PEOPLE
Goh Gwang-min, the Ultimate Pedestrian Traveler
Special Ambassador Interview
editor_UJ
What’s it like to live a life of traveling every day?
The life of a travel creator may look glamorous and romantic from the outside, but in reality, it’s closer to an intense test of physical endurance.
Goh Gwang-min, whom we met through this ambassador interview, is also a traveler firmly grounded in that reality.
Gwang-min travels across the country entirely by public transportation, never shying away from same-day trips or overnight schedules without rest — a true professional pedestrian traveler. Even if each journey is brief, what he sees and feels is recorded with remarkable density.
From travel time and walking routes to difficulty levels and the best photo spots — the details travelers crave but often struggle to find are completed precisely through the records of a true pedestrian traveler.
As an outstanding supporter of UH FLAT The Songdo and Sokcho, and someone who has made travel his profession, we share a candid and realistic conversation with Goh Gwang-min.
Interview with Gwang-min at UHC HQ in Gangnam, Seoul
Part 1. From a Passion to a Profession
Q. What led you to pursue the path of a travel creator?
A. After being discharged from the military, I spent some time thinking about my future. I had always loved traveling and writing, so I started looking for a way to bring the two together. That’s how my travel blog began.
My first post was about a trip to Mokpo and Gwangju during the COVID period. Back then, it wasn’t information-driven like now — it was more like a personal diary.
Q. Are you currently working as a full-time creator?
A. Yes. It’s been about two months since I left my job, and I’m now working as a full-time creator, running both Instagram and Naver Blog.
When I worked five days a week, my time for travel was limited to weekends. Over time, I began to feel like my job was holding me back.
After months of thought, I decided to quit, telling myself, “If not now, it would be hard to try again.”
Q. What was your major, and does it connect to what you’re doing now?
A. I majored in Korean language education, mostly because a friend recommended it. Teaching itself didn’t suit me that well, but traveling around Seoul with international exchange students was incredibly enjoyable. Looking back, travel felt far more natural and familiar to me than education.
Content from Gwang-min’s UH FLAT The Sokcho Ambassador Project
Part 2. The Details Only a ‘Pedestrian Traveler’ Can Capture — Beyond AI
Q. What kind of travel information do people feel most desperate for?
A. Surprisingly small details — entrance fees, how long it takes to walk through a place, or the best time of day for photos.
My biggest differentiator is that I’m a pedestrian traveler. In an era filled with AI-generated content, I focus on stories that clearly reflect my own experiences and know-how — detailed public transportation routes and realistic travel times included.
You can usually tell when a post is copied straight from AI.
Content from Gwang-min’s UH FLAT The Sokcho Ambassador Project
Q. Travel creator is a modern dream job — but does it have its own hardships?
A. From the outside, it looks like you’re always eating good food and visiting nice places — but in reality, everything comes down to stamina.
To catch a sunrise, you often have to wake up before dawn. Taking an early-morning train to a distant city and returning to Seoul the same evening happens all the time.
Q. Do you have a preferred travel style?
A. I prefer short trips, especially day trips, over long stays. There’s a real sense of accomplishment in fitting everything into a single day.
Just two days ago, I took a 7 a.m. flight to Busan and came back to Seoul that same night by SRT.
Ultra-short trips are also an emerging travel trend. People may lack time, but the desire to get away is definitely growing.
Content from Gwang-min’s UH FLAT The Sokcho Ambassador Project
Part 3. UHC Hotels Through a Traveler’s Eyes
Q. What matters most when choosing accommodation?
A. I check the price first, then the view when I open the room door. Ultimately, what separates a hotel I want to revisit from one I don’t is room condition and cleanliness.
Honestly, every UHC hotel I’ve stayed at was excellent. Accessibility, in particular, really stands out.
At UH FLAT The Songdo, the walk back after an evening stroll through Central Park became content in itself. And at UH FLAT The Sokcho, the ocean view directly from the room and bed left a lasting impression.
Content from Gwang-min’s UH FLAT The Sokcho Ambassador Project
Part 4. The Meaning of Travel, and Practical Advice
Q. What does a “good trip” mean to you?
A. A journey where you can rediscover yourself. Traveling alone gives you many moments for self-reflection, and even brief conversations can reveal insights into other people’s lives.
I used to be extremely introverted — in my early twenties, I couldn’t even press the stop button on a bus. I’d just walk an extra stop or two.
But these days, I find myself starting small talk with taxi drivers or asking restaurant owners how they made a certain broth. Travel has truly changed the way I live.
Q. Any advice for aspiring travel creators?
A. "Your physical stamina must support you. Don’t be blinded by nice hotels and good food alone — you need planning skills and a sense for trends. You don’t have to be brilliant, but you do need to be sharp and capable."
Q. What kind of creator do you want to become in the future?
A. I want to become the ‘ultimate pedestrian traveler.’ Visiting seemingly difficult destinations on foot gives me a huge sense of achievement.
I want to be someone who kindly shares even the most detailed information about those places.
Interview with Gwang-min at UHC HQ in Gangnam, Seoul
This interview made us rethink what it truly means to “travel well.”
Recording a trip with depth, even if it’s short. Leaving information that genuinely helps the next traveler, rather than just flashy moments. Gwang-min’s journeys always seem to be guided by that principle.
The place where STATION by UHC and our hotels wish to meet travelers is much the same — a space you stay in briefly, yet one that feels deeply comfortable and lingers quietly in your memory.
Just as the records of those who walk slowly tend to last, we hope to become a brand that remains in memory for a long time. With that wish, we bring this story to a close.