On a beautiful autumn morning in rural South Korea, the sky was a brilliant blue, the rice fields were turning golden, and our children were ready for school earlier than usual. It was the perfect day to leave the car at home. So we decided to walk to school, bringing along our Shiba Inu, Sonny. … 더 읽기
When people imagine Korea, they often picture Seoul—crowded streets, tall apartment buildings, busy subway stations, and brightly lit shopping districts. But an ordinary morning in rural Korea can look very different. One morning, I took my children to school as usual. Around our house, morning glories were blooming in many places. At the school, I … 더 읽기
Sometimes, an ordinary drive through a small Korean town reveals something unexpected. One evening, I was passing through Yeonggwang-eup in Jeollanam-do when I came across this large traditional-style gateway. At night, it is difficult to miss. The wooden structure is illuminated above the road, while cars simply drive underneath it on their way into and … 더 읽기
When people think about watching movies in Korea, they may imagine a huge multiplex in Seoul or another big city. But movie culture in Korea is not limited to large cities. Recently, I noticed this poster at Yeonggwang Small Cinema, the small local movie theater in Yeonggwang, a rural county in Jeollanam-do. It was advertising … 더 읽기
Sometimes, going out does not need to be a big event. No long drive. No fancy restaurant. No carefully planned date. Sometimes, you put the children to bed, look at your husband, and decide to go watch a movie. That is exactly what we did one evening in Yeonggwang, the rural county in South Korea … 더 읽기
This is Part 1 of a two-part story about going to the movies in rural Korea. In this post, I’ll show you what our small local cinema is actually like. When people imagine going to the movies in South Korea, they may picture a huge multiplex in Seoul, surrounded by shopping malls, restaurants, and crowds. … 더 읽기
When people imagine rural Korea, they often picture rice fields, mountains, traditional markets, and quiet villages. Those images are real. But they are only one part of life outside Korea’s big cities. Drive from a small farming village into the center of a county town, and the scenery can change quickly. There are supermarkets, restaurants, … 더 읽기
When people think of Chuseok, one of Korea’s biggest traditional holidays, they often picture families gathering together around a large table filled with holiday food. And, of course, there is songpyeon. These small half-moon-shaped rice cakes are probably one of the foods most closely associated with Chuseok. But there was no songpyeon on our table … 더 읽기
When people imagine the Korean countryside, they may picture rice fields, mountains, small villages, and narrow farm roads. But there is something else that appears almost everywhere in this landscape: utility poles. Drive through rural Korea and you will see concrete poles standing beside rice fields, following narrow roads, and continuing toward small villages in … 더 읽기
Not everything worth noticing in Korea is a famous tourist attraction. Sometimes, it is something as simple as a row of old rain boots. While walking around a rural area in Korea, I came across these boots sitting beneath a wooden structure. They were no longer being worn. Instead of being thrown away, they had … 더 읽기