Remote Work: Chasing Freedom, with Bum
Nowhere is perfect, but what if you can travel everywhere? You could taste all the little bits of perfection countries have to offer. For Bum, that’s freedom. Being able to go where you can do what you want to do.
Bum’s a bit of an outlier in our community, because he isn’t often found in Korea. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t know the country. Born in Korea, he grew up in the States before he came back… and left again to chase the digital nomad lifestyle.
But let’s be honest, you’ll have greater chances of meeting him in Chiang Mai than in Seoul. You might spot his square frame swinging in a Latin dance club, find him on the back of a motorcycle, or see his face split in a shit-eating grin when surrounded by animals.
A lover of kizomba, nature, and freedom, his story is about realising the world is a big, big place worth being curious about.
Did you always want to travel?
I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I was born here, in Korea, and grew up in the States. I moved back and forth between the two all my life, stuck in a very restricted perspective. I saw the world as only Korea and the US. I thought, “Why would you ever want to go to Europe?”. I didn’t even think of travelling.
At all?
To give you an idea, I came back to Korea because of the Army in 2009. Then, my passport expired, and I didn’t try getting a new one until 2017. I didn’t even understand the idea of travelling. I don’t think it was because I loved being where I was. It was because I thought, “that’s all there is”.
So how did you become a nomad? That seemed like an unlikely choice at this point (laughs).
Around 2016, I quit my job, and I broke up with my girlfriend. Classic story (laughs). By chance, I started hanging out at the Global Startup Center with travelers and expats who came to Korea to start businesses. I met these French guys who were planning to go to Hong Kong, and they asked me if I wanted to go with them. I was like “Eh, I don’t have a passport, but yeah, ok”. I thought - why not? Might as well, since I don’t have a job or a girlfriend. I got a new passport and I went for four days. I loved it.
Passion for travelling, acquired.
I’m so, so grateful to those two guys for pushing me to go with them. Next, I got a part-time job and started travelling abroad. I met backpackers, mostly. I started reconnecting with a part of me I had lost since I was a kid, especially when it comes to nature. Going to Laos and seeing Elephants for the first time - I was like “Woow, I have been missing out on so much stuff…”. And snorkeling! That’s when I started thinking of how to go remote. I had met some people doing this, and I was inspired. I slowly started transitioning to a translator career (Korean-English), then I went full remote in 2020, during Covid. I decided, “I’ll just do this now”.
What’s your favorite part of travelling?
Nature is a big aspect of it for me. Having new experiences. Meeting all kinds of people. Through travelling in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, I finally started connecting with Europeans - I had never met any before that. It challenged my worldview.
In which ways?
In America, I was taught that the United States is a melting pot because there are many ethnic groups and different languages in the same country. I was taught that communism is the great evil. But then I went to Vietnam, a communist country where there are more than 50 ethnic groups who all have their unique language, and people just live their life and they’re fine (laughs). Muslim culture, Hindu culture... The world is so big and complex, but it comes down to it, we’re just all human beings everywhere. I know it sounds cliché, but experiencing this simple truth for myself daily added a lot to my perception of the world. It still does.
What else did you discover while nomading?
I learned new languages, snorkelling, driving a motorbike, dancing... Before travelling, my hobbies were going to the gym, reading, watching movies, and writing. That was pretty much it. But personally, I don’t call myself a digital nomad. I don’t really hang out with the nomad communities wherever I am. The only thing we have in common is that we work remotely. It’s so broad (laughs).
Well, you do hang out with nomads in Korea (laughs).
True (laughs). I heard of Digital Nomads Korea through Anh Tuan and Erika, and went with them to the Dinner and Drinks meetups. Then I joined hikes, chill afternoon hangouts, etc. I mean, I’m being all cynical and all by saying the only common thing nomads have is to be nomads, but there’s also a certain personality type that goes with the lifestyle. I do think there’s a greater chance of becoming friends with a nomad than with someone who’s never travelled. And then, what’s cool is you start a friendship and you get to continue building it abroad.
What do you mean?
