SABA Issue 44: Fukuoka - Busan Solo Travel

In different cities, we find familiar streetscapes. The heart is transparent Across from the heart, the sea is visible Not dim, nor dazzling Language! Please do not separate Me from the sea — <Travel 4 Alicante>, Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanigawa Recently, Japanese friends around me talk about South Korea with a change in their eyes. Some have fallen for idols, some are captivated by Korean food, and some have started listening to Korean bands. The global K-Pop phenomenon needs no further explanation. However, for "SABA," a Japanese culture magazine, this represents a significant breakthrough. "Why feature South Korea?" It's not due to trends, but a genuine observation of the subtle flows between Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. In 2018, while interviewing Taiwanese-Japanese author Wei-Chung Chang in Tokyo, our conversation about Japan turned to South Korea after the recording ended. "Have you watched Korean dramas?" I replied with a wry smile that I only watched Japanese dramas. "As a cultural observer, you should. Not because everyone is crazy about it, but to understand the cultural trends and the essence of what's being written into resonant scripts." This remark shattered my preconceived notions about South Korea. "So this is how Japan views South Korea." Thus, the idea of connecting Japan and South Korea began to simmer. After six years, we have finally journeyed from Fukuoka to Busan. For "SABA," this marks another exploration into Asian cities, following our feature on "Japanese Port Cities." Post-pandemic travel styles have shifted, and "solo travel" no longer emphasizes "growth" or "epic journeys." Travel can be purely for rest, solitude, and meaningful self-dialogue. There's no need to deliberately make friends locally or force yourself to meet expectations. If a shop is closed, just wander into the next one. This is a journey suited for the eight-hour ferry ride between Japan and South Korea, a satisfying solo trip where everything is done at a relaxed pace. It fulfills the desire for a "true journey" where one doesn't feel regret even without a particularly significant discovery. In response to the annual theme, the editorial team not only visited both locations firsthand but also invited Taiwanese and Japanese writers to observe the concepts of "living alone" and "eating alone" from a Japanese perspective, as well as the current trend of Japanese people enthusiastically visiting South Korea. As Takashiro Takuma, the scriptwriter of "My Perfect Day," mentioned in our interview, the personalities of every country are becoming increasingly similar due to the social media era. As similarities rise, the world will be reshuffled, and people will begin to seek originality within their own personalities. Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea are becoming an "Asian squad," sharing some common yet distinct cultural experiences. Perhaps this is a journey of shared resonance, written into scripts, understood without words.