Sometimes, we get so caught up waiting for a big moment in life that we forget how beautiful the small ones can be. Living in Seoul, South Korea, has taught me that life doesn’t have to be a movie for us to experience moments that feel like one.
Before coming to Korea, I was always interested in K-dramas, which have become a major part of Korean popular culture and have expanded their influence worldwide. I was drawn to these shows long before applying to this study abroad program, but I never imagined how much they would shape my experience here.
When you watch a K-drama, you begin to notice how beautifully even the smallest things are portrayed. It could be snow falling, getting ready in the morning, studying at a cafe, or simply walking through the city. Ordinary moments gain meaning, and the world around the characters seems to come alive.
Since moving to Seoul, I have found myself experiencing these same moments in my own life. Whether it is stopping at a 7-Eleven in the morning, waiting for my train and hearing the subway’s arrival bells, or hearing the top-streamed K-pop songs on the street. I’ve learned to pay more attention to my surroundings.
I’ve started to understand what it means to “be where your feet are,” to fully experience the moment I’m in instead of constantly thinking about what comes next. Things that might have once felt ordinary have become moments I genuinely appreciate.
In recent years, a growing conversation has emerged about romanticizing life. Some people might see this as a way to escape reality or pretend to live a life that isn’t your own. However, I see it differently. I believe we all can view our lives through a cinematic lens, allowing us to appreciate the beauty of moments we might otherwise overlook.
Romanticizing life does not mean pretending everything is perfect. Instead, it means recognizing that even an imperfect life can be filled with beautiful experiences. That is one of the biggest things Korea has taught me. It has also reminded me not to let my life pass by wishing I were living another one, because there is so much to appreciate in the life I already have.
As I think about eventually leaving this beautiful country, I already know that I will feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Surprisingly, I think I’ll miss some of the smallest details the most. I will miss the familiar smells of kimchi, the beeping noises when you place your restaurant order, running to catch the next train, cooking meat on the grill at Korean barbecue restaurants, and even going to the doctor in a country that once felt so unfamiliar to me.
These are the experiences we do not necessarily think about before studying abroad. We often imagine the big adventures, the famous attractions, and the places we have always wanted to visit. Yet I think these everyday routines have become some of the most meaningful parts of living somewhere new. They’re the little things that slowly turn an unfamiliar place into somewhere that feels like home.
So maybe that is what it means to romanticize life. It is not about wishing you were somewhere else or waiting for your life to become more exciting. It is about looking around and realizing that there is already so much worth appreciating.
Korea has given me more than unforgettable experiences. It has taught me to see beauty in everyday moments that make up a life. What I hope you take from this is that soul-searching begins when you stop waiting for life to happen and start paying attention to the life you are living.
This blog was contributed by Susana Narvaez, Global Ambassador for Fall 2026. Susana is a Steve Hicks School of Social Work freshman participating in the Take the World by the Horns program in partnership with EF Abroad at Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea.