Usually, if you leave the area where you meet a local community, you’re out. With a nomad community, when you say goodbye and tell each other “let’s see each other again”, you actually mean it - even if that’s in Indonesia or Brazil.
Actually, you’ve met members of the community in Thailand, and other members of the community have met again in Taiwan, Japan, Hungary…
That and I think as a local, meeting foreigners can give you a different perspective on Korea itself. I don’t explore my own country that much. It’s so easy to get stuck in my own routine. I learn so many things about Korea from foreigners (laughs). It makes sense: I’ve probably seen more of Vietnam than most Vietnamese people, but it took me years to visit Jeju Island!
Do you ever meet other Korean digital nomads?
Maybe one time? (Laughs.) Although I’ve met a lot of Koreans aspiring to be nomads during Digital Nomads Korea meetups. They often have a romantic idea of it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, meeting someone who can explain to you how to proceed, who can give you a push, is all you need to get started. You can learn the reality while experiencing it for yourself - and then decide if that’s something you want to pursue. But I don’t think it’s by chance that most nomads are European. I think that’s because of the work-life balance. Europe has figured it out much better than us.
If you don’t hang out with nomads, how do you make friends abroad?
Dancing. My other friends are even friends-of-dance-friends (laughs). I also go to hostels when I search for a place to meet some people right away.
Where’s your favorite destination?
I have different favorites for travelling and living. Chiang Mai is my favorite place to stay. It has the perfect mix of everything. It’s big enough that it has a lot of life and culture, but it’s not so big that I get drowned in the noise. I can drive my bike for 20 minutes, and I’m in the jungle. It also attracts a certain type of people I get along well with, compared with other big nomad hubs in Southeast Asia like Bangkok, Phuket, and Bali. I also love Da Nang in Vietnam - you can be a nomad there on easy-mode -, and Laos as a whole. It’s one of my favorite countries.
What’s the worst place you’ve gone to?
Dubai (laughs). But, you know, every place ultimately added to my experience, even Dubai. I got to see what happens when consumerism and capitalism go completely unchecked. I hated it, but I’m glad I had the experience.
Do you think it’s easy to travel as a Korean?
Having a Korean passport has been a blessing, especially in Southeast Asia. You get to go to so many places visa-free for so long. Laos or Thailand, especially, you get for free. And it seems like nobody hates Koreans like they hate the Chinese or Americans (laughs). We’re a culture that has a good reputation! (Laughs.)
Talking of the US, what’s the biggest difference between the US and Korea for you?
I grew up in Delaware, and there’s such a huge difference between Delaware and Korea. The culture, the education, and also the nature. In Delaware, next to our apartment complex, there was a forest with wild rabbits, squirrels, a stream with frogs, fish, and fireflies in the Summer. We’d go crab fishing with my dad. As a kid, when we went to Korea, I thought that going into a forest would be the same. But there were no frogs, no fish, nothing, especially back then.
What about the similarities?
I find there’s a lot of America in Korea. The hyper consumerism, the advertisements everywhere, and the military. It’s probably due to Korea’s history with Japan and the Korean War, because I don’t think there’s any country in Southeast Asia with as much American influence. When I go to Thailand, for example, I’m surrounded by strong local history dating back hundreds of years. In Korea, there are references to the Joseon dynasty everywhere, but I feel like a lot of it is manufactured. I think there were a lot of gaps in Korean culture after the Japanese occupation and the Korean War that American culture came to fill up.
Is there something about Korean culture that you find unique after travelling so much?
The floor heating, ondol (laughs). It’s so fascinating to see how technology adapts to the culture in every country. In the States, there’s central heating. Finland has saunas in every house. And in Korea, we have floor heating. We could probably figure out how to install central heating everywhere, but we just don’t do it. It’s so confusing to people, and I think foreigners really struggle with the concept of it, especially the command panel (laughs).
How does traveling make you feel?
Free. Anywhere you are in the world, you are restricted by the circumstances of where you are: laws, environment, people, opportunities, etc. In Korea, I can do certain things; in Thailand, I can do other things. Freedom is the idea that you can do what you want, when you want to do it. By traveling, I can experience different things. I’m always free to go somewhere where I can do what I want to do.
