Daily Busan
[My Busan Story] Finding Love, and Life, in Busan
"My Busan Story" is a special series by Busan's English-language newspaper, inviting foreign residents to share their unique perspectives on life in the city. From unforgettable experiences and travel episodes to small everyday joys, these stories highlight the diverse voices that make Busan feel like home. This month, we introduce the story of Nemie Alejandro-Jun from Philippines , now Korean national.
Finding Love, and Life, in Busan
I arrived in Busan from Manila in 2003, a young woman with a one-way ticket and dreams of love in a city I had never seen. I didn’t know then that I would still be here more than twenty years later, building a life that would quietly become my love story with Busan.
Each morning before dawn, I slip out of bed to prepare breakfast for my two daughters: my eldest, focused on her final year of high school, and my youngest, a fourth grader who giggles at YouTube Reels while eating her cereal. We live on Busan’s western edge, where the early buses pass by and the smell of eomuk from nearby factories drifts through the cool air, a small signal to breathe before the day begins.
After dropping the girls at school, I head to my full-time job nearby, managing exports and overseas marketing while wondering what stories they’ll share over dinner. Once a week, I attend a night baking class – one of those small but meaningful joys this city makes possible, reminding me that there's always room to grow, even in the busiest seasons.
Life here has also given me a family beyond home. Friends from Busan’s Filipino and foreign community have become like family – we share adobo, kimchi, stories, and laughter that lifts even the busiest weeks. I also teach CCAP classes in local schools, sharing stories from home while learning from the bright, curious kids of this city I now call mine.
On still weekends, we step onto our veranda, not far from Dadaepo Beach, where the same wide skies stretch above us. The sunset spills gold and rose across the horizon, wrapping us in warmth. In that hush, beside my beautiful daughters, I remember: I came for love – and found it, here, in everything.
※The writer, Nemie Alejandro-Jun, is a naturalized Korean of Filipino origin, raising two daughters in Busan. She works as a Division Director at a medical manufacturing company.