I have always wanted to experience a Korean countryside vacation, thanks to variety shows like 3 Meals a Day and 2 Days & 1 Night , which have become some of my favourite shows. Personally, I’m not the type of person who loves to explore “village” life besides my own hometown. I like the peaceful and quiet environment of villages, the vibes you won’t find in the city, but purposely booking a holiday in any countryside area never really came across my mind because, somehow, I already knew what a village normally looks like and what its atmosphere is like. So, what made me think of trying this in Korea, then? Well, basically, I wanted to see whether it would be much different from our Malaysian countryside. I’ve watched many K-variety shows and K-dramas filmed in villages, and I noticed that “K-villages” have their own unique feel. Some of you may be familiar with drama scenes where an actor or actress returns to their hometown, with a nice yet simple house in the background (sometimes even Hanok-style), enjoying kimchi-making with their parents while wearing baggy, loose pants. I’m not sure about others, but for me, those scenes were quite interesting and made me want to experience it myself. A scenic view of the pension and its surroundings during autumn When I mentioned this to my Korean friend, Chloe, during my summer trip to Seoul a few months ago, she immediately suggested a “village stay” in Namyangju-si, about an hour’s drive from the city. I was lucky to have this friend from Kimchi Land (she’s also a member of the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Korea Tourism Organization) who helped me with the arrangements, so I could skip the struggle of Googling and researching a nice countryside spot, as well as finding a place to stay 🙂 . We finally went for a one-night village stay last autumn, which I felt was perfect timing as it was peak foliage season. The view was absolutely stunning! Writer enjoying the stunning autumn view at a restaurant serving a traditional Korean full-course meal Together with her husband, Alex, who drove us there, we departed from Seoul at noon. About half an hour before reaching our lodging, we stopped for lunch at a Hanjeongsik restaurant (a traditional Korean full-course meal). I loved the view from inside the restaurant. You could see a small stream outside, surrounded by yellow autumn leaves, while enjoying the meal. After lunch, we went to a mart to buy some food, snacks, and drinks, and then picked up fresh clams from a nearby restaurant for our later “steamboat dinner party” 😁 . Besides the beautiful scenery, visitors to the pension will be greeted by the lovely cat, Noon-i We reached the pension where we would be staying for the night about half an hour later and were greeted by the owner, Mr. Kim Jung-Gi as well as a cute white cat named Noon-i ( noon in Korean means snow). I could instantly feel the “Korean village” vibes the moment I stepped out of the car. The pension has a little bit of Hanok-style architecture and the owner has a vegetable garden on the front lawn where he usually grows vegetables like cabbage and carrots (we even got some veggies from him for our steamboat later that night!). Writer and her friend couldn’t miss the chance to strike some poses at various spots around the place Chloe told me she used to organise retreat programmes at the pension where participants would do activities such as planting and harvesting vegetables, depending on the season. With the serenity and peacefulness of the view, I can’t deny that this is one of the best spots for any retreat or “healing” activities. I liked the beautiful autumn scenery with yellowish and reddish hues surrounding the pension during my visit because it added to the “calmness” of the place. Oh, I forgot to mention earlier that a famous K-pop girl group, IVE also did filming for their show at this pension 🙂 . Walking around the pension made the writer feel how different travel can be when you slow down and let the environment set the pace. Since I was there just for a one-night staycation, I was just spent my time chilling around our lodging, playing with Noon-i (even though it was cold as the temperature had slightly dropped in the evening) and chatting with my friend at a nice seating area where you can enjoy a scenic view of the pension. Thanks to Chloe and Mr Kim, I had a scrumptious steamboat with huge fresh clams, roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts afterward while we chatted about many topics including how to get G-Dragon’s concert ticket 😁 (the visit was in October, when G-Dragon was set to hold his concert in December). Enjoying a steamboat dinner with fresh, juicy clams I may not have been able to experience a “real” Korean village life like joining in making kimchi, walking around the village, or perhaps going fishing with the locals, but this was already a great start to my “Korean countryside” vacation (at least, one of my bucket list goals for 2025 has been achieved!). I personally recommend that regular travelers to Korea add this to their itinerary at least once, as it offers a different kind of experience for your trip. There are plenty of Airbnbs and guesthouses outside Seoul that you can find online, and trust me, sometimes the interesting part of a trip may come from a “peaceful” place or area. Writer made a quick stop at a neighbourhood cafe near the pension before heading back to Seoul This countryside getaway may have been a short one for me, but I was surprised at how quickly I could change into someone who values calmness in a village 🙂 . I believe, besides the scenic view of the place, the warmth of the people also plays an important role and made the experience even more fun than expected. My special gratitude to Chloe and Alex for making this possible! A short write-up this time, as I would like to share more photos of the trip with all the readers 🙂 . Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Till then, annyeong!

