Poet Lee Byung-ryul shares immersive travel experiences

“I find it strange that so many people invite me to their homes for a meal.”

The travel style of poet Lee Byung-ryul, 58, resembles that of the EBS TV program World Theme Travel. Like the show, he immerses himself in local life and engages closely with people. During a 2012 trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, he accepted an invitation from a local he met by chance at a market. The host’s home was a small shack by the water where casting a fishing line could catch fish. Lee recalled with a smile, “There were so many mosquitoes. I was bitten so much that I had no choice but to drink a lot.”

Based on these experiences, Lee recently published a prose collection titled Just Because I Like It (Dal). On Nov. 13, he was interviewed at a café in Jongno, Seoul. A travel enthusiast, Lee has already published several travel essays, including Attraction, The Wind Blows, I Like You, and The Person Beside Me. Following strangers without caution, however, can be risky.

“It is risky, of course, but I still go," Lee said. "Interesting things happen when I do. It can be the warmth of humanity opening itself to me, so I dive right in.”

Before debuting in 1995 through a newspaper New Year literary contest, Lee spent two years in Paris, France. Even during periods when he struggled to publish a poetry collection, he often returned to the city. His new book captures the landscapes and atmosphere of Paris, the city he sought out in moments of wandering. Illustrator Choi San-ho, who designed the cover for singer IU’s "Bye, Summer" album, contributed illustrations. The combination of Lee’s descriptions of Paris and Choi’s artwork provides a unique experience. When asked what in Paris inspired his poetry, Lee gave an unexpected answer: “Paris is melancholic.”

“Paris has long winters, which are also the rainy season. From late March, when the sun begins to shine, people become almost ecstatic," Lee said. "Creativity often erupts when one is sad and deeply wounded. I think that environment allowed me to create.”

Lee also described Paris as “a place easy to love.” On one occasion, he was sitting by the Saint-Martin Canal, jotting down notes, when an elderly couple approached him. They carried a tray with dishes and forks from home, as if on a picnic. “What are you writing?” they asked. When he replied that he was writing poetry, they said, “We have an empty room at home. You can write there,” and invited him in.

“I stayed for about a week the first time, and I visited two more times afterward," Lee said. "We really shared meals and slept under the same roof. They are people full of love.”

This new collection launches the “Travel Picture Book” series from Dal, whose publisher is Lee himself. Authors scheduled for future volumes include Na Tae-joo, Cheon Seon-ran, Jeong Se-rang, and Go Seon-gyeong. Poet Na Tae-joo, 80, traveled to Tanzania in August last year to meet a 16-year-old girl he had long supported through a relief organization. He wrote poetry about the journey and created the accompanying illustrations himself.


김소민 기자 somin@donga.com