Our family trip to South Korea was a bit of a whirlwind. We spent six days soaking in all the chilly, Christmassy vibes of Seoul and Busan. We landed at Incheon and pretty much went straight to Busan, where we spent a night by the beach. We walked around Haeundae in the evening, took in the Christmas displays, and caught a quiet moment by the sea the next morning before heading to Seoul.

My memory of Seoul is a little foggy. I wasn’t feeling my best for most of the trip, so everything’s kind of wrapped in a soft, sleepy blur. But even through that, I remember flashes of window shopping under bright lights in Hongdae, queuing for street food in Myeongdong, and warming up over bulgogi and sizzling BBQ with my family.

One day, my brother booked us a ski trip just outside Seoul, and while I was supposed to join him for a proper ski lesson, my body had other plans. So instead, while he was out there zipping down the slopes and living the dream, I stayed back with my mom and sister, just goofing around in the snow and playing with the ski boards. It wasn’t quite the sporty bonding moment we planned, but it was still one of those slow, silly family memories I’m glad we had.

But the moment that stood out the most for me – Christmas morning in Bukchon Hanok Village. It was snowing, everything was soft and white, and we had a family photoshoot planned. Somehow, despite the cold (and me already starting to feel a bit under the weather), it turned out to be one of the most beautiful parts of the trip. The snow made everything feel like a fairytale, and the photos? Honestly some of the loveliest we’ve ever taken. We looked like we had our lives together, which makes me laugh because behind the scenes, I was layered up in thermals, half-freezing, and really struggling. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

Even though I didn’t get to explore Seoul the way I wanted to, being there with my family, all of us wrapped up in scarves and moments like that, made it special in its own quiet way. The city felt kind, festive, and somehow still welcoming even though I was moving slower than usual.

Would I go back? In a heartbeat. Preferably healthier next time, and maybe with fewer thermals under my coat.