Week 11: A Full-Circle Moment

For those of you following along—sorry this post is a little late!

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in a Starbucks in Seoul on my very last day in Korea. I’ll be heading to the airport in just a couple of hours. My next blog post will come from the U.S., and while that’ll be a great time to reflect on the full experience, this week deserves its own moment.

With only two weeks left, I had this sudden feeling of, "Wait… have I done everything I wanted to do in Korea?" And honestly, the answer was mostly yes.

But there was one thing I hadn’t done yet—and it felt important.

🛤 A Day Trip to Daegu: Back to Where It All Began

On Sunday morning, I woke up and made a spontaneous decision:I booked KTX high-speed train tickets for a day trip to Daegu, the city I was born in.

No plans. No itinerary. Just a desire to be present in the place where my life began.

I made my way to Seoul Station, the main transportation hub in the heart of the city. Think of it like Korea’s version of Grand Central—trains, subways, buses, shops, and a steady flow of people all day long.

The KTX ride to Daegu takes about 2 hours, and before I knew it, I was stepping off the train into the warm, humid air of my hometown.

Seoul vs. Daegu

Seoul is sleek, vertical, and always moving—think towering skyscrapers, late-night cafés, and nonstop subway announcements. Daegu, on the other hand, has a more relaxed pace. It’s smaller, warmer (literally—it's in a valley and tends to trap heat), and feels a little more grounded.

It was hot and humid when I visited. Like step-outside-and-start-sweating humid. But it felt good—like home in its own unique way.

With only a few hours to spend, I decided to visit Seomun Market, one of the oldest and most famous traditional markets in Korea.

🥢 Seomun Market

Seomun is a maze of food stalls, fabric vendors, street snacks, and old-school charm. Unlike Seoul’s more polished markets, Seomun feels authentic and gritty, packed with locals and full of delicious smells.

I grabbed a hotteok (sweet pancake with brown sugar filling) and of course… kalguksu (hand-cut noodle soup). Even though it’s the same dish I’ve had in Seoul, the flavors were different—deeper, spicier, more homemade. That’s one of the coolest things about Korea: regional flavors bring familiar dishes to life in totally different ways.

I also wandered around Daegu Station, popped into a shopping mall (no, I didn’t buy anything 😄), and just let myself be.

It’s hard to explain the feeling of being in the city where you were born. It’s quiet, emotional, grounding. I’m really glad I went.

🏫 Language School Comes to an End

This week, school started to wind down. It’s been one heck of a ride.

My Korean friends were right—I can read things easily now, but I still don’t know what half of the words mean 😂

Still, I’m walking away from this experience having learned:

• How to introduce myself

• Say where I’m from

• Use number systems, dates, times

• And build a useful everyday vocabulary

Most importantly, I’ve learned what it feels like to be in a learning environment where you know nothing—and how rewarding it is to slowly, steadily make progress.

Being a student again reminded me that it’s okay not to have all the answers right away. You just have to show up, be curious, and keep trying.

🛍 Myeongdong (Again)

I know I’ve teased Myeongdong in past blog posts for being too touristy… but yep, I went back this week 😅

My family had sent me with a list of skincare products to buy, and Myeongdong is still the best place to grab them all in one shot.

Even though it was busy and chaotic, I actually found myself enjoying it this time. There’s this vibrant, electric energy from tourists discovering Korea for the first time—and it was kind of beautiful to be around that again, knowing I once felt the same way.

🥂 Friday Night Drinks with Terry

On Friday night, I met up with my friend Terry for drinks to celebrate his birthday weekend.

Terry and I share the same hometown in Korea: Daegu. It’s pretty wild to be halfway across the world and meet someone who comes from the same exact place as you.

We talked a lot about Daegu—how hot and humid it always is, how different the vibe feels from Seoul, and how we definitely need to go back together next time I’m in Korea.

It was one of those simple, unplanned nights that turned into something memorable—good conversation, lots of laughs, and a perfect way to wrap up my final Friday night in Korea.

👯‍♂️ Jacob & Jisoo

One of the absolute highlights of the week was spending time with my friends Jacob and Jisoo.

I’ve been lucky to see Jacob a few times during this trip, but this was the first time all three of us hung out together.

We started the day with a photo booth session—which, by the way, Jacob and Jisoo are experts at. I was just trying to keep up 😂

We grabbed lunch, took a walk through the city, and ended the afternoon with coffee and conversation. It was such a good time—just easy, meaningful connection.

Also—huge shoutout to Jacob. He recently came back from a work trip to Malaysia and brought me snacks and coffee. Legend. 🙌

🏋️ Training with Bin

And of course… what’s a week in Korea without a few workouts with my best bro, Bin?

Even as I’ve been preparing to leave, Bin has been a constant source of motivation and encouragement.

Every session is more than just a workout. We swap language tips (he practices English, I practice Korean), joke around, and push each other to be better. He’s truly become one of my closest friends here—someone I’ll 100% stay in touch with long after I leave.

We’ve trained together three times a week for the last few months, and I honestly can’t imagine this trip without him being a part of it.

☕ Coffee Catch-Up with Jae Yoon

This week I also had a chance to grab coffee with my friend Jae Yoon, who works at Gym Kitchen, the spot I eat at pretty much every day after workouts—usually the steak, rice, and veggies combo (you can’t go wrong with it).

Over the past couple of months, we’ve gotten to know each other really well. Jae Yoon has such a cool story: he’s currently prepping for a bodybuilding competition while also double majoring in computer science and social welfare. Talk about driven.

He’s become one of my good friends in Korea, and it’s been awesome to hear more about his goals and what motivates him—both inside and outside the gym.

Grabbing coffee together felt like a great way to reflect on how fitness, food, and friendship have all come together during this time in Seoul.

Next Stop: Home

As I finish this post, I’m about to head to the airport.

My next blog post will be written from the U.S., covering my very last week in Korea—the final hangouts, last-day feelings, and those bittersweet goodbyes.

After that, I’ll write one final post to reflect on the entire journey: what I’ve learned, what I’ll carry with me, and what this experience truly meant.

But for now… I’m just feeling thankful.

Thanks for following along—see you in the next one!