When Seoul Became My Freelance Reset

Freelancing has its seasons, the busy waves and the quiet dips. And this time, the dip came fast.

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The Drought Season I Didn’t See Coming

Half of my clients ended and paused their contracts almost at the same time. That’s the reality of online freelancing: one day you’re fully booked, the next you’re staring at your inbox wondering what just shifted.

You can’t control contract endings. You can control how you move through the space they leave behind. And luckily, I already had a trip to Seoul, South Korea booked. Honestly? I was grateful. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Not to escape, but to breathe.

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‍When Life Slows Down, I Move With Intention

Whenever life shifts, I don’t sit still. If anything, slow seasons push me into deeper focus:

• new courses
  
  
• new skills
  
  
• new systems
  
  
• building more side hustles
  
  
• testing more passive-income streams
  
  

All about upskilling (and making more income resources) that I can use for my own business and for my clients’ projects. But before diving into any of that, this trip gave me something I needed: a full-stop pause. A reset disguised as a getaway.

Seoul became my slow era unintentionally, but perfectly.

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Seoul: Where Everything Felt Softer

In Seoul, life moved at a different pace. No juggling. No rush. No chaos.

Our Airbnb, tucked high on a quiet hill, was about an hour away from most places I visited, a tiny residential escape that felt worlds away from Seoul’s city buzz. Every walk back felt like a mini workout, but I loved the calm. It felt like living as a local.

I actually chose this Airbnb because they offered early check-in and late check-out, which was a lifesaver. Our flight landed at 5:40 AM in Incheon, and the travel time from the airport to the apartment was about two hours via the limousine bus. We grabbed breakfast first, explored a bit, and still managed to check in by 11:30 AM, not waiting around until 4 PM with heavy eyes and heavier luggages.

And for our return flight?

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Checkout was at 6 PM instead of 11 AM, which gave us an entire extra day to rest, pack, and reset before heading to the airport for our 2:15 AM flight back to Manila.

Little things like that make all the difference when you’re traveling slow and keeping your energy in check.

And the food? Unreal. Truly.

We tried:

• Seoul’s famous BBQ chicken,  the crispy, sweet, spicy kind you can't stop thinking about
  
  
• Instant ramyun at the Han River,  simple but iconic, and somehow it hits different when you eat it outdoor
  
  
• Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), the perfect street-side snack; fiery, chewy, and one of Korea’s most famous comfort foods
  
  
• Coffee shops that have the best coffee,  if Japan is my matcha era, Seoul is my Americano era (iced or hot)
  
  
• Tiny, countryside-style restaurants tucked into alleys

We found tiny family-owned spots straight out of a K-drama, steaming bowls, handwritten menus, and flavors that felt like home.

Everything had that warm, comforting, “you won’t find this anywhere else” taste.

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Seoul’s Must-Sees in My Slow Era

Even in my slow era, I made room for the beauty of the city:

• Namsan Tower, where the city feels endless
  
  
• Stone Wall Road, a quiet, romantic walk wrapped in fall colors
  
  
• Starfield Library, the kind of place that makes you want to write a book
  
  
• Han River, where simple moments feel cinematic, especially with ramyun and fall air
  
  
• Myeong-dong, the heartbeat of Seoul. If Japan has Shibuya or Shinjuku, this is Seoul’s version. I picked up a few skincare essentials, tried street food, and grabbed coffee while soaking in the city buzz.
  
  
• And of course… Starbucks Been There & Discovery Series Mugs
  (I collect them everywhere I go and this is non-negotiable.)

Seoul in the fall is magic.

Every night dipped to 4–6°C, cold enough to feel cozy inside our Airbnb and coffee shops. And if you’re exploring late, a heat-tech layer is a must, especially if you’re like me and lack of sleep makes you extra cold-sensitive.

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Slow Travel, Fast Opportunities

Here’s the funny thing about freelancing: opportunities often show up when you stop chasing them.

While I was slowing down in Seoul…my inbox was speeding up.

Project invites.
Shortlists.
Follow-ups.
Potential new contracts.

All landing while I was sipping Americano, walking through yellow-lined streets, or sitting by the Han River.

It felt like life reminding me: “See? Rest doesn’t take opportunities away from you.”

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What Seoul Really Taught Me

This trip wasn’t planned as a reset, but it became one.

It taught me:

• Slow seasons don’t mean you’re failing.
  
  
• You’re allowed to pause without losing momentum.
  
  
• Breathing room is often the thing that unlocks clarity.
  
  
• Creativity lands when you make space for it.
  
  

Traveling through Seoul’s fall made me realize how much I needed softness. Quiet. Space.
Not because things were falling apart, but because they were shifting.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your freelance life is step away for a moment and let the next chapter catch up to you.

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Would I Go Back? Absolutely.

Same season.
Same city.
Same soft golden glow.

Seoul in the fall is something I’d repeat without hesitation.

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The Bottom Line: Droughts Aren’t Dead Ends

My freelance season slowed down. So I slowed down with it.

And in that quiet space, things aligned again:  opportunities, clarity, inspiration.

If you’re in your own slow season right now, maybe it’s not a setback.
Maybe it’s your reset moment.
Your Seoul moment.
Your permission to breathe.

If you’re in a 9–5 and craving more freedom, my Remote Work Playbook: Travel & Thrive offers the mindset, systems, and habits that helped me build my own version of “anywhere."