DADAEPO 다대포

Through the difficult Covid-19 times, I hold onto nice memories of my childhood hometown of Dadaepo, going to the nearby temple, and relaxing on the beautiful island of Molundae. I’d like to share thoughts of these sweet treasures of my heart which continue to provide me with positive vibes.

Thirty years ago, before I was born, my grandparents decided to move from their house in Munhyeon-dong, Busan, where they sold fried chicken. They wanted to have their own home instead of renting. So they saved money, little by little, and were finally able to move to Dadaepo (Dadae-dong), Busan. They bought an apartment in a 12 story building built in 1991. Dadaepo was located on the mouth of the Nakdong River where the water flows into the sea. At the time, there were no other buildings in front of their apartment, so my grandparents were able to see a wide ocean through their windows. Despite this wonderful view, my grandmother worried about how she could live in this 782 square foot apartment (22 pyeong), which was too small, in her opinion, when compared to their old two-story house in Munhyeon-dong. This worry caused a three year delay for my grandparents.

Years later, I was raised by my grandparents in this apartment while both of my parents worked. The apartment was full of life with not only my grandparents but also their daughters and me. Later, my aunts married and gave birth to their children, my cousins.

I grew up with my cousins and friends in the apartment, with all of the tasks of making meals, raising families, and helping each other.

Yeim Choi

Our days could be hectic in this apartment, so we took time for mindfulness through peaceful outings to appreciate the importance of all things in life.

Every first day of every month of the lunar calendar, my mother, grandmother, and I went to the Buddhist temple Dadaesa, the oldest temple in Dadaepo. This temple is located at the foot of Ami Mountain. We slowly walked there, chatting, and feeling the fresh scent of the air and quiet atmosphere of Ami Mountain. When we heard the clear sound of wind chimes, we knew we had almost arrived at Dadaesa. I stood at the entrance of the temple, put my hands together, and bowed my head about three times in the direction of the temple. This greeting showed respect to Buddha. Inside the temple, my mother and grandmother would gently ignite the incense stick in front of the Buddha statue and bow. After the ceremony was over, a kind and generous bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun) gave out pieces of Baek-seolgi (traditional Korean white rice cake) or temple bibimbap.

The temple only had bhikkhuni (female monks), and I felt that they were like mothers. At that time, I didn’t know much about Buddhism, so I just followed my mother and grandmother and imitated their prayer to Buddha. I usually prayed ‘please, keep all my family and friends healthy and live a long life without illness.’ This was just one type of event that grounded me; another was going on trips to a beautiful island.

Molunddae, an island with striking views of the ocean surrounded by thick forest and exotic rocks, was the place I usually went with my friends. I really love this island’s name too. The word molunddae is a poetic term meaning ‘the island sinking under the cloud.’ Because the island is hidden by clouds and can hardly be seen in cloudy and foggy weather, the name fits perfectly. The name was mysterious and it pulled me in. During our strolls there, I felt the salty sea breeze that made my hair sticky and listened to the sound of breaking waves. As I silently looked at the sea, I felt tranquil. These childhood memories give me the strength to remain positive even in our current days.