After spending a long time as an editor, I found myself becoming a traveler who had long since bypassed the vacation season that everyone else goes to. In doing so, I realized that there is a unique charm to tourist destinations that can only be experienced during the quiet off-season, rather than the noisy crowds and boisterous, stateless energy of the holiday season. I also realized that when the peaceful and tranquil daily lives of the locals fully fill the space, the place reveals its true, bare face—the face hidden by its packaging as a tourist spot.

Thus, at the beginning of September and on the threshold of autumn, the place I visited was 'Hamokjeong' in Habin-myeon, Dalseong , Daegu. They say the peak season here is actually July and August, and understandably so, as crape myrtle trees, blooming for 100 days throughout the summer, proudly display their red beauty everywhere. The entrance to Hamokjeong, a neighborhood I reached after taking a taxi west from Seodaegu Station for quite a while, was somewhat unique. It felt as though it were hidden away—almost invisible—at the far end of a seemingly unkempt road lined with eel restaurants and old motels. It was as if it were saying, "Only those who are meant to find it will know how."

This place was built in the 37th year of King Seonjo's reign by Nakpo Yi Jong-mun, a leader of the righteous army during the Imjin War. Originally the guest quarters of a residence, the main house has since disappeared, leaving only the pavilion today. King Injo of Joseon stayed here before ascending the throne, and he personally wrote the name "Hamokjeong" for Yi Jong-mun's eldest son, Yi Ji-yeong (currently designated as Treasure No. 2053). The name is derived from the poem "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Bo ; reciting the poem briefly reveals a scene so lyrical: "The setting sun flies in harmony with the lonely stork / The autumn waters are one with the blue of the distant sky." Opening the four-pillar gate and turning my head to the west, the blue sky and the Nakdong River come into view at a glance. It is indeed a landscape that perfectly suits its name.

Dalseong Hamokjeong

A pavilion built by Nakpo Yi Jong-mun, a leader of the righteous army during the Imjin War, in the 37th year of King Seonjo's reign (1604). It is a fine example of detached building architecture from the mid-to-late Joseon Dynasty and is currently designated as a national treasure of South Korea.

Hasan-ri, Habin-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu

The pavilion I had been looking forward to the most looked worn and faded by the sunlight, air, and wind and rain of the years, but that made it all the more atmospheric. What I liked most was the main hall, which stretched out wide and open, measuring three bays in the front and two bays on the side. As if showing the traces of time gone by, the floor gleamed with a polished sheen that could never be imitated. Perhaps because it didn't feel like it had been meticulously maintained in every nook and cranny, the view of the main hall, with the crape myrtle trees just beginning to shed their leaves after passing the peak of the hot summer, somehow appeared even more wistful and poignant.

Whenever I visit historical sites, I often imagine the lives of our ancestors who lived in eras I never experienced . As I trace their footsteps, a smile inevitably spreads across my lips; this is because the thought crosses my mind that while our lifestyles and ways of eating and living may have changed, human life is essentially the same everywhere. The joys and sorrows, excitement, frustration, anger, and regret felt in relationships and at work, and the small expectations and hopes we cannot let go of despite everything... When I consider that the essence of life remains largely unchanged from the past to the present, the weight of my own life seems to lighten just a tiny bit. Nothing is easy, neither then nor now. Perhaps the reason we feel inexplicably comfortable and generous when we are in the spaces of our ancestors is a reflection of this very sentiment. Before I know it, a light air permeates my footsteps, and I find myself drawn toward the nearby Myogol Village . A wish to lean against a place somewhere in the past—a place I miss for reasons I cannot quite understand—gently blows through my heart.

At the end of the season, the pink hues of crape myrtle trees create an ethereal tunnel, forming a magnificent spectacle all the way to the entrance of the village. This is a village that has quietly embraced 560 years of history. It is a clan village where the descendants of Park Paeng-nyeon, one of the Six Loyal Ministers who died while attempting to restore the young King Danjong—who had been usurped by his uncle—to the throne, now live together. It is also home to 'Yuksin-sa,' a shrine housing the ancestral tablets of the Six Loyal Ministers: Park Paeng-nyeon, Seong Sam-mun, Yi Gae, Yu Seong-won, Ha Wi-ji, and Yu Eung-bu . Originally, the village was home to hundreds of traditional Korean houses (hanok), but some were damaged by wars and other factors. It is said that the village maintains its current appearance after a few houses were reconstructed following its designation as a cultural heritage protection zone.

The first place we visited was the Sarangchae of Myogol Village, a café called 'Myoun' that welcomes guests from afar . In fact, this is a Hanok built by the direct descendants of Park Paeng-nyeon to entertain visitors to the village. Although there were quite a few customers in the café in the afternoon, a serene silence prevailed. The heartwarming dessert menu, curated with the help of a master of Korean cuisine and a tea expert, caught our eye. Our group savored the space while enjoying jars of dried persimmons and coffee. The massive main beam, rarely seen elsewhere, seemed extraordinary, so I looked it up and learned that both the architectural style and structure were built using traditional methods. Floor-to-ceiling windows, designed to allow one to fully experience the passage of seasons and time, loosely held the tips of crape myrtles. These flowers, said to symbolize unwavering devotion and integrity, were typically planted in the gardens of temples or scholars. Perhaps dazzled by their tenacious vitality enduring the sweltering heat, I found myself closing and opening my eyes for a moment.

Myoun

A café serving as the guest house of Myogol Village. Beautiful and heartwarming dessert menus, curated with the help of a Korean cuisine master and a tea expert, welcome guests.

