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
Dapjeongneo: The Korean Word for a Question That Was Never Really a Question
Let me reenact dapjeongneo — the conversation that happens somewhere in Korea approximately four million times a day. Me: “What do you want to eat?” My friend: “Anything’s fine.” Me: “Pork belly BBQ?” Friend: “Mmm… feels a little heavy today.” Me: “Galbi?” (marinated ribs — trust me, nobody turns down galbi) Friend: “Had that yesterday,…
The Korean Sun and Moon Myth: A Tiger, Some Rice Cakes, and a Rope from Heaven
Every country has that one story. The one every single person grew up on, the one you absorb before you can even read. Americans have Little Red Riding Hood. Koreans have the Korean sun and moon myth — the tale of a hungry tiger, two kids up a tree, and a rope dropping out of…
Chuseok: What Korean Thanksgiving Is Really Like
Every Chuseok, my family drives to my grandma’s house. Which sounds completely normal — until you know that in Korea, that’s not where you’re supposed to go. Korean holidays traditionally run through the father’s side of the family. That’s where the big gathering happens, that’s whose ancestors get honored first. But my father’s side passed…
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.
