A quick note to introduce myself and talk about my connection with Korea.
My name is Naoual, I am Moroccan and a Belgian citizen, born in Belgium but Asian at heart.
My love for Korea didn’t start with Korea itself, but rather with Asia during a trip to Malaysia.
In 2019, I spent two weeks in this Southeast Asian country. A complete culture shock; in a positive way.
Witnessing skyscrapers, places of worship, and a jungle coexisting, all within the vast and bustling megacity of Kuala Lumpur.
Similarly, seeing three ethnic groups, each with its own religion, blend into one united population was astonishing, especially coming from Belgium, where two linguistic communities are often divided.
A people very attached to their customs, like me, Malaysians live undoubtedly in a world technologically advanced by several decades compared to many European countries. And that resonates with me. Not forgetting my roots, while not being stuck in the past.
This feeling struck me even more in Korea.
As I explain in the introduction page, my love at first sight for Korea had to be followed by a trip to the Land of the Morning Calm.
Korea and Koreans live life at full speed. That doesn’t prevent them from having deeply rooted traditions in the current, hyper-connected world; one interacts perfectly with the other and vice versa. I even think that these two ingredients are inseparable.
Everyone agrees that Koreans are gentle, courteous, polite, and competent.
And don’t tell me it's just for tourism; you’re either kind or you’re not.
Despite the language barrier, they are empathetic and deeply helpful (thanks to nunchi – I even dedicate a page of this site to it).
They honor their homeland, and for all these reasons, traveling there is particularly easy and comfortable.
And I haven't even mentioned the visual change of scenery from the architecture, of course, but also from the variety of landscapes and colors found everywhere. Verdant forests as far as the eye can see. For this reason, I recommend intercity bus journeys to fully enjoy these splendors.
I read all over that Koreans remain conservative about their culture or even closed off to others. In three weeks, I didn’t experience anything that convinced me of that. A sixty-year-old taxi driver asking you for your destination address in Korean doesn’t make him conservative. A Brussels taxi driver wouldn’t be more equipped to read an address in Hangeul. This, if I dare say, is the only opposition I encountered.
In other situations, when asking for directions from sometimes (very) elderly people, we only experienced kindness and consideration.
I admit, not everything is perfect in the Kingdom of Joseon; we’re talking about Korea, not paradise. And I confess, I have no intention of being objective because I don’t want to address the criticisms and negative aspects of this country. After all, what country has no flaws? Let the one who has never sinned…
I may not be objective, but I will be unwaveringly sincere. This site reflects the impressions this country has left on me. It captivated me deeply, and my stay there marked me profoundly.
When people ask me to tell them about my trip to Korea, my speech is very praiseworthy, and I’ve been told I must be exaggerating. Three people went after me, and all three completely confirmed my words.
You might ask, why another site about Korea when there are already so many? Good question! My answer is, because this one is mine.
These are the topics that interest me, the people I find remarkable or essential, the events that catch my attention.
Speaking of sincerity, I wrote a large part of the texts, but I used artificial intelligence for some of them because I neither have the patience nor the time to compile the necessary information and rewrite it.
The name Hankuk comes from one of the names used to refer to South Korea.
The term "Hankuk" (한국 in Korean) finds its roots in the ancient history of the Korean peninsula and originates from the kingdom of Goguryeo (고구려), one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.
The term "Hankuk" consists of two Sino-Korean characters:
Han (한, 韓): This character refers to the "Han" people who have inhabited the Korean peninsula since ancient times. Three ancient confederations, called the Three Han (Samhan, 삼한), were formed from the regions of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan. These confederations are often associated with the birth of Korean civilization.
Guk (국, 國): This character means "country" or "nation."
Together, Hankuk can be literally translated as "Land of the Han." Historically, the term is used to express the national identity of Koreans and refers to the historical and cultural roots of the Korean nation.
Hankuk is primarily used in South Korea to designate the country, while in North Korea, the term "Choson" (조선) is more commonly used.
I chose the month of October to launch this site: October, the month that saw the birth of Korea (October 3) and Hangeul (October 9)... just to name these two events.
It’s also the month of my birth; if that’s not a sign...
Take the time to browse my site and (re)discover Korea through my eyes. Bon voyage!
A few must-see sites and portals about Korea:
