A bowl that keeps pulling me back There is a tiny noodle house tucked beside a quiet reservoir in Ulsan, and once you have tasted its spicy sujebi, you carry the memory of it around with you. The place is called Jeosuji Hyugesil — literally “the reservoir resting house” — and it has been a local legend in the Ulju area for years. What makes it unforgettable is the broth: deeply red, perfumed with sancho pepper (Korean prickly ash, a citrus-meets-spice flavour) and bangah leaves (Korean mint). Sujebi is the traditional hand-torn wheat-dough noodle floating inside, soft and pliable. The first spoonful feels a little strange. The last spoonful feels like something you want to taste again next week. ...

I spent one night at Tanibay Hotel Ulsan, the tall ocean-view tower that opened in November 2023 right across from Ilsan Beach in Dong-gu. I had been curious about it for a while, so I booked a Deluxe Double and went over to see for myself. Every single one of the 147 rooms faces the sea. That sounded like marketing copy until I checked in - the view really does follow you everywhere, from the bed to the bathtub to the balcony. ...

I was hunting for a quiet coastal stay between Ulsan and Busan when a friend mentioned a brand-new pool villa resort near Ganjeolgot Cape. The place is called Ocean Bliss Urban Resort, and the sell was simple: every room faces the sea, there’s a 20m infinity pool, and you can basically eat all three meals without leaving the property. I went for one night. Aside from the time it took to unpack and pack, I barely stepped outside the resort. That tells you most of what you need to know - but I’ll go through the details anyway. ...

If you visit Miryang and only have time for one bowl, my pick is always dwaeji-gukbap — Korean pork soup with rice. Busan’s milky white version gets all the attention, but Miryang’s clear, lighter style has a charm of its own. On my latest trip I finally made it to Jeilsikdang, a small shop tucked into Susanjungang-ro in Hanam-eup. It’s well known to locals since being featured on cartoonist Heo Young-man’s TV show Baekban Travels, but the place has the kind of quiet, lived-in feel that only a thirty-year-old neighborhood spot can pull off. ...

Are you comparing yourself to others on social media? Yeah, I do it too sometimes. Probably more than I should. Living as yourself, though. That might actually be enough. This is just me thinking out loud. Nothing smart, nothing polished. ...

Trust builds good relationships. And the value of good relationships only grows over time. Games where you win alone might bring short-term victories, but they never last. I’ve come to feel this more and more. Real winning only happens when we win together. ...

If you’ve ever wandered through the Westin Josun Busan lobby and caught a glimpse of that ocean view, you’ve probably wondered about the cozy Irish pub tucked right there on the first floor. That’s O’Kim’s—a name that mashes up the most common surnames in Ireland (“O”) and Korea (“Kim”). I finally checked it off my list with a lunch date and, honestly, the Haeundae Beach view alone makes the visit worth it. Plenty of photos below, so settle in. ...

I used to think of sashimi and grilled hagfish whenever Haeundae came up, but this trip I was craving something different—a steaming pot of clams. My Busan friend told me Dapeojuneunjip was the spot. Loved by Korean celebrities, featured on multiple TV shows, this old-school clam hot pot place is a local institution. Bottom line: of every clam hot pot I’ve ever had, this had the deepest, cleanest broth. Their signature scallion-soy dipping sauce is a total game changer. Scroll on through—lots of photos below. ...

It was day two of our Busan trip, and after a night of fresh sashimi and cold beer, my stomach was begging for something gentle. We were staying in Haeundae, so I started searching for places open early in the morning. That’s when I stumbled across Wonjo Jeonbokjuk—an abalone porridge institution that’s been holding down the same corner since 1967. Spoiler: the green-tinted porridge, rich with house-blended abalone innards, was the real deal. Plenty of photos below, so take your time scrolling. ...

Happiness isn’t somewhere far away. We become happier when we recognize the small things in our daily lives. This is a story about scattering thumbtacks of happiness and finding joy in the ordinary, like three-leaf clovers all around us. ...