34, Yuksinsa-gil, Habin-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu

@myoun_cafe

The cafe's furniture, tableware, and objects were all created in collaboration with various craft artists, making them works of art that could only be enjoyed here. Of course, every single intricate detail was beautiful, but what was actually more impressive was that the overall spatial composition, the way the furniture was arranged, and the design's balance of intensity were fluid yet three-dimensional, resembling a contemporary artwork. Antique books and trinkets passed down through generations were placed throughout the space, exuding a sophisticated yet elegant dignity. It felt as if nothing was cliché or forced; everything that was meant to be was simply in its proper place. Suddenly, I find myself savoring the cafe's name. 'Myoun.' It means, "Come rest beneath the clouds of Myogol Village."

What does it mean to encompass tradition and modernity? I pondered this as I spent time drifting like leisurely clouds. Perhaps it is a kind of silent dialogue that blossoms within the heart the moment one goes a step beyond exploring and restoring the values and truths of traditional culture to seeking ways to convey them to the modern era . The time flowing beyond the past into the space of the present was mysterious, and the space of that time was exquisite.

I took a stroll around the neighborhood, walking past Chunghyodang and Myeonggyeongjidam Pond , where a sense of elegance permeated the air, all the way to Yuksin Shrine. In particular, Dogokjae is said to preserve the quintessential southern Joseon gentry house. Built by Seo Jeong-gong Park Mun-hyeon, who served as Daesaseong in the second year of King Jeongjo's reign, and used as the ancestral shrine for Dogok-gong Park Jong-woo from the mid-19th century (a renowned literary official during the reign of King Injo; a figure who wept while looking north upon hearing the news of King Injo's surrender during the Manchu Invasion, burned all his lifelong writings, and went into seclusion), it is said to be a place that preserves the typical form of a Joseon-era southern gentry residence. Although I could not look inside fully as people were actually living there, the sight of thatched roofs and traditional Korean houses harmonizing was unrealistically beautiful, so I kept snapping photos. Nameless flowers in front of the old house exuded fresh energy. In other words, this signifies that history continues to this day . The spirit of the descendants, who cherish the land of their ancestors while diligently cultivating their present upon it, slowly spread within me as well.

Myogol Village

It is a village of the Suncheon Park clan located in Myori, Habin-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu. It is a representative aristocratic village in the Yeongnam region where the descendants of Chwigeumheon Park Paeng-nyeon, one of the Six Loyal Ministers during the reign of King Danjong of Joseon, have lived for generations for about 560 years.

39-4, Yuksinsa-gil, Habin-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu

Myogol Village, where the trajectory of slow time settles upon every joint of roof tiles, walls, and verandas, and Hamokjeong... If I have one wish, it is that this place be remembered not merely as a famous spot for crape myrtles in Daegu, but as our precious heritage where we can reflect on life beyond the Hanok . Of course, the midday summer, when the crape myrtles color the entire village, might be the best season to visit. However, I hope someone recognizes that there is also a faint beauty in fading flowers, and a beauty of the space that can only be felt during the quiet off-season, unlike the peak season. Right here and now, every corner around us subtly tells us that we can discover the space and contemplation of life through a heart that fully feels and observes these things.

The accommodation I stayed at during this trip to Daegu presented a landscape quite different from the previous ones. It was 'Iseo Stay' in Cheongdo, reached after a 40-minute drive from Dongdaegu Station . This property is the work of Smart Architecture, a winner of the Grand Prize for Korean Architecture and the Daegu City Architecture Award, and was completed over approximately two years with the mindset of building a vacation home for the family. Above all, the refreshing sense of openness, capturing the natural scenery of the lush countryside, was impressive; one could clearly feel the architect's perspective, which typically emphasizes light, shadow, and lines. The homeowner's wish for a home solely for scenery and rest was expressed through the delicate details throughout the house. In particular, the living room, which gave way to an audio system instead of a TV, offered distinctly different sound resonance and quality thanks to a sculptural ceiling made of oak with meticulously matched grain. The room and bathroom, with their beautiful, clean lines and surfaces, and the dramatic sequence of the second-floor space led by the structural staircase were nice, but what remains in my memory is the sunlight pouring in the moment I opened my eyes early in the morning and the deep green landscape unfolding before my eyes.

Lee Seo

This space was completed by client CEO Kwon Jeong-hwa with the mindset of building a vacation home for her family, and was designed by Smart Architecture, a winner of the Daegu City Architecture Award. One can feel the CEO's delicate wish for a home of perfect rest throughout the space.

193-1 Chilgok-ri, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk

@ether.stay

It is a moment when you realize that nature is the ultimate completion of everything. In the kitchen and on the table, Japanese confectionery made by local creators, along with tea and coffee, were prepared alongside Iseo's brand story. It is a unique hospitality offered here, hoping you will savor a tranquil time while facing the wide-open sky. It is a journey of slowly piecing together the ridge outside the window and the puzzle-like village below. It was a comma in daily life, with nothing to add and nothing to subtract.

Lee Min-kyung

She worked as a fashion editor for the magazines *Style H* and *Instyle * , and in content marketing at Hyundai Card. Drawing on the sensibilities she accumulated over her long career as a magazine editor, she wrote the book *Tokyo Curation*, which views the city of Tokyo as a brand and explores it through a multi-layered perspective. This substantial book of approximately 500 pages contains in-depth landscapes observed while she spent six years in Tokyo. Just as the book's opening sentence states, "There are landscapes that can only be seen once you enter," the author unfolds the moments she actually encountered and experienced through extensive research via her own unique lens, exploring attitudes toward life through inspirations both big and small found in everyday life.