“I Used to Catch My Dinner.”

 Grocery Shopping in Korea vs. Fishing Back Home

In Korea, grocery shopping has become part of my routine. After a long day of work, I walk into a bright, organized supermarket, grab a basket, and move quickly through the aisles. Everything is clean, labeled, and efficient. I choose my meat, vegetables, maybe some seafood, tap my card, and I’m out within minutes. It’s convenient — especially when you’re tired.

But sometimes, standing in the seafood section, I pause.

Back home on the island, getting fish didn’t involve shopping carts or price tags. It meant going out to the ocean. Sometimes early in the morning, sometimes late in the afternoon, when the sun was softer. Fishing wasn’t just about bringing food home. It was about being outside, feeling the salt air, talking and laughing while waiting for a bite.

Even if we didn’t catch much, it never felt like a waste of time. The experience itself mattered. The ocean decided what we ate that day. There was something honest about that — something grounding.

In Korea, food feels structured and predictable. You choose exactly what you want, when you want it. Back home, you accepted what the sea gave you. There was patience in that process, and gratitude too.

I appreciate the efficiency of life here. After 12-hour workdays, convenience is a blessing. But part of me still misses that deeper connection — the feeling that food wasn’t just something you bought, but something you participated in.

Grocery shopping in Korea supports my busy life.
Fishing back home reminded me to slow down and live in the moment.

Thank you for reading Seoulful Islander.