Bum’s recommendations
🌊 Somewhere to swim
Hwanguji Haean (황우지해안), south of Jeju island, is a natural pool that looks like a pool. Because of the cliff's natural wall, there are no waves at all where the ocean comes in - I don’t know, I think it’s so beautiful. You sit at the edge of the pool or climb on the cliff and dive in.
📖 Something to read
Other people have said things about The Vegetarian by Han Kang way better than I could ever do it. I mean, Nobel prize! Like everyone else, I like that it’s a commentary on Korean culture and being a woman in this society… But I think what resonated the most with me is the way the book is written. You never see things through the protagonist's perspective. The whole story is told through how other people perceive her. It’s so Korean, in a way. I think in Korea, people define their self-worth, the validation of their existence, according to how others define them.
🇲🇾 Somewhere to eat
Haru is a Korean restaurant in Malaysia. Alright, that’s a bit of a weird one, but it’s actually the best Korean restaurant I’ve ever gone to. The flavor is so deep. I don’t care that much about Kimchi jeon (pancakes), for example, since my grandma makes the best kimchi pancakes that I know of. But this Malaysian lady did it better, and she did it vegan!
Chase your freedom between beaches and volcanoes on Jeju Island with us from October 30 to November 3.
Remote Work: Chasing Freedom, with Bum
Nowhere is perfect, but what if you can travel everywhere? You could taste all the little bits of perfection countries have to offer. For Bum, that’s freedom. Being able to go where you can do what you want to do.
Bum’s a bit of an outlier in our community, because he isn’t often found in Korea. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t know the country. Born in Korea, he grew up in the States before he came back… and left again to chase the digital nomad lifestyle.
But let’s be honest, you’ll have greater chances of meeting him in Chiang Mai than in Seoul. You might spot his square frame swinging in a Latin dance club, find him on the back of a motorcycle, or see his face split in a shit-eating grin when surrounded by animals.
A lover of kizomba, nature, and freedom, his story is about realising the world is a big, big place worth being curious about.
Did you always want to travel?
I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I was born here, in Korea, and grew up in the States. I moved back and forth between the two all my life, stuck in a very restricted perspective. I saw the world as only Korea and the US. I thought, “Why would you ever want to go to Europe?”. I didn’t even think of travelling.
At all?
To give you an idea, I came back to Korea because of the Army in 2009. Then, my passport expired, and I didn’t try getting a new one until 2017. I didn’t even understand the idea of travelling. I don’t think it was because I loved being where I was. It was because I thought, “that’s all there is”.
So how did you become a nomad? That seemed like an unlikely choice at this point (laughs).
Around 2016, I quit my job, and I broke up with my girlfriend. Classic story (laughs). By chance, I started hanging out at the Global Startup Center with travelers and expats who came to Korea to start businesses. I met these French guys who were planning to go to Hong Kong, and they asked me if I wanted to go with them. I was like “Eh, I don’t have a passport, but yeah, ok”. I thought - why not? Might as well, since I don’t have a job or a girlfriend. I got a new passport and I went for four days. I loved it.
Passion for travelling, acquired.
I’m so, so grateful to those two guys for pushing me to go with them. Next, I got a part-time job and started travelling abroad. I met backpackers, mostly. I started reconnecting with a part of me I had lost since I was a kid, especially when it comes to nature. Going to Laos and seeing Elephants for the first time - I was like “Woow, I have been missing out on so much stuff…”. And snorkeling! That’s when I started thinking of how to go remote. I had met some people doing this, and I was inspired. I slowly started transitioning to a translator career (Korean-English), then I went full remote in 2020, during Covid. I decided, “I’ll just do this now”.
What’s your favorite part of travelling?
Nature is a big aspect of it for me. Having new experiences. Meeting all kinds of people. Through travelling in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, I finally started connecting with Europeans - I had never met any before that. It challenged my worldview.
In which ways?
