They Give up Their Jobs to Journey the World and Now Run a Farm in South Korea

This as-told-to essay relies on a dialog with Kang “Kay” Soo-il, a 39-year-old South Korean nationwide who give up his job and traveled, earlier than returning residence to run a farm. It has been edited for size and readability.

Eight years in the past, at 31, I used to be residing in a Korean metropolis south of Seoul, and dealing as a software program developer and designer for Samsung Electronics. Burned out, I texted my mates, “I’m quitting my job to travel the world!”

Lily, then my childhood good friend, who’s now my spouse, replied: “I’m also quitting my job.” At the time, she was working as a flight attendant. The timing was a whole coincidence. We’d recognized one another since center college, and received again in contact.

We each grew up in Yesan, a rural city that is a couple of two-and-a-half-hour drive from Seoul. She grew up on her household’s farm the place they grew deodeok, or bonnet bellflower. It’s a mountain root vegetable generally utilized in Korean cooking. I lived a 10-minute stroll away.

We began courting in January and had been married by May. A month after our marriage ceremony, we began touring the world collectively.

Provided by Kang “Kay” Soo-il

Newlyweds touring the world

We began in Russia, lower via Europe, and traveled via North and South America for about two years from 2018 to 2020. We funded our travels with the financial savings from our work. We spent additional time in Calgary, Canada, as a result of I’d cherished it there as a research overseas scholar. During that 12 months in Calgary, we seen how proud the native farmers had been of their work.

In South Korea, that type of ambiance does not exist. Farming can usually be considered with a way of disgrace. But since my spouse’s father is a farmer, she’s all the time taken satisfaction in her roots.

Traveling overseas, Lily seen that deodeok was inconceivable to seek out overseas. It’s not an ingredient that is broadly exported, and when it’s, it is hardly ever cooked the identical method outdoors Korea.

Provided by Kang “Kay” Soo-il

Returning to the countryside

During our travels, we additionally got here to understand that we most well-liked the calm countryside cities over huge capitals like Paris. In 2020, we determined to return residence and take over my spouse’s household’s farm. It wasn’t tough to get permission from her dad and mom. They had been OK with it from the beginning.

Back then, it was referred to as Ssabdari Deodeok. It’s a third-generation family-run farm began by Lily’s grandmother almost 45 years in the past. At the tip of 2022, we launched it as Deodeokmong, or Dream of Deodeok.

Other than serving to out my dad and mom once I was younger, who grew meals on their weekend plot, I’d by no means actually raised a crop from begin to end. We trailed her father at first to be taught the fundamentals of farming.

During our first two years, we operated the farm as regular, however I seen that we threw out virtually 50% of our produce as a result of it wasn’t enticing sufficient for the market. We could not afford to maintain the enterprise by promoting solely half our harvest. We determined to pivot through the use of these in in style merchandise like butter cookies, lattes, and scones studded with deodeok.

Provided by Kang “Kay” Soo-il

In 2022, we additionally secured an area authorities small-business help program grant for about 100 million South Korean gained, or about $70,000, purchased new tools, and employed a design studio to assist with the rebrand and renovation. It took almost a 12 months, and we’re nonetheless growing the enterprise, however this system grant modified all the pieces.

Soon, native resorts reached out to characteristic our merchandise of their lobbies. The Hyundai Department Store invited us to host pop-up markets in Seoul.

Older clients have advised me that they love that younger farmers are retaining conventional crops alive. The youthful metropolis consumers are most likely interested in our packaging; it isn’t the same old old style, medicinal stuff you discover elsewhere.

My spouse focuses on branding, advertising and marketing, and product improvement. I concentrate on planting, farming, accounting, and making the merchandise.

Provided by Kang “Kay” Soo-il

Running a farm whereas elevating a household

We have a five-year-old daughter and we’re anticipating our second little one quickly. Honestly, I have never discovered the proper steadiness between parenthood and work but. I get up round 6 a.m., ship our daughter to kindergarten by 9 a.m., work, and when she comes residence at 4 or 5 p.m., I concentrate on her.

My candid recommendation to anybody dreaming of quitting their company job to farm? Don’t do it!

Farming is so tough that it usually seems like a futile endeavor. But should you’ve deeply thought of your choices and will not hand over, test-drive the approach to life first.

Try residing within the countryside for at the very least three months. If you continue to benefit from the way of life, then go forward. And learn broadly — not simply technical farming guides, however enterprise and branding books. Building a contemporary farm is not nearly rising crops; it is as complicated as gross sales and advertising and marketing.