🌸✈️ Discover Korea at the AirAsia Travel Fair 2026! ✨ Join us at the AirAsia Travel Fair from 27 – 29 March 2026 at Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre, Level 5, | Booth A31&A32 Get inspired for your next trip and discover the beauty of spring in Korea 🌸🌷, while learning more about travelling to exciting destinations like Busan 🌊and Jeju 🍊. Explore travel ideas, fun cultural experiences, and exclusive gifts waiting for you at our booth! 📅 27 – 29 March 2026 ⏰10am - 9pm 📍 Booth A31 & A32 📍 Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre, Level 5 🎁 Gift Redemption! ✨ Receive a KTO Multi-Travel Cable with the purchase of any Korea tour package 🧳 or flight ticket to Korea ✈️*. Travellers purchasing a flight ticket to Busan via the AirAsia MOVE App or travel agency may also redeem one Visit Busan special gift 🎁, either a Visit Busan Pass 🎟️ (limited to the first 39 pax) or a Busan Mini Luggage 🧳 / Umbrella ☂️*. 📌 Ticket Purchase Date: 1 – 29 March 2026 📌 Travel Date: From 17 June 2026 onwards 📌 Visit Busan Pass valid for travel 17 June – 20 November 2026 📌 One redemption item per person Terms and Conditions apply. 🌟 Event Highlights 🌟 🌍 Travel to Korea Information 🌊 Discover Busan 🍊 Explore Jeju 📝 KTO Travel Survey 📸 Hanbok Experience 🐾 Mascot Appearance (Weekend Only) – 1:30PM | 3:30PM | 7:30PM ✨ Come visit us and start planning your next Korea adventure! From Korea spring travel inspirations 🌸 to exciting Busan and Jeju experiences 🌊, there’s plenty to discover at the KTO booth ! AirAsia Travel Fair KL Terms and Conditions General To participate in the AirAsia Travel Fair KL 2026 (the “Event”), customers (the “Customers”) must be residing in Malaysia during the event period. Korea Tourism Organization Malaysia (the “Organiser”) reserves the right to disqualify any Customers without notice at any point during the Event or after should he/she be found to have not fulfilled the prerequisites of the Event prior to participation. Joining the Event The Event will run from 27 March 2026 to 29 March 2026. The Event will be held at Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre, Level 5, Booth A31 & A32. The Organiser reserves the right to amend the Event period, location, or mechanics at any time without prior notice. Gift Redemption Gift redemption is valid for Korea tour packages and flight tickets to Korea purchased during the AirAsia Travel Fair KL from 27 March 2026 to 29 March 2026. Customers who purchase any Korea tour package or flight ticket to Korea are entitled to redeem one (1) KTO Multi-Travel Cable, subject to availability. One pax is entitled to one gift only. The Korea Tour Packages must consist of full itinerary packages to Korea and individual experiences such as Korea Experience Tour in Malaysia will not be eligible for redemption. Customers who purchase flight tickets to Busan via the AirAsia MOVE App or travel agency between 1 March 2026 and 29 March 2026 are eligible to redeem one (1) Visit Busan special gift, either: One (1) Visit Busan Pass, limited to the first thirty-nine (39) customers only, orOne (1) Busan Mini Luggage or Busan Umbrella, subject to availability. The Visit Busan Pass redemption is valid for flight tickets with travel dates between 17 June 2026 and 20 November 2026. The Busan Mini Luggage or Busan Umbrella redemption is valid for flight tickets with travel dates from 17 June 2026 onwards. One (1) redemption item per person only. Redemption items are available on a first-come, first-served basis and while stocks last. The colour and type of redemption items may vary depending on stock availability. Only customers who made bookings with valid proof of purchase will be eligible for redemption. The Organiser reserves the right to request supporting documents such as booking confirmation, receipt, or identification. Employees of travel agencies collecting redemption gifts on behalf of customers must present valid proof of the customer’s booking. Additional redemption gifts are not applicable for online or phone bookings made outside the allocated campaign conditions. Customers must present themselves at the Korea Tourism Organization Malaysia booth during the Event to redeem the gifts. The Organiser reserves the right to reject any redemption without explanation should there be no proper proof of purchase or identification. The Organiser does not tolerate dishonesty, misconduct, or disruptive behaviour at the redemption counter and reserves the right to reject any redemption should such incidents occur. Other Terms The Organiser reserves the right to amend the terms & conditions at any time without prior notice.