Daily Busan
[Letters from our readers] Acts of kindness and quiet moments of connection
This new series features letters from Busan is Good readers on various topics. This month, readers responded to " Why I Live in Busan." Readers are encouraged to submit their writing for publication.
Firdavs Boltaev from Uzbekistan came to Busan planning to stay only a few years. Through small acts of kindness and quiet connections, the city gradually became his new home.
Firdavs Boltaev, a young man from Uzbekistan, reveals to us why he lives in Busan.
I arrived in Busan with one suitcase and no clear plan. I told myself I would stay a few years, earn some money, finish my studies, and then move on. That was three years ago.
One evening, after a long and exhausting day, I missed my bus near Nampo-dong. It was late, raining lightly, and I was frustrated. I stopped by a small "pojangmacha" to wait. My Korean was limited, so I pointed at the menu. The owner smiled, poured me hot fish cake broth, and added an extra skewer without charging me.
We didn't talk much, just a few broken words and gestures, but the warmth of that small kindness stayed with me.
Moments like that kept happening. A taxi driver took a longer route so I could see the ocean at night. A coworker quietly corrected my Korean without embarrassment. A neighbor who nodded to me every morning until one day it turned into a conversation. Busan doesn't rush relationships; it lets them grow naturally.
The city itself mirrors that feeling. Mountains rise suddenly between buildings, and the sea appears where you least expect it. When life feels heavy, I walk along the coast or climb a nearby trail. The noise fades, and things feel manageable again.
Busan never tried to impress me. It never promised success or excitement. What it offered was steadiness, a place where ordinary days felt meaningful. As a foreigner, that mattered more than anything.
I stayed because Busan made me feel grounded. Not through big moments, but through small, quiet ones, the kind that slowly turn a city into home.