Another week, another lokafyer profile! We hope that you’ve been enjoying these blogs and getting to know our beloved lokafyers, their stories and how they ended up rediscovering their cities time after time with every visitor willing to have a unique experience. Today, we’ll talk to Immii, who was overtaken by Busan’s charisma and magic atmosphere, and ended up calling the city its home. For over 10 years, he has been exploring all of its hidden gems and sharing them with tourists, finding the perfect balance between the most popular hotspots in Busan and those places that only the most devoted locals actually know. Are you ready to have a one-of-a-kind visit to Busan? Well, then you know who you need to contact.
Let’s see what Immii has to say about his life, his love for Busan and the way Lofaky has allowed him to live the city in a completely different way.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello, this is Immii John from Lokafy tours.
A little bit about myself, I've been living in South Korea since 2009, I was in Seoul for 2 years for my masters degree and then I moved to Busan in 2011 and did PhD in international relations in 2018. I work for a company as GM overseas sales and an English teacher. I've been with Lokafy tours for over 3 years now and I try my best to show the best places to visitors in Busan and make their stay memorable!
How long have you been living in your city and what do you love about it?
I’ve been living in Busan since 2011. Busan is love . It’s the summer capital of South Korea. I love the beautiful beaches such as Haeundae and Gwanganali beach, temples such as Haedong Yonghungsa and Beomeosa, foods such as Bibimpap and Bulgogi, friendly people and culture.
How did you discover Lokafy and what made you want to become a Lokafyer?
I was contacted by Lokafy team after watching my profile on LinkedIn. At first I thought it’s just a spam email but later they assigned me a German TV documentary project of Geomchon culture village. Well I felt great about being a tour guide. It’s always fun meeting new people and showing the best places, tourist attractions and historical sites to tourists and explaining about the city, people and culture in detail.
What are some of the most memorable experiences you've had with travelers through Lokafy?
I have tons of memories with the tourists and some of them are like true good friends now. I had a tour with a Canadian marine, a very down to earth guy and he was so interested in the historical places and we still keep in touch through social networks. I have Australian tourists, they were so friendly that they invited me to dinner together downtown after the tour. There are so many memories that I won’t be able to explain all here.
How has Lokafy changed your perspective on travel and culture?
Actually I’ve learned a lot about other cultures, people and their behavior. It’s an amazing experience. Now when I meet tourists from a specific place I know their reaction, mood and what they are interested in and not. Also travels teaches you a lot. If you want a first hand experience of a place, people and culture, you must visit that place and meet locals.
What are some of the tips or advice that you would give to someone who wants to travel like a local?
My advice for tourists from the Americas and the working class would be to visit as many places as you can once you plan your trip to Busan because there are so many places and you may not have time to visit again so better get as much out of the trip as you can.
Whenever they plan to visit Busan, get as much information as you can. Learn about the places and the latest hotspots in town because there’s always something new happening in Busan. Be relaxed and try local cuisines.
When you’re not working for Lokafy, what do you like to do for fun?
I have a regular job these days. I usually have tours on the weekends. I live by Gwanganali beach. If I don’t have a tour on the weekend, I usually go for a walk, work out, go on long drives and explore nearby islands and camp there. I love camping.
Any final comments for travelers visiting your city?
When you plan your trip to Busan, you must visit the places like Geomchon culture village, Haedong Yongunggsa Temple, Nampodong, Jagalchi fish market, BIFF Zone, Haeundae and Gwangali beaches, UN Memorial cemetery, Busan Democracy Park, Taejongdae and must try food at local markets. Try to be polite, friendly and indulge yourself in the local culture.
People here are very nice and friendly, you will always be welcomed with an open heart and a smile if you do that.
You can feel Immii’s passion through his words, don’t you think? It is obvious he loves being in Busan and has made it his home. That kind of feeling of belonging and wanting to be somewhere is what we strive to have here at Lokafy; a strong connection between people that can translate into a great time in a new place, a sense of simply being where you’re supposed to be. Undoubtedly, with people like Immii by our side, we’ll have no problem achieving just that.
Enjoyed this article?
