From Venice, with Seoul
From Venice, with Seoul
Guidebooks show you the places. K-dramas show you the fantasy.
But who tells you the truth?
After 5 years of dealing with thousands of travelers in Venice, I learned one thing: everyone is hungry for what’s real.
This is where we share the stories that get left out of the guidebook. The brutally honest tips on what not to buy. The weird cultural quirks that only a local friend would tell you over a bottle of soju. The reality behind the K-drama fantasy.
Welcome to the real Seoul.
The Real Story Behind Janghwa and Hongryeon We all grew up thinking The Tale of Janghwa and Hongryeon was just a ghost story or a scary folktale But here’s the twist — This tale comes from a legend that people…
Hey! Taesung here. You’ve heard of Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi Well, in Korea, we have the “Soju Wars,” a rivalry so fierce it’s way more entertaining. Most Koreans know this story because the history is just that dramatic. [“The Soju…
Hey! Taesung here. (In Korea, guys call an older guy they’re close to ‘Hyung’. From now on, I’m your Hyung.) Today, I’m going to teach you properly about Korean soju. You see, Hyung is your typical Korean ‘sul-gorae‘ (a heavy-drinking…
Hey! Taesung’s back. Today, I’m bringing you the lowdown on Korean drinking games. You know those awkward moments when you’re meeting someone new or catching up after a long time? Koreans have a secret weapon for that—drinking games. Especially…
When it rains, we fry Roof taps out a beat and the pan answers back windows fog and the room shrinks to the warm circle of the stove I pull the bowl from the fridge the batter stays cold scallion…
Hey, Taesung here! Today, we’re diving into the wild world of hangovers. Back when I was running my guesthouse, we had beer parties every night. Beer alone? No problem. But mix in some wine, and you’re in for a rough…
Hey! Taesung here. (In Korea, guys call an older guy they’re close to ‘Hyung’. From now on, I’m your Hyung). Today, I’m going to teach you about real Korean ‘spicy’. When I lived in Venice, I’d always gift Shin…
Hey, Taesung’s back ! Today, we’re diving into the essentials for a Han River picnic, Korean drama style. You know, chilling with fried chicken and beer, laying out a mat, and ordering food. But let me tell you, if you…
Hey! Taesung here. Today, I brought some Korean items that are fun as hell… and useless as hell. You know that feeling when friends are coming over, and you start worrying, “What are we gonna do? What do we talk…
Hey! Taesung here. Did you know? Korea is ridiculously hot in the summer and ridiculously cold in the winter. When I first experienced winter in Venice, I thought, “That’s it? This is winter?” I was walking around in a t-shirt…