In America, I was taught that the United States is a melting pot because there are many ethnic groups and different languages in the same country. I was taught that communism is the great evil. But then I went to Vietnam, a communist country where there are more than 50 ethnic groups who all have their unique language, and people just live their life and they’re fine (laughs). Muslim culture, Hindu culture... The world is so big and complex, but it comes down to it, we’re just all human beings everywhere. I know it sounds cliché, but experiencing this simple truth for myself daily added a lot to my perception of the world. It still does.
What else did you discover while nomading?
I learned new languages, snorkelling, driving a motorbike, dancing... Before travelling, my hobbies were going to the gym, reading, watching movies, and writing. That was pretty much it. But personally, I don’t call myself a digital nomad. I don’t really hang out with the nomad communities wherever I am. The only thing we have in common is that we work remotely. It’s so broad (laughs).
Well, you do hang out with nomads in Korea (laughs).
True (laughs). I heard of Digital Nomads Korea through Anh Tuan and Erika, and went with them to the Dinner and Drinks meetups. Then I joined hikes, chill afternoon hangouts, etc. I mean, I’m being all cynical and all by saying the only common thing nomads have is to be nomads, but there’s also a certain personality type that goes with the lifestyle. I do think there’s a greater chance of becoming friends with a nomad than with someone who’s never travelled. And then, what’s cool is you start a friendship and you get to continue building it abroad.
What do you mean?
Usually, if you leave the area where you meet a local community, you’re out. With a nomad community, when you say goodbye and tell each other “let’s see each other again”, you actually mean it - even if that’s in Indonesia or Brazil.
Actually, you’ve met members of the community in Thailand, and other members of the community have met again in Taiwan, Japan, Hungary…
That and I think as a local, meeting foreigners can give you a different perspective on Korea itself. I don’t explore my own country that much. It’s so easy to get stuck in my own routine. I learn so many things about Korea from foreigners (laughs). It makes sense: I’ve probably seen more of Vietnam than most Vietnamese people, but it took me years to visit Jeju Island!
Do you ever meet other Korean digital nomads?
Maybe one time? (Laughs.) Although I’ve met a lot of Koreans aspiring to be nomads during Digital Nomads Korea meetups. They often have a romantic idea of it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, meeting someone who can explain to you how to proceed, who can give you a push, is all you need to get started. You can learn the reality while experiencing it for yourself - and then decide if that’s something you want to pursue. But I don’t think it’s by chance that most nomads are European. I think that’s because of the work-life balance. Europe has figured it out much better than us.
If you don’t hang out with nomads, how do you make friends abroad?
Dancing. My other friends are even friends-of-dance-friends (laughs). I also go to hostels when I search for a place to meet some people right away.
Where’s your favorite destination?
I have different favorites for travelling and living. Chiang Mai is my favorite place to stay. It has the perfect mix of everything. It’s big enough that it has a lot of life and culture, but it’s not so big that I get drowned in the noise. I can drive my bike for 20 minutes, and I’m in the jungle. It also attracts a certain type of people I get along well with, compared with other big nomad hubs in Southeast Asia like Bangkok, Phuket, and Bali. I also love Da Nang in Vietnam - you can be a nomad there on easy-mode -, and Laos as a whole. It’s one of my favorite countries.
What’s the worst place you’ve gone to?
Dubai (laughs). But, you know, every place ultimately added to my experience, even Dubai. I got to see what happens when consumerism and capitalism go completely unchecked. I hated it, but I’m glad I had the experience.
Do you think it’s easy to travel as a Korean?
Having a Korean passport has been a blessing, especially in Southeast Asia. You get to go to so many places visa-free for so long. Laos or Thailand, especially, you get for free. And it seems like nobody hates Koreans like they hate the Chinese or Americans (laughs). We’re a culture that has a good reputation! (Laughs.)
Talking of the US, what’s the biggest difference between the US and Korea for you?
I grew up in Delaware, and there’s such a huge difference between Delaware and Korea. The culture, the education, and also the nature. In Delaware, next to our apartment complex, there was a forest with wild rabbits, squirrels, a stream with frogs, fish, and fireflies in the Summer. We’d go crab fishing with my dad. As a kid, when we went to Korea, I thought that going into a forest would be the same. But there were no frogs, no fish, nothing, especially back then.
