Jeju Island - June 15 - 18, 2024

Jeju Island wasn’t just another stop on the itinerary. It was a world of its own. A place where Korea felt different. A place where the air smelled of salt and hallabong, where the land held stories older than memory, where the ocean dictated the rhythm of life.

Yes, Jeju is a vacation spot, the kind of place honeymooners escape to and city dwellers dream about when they need a break from the neon sprawl of Seoul. But for us, this was more than just a getaway. This was a chance to learn about a side of Korean culture that most outsiders never see. Here, the land and the people tell a different story. One of survival, resilience, and traditions that have endured for centuries. We explored, we listened, we dove headfirst into Jeju’s intangible heritage—alive, untamed, and woven into everyday life.

And somewhere in the midst of it all—between the crashing waves, the ancient volcanic landscapes, and the wisdom passed down through generations—we found something deeper than we ever expected.

A piece of what we were looking for on this journey.