KOREA FOUNDATION

“Over hundreds of sleepless nights in Seoul before leaving for Porto, I conjured up visions of being there. How wonderful would it be to live in a European city. I would take a walk along the Douro River in the morning and have a cup of espresso at a little café. On my way home every day, I would buy a bouquet of flowers. Things in my imagination were so romantic. Yes, I was dreaming of romance as a traveler of Europe. Indulging in trivial, impractical, and useless things day after day. Being thoroughly carried away romantically, never trying to figure out which subway station to use to save the most time.”

—Passage from the book

This quotation is why I read and recommend this book. What would happen if a drop of romanticism fell into someone’s boring daily routine? This book is about the daily lives of two editors who left for Porto and live there. Their paths are far from leisurely travel. Only the location of their work has changed, from Seoul to Porto, and that differentiates the book from ordinary travel essays. At a time when many long to leave but cannot, I recommend this book to those wishing to experience the romantic city of Porto, even just for a moment.