My enduring relationship with Korea began in 1990 with a contract to teach English as a Foreign Language with a private institute a few blocks away from Busan National University. I make trips back to the Land of the Morning Calm every couple of years to hike and photograph in the country’s 22 national parks. And, of course, to consume as much delectable local cuisine as possible within a cruelly short time frame.

Elements of Hanguk I find compelling are the rocky, mountainous terrain intersected by multitudes of streams and waterfalls, and the forests, particularly those in the northeast part of the country, that come ablaze with fiery color in the fall. The marine preserves, coastal and island territories have unique microclimates. The traditional architecture and man-made features are built in harmony with the natural elements of the landscape in a way that is particularly Korean and different from anywhere else in Asia, or the rest of the world for that matter.