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
Korean Yeot: The Good-Luck Candy That’s Also an Insult
When I was a kid, I watched younger students crowd around the older ones on the morning of Korea’s big college entrance exam and press something into their hands. Not flowers. Not notes. A stick of Korean yeot — a chewy, amber-colored taffy that clings to your teeth like it has something to prove. The…
Jayuro Ghost: Korea’s Vanishing Hitchhiker on Freedom Road
If you’re ever driving north out of Seoul late at night, in thick fog, and you see a woman in sunglasses standing on the shoulder with her thumb out — keep driving. Don’t slow down. Don’t be polite. Koreans have a name for her. She’s the Jayuro Ghost, and those aren’t sunglasses. Consider this your…
North Korea Language Law: Where Talking Like a South Korean Is a Crime
In August 2024, months before most Americans had ever heard of North Korea language law, its leader stood before flood victims and gave a speech. Nothing especially unusual there. What caught people’s attention, according to residents who later spoke to Radio Free Asia, was the language he used. He opened by addressing the flood victims…
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.
