#21 I Seoul U

Editor: @_j_ihn.b

Before you start reading: Please read while listening to music that reminds you of Seoul, or I recommend Deli Spice's 'Chow Chow.'

A Winter in Seoul

The winter of 2025 was met in Seoul with a biting cold that made it feel like my ears were about to freeze off. I stayed for nearly a month and a half, as my family trip, New Year’s celebrations, and business trip all overlapped. The first two weeks in Seoul, the cold was somewhat refreshing, but that feeling didn’t last long. Is it because my cells activate slowly during the winter? The mornings became lethargic, and my yoga routine disappeared long ago.

Just two weeks into my stay in Seoul, I found myself wanting to hurry back to Singapore, using the cold as an excuse.

In truth, hotel life during a business trip is not as enjoyable as one might imagine. Even after finishing my work, I would return to my hotel and work late into the night. My only joy was finishing my work, turning off all the lights, and enjoying the night view of Seoul in the darkness. The day before back into Singapore, I celebrated the end of the grueling business trip with my colleagues in a hotel room.

As our Friday night conversation deepened, the view of Seoul’s night skyline, stretching across the hotel wall, caught my eye. Just like every other evening, the moment I turned off the lights, the cityscape shimmered even more brightly. Everyone moved closer to the window, starting to share their thoughts on Seoul.

My Time in Seoul

Seoul is a city that has been both a challenge and the place where I formed many of my first meaningful relationships. The concept of “In Seoul” in Korea carries immense significance. Whether it’s for university or work, beginning life within the city was a major challenge for me at one point in my life.

The Seoul I encountered at 20 felt different from the one I know now, year after year. At 20, I only wandered around my university campus. By 21, I explored the cool places like Seongsu (around 2018, Seongsu and Ttukseom started gaining attention as cool places, especially with the band "Bolppalgan4"). At 22, I lived overseas and longed for Seoul. By 23, I started my career here, amidst the pandemic. At 24, I experienced grown-up romance, and thanks to that, I felt the four seasons in Seoul differently, compared to before.

What made each year in Seoul feel distinct was the people. Relationships in a big city are constantly evolving, sometimes overwhelming, and at times, they occupy every part of my life. The reminder that nothing lasts forever is often repeated, but in the end, the reason I love this city is because of the people I’ve met and the moments that became memories.

The Friday night, the moment I turned off the lights and looked at the Seoul skyline—those moments are the experiences that stick with me. My memories are deeply rooted in this city. Though few experiences are ever easy, for me, those fleeting moments of joy and the feeling that comes after honest effort are what I tend to remember as “moments.”

External Perspectives on Seoul

One of the items on my travel bucket list is to pick out local souvenirs that can only be found in the country I’m visiting. Le Labo, the perfume brand, offers a series of City Exclusive Perfumes that capture the essence of each city. I’d heard that the Amsterdam store has all the city perfumes collected, so I made sure to stop by during my trip.

Among the scents of cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and New York, Seoul’s fragrance stood out to me. I wasn’t planning on buying a Seoul perfume, but if it smelled nice, I was open to it. The Paris perfume had an oak scent, Amsterdam’s smelled woody with musk, and New York’s was spicy yet sweet, but Seoul’s fragrance was all about orange—a pure citrus scent.

What image does Seoul convey to outsiders? While I can’t solely rely on Le Labo’s insights, I do think Seoul has an image of youthfulness. Just like we associate Paris with sunset romance and jazz, or Berlin with techno and cool fashion, the Seoul people envision reflects rapid innovation, youthful energy, and creativity.

The Background Music of Seoul

One way to describe a city’s character is by associating it with music that matches its vibe. Perhaps because there have been both large and small milestones for me, the background music of Seoul that I think of carries a sense of nostalgia and yearning.

The Black Skirts - Antifreeze

The Black Skirts may appear to be a full band, but it is actually a solo project led by Holiday Jo. I love the intro to this song. It’s both the debut album track and one of the band’s most iconic songs. The melody and lyrics make me feel that this is truly a masterpiece, speaking of the contrast between a love that began as fate and the transformation into a cold love, which, in its own way, is still love.

"We've been inevitable from a long time ago
Wandering alone in the universe, feeling lonely
But when the sun and moon align,
I’ll understand everything."

Hyuk Oh - Big Bird

This track from Hyukoh’s 2018 EP 24: How to find true love and happiness expresses a longing for freedom and inner unease. It’s a short piece, with a guitar leading the melody. The repetition of the same chord in the beginning and similar lyrical patterns over three minutes creates a cathartic feeling after listening.

"You need to sift through memories of memories
Guard the night sky you tightly hold
I always thought of the black ceiling,
But the moon rises, showing me the full moon."

"I need to add repetition upon repetition
I won’t say I’m regretful
As I go on like this and look to the side
Everyone’s grown up now, busy living
Playing at being adults."

Even if I rest, there’s no time to relax
I have to get through today safely
One day, I too will be discarded
In the end, if this goes on, we’ll be
Nothing but ordinary people."

Beenzino - break

Is there a woman around my age who hasn’t picked Beenzino as her ideal type? He is the epitome of perfection. His lyrics are full of playfulness and humor rather than boasting or flexing. I remember replaying this song on repeat whenever I needed to vent.

"I want to be free
Right now, my combat power is at 111%
I want to wear the clothes I want
Walk down the street and get attention
I want to close the mouths of those I don’t like
Shut them off and open mine up
Yeah
I want to speak my mind
Yeah, so I want to say it out loud
Shut up."

Deli Spice - Chow Chow

Released in 1997, this song by Deli Spice is one of the most famous tracks in the Korean indie scene. Up until recently, I thought the song's title was "I Can Hear Your Voice," since half the lyrics are about shouting "I can hear your voice!" It begins with a dreamy, melancholic guitar, followed by a voice that stretches the notes, evoking a sense of longing for someone.

"I can hear your voice
I can hear your voice
I can hear your voice
I can hear your voice
No matter how hard I try to block it out,
No matter how hard I try to block it out..."

Yoo Hee-yeol - Summer Day (Feat. Peppertones Shin Jae-pyeong)

I Seoul U

Having lived in Korea for 26 years, I've realized that the concept of “context” is deeply ingrained in our society. People are intuitive about understanding the context, which leads to a certain sensitivity, often resulting in heightened awareness and a meticulous attention to detail. This fosters a constant self-monitoring process, where we ensure we don’t deviate from the larger context, creating high standards and increasing empathy and solidarity. Through this, overcoming obstacles leads to stronger individuality and thoughts, ultimately creating the youthful energy that represents Seoul.

In a state of imperfection, youth’s energy manifests. Both Seoul and ‘I’ in this city are processes of becoming. Living in the convenient, fully-formed city of Singapore, I would often think, "One day, I’ll return to Seoul." Reflecting on this thought in detail, I started to wonder if I should make an "I Seoul U" T-shirt with YBP goods.

In fact, even in Singapore, moments that will eventually become cherished memories are accumulating, just like in Seoul. Perhaps five years from now, I’ll write an article about why I love Singapore.