What about the similarities?
I find there’s a lot of America in Korea. The hyper consumerism, the advertisements everywhere, and the military. It’s probably due to Korea’s history with Japan and the Korean War, because I don’t think there’s any country in Southeast Asia with as much American influence. When I go to Thailand, for example, I’m surrounded by strong local history dating back hundreds of years. In Korea, there are references to the Joseon dynasty everywhere, but I feel like a lot of it is manufactured. I think there were a lot of gaps in Korean culture after the Japanese occupation and the Korean War that American culture came to fill up.
Is there something about Korean culture that you find unique after travelling so much?
The floor heating, ondol (laughs). It’s so fascinating to see how technology adapts to the culture in every country. In the States, there’s central heating. Finland has saunas in every house. And in Korea, we have floor heating. We could probably figure out how to install central heating everywhere, but we just don’t do it. It’s so confusing to people, and I think foreigners really struggle with the concept of it, especially the command panel (laughs).
How does traveling make you feel?
Free. Anywhere you are in the world, you are restricted by the circumstances of where you are: laws, environment, people, opportunities, etc. In Korea, I can do certain things; in Thailand, I can do other things. Freedom is the idea that you can do what you want, when you want to do it. By traveling, I can experience different things. I’m always free to go somewhere where I can do what I want to do.
Bum’s recommendations
🌊 Somewhere to swim
Hwanguji Haean (황우지해안), south of Jeju island, is a natural pool that looks like a pool. Because of the cliff's natural wall, there are no waves at all where the ocean comes in - I don’t know, I think it’s so beautiful. You sit at the edge of the pool or climb on the cliff and dive in.
📖 Something to read
Other people have said things about The Vegetarian by Han Kang way better than I could ever do it. I mean, Nobel prize! Like everyone else, I like that it’s a commentary on Korean culture and being a woman in this society… But I think what resonated the most with me is the way the book is written. You never see things through the protagonist's perspective. The whole story is told through how other people perceive her. It’s so Korean, in a way. I think in Korea, people define their self-worth, the validation of their existence, according to how others define them.
🇲🇾 Somewhere to eat
Haru is a Korean restaurant in Malaysia. Alright, that’s a bit of a weird one, but it’s actually the best Korean restaurant I’ve ever gone to. The flavor is so deep. I don’t care that much about Kimchi jeon (pancakes), for example, since my grandma makes the best kimchi pancakes that I know of. But this Malaysian lady did it better, and she did it vegan!
Chase your freedom between beaches and volcanoes on Jeju Island with us from October 30 to November 3.
Remote Work: Chasing Freedom, with Bum
Nowhere is perfect, but what if you can travel everywhere? You could taste all the little bits of perfection countries have to offer. For Bum, that’s freedom. Being able to go where you can do what you want to do.
Bum’s a bit of an outlier in our community, because he isn’t often found in Korea. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t know the country. Born in Korea, he grew up in the States before he came back… and left again to chase the digital nomad lifestyle.
But let’s be honest, you’ll have greater chances of meeting him in Chiang Mai than in Seoul. You might spot his square frame swinging in a Latin dance club, find him on the back of a motorcycle, or see his face split in a shit-eating grin when surrounded by animals.
A lover of kizomba, nature, and freedom, his story is about realising the world is a big, big place worth being curious about.
Did you always want to travel?
I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I was born here, in Korea, and grew up in the States. I moved back and forth between the two all my life, stuck in a very restricted perspective. I saw the world as only Korea and the US. I thought, “Why would you ever want to go to Europe?”. I didn’t even think of travelling.
At all?
To give you an idea, I came back to Korea because of the Army in 2009. Then, my passport expired, and I didn’t try getting a new one until 2017. I didn’t even understand the idea of travelling. I don’t think it was because I loved being where I was. It was because I thought, “that’s all there is”.
So how did you become a nomad? That seemed like an unlikely choice at this point (laughs).
