Meet: Park Hyunu, founder of UCANKOREA, a travel company that offers unique tours in Seoul, Yeosu & Jeonju. Hyunu, a local tourism interpreter, is certified in Korean cuisine and history which makes him less of a tour guide, more of a docent and storyteller who prides himself on offering authentic and personal cultural experiences.
As a self-confessed history lover, Hyunu is really passionate about sharing the story of Seoul. He hopes that by joining one of his tours, guests can experience the best of what Seoul – a unique blend of tradition, modernity and nature – has to offer and truly enjoy this wonderful city. His mission: to give people a glimpse and taste of ‘real Korea.’
Since UCANKOREA began designing local experiences in 2022 they currently offer: personalised private tours, Hanwoo (Korean beef) Market Tour, a Bike Tour that explores Seoul’s living history, and more recently a four day foodie and artist adventure to the beautiful countryside of Yeosu and Jeonju.
Before we spoke about the above in detail, I wanted to know a little more about what first drew Hyunu to travel as a profession and was interested to learn that before COVID his dream was actually to be a Pilot. Hyunu shared with me that he spent two years living in Abu Dhabi and worked as a flight attendant while he saved up money for the necessary training. However, COVID hit which for Hyunu meant a return to Korea and a change of plans. He tried working in a more corporate environment but “quickly realised I was not best suited to office work so I left that job fairly early on,” joking that he all but ran away from the corporate world. “I really had to,” he shared, “sit down and think about what I was going to do next, and what would suit me best. I needed to be honest with myself and realistic about the future. As part of this I realised that I felt being a Pilot wasn’t my calling and decided that I really needed to figure out what my strengths were and to find something that would give me a sense of drive I found was missing from my life.”
Hyunu quickly realised one of his strengths was being able to speak English. Feeling happy about this, he began to think about all the things he likes, sharing that he has “always loved food thanks to the time I spent at culinary school as a young adult. I’ve also always loved history, something I think was nurtured by my father who is very passionate about history. I was fortunate to gain a certificate as a Tourism Interpreter, something I studied in my spare time during my military service.”
So, even though COVID forced Hyunu’s hard on a few things, it also gave him the time and space to think and re-evaluate. At first, he describes that period of his life as one spent living with “a sense of survival instinct. I decided to teach people Korean, which is actually where the name UCANKOREA comes from, but as time passed I found myself becoming more and more passionate about being a tour guide.”
Hyunu started out UCANKOREA completely on his own, opting not to work as part of a company. Talking about this, Hyunu shared that “having the sense of freedom to choose my own direction in life was really important” to him. “Everything,” he added, “felt new and exciting. I was really full of drive and passion about creating something special that no one had done before and was studying every night and doing my best to know as much as possible.”
Out of those efforts, Hyunu created his first tour: the Bike Tour. This three hour trip around Seoul explores history, local life, the lives of historical figures, and getting to know hidden alleyways. It is something which Hyunu says is really special to him, sharing with a smile that he “put a lot of effort into planning the route. I’m really proud of the tour. Every stop on the route has its own meaning and story but is also connected to the others.” In the summer they run it in the evening so you don’t have to worry about extreme heat. During cooler months, it runs in the morning, or at least does at the point of typing.
We then spoke about UCANKOREA’s second group tour: The trip to Garak Market and tasting Korean Beef. I’ve been on this and I recommend it, even if Hyunu jokes that “it’s not the easiest to run.” When I asked what he meant he said it involves lots of different elements that add pressure on even the best host with years of experience, such as a good knowledge of food, knowing how to cook, running a meal in a limited space, and doing it all not in their first language, but “I love running it and it’s special to me.”
As to the private tours, Hyunu personalises each private tour to the individual or group as much as possible. His aim here is to create something unique and a personal experience tailored to the individual. “I really enjoy,” Hyunu said, “finding out what that person wants and making the day special for them.” He joked that it might not be the most efficient way of running a business, but it gives him a drive and a sense of purpose. “Of course,” he added, “It’s not about making everything different, that would be impossible in the same way you can’t make every car different but it’s still something that is really important to me. I like to know more about the individual too so I can take them to places that they will naturally have an interest in. For example, if someone works within a particular field I would share and focus on that. I try to put as much attention to the little details when it comes to planning a day. It’s very rewarding and if someone is happy and comfortable and feels treated well on my tour then it’s really important.”
The Yeosu and Jeonju tour came about to showcase “the magic of Korea” which he added “does not just live in Seoul. Life breathes differently in the countryside.” This tour will connect people with local masters and craftspeople. Guests can learn about Oriental painting, go to a tea ceremony, and learn more about art and traditions that stretch back 1000 years. One of the masters on the tour is a Hanji master who has been practicing the craft for over 60 years. Hyunu hopes to run these tours on a monthly basis during spring and autumn. “I believe,” he said, “we have worked hard to create something special and meaningful that will give people lasting experiences. The groups will be small and personal. I hope the people who come on these tours will have a deep interest in our country and culture.”
In Hyunu’s own words, UCANKOREA doesn’t just guide: We taste. We listen. We connect.
Hyunu’s travel tip for those visiting Seoul: Go on a night time Palace tour. They’re really special. Another thing I think everyone should do if they visit is to go on a hike. Seoul is a really beautiful city and one of the things that makes it so special is that it is surrounded by mountains. I think it’s important for people to experience that.
