of radish cultivation, are rich in bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, phenolic acids, and polysaccharides, which contribute to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties. Despite these attributes, radish greens remain underutilized, with applications often limited to animal feed and traditional dishes. Recent studies have demonstrated their potential for functional applications, yet the specific bioactive markers and mechanisms responsible for their anti-obesity effects are not fully understood.</p> Objective <p>This study investigates the seasonal variations in the anti-obesity effects of radish greens cultivated in Korea and identifies a novel functional marker and evaluates its role in adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism to support the broader utilization of radish greens as a functional ingredient.</p> Results <p>Radish greens cultivated in autumn exhibited a significantly stronger inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes compared to those cultivated in spring. While spring-cultivated samples contained higher levels of glucoraphenin, autumn-cultivated samples had 1.5 times more caffeoylmalic acid, which was identified as the most abundant bioactive compound. Treatment with caffeoylmalic acid significantly reduced lipid accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner, primarily by suppressing the expression of key adipogenic markers such as C/EBPα, SREBP1c, and CD36. These findings highlight caffeoylmalic acid as a major contributor to the anti-obesity effects of radish greens, with its higher abundance in autumn samples likely accounting for their greater efficacy.</p> Conclusion <p>In conclusion, autumn-harvested radish greens, enriched with caffeoylmalic acid, demonstrate strong anti-adipogenic effects by suppressing lipid differentiation and accumulation, highlighting their potential as a functional food ingredient for obesity management.</p>