Focus On…Paradise in Jeju

Jeju is the largest island off the coast of mainland Korea. Coming to Korea, the most talked about places to visit were Busan and then Jeju. Sorry Mokpo, people don’t give you enough credit. Leaving Seoul on a plane again, served as a stark reminder that the next time I board a flight leaving Seoul, it’ll be a plane bound for a place I call home. 

Arriving in Jeju felt like a TV special where the “ragtag group of kids” starts their vacation episode. This was the long awaited adventure we’d been longing for throughout the semester. We rode the bus to our hostel and I could feel it.

Paradise had been found but not without its glimpses into what lies beneath the surface of our world facing exteriors.  

Vacations can offer a reprieve, a break or escape from the trials and tribulations we face in our daily life. It was constantly emphasized how important this trip was for us because it would be our last big trip during our time studying abroad together. On our first full day, we journeyed to a nearby beach. When I say nearby, I mean about a 45 minute walk. We wanted to maximize the day regardless of the availability of transportation. Buses and Taxis are available but between the irregular bus schedules and the cost of large taxis, you can’t go wrong with walking. 

With the sun on our side, We were eager to dive into the waters of Jeju. Perhaps we were in search of the elusive “paradise of Jeju” we had heard so much about prior to our arrival. The sand burned like hell. It was as if every grain of sand had been especially heated just for us. Walking paces quickly shifted to sprints. Anything to diminish the feeling of scorching beach sand. Beach day wasn’t complete without the “Oceanic Games”. Each district selects a member to be sacra… I mean to compete in the hopes of great honor and glory. 

Seeking to reward our day's efforts, we went to have some Yemini cuisine. Fun fact, did you know that South Korea has supported refugees in settling in Jeju.

Now that we had our “mystery machine” we could easily access more remote parts of Jeju. Nobody else called our van that but I’ll stand by the name.

Our next adventure was off the north east coast of Jeju. Accessed by a short 10 minute ferry ride we arrived in Udo Island. We spent the day riding around and exploring every inch of the island available to us. From scenic cliff structures to caves filled with sea roaches or the scientific name, “sea slaters”. Udo spoiled us with so many sites and all within a short bike ride apart from each other.

Chasing waterfalls is a great car ride song but became so much more when visiting Cheonjiyeon WaterFalls. That day it was pouring rain but we drove there regardless. Our downpour showed no sign of stopping so we donned our rain gear and proceeded further. Some people purchased bright,yellow ponchos that made them extremely hard to miss.

Following our hike to the waterfall, we thought it’d be a good idea to hit a jjimjilbang, that's the Korean spa. We then thought it’d be cool to check out a nearby outdoor bath but let’s just say it wasn’t what we were expecting. I think we were all pleasantly surprised when the waves started crashing near us, drenching us more than the rain.

Eventually, we reached the real jjimjilbang and it was… awkward for me at first. Could you imagine being naked and wet in a foreign land? Well, I guess this environment was made for it, but still I just couldn’t get out of my head. I thought, I’ll just go in with my boxers. It wasn’t until I spoke to my Korean friend and was reminded that the only thing holding me back was me. I stumbled through the locker room and got undressed. With a small towel providing me with the bare minimum of privacy I emerged from the locker room and began my spa experience. From the hot bath to the ice cold pool to the sauna it was rejuvenating. To think I almost cheated myself from having an authentic experience because of my own insecurities.

Rejuvenated from our spa day, we decided to check out another cliff structure and then head out for dinner. We had dakgalbi(stir-fried chicken) and then a bean-paste dessert at a local market.

While part of the group hiked, I opted for a more chill day at the beach. I was interested in kayaking but sadly there weren’t any available.

One of my boys is a “surfer dude”, so I thought why not go surfing. We rented our boards and paddled out. The board rental shop gave us a crash course and then we received another review session from our resident surfer bro. After about 2 and half hours I could just barely stand on the board for a few seconds. Surfing is a lot harder than it looks. Timing and balance play a big role in riding the waves. 

Hyeopjae beach provided us a place to decompress and just enjoy the vibes. We even got to reunite with our Mokpo friend who was in Jeju at the same time. Worlds collided in that 9 seater KIA

Dinner again proved to be something new to my taste buds. A spicy sea-food noodle was served and while I’m not the biggest sea food fan, the spicyness kept me coming back for more. Our night finished with dessert at a cafe and beachside fireworks.

On the final day of our Jeju adventure we journeyed to a lava carved tunnel and entered its dark and moist environment. I thought we’d been walking forever until we reached the finish line.

Insane to think lava ran through there at some point in history. Some of the group split up to head home but I had some energy left in me for one more activity. Seongsan mountain provided me with a mini hike that may or may not have had me out of breath but the views up top were definitely worth it. 

Our days there were long and adventurous but some of our night time convos were really insightful. We all opened up a bit more than we ever had. Much like in Busan, we were able to say things that we may not have shared before. It all started with a question about marriage and then pandoras’ box was open. From relationships over long distances to understanding what friendships look like over time,distance and space. We revealed to each what might be our own greatest weaknesses, some believe they lack efficient communication skills while others believe that they may be quick to assume stuff about people. With the majority of us entering our final year of university, we went back and forth as to what we hoped our futures look like. Will we do things we want to do? What do post grad friendships look like? Can we afford to live in the cities that our industries occur in? Most importantly, will we live our dreams and be happy? In that air-conditioned, hostel room we shared the parts of ourselves that may not always get the attention they deserve. The anxious, scared, intimidated, lovesick- the truth. 

That last night in the hostel, I sat in bed thinking about what our time in Jeju had meant to me. I came to Jeju with the idea that I’d be in paradise but paradise much like home is where you want it to be.

Rays of sunshine and torrential downpours had washed over us, we had found it. We’d found paradise. Paradise was in the sand that once burned me, it was the sea water that got splashed in my eye, it was the moment of being tackled to the sea floor. Paradise was me falling off my surf board countless times, it was the climb to the top as I struggled to catch my breath,it was being packed into a van of 10 and having my leg be used as a headrest, cooking banana chocolate pancakes, meeting a Spanish-speaking Korean at our hostel and those sacred night time conversations. Oh paradise, you were never a destination but a state of mind- a feeling. Paradise is with the people I care about… yeah It’s with the people that I’ve met here… the boys, MY boys, we bring Paradise to life. So as the veil of this paradise begins to come undone, I’ll soak it in.All of it. Soak in the laughter,walks to dinner, the elevator rides back to the room. Oh paradise… sweet, sweet paradise must we part so soon.