Meet Mel, an Austrian traveler in Korea, passionate about Korean food, culture, and language. Living in Seoul with her boyfriend, she explores the city’s vibrant life daily. Mel aims to master Korean, experience every moment fully, and dreams of sharing Korea’s beauty with her future family.
Interview
- WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
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Austria
- WHAT DO YOU DO IN KOREA?
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I am a visitor and traveler in Korea. But my main reason for coming here is to meet my friend again. And I mainly came here for the language because I want to improve my Korean.
- WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN KOREA?
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I am very enthusiastic about the Korean food as well as the culture and language. I just love seeing the people and beautiful places and of course exploring new places. I am extremely interested in the city and what it has to offer.
- WHY DO YOU CHOOSE TO STAY IN THIS CITY?
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At the moment me and my boyfriend live in Seoul. For me, Seoul is simply the city that has so much to offer. Whether it’s day or night, it’s alive 24/7 and you can just go out and have fun all time lonf. We’ve also been to Busan. I really liked Busan because the vibe is completely different from Seoul. Nevertheless, I think I fit in better in Seoul because it’s just incredibly beautiful and matches my vibe.
- WHERE IS YOUR LOCAL RECOMMENDATION IN THIS CITY?
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I think that places like Yeonnam-dong, seongsu and singildong are beautiful. The best restaurants and cafes in my opinion are in Yeonnamdong. I didn’t know this place at first but when my boyfriend told me about it, I fell in love with all the aesthetic cafes. My best recommendation for cafes are: their coffee, 차니베어스테이션, Layered Yeonnam. In singildong I loved the local restaurants, the food just tastes 100 times more authentic. I think real Korean food like samgyetang, kimchi jiggae, sundaeguk, jangeo tastes so much better anyway! 🙂
- WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST WHILE STAYING ABROAD?
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I enjoy my life here to the fullest. I don’t want to waste a day here, so that’s why I go out every day and see everything about korea. Also I love to see and be with my boyfriend. Time is such a precious thing and since I am in Korea, I want to make the most of it.
- WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE BEING IN KOREA?
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As I haven’t had any bad experiences yet, I think the biggest challenge for me here is being on my own. Since I’m with my boyfriend 24/7, I can just turn my head off and let him find the nearest supermarket or subway station. But when I imagine being all alone in Korea, I think that would be the biggest challenge for me. In general, living alone is a very difficult and challenging step because you have to be confident, mature and ready to be alone. I really admire everyone who lives here without worries.
- WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KOREA AND YOUR COUNTRY?
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I think Koreans are very friendly and welcoming. When I’m in Austria, I always get stared at. I don’t want to say that every Austrian is rude, but people who come from Europe know exactly what I’m talking about.😂 Additionally, the difference with my country is that Korea is just so far ahead in technology and transportation. I admire how quickly and easily things work here and that everything and everyone is on time.
- DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS?
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Before I visited Korea, I always dreamed of living here because it is the country of my dreams! From today’s perspective, I think Korea offers so many good options and great opportunities. But since I have lived here for a while, I can say that Korea is the best country for younger people, especially if you are in your 20s. You can go partying, pc bang, karaoka bar, pochas, etc. The younger generations will definitely have the time of their lives here. For me, I can imagine living here for a few years. I wouldn’t think I’d want to live here permanently in the future because Seoul is a city that never sleeps. 🙂 But I think it’s great for traveling and exploring a new country.
- WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?
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My dream is to speak Korean fluently one day. I really want to communicate better with Koreans and connect with them. I also want to speak to my boyfriend’s parents in Korean without needing my boyfriend as a translator.😂 But most of all, I want to come back in the future. So when I’m older and have my own family, I want to show my kids how beautiful Korea is. I hope all my dreams come true and I am blessed for how far I have come.
- MESSAGE TO OUR FRIENDS WHO WILL GO TO KOREA.
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Everyone who wants to visit Korea should plan their trip well. Once you’re here, make the most of the time you have and make every day memorable. I, for example, wrote down all the sights and places I wanted to see in a planner. And the most important thing: don’t come with a full suitcase! You’ll be buying a lot of things here. Make sure you only pack your luggage half full. Trust me, you’ll thank me later 🙂
- HOW DO YOU LEARN KOREAN?
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I started learning Korean before I came to Korea, but I’m still not a pro. I am learning with Korean learning books like “Talk to me in Korean” and online materials. I actually teach myself Korean, but I am also using my boyfriend as my teacher. Because of our long-distance relationship, it’s hard to study together, but I practice a lot by speaking or texting in Korean. Now that I’m in Korea, I want to improve my language skills, but I’m still shy when it comes to speaking the language with native Korean speakers. 화이팅!!!
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