My recent trip to South Korea restored my faith in humanity. I’ve met good Samaritans along the unfamiliar way I traveled alone. It changed how I see South Koreans without all the dancing and festive lens flare in the background. They are far more beautiful beyond their smooth porcelain skin.

While I feared of my lack of Korean vocabulary which may eventually lead me astray, their intention to help overcomes the language barrier. We all know that some of them do not speak in English fluently but it didn’t hinder them to communicate with me. The atmosphere in Hong Kong is different where its people will refuse to listen on the spot if they don’t speak in English or I don’t speak in Mandarin or in Fukien.

I am very grateful that I spent some time in this awesome country. More than their heritage sites, it is the good people of Korea that makes it my top Asian destination. I got lost for few times but I found more.

In Seopikoji

From Sunrise Peak, I still pushed my luck and my willingness to visit this place even the sun was about to set. We can find film locations of some Korean series, which I was not familiar with, in this cliff similar to Batanes.

I was aware of the arrival time of the last bus en route to Jeju City in one of the bus stops along the main circumferential road of Jeju Island. But I didn’t foresee that by the time I went out from the Seopikoji premises, there ain’t any inbound taxi.

I was already waiting for a long time in the parking lot where I was unloaded earlier when a group of Koreans also dropped by. I approached them to suggest a car pool thinking they were waiting for a taxi too. Apparently, they were waiting for another member of the group to take their own car out.

And they invited me to get in. It turned out they traveled as family to Seopikoji. I kindly asked them to drop me to the nearest bus station but when I was about to alight, the blessing happened. They were to drive me all the way to Jeju City. Accidental hitchhiker I was.

This was only my second night in South Korea and I am loving it, I told them. When they learned that I am a Filipino, they opened up that the daughter in the family was sent to Clarkfield, Pampanga during one of the high school breaks to learn the English language. She had trekked to the crater of Mt. Pinatubo. It was an interesting exchange of beauty of the two countries between two nationalities.

Then the father and driver of the family asked my opinion about the fact that South Korea used to have nothing after the Korean war compared to Philippines but has overtaken the latter now. I was actually lost for words or for more reasons and just simplified the root cause of the problem – the corruption in our government.

They drove me even to the guesthouse where I am staying. That’s 32 kilometers of generosity.

In You & I Guesthouse

After my first Jeju daytrip, I got to know my new roommate and another Korean.

While it is not allowed to bring food or drinks inside our room, he sneaked in some chips and assorted beers he bought from the nearest convenience store. We drank and exchanged stories. He is what I imagined in a backpacker. He likes to walk around the country. Yes, if not only that he needed to be at the funeral of his friend’s mother, he could have walked (and ride ferries but no planes) to Jeju from Seoul.

I told him my itinerary includes a visit to Demilitarized Zone, a border that divides North Korea and South Korea. He’s been there once and he suggested not to go because it is dangerous and there’s nothing to see.

If I could only stay longer in Jeju, I will join him in his climb in Halla Mountain. I left Jeju Island on the third day but before we parted, he helped me to carry my luggages to the bus station. He was surprised with the weight I carry given my own weight.

In a Bus Station

I asked a Korean girl student in the station which bus I should take going to the central terminal. While there’s a little struggle in our communication, we held on to the moment. LOL. She take out her pen and a piece of paper and mapped things.

I know, I know. I should have at least learned basic Hangugeo words. The feeling when they, the locals, were the one adjusting for me is priceless and I am very thankful for it.

In a Taxi

Another language barrier that opened up random kindness was when I hired a taxi going to a bus station bound to Jeongbang waterfalls from Jungmun Resort. The driver couldn’t understand me but he called his operator and the latter acted as our interpreter. And I ended up safely in the exact bus station where I should be.

In Chungmuro

From Jeju Island back to Seoul, I arrived at Gom’s Guesthouse in Myeongdong but the owner was in the other office at the other end of the street. Then, two Korean girls approached and invited me to the Wave Open Party they’re organizing. When they noticed that no one is inside the guesthouse, they called the office number using their mobile phones and I was able to speak with the owner. I later enjoyed this guest house full of bears.

In Gom Guesthouse

I didn’t have to worry leaving my luggages after the official checkout time while I was still roaming the streets of Seoul. Instead of getting those bags from the guest house, the owner of the guest house told me to pick them in the guesthouse office which is located near the train station. She hired a taxi to carry my bags from the guest house to the office.

She likes Filipinos. She had once enrolled in a web-conference class for English language with a Filipino as her instructor. She said, the Filipinos are always seen smiling. We know right.

In a Restaurant that Serves Bulgogi

When one of the crew of the restaurant spotted one of the tourists in the tour group was eating a piece of partially cooked meat, she hurriedly took the other pieces back to the cooking plate and told the latter, ‘No. Not yet.’ And she instructed him on how to cook the beef like what mothers do to their children. Either the crew wants the tourists to experience the true taste of bulgogi or to prevent us from stomach ache.

In Demilitarized Zone

Although it is not included in our tour package, our Korean guide to Panmunjom gave free tickets to Dorasan Station for the five of us for free. Her personality reminded me of Kim Jung‑Eun of Lovers in Paris. Aja!

In General

I really like the cheerfulness and welcoming aura of the Koreans. It is not that difficult for them to be asked for help. Sometimes I don’t even have to, they’re offering and extending a hand immediately. Although they would greet me in Mandarin or in Fukien first thinking I am a Chinese. But they’re more happy to know that I am from the Philippines. Kumusta?

I love them. I appreciate them. But it would still take time for me to embrace KPop because language. Kamsahamnida.

Do you know that Philippines is the first Asian country to send a delegation to South Korea in the Korean War? Perhaps, the random kindness is a good karma, a favor returned.

So whenever I see Koreans now, I want to hug them tight. If they happen to be cute, I want to hug them tighter.