Korea, as told by a Korean
I grew up with these stories — the history, the myths, the places most people never find. This is my way of sharing them
What I Write About
History, myths, language, and the places in between. Told by someone who actually grew up in Korea
There’s a side of Korea that doesn’t make it into guidebooks. That’s what this is about
Manpasikjeok: The Korean Flute That Silenced Ten Thousand Waves
Here’s an embarrassing confession to open with. I’ve been to Gyeongju — the ancient capital city in southeastern Korea that every Korean visits on a school trip. I saw the famous temple, the famous grotto, the famous royal tombs shaped like grassy hills. And I completely missed the setting of one of the strangest, loveliest…
Imugi: The Korean Serpent That Almost Became a Dragon
Every mythology has its dragons. Korea has something better: the dragon that didn’t make it. I first met the imugi in a children’s picture book, the way most Koreans do. I must have been six or seven. And I remember, even then, feeling that the ending was somehow unfair — that this creature had been…
Chilseong: The Korean Seven Stars God You’ve Walked Right Past
If you’ve ever visited a Buddhist temple in Korea, I can almost guarantee you walked past him. Behind the grand main hall — the one with the golden Buddhas and the tour groups — there’s usually a much smaller building up a short flight of stone steps. Most visitors never go up. If they do,…
See what catches your eye
Begin with what draws you in: a forgotten story, a local saying, a hidden place, or a piece of Korean history.
