KOREA FOUNDATION

Savoring Life with Jeju’s Ever-changing Sea

Since moving to Jeju Island, people often ask me what it’s like to live here. It would be too early for me to make any judgment about life here since I am still adapting to residing alone in unfamiliar surroundings. Still, I can confidently name one great thing about living in Jeju: seeing the ocean without trouble.

On weekends, when I get up late, I pack a few things and go out if I feel the urge to see the sea. Sometimes I take the bus, or I walk until the beach comes into view. The infinite blue waters clear my complicated mind. Other times, the gorgeous view brings back memories of someone, and I might make a video call then to share the beautiful scenery with them. When I want alone time, I just stay by the sea by myself.

Living on the island brings the sea into my daily life, presenting a different vista every time I gaze upon the water, influenced by the shifting weather and my current mood. The beauty of life here is savoring the ever-changing sea, and thus I often find myself in anticipation of the new faces that Jeju’s waters reveal.

Lee Jin-kyeong

Korean Studies Department

Lee Jin-kyeongJeju’s Sea