I’ve lived on Jeju Island, South Korea, for seven years, but today was my first time walking the trail through the 1100 Wetland (1100고지 습지). Somehow, I’d never made time for it. ^^

A married couple I work with had come over from the mainland. After they finished their work and had lunch, I took them up to the wetland across from the 1100 Rest Area (1100고지 휴게소).

I went there hoping to show them a lovely part of Jeju, but it turned out to be a new experience for me, too.

As we walked, I kept wondering why I hadn’t come sooner. Living nearby doesn’t always mean you’ve really taken the time to enjoy a place.

Afterward, we stopped at the rest area for warm drinks and roasted sweet potatoes. A simple way to finish our little outing, but a lovely one.

Sometimes, showing someone around the place you call home helps you discover it all over again. That was how today felt for me. ^^

Is there a place near your home that took you years to finally visit?

Hello! I am trying to do some research on the disappearing or dying neighborhoods of Seoul.
I used to live near 이대역 in 2009 and 2010 and it was so busy with shopping and hanging out. When I went in 2023, I was surprised to see most of the stores closed and not much to do there. Same with 가로수길. Looking for places like this.

I'm looking for similar areas. I also used to frequent 보광동 and I know that place is demolished. I'm not looking for demolished places, but rather areas that still have some life to it but aren't as lively as before.

Any leads would be appreciated!! Thank you!

Anheungji Pond,

Aeryeonjeong Pavilion

in icheon city

https://n.news.naver.com/article/023/0004003756

Summary:

1. In its October issue of the *Fiscal Monitor*, released on the 14th, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its forecast for South Korea’s general government gross debt (D2) as a share of GDP from 54.4% to 46.1% in just six months.

2. This is relatively low compared with the G7 average of 123.6% and the advanced-economy average of 107.6%.

3. Major credit rating agencies have also expressed positive assessments of South Korea’s fiscal position.

4. Fitch, an international credit rating agency, expects South Korea’s fiscal performance under next year’s budget to improve significantly compared with its previous projections.

   > The fiscal balance, excluding social security funds, is projected to improve from a deficit of 3.9% of GDP in 2026 to a deficit of 0.1% in 2027.

   > The consolidated fiscal balance is projected to post a surplus of 1.9% of GDP.

5. In a report last month, Moody’s also offered a positive assessment of South Korea’s budget proposal for next year. It stated that “the key is whether investment in strategic industries translates into productivity gains and economic growth,” while noting that the budget “seeks to strike a balance between strengthening fiscal soundness and expanding future growth engines.”

Do Koreans ever call themselves 고려인 or 조선인?

I recently watched Na Hong-jin's new film, Hope. Having absolutely loved The Wailing and his earlier work, I went in with high expectations, but it turned out to be a massive disappointment. One thing that really stood out to me was the excessive use of profanity. It made me realize how much recent Korean media seems to rely on swearing and how it devalues the curse words. While curse words have always been present in older Korean films, it never felt as excessive or constant as it does now. It feels cheap and really dilutes the lines that relies on curses to give it impact. I can't say that I'm a fan of the direction Korean medias are heading.

What do you guys think?

At Hot spring park in icheon city

Ginkgo trees in icheon middle school.

HELLO! I’m Korean-American and I really want to learn more about the history of my family. (Would love to go as far back as possible.) I’m researching my father’s side of the family and learned that he belonged to the Yeonan Kim clan, 연안 김씨, but I still do not know his specific branch, 파.

The official Yeonan Kim Central Clan Association has an online genealogy, but access is restricted to special members. I tried creating an account, but the registration form asks for information like my branch name, 파명, and clan generation number, 세, which I don’t have.

How can I find this info? Do i need to contact them? They don’t seem to have an email, only a Korean number. Is there a reliable way to contact the Yeonan Kim association from overseas, especially by email?

Has anyone successfully done this from overseas? How did you contact the association and were they able to help?