Around 2016, I quit my job, and I broke up with my girlfriend. Classic story (laughs). By chance, I started hanging out at the Global Startup Center with travelers and expats who came to Korea to start businesses. I met these French guys who were planning to go to Hong Kong, and they asked me if I wanted to go with them. I was like “Eh, I don’t have a passport, but yeah, ok”. I thought - why not? Might as well, since I don’t have a job or a girlfriend. I got a new passport and I went for four days. I loved it.
Passion for travelling, acquired.
I’m so, so grateful to those two guys for pushing me to go with them. Next, I got a part-time job and started travelling abroad. I met backpackers, mostly. I started reconnecting with a part of me I had lost since I was a kid, especially when it comes to nature. Going to Laos and seeing Elephants for the first time - I was like “Woow, I have been missing out on so much stuff…”. And snorkeling! That’s when I started thinking of how to go remote. I had met some people doing this, and I was inspired. I slowly started transitioning to a translator career (Korean-English), then I went full remote in 2020, during Covid. I decided, “I’ll just do this now”.
What’s your favorite part of travelling?
Nature is a big aspect of it for me. Having new experiences. Meeting all kinds of people. Through travelling in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, I finally started connecting with Europeans - I had never met any before that. It challenged my worldview.
In which ways?
In America, I was taught that the United States is a melting pot because there are many ethnic groups and different languages in the same country. I was taught that communism is the great evil. But then I went to Vietnam, a communist country where there are more than 50 ethnic groups who all have their unique language, and people just live their life and they’re fine (laughs). Muslim culture, Hindu culture... The world is so big and complex, but it comes down to it, we’re just all human beings everywhere. I know it sounds cliché, but experiencing this simple truth for myself daily added a lot to my perception of the world. It still does.
What else did you discover while nomading?
I learned new languages, snorkelling, driving a motorbike, dancing... Before travelling, my hobbies were going to the gym, reading, watching movies, and writing. That was pretty much it. But personally, I don’t call myself a digital nomad. I don’t really hang out with the nomad communities wherever I am. The only thing we have in common is that we work remotely. It’s so broad (laughs).
Well, you do hang out with nomads in Korea (laughs).
True (laughs). I heard of Digital Nomads Korea through Anh Tuan and Erika, and went with them to the Dinner and Drinks meetups. Then I joined hikes, chill afternoon hangouts, etc. I mean, I’m being all cynical and all by saying the only common thing nomads have is to be nomads, but there’s also a certain personality type that goes with the lifestyle. I do think there’s a greater chance of becoming friends with a nomad than with someone who’s never travelled. And then, what’s cool is you start a friendship and you get to continue building it abroad.
What do you mean?
Usually, if you leave the area where you meet a local community, you’re out. With a nomad community, when you say goodbye and tell each other “let’s see each other again”, you actually mean it - even if that’s in Indonesia or Brazil.
Actually, you’ve met members of the community in Thailand, and other members of the community have met again in Taiwan, Japan, Hungary…
That and I think as a local, meeting foreigners can give you a different perspective on Korea itself. I don’t explore my own country that much. It’s so easy to get stuck in my own routine. I learn so many things about Korea from foreigners (laughs). It makes sense: I’ve probably seen more of Vietnam than most Vietnamese people, but it took me years to visit Jeju Island!
Do you ever meet other Korean digital nomads?
Maybe one time? (Laughs.) Although I’ve met a lot of Koreans aspiring to be nomads during Digital Nomads Korea meetups. They often have a romantic idea of it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, meeting someone who can explain to you how to proceed, who can give you a push, is all you need to get started. You can learn the reality while experiencing it for yourself - and then decide if that’s something you want to pursue. But I don’t think it’s by chance that most nomads are European. I think that’s because of the work-life balance. Europe has figured it out much better than us.
If you don’t hang out with nomads, how do you make friends abroad?
Dancing. My other friends are even friends-of-dance-friends (laughs). I also go to hostels when I search for a place to meet some people right away.
Where’s your favorite destination?
