Dawoon Kim /Korea

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself?

I majored in film and joined the campus gardening club at college. After graduating the university, I worked in the news department of the broadcasting station for a year. 

2. What make you to do WWOOFing in Korea?

 While working and living by myself  in Seoul, I still have had interests in farming and gardening. While looking for a hobby, I found the young farmers’s group, Butground(벗밭) on Instagram by chance. It is a group of young people to think over the matters of farming and sustainability. There was a project to grow a small urban garden in Seoul and I participated. Among the 10 members in the project, there was one WWOOFer who introduced me to WWOOF Korea. After quitting my job, I decided to do WWOOFing as I had more free time.

3. How was your work or experience as a WWOOFer

Mostly I managed the seeding in the greenhouse and planted crops and weeded out on the field. Sometimes I helped gardening by gathering rocks  or planting flowers. 

4. What would be the most memorable thing about WWOOFing? 

Above all I was able to connect to nature with my own feelings. Unlike the fast-paced lifestyle in the city, WWOOFing allowed me to have a balance between work and rest, and it helped me to find my peace of mind again. As the farm was a community town run by a monastery, I got to have a chance to interact with other neighbors and community members. I appreciated my community experience there as it has been rare to have in the modern city due to the rapid urbanization. It was such a precious and meaningful time to realize the value of nature and relationship.

5. Can you give a message for readers of the WWOOF Korea newsletter?

Farms with organic or eco-friendly farming always need some hands. If you are a bit hesitant in WWOOFing, I strongly recommend it. I am sure that it will be a great experience after all.