A Digital Nomad in Gangeung-si, South Korea

I have the privilege of being able to work remotely and fulfill my dream of becoming a digital nomad. All thanks to my company for allowing remote work without any “bureaucratic” processes. Thankfully, my friends were allowed to have the same setup. So, we packed our luggage and headed to South Korea. 🇰🇷

Since we’ve been to South Korea several times already, we decided to stay somewhere new, somewhere outside the concrete jungle of Seoul. Yet again, I found myself in another place far from the buzz of a busy city. This time, we booked our Airbnb in Gangneung-si, a coastal area on the east side of South Korea, facing Japan.

A quick background about me: I’ve always seen myself as a city girl. I used to think I’d get bored if I stayed too long in a provincial area. But surprise, surprise, I ended up falling in love with the place.

Our Airbnb was a condo suite facing the sea. And just like the host described on their page, the unit offered a “spectacular view of the sunrise,” which was exactly why we booked it. We stayed there for two weeks. Yes, that long (but not too long)! 😅 We were there for both work and vacation. The itinerary was simple: work during the weekdays, travel around during the weekends.

Gangneung-si wasn’t just a coastal town; it was also a haven for coffee lovers like me. The road was lined with coffee shops. I told my friends they could find me in a different café every weekday. And guess what? I still wasn’t able to visit them all in my two-week stay. Hahaha 😂 If you're wondering how many cafés there were, that should give you an idea! 🤭

Here's one of the cafes

While I worked in a café, my friends would either join me or do their own thing. One time, during a video call with my boss, he asked me if my background was virtual or real. Of course, I grabbed the chance to brag about my whereabouts. I gave them a quick virtual tour of the café and the beach outside. And yes, the boss was proud. 😎 “Yes, boss, I’m living my digital-nomad dream life! Thank you.” 🥹

My video call background:

When my friends were with me at the café, there were moments when we’d just stop working and run straight to the beach. Aahhh, I missed that. 😩 I’m definitely dragging some of these friends again soon. Hi @revlat35 @itz.inno @wittyzell 😉 Because if there’s one thing that truly soothes the soul and washes away the weight of a thousand meetings, it’s that run to the beach. Nothing else compares. 😍🥰

In the mornings, before heading to cafés to work, I’d go for a 30-minute to 1-hour walk around the neighborhood, which included a walk by the beach. It was the most effortless walk ever; so enjoyable that I didn’t even notice the time pass.

Now, my friends and I are not exactly early morning people, but we tried not to miss the sunrise, especially after our hosts highly recommended it. They were not wrong. It was breathtaking. 😍 I even told myself I’d start waking up early to always catch the sunrise. Don’t count on it, though. I think I’ll stick with the equally beautiful sunsets because I just can’t get up that early. 🤪

The beautiful sunrise that I witnessed:

There are still so many stories to tell about our stay in Gangneung-si. There’s more to this Gangneung-si story than just sea views and café hopping. 😉 But for now, this is it; what it felt like to be a digital nomad in another country, and what it was like to be on vacation while working.

Note: These photos were all taken on my phone.

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