I have different favorites for travelling and living. Chiang Mai is my favorite place to stay. It has the perfect mix of everything. It’s big enough that it has a lot of life and culture, but it’s not so big that I get drowned in the noise. I can drive my bike for 20 minutes, and I’m in the jungle. It also attracts a certain type of people I get along well with, compared with other big nomad hubs in Southeast Asia like Bangkok, Phuket, and Bali. I also love Da Nang in Vietnam - you can be a nomad there on easy-mode -, and Laos as a whole. It’s one of my favorite countries.
What’s the worst place you’ve gone to?
Dubai (laughs). But, you know, every place ultimately added to my experience, even Dubai. I got to see what happens when consumerism and capitalism go completely unchecked. I hated it, but I’m glad I had the experience.
Do you think it’s easy to travel as a Korean?
Having a Korean passport has been a blessing, especially in Southeast Asia. You get to go to so many places visa-free for so long. Laos or Thailand, especially, you get for free. And it seems like nobody hates Koreans like they hate the Chinese or Americans (laughs). We’re a culture that has a good reputation! (Laughs.)
Talking of the US, what’s the biggest difference between the US and Korea for you?
I grew up in Delaware, and there’s such a huge difference between Delaware and Korea. The culture, the education, and also the nature. In Delaware, next to our apartment complex, there was a forest with wild rabbits, squirrels, a stream with frogs, fish, and fireflies in the Summer. We’d go crab fishing with my dad. As a kid, when we went to Korea, I thought that going into a forest would be the same. But there were no frogs, no fish, nothing, especially back then.
What about the similarities?
I find there’s a lot of America in Korea. The hyper consumerism, the advertisements everywhere, and the military. It’s probably due to Korea’s history with Japan and the Korean War, because I don’t think there’s any country in Southeast Asia with as much American influence. When I go to Thailand, for example, I’m surrounded by strong local history dating back hundreds of years. In Korea, there are references to the Joseon dynasty everywhere, but I feel like a lot of it is manufactured. I think there were a lot of gaps in Korean culture after the Japanese occupation and the Korean War that American culture came to fill up.
Is there something about Korean culture that you find unique after travelling so much?
The floor heating, ondol (laughs). It’s so fascinating to see how technology adapts to the culture in every country. In the States, there’s central heating. Finland has saunas in every house. And in Korea, we have floor heating. We could probably figure out how to install central heating everywhere, but we just don’t do it. It’s so confusing to people, and I think foreigners really struggle with the concept of it, especially the command panel (laughs).
How does traveling make you feel?
Free. Anywhere you are in the world, you are restricted by the circumstances of where you are: laws, environment, people, opportunities, etc. In Korea, I can do certain things; in Thailand, I can do other things. Freedom is the idea that you can do what you want, when you want to do it. By traveling, I can experience different things. I’m always free to go somewhere where I can do what I want to do.
Bum’s recommendations
🌊 Somewhere to swim
Hwanguji Haean (황우지해안), south of Jeju island, is a natural pool that looks like a pool. Because of the cliff's natural wall, there are no waves at all where the ocean comes in - I don’t know, I think it’s so beautiful. You sit at the edge of the pool or climb on the cliff and dive in.
📖 Something to read
Other people have said things about The Vegetarian by Han Kang way better than I could ever do it. I mean, Nobel prize! Like everyone else, I like that it’s a commentary on Korean culture and being a woman in this society… But I think what resonated the most with me is the way the book is written. You never see things through the protagonist's perspective. The whole story is told through how other people perceive her. It’s so Korean, in a way. I think in Korea, people define their self-worth, the validation of their existence, according to how others define them.
🇲🇾 Somewhere to eat
Haru is a Korean restaurant in Malaysia. Alright, that’s a bit of a weird one, but it’s actually the best Korean restaurant I’ve ever gone to. The flavor is so deep. I don’t care that much about Kimchi jeon (pancakes), for example, since my grandma makes the best kimchi pancakes that I know of. But this Malaysian lady did it better, and she did it vegan!
Chase your freedom between beaches and volcanoes on Jeju Island with us from October 30 to November 3.
