This Week's Little Joys: Forest Walks, Café Cats, Mala Hotpot, etc.

This place is the emotional support forest of Gangnam — no exaggeration. Just five minutes from the concrete jungle of Seoul’s CBD, there’s this long, quiet walking trail that somehow feels miles away from the chaos. You’ll see office workers walking here after lunch with iced americanos in hand — maybe to calm down after a bad meeting or to stop themselves from rage-quitting. I swear, this trail has probably prevented countless corporate meltdowns. Magically, even on the worst days, one lap around this path always makes me feel human again. A very Korean thing about this trail: there’s a separate **Hwangto path** (barefoot red clay path) where you can actually take off your shoes and walk barefoot to “reconnect with nature.” They even have shoe racks and foot-washing stations. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it’s an interesting urban ritual — the kind that makes you remember you’re still part of nature. Kind of ironic in its own way too :P

Went to a mountain café on the outskirts of Seoul — one of those big-yard cafés. There were so many cats roaming freely, and thankfully the owner just… lets them. One of them, a black-and-white cat that looked like my dog Yiko, completely adopted me. She came when I called (better trained than Yiko, honestly), rolled on her back, purred, and demanded belly rubs!?! When I left, she even walked me to the door😭 It was pure love at first sight — and I’m still thinking about her till this day.

Yes, I went AGAIN. When I tell you Yonga Mala Hotpot in Myeongdong is my home. It’s a **personal hotpot buffet**, meaning every person gets their own pot and ingredients rotate on a sushi-train-style belt. My usual picks: mala (least spicy), lotus root, pumpkin, beef slices, tofu fishcakes, and catfish. All-you-can-eat, only $15USD per person. Heaven. Pure heaven.

Yeonju(fellow Endive Chaos partner in crime) and I decided to do a café work/grind day, but with a twist — we went to the Goethe-Institut Library near Namsan. It’s where I studied German for about 8 months during the pandemic, so walking in felt nostalgic. The path from there to Haebangchon is gorgeous — if you ever visit Seoul, I highly recommend taking that walk before grabbing dinner in HBC (Haebangchon). P.S Goethe Institut library is open for everyone. You don't need to take classes or to be German to use this facility.

Seoul in autumn is whimsical. The trees, the air, the golden light — everything feels cinematic. Sometimes I wish autumn and spring could both last six months each. The fallen leaves make even the grayest corners of the city look poetic.

Yeonju and I went to see the Nho Girl(@nhogirl - A vintage store based in Amsterdam) pop-up in Seoul — but the line was INSANE. We gave up the line. Instead we turned the day into a mini date: browsed through Low Classic, which is a Korean brand located in the same building (that leather jacket!!), drank chai lattes by the window listening to rain (at Paori Cafe), and ended the day with dumpling hotpot and makguksu(Jeon Nam Po Myeon Ok). We didn’t get the clothes, but we saved money — so… win? When life hand you shit, turn it into chocolate.

My friend (@leezakaya) finally opened her first art exhibition in years — a joint exhibition with the photographer @jangdukhwa. Her works are beautifully chaotic and romantic, like her. They reminded me of what I’m trying to do with this blog: turn fleeting moments into something lasting. If you’re in Seongsu while it’s still running, please go check it out! 📍SANDWICH apt, Seoungsu