About Me

 

About Me — The Human Behind Gulliver in Jeju

Hi there, and welcome to Carpe diem — a travel blog about Korea, written from the heart of Jeju Island.

My name isn't really Gulliver. And it isn't Anne either. Those names belong to my two Shetland Sheepdogs — the real stars of this operation, and the reason this blog exists under the address annegulliverinjeju.

Gulliver is my first Sheltie, the fluffy face you've probably already spotted in the blog header. Anne is my second — a rescue girl we brought home from a shelter just before she was scheduled to be put down. She's a Sheltie too, every bit as spirited and stubborn as her brother, and every bit as loved. Giving her a second chance at life is one of the best decisions I've ever made, and her name felt like it had earned a permanent place in this blog. So here we are: Anne, Gulliver, and me — all living our best lives on Jeju Island.

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So, who am I?

I'm a Korean in my early fifties, living on the beautiful island of Jeju. I wasn't born here — I'm a transplant, a convert, a willing exile from the mainland. But after years of living and working across the globe, Jeju is where I chose to plant my feet, and honestly? I've never looked back.

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A Life Spent Wandering

Long before I ever thought about running a blog, I was already addicted to travel. It started back in my university days, when I managed to scrape together enough savings (and courage) to head to Europe for the first time. Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain — I went wide-eyed through all of them, a young Korean student trying to absorb as much of the world as possible.

That hunger never left me. Over the following years, I crossed the Atlantic to explore the United States and Canada. I flew south to Australia and New Zealand, marveling at landscapes unlike anything I'd ever seen. Through work — I spent many years at a global company based in Korea — I racked up business trips to Europe and Australia, turning layovers into adventures and conference dinners into culinary explorations. Save for Africa and South America, I've had the privilege of setting foot on most corners of this planet.

And throughout all of that, I kept coming back to Jeju. At least two or three times a year, every year. Something about this island always pulled me in.

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How I Ended Up on Jeju — For Good

Like many things in life, the big change came unexpectedly. The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down, but it also handed remote workers something rare: the freedom to choose where to work. My company shifted to remote operations, and I found myself asking a question I'd been quietly sitting on for years — why not Jeju?

So I made the move. I packed up, loaded Gulliver into the car, and relocated to the island I'd been visiting as a tourist my whole adult life. Somewhere along the way, I stopped being a visitor and became a resident. And somewhere along the way, long-haul flights started feeling less like adventure and more like ordeal — which, if you're past fifty, you'll probably understand completely.

These days, the airport I use most often is Jeju International, and that suits me just fine.

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Why This Blog?

Korean culture and travel have never been more popular with international visitors, and yet so much of what makes this country truly special — the small cities, the regional food scenes, the lesser-known festivals — remains unexplored in English. That's the gap I want to fill.

I started with a series on Korean cities: practical, honest travel guides for places like Jinju, Buyeo, Iksan, Changwon and beyond. Destinations that don't always make the Seoul-Busan-Jeju tourist circuit, but absolutely deserve to.

Now, I'm beginning to turn my full attention to Jeju itself — the restaurants, cafés, hiking trails, beaches, and hidden corners that I've come to know not as a tourist, but as someone who actually lives here. That insider perspective is what I hope makes this blog a little different.

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A Few Things About Me

• 🐕 Gulliver is my first Sheltie — the blog's furry mascot
• 🐕 Anne is my second Sheltie — a rescue girl adopted from a shelter before euthanasia, and the other half of this blog's name
• ✈️ I've traveled across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific for both work and pleasure
• 🍊 I live on Jeju Island, surrounded by tangerine orchards and volcanic landscapes
• 📍 My travel philosophy: slow down, eat well, and always talk to locals

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Let's Stay in Touch

Whether you're planning your first trip to Korea, looking for an honest take on life in Jeju, or just here for the food recommendations — I'm glad you found this little corner of the internet.

Stick around. There's a lot more to come.

— Somewhere on Jeju Island, with Anne & Gulliver by my side 🐾🐾