In the past, I didn’t like anything related to Korean, and I forgot ‘why’ I didn’t like it. But, nevermind if I ever didn’t like it because since I was in Senior High School, I started to like BTS (방탄소년단) as a Korean Idol. It all started here, my curiosity from just BTS to Korean Food that they like, the Korean language, and the Country itself. For Korean Food, people who like Korean on any side must know about ‘Kimchi.’ Kimchi is fermented spicy cabbage and is usually used as a Side Dish. Still, Kimchi is not always made from cabbage because there are so many kinds of Kimchi, such as Kkyakdugi (kimchi based on radish) and Pa-Kimchi (kimchi based on scallion). If you live in Malang City, I recommend you all try these kinds of Kimchi in Chef Kim’s Restaurant because the Kimchi there has a good taste, sweet, sour, and not spicy at the same time while in my mouth. I often go to the restaurant if, out of the blue, I want to eat Korean Food because the place there is so comfy and has Korean vibes, and the staff there is very polite and also friendly. It is not just Kimchi, I also like and recommend you all try the Kimchi Jjigae there because some people don’t like to eat Kimchi only, so if you still want to eat Kimchi, try Kimchi Jjigae instead. Kimchi Jjigae is a soup that contains Kimchi, Tofu, Mushroom, and beef. You can change and add other content if you make it by yourself. Visit their Instagram (@chefkim_malang) if you want to know more information about the menu and the price. For the Korean language, I study by myself through YouTube, Instagram, and Duolingo App. For the first time, I should know and look over the ‘hangeul’ because that is the alphabet and the base of the Korean Language if we want to read some sentences in the Korean way. At that time, I searched for ‘how to read Hangeul’ on YouTube and started remembering, practicing, and writing down on paper. On Instagram, I follow content creators who have experience and contain information related to Korean vocabulary. I also use the Duolingo App to increase my ability to read in Korean and some vocabulary at each level in a fun way because in the App, there are not only sentences or words but also pictures to describe them, so you will not be bored. That is a very helpful way for me to dive into the Korean language, and I also recommend that you all try these ways to learn the Korean language. Even though the Korean Language has the same alphabet, they also have different dialects called 사투리 (Satoori) in each region, such as the Gyeonggi Dialect, Gangwon Dialect, Jeju Dialect, Gyeongsang Dialect, and other dialects in there. For the Country of Korea (South Korea), I often see the beauty of Korea, especially in Seoul, Busan, and Jeju, on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. As a person who likes city lights and beaches, I really like Seoul at night; the beaches in Busan and Jeju are also recommended for a visit when you are on holiday. I watch all of these based on TikTok because I feel the atmosphere from afar. In Seoul, it looks so comfy to walk around because each place has aesthetic buildings to take some photos and post them to Social Media, especially in Myeongdong, which has a lot of street food like Odeng (Fish Cake Korean), Bbopgi (Dalgona Candy), Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancake), and is always crowded at night. Busan and Jeju beaches look so lovely to go to at night because I see them on TikTok, and the places are still congested but not crowded as usual.

In my view, based on the Internet, the best seasons to go to South Korea are spring, autumn, and winter because the atmosphere is different and the scenery is gorgeous. The photos will be Instagram-able and aesthetic from every angle. Even though South Korea is a small country, as I mentioned above, it is worth going there from any side or angle of season, food, and atmosphere.

The things I have mentioned above show that I’m very interested in Korea that started from my fangirling towards BTS which made me curious about things related to South Korea.