The Soul From Seoul

Soul from Seoul, where artistry meets tapestry.

My inspiration for creating Soul from Seoul had its seeds planted many years ago, when one of my biggest supporters still walked the earth. At the age of six, I would start writing stories: narratives about family, coming together, and prevailing against all of the odds. 

One of my deepest, most personal stories came from nature’s inspiration, by the species of plant named chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum’s story was about finding your place on the world, when one seemed to not fit in. I call this the outcast-worldly shell. The story of chrysanthemum touched my heart at a level so deep, it is difficult to translate to words, at a very young age. 

Years ago, I lost this biggest supporter, who was my mother. This has led me to adopt that outcast-worldly shell, incorporating itself into my daily affairs, having made me feel lost, lonely, and inconsolable. The love of a mother is irreplaceable. 

This healing of this painful, dark place was discovered, through a long, inward journey road. On the nights when I didn’t know what to do with myself, with my thoughts running askew and a suffering seemingly unending, I felt like God let me down a path.

No matter how dark the road seemed, and if I would continue to have the strength to fight this grueling darkness, I was led back to a story, a journey back in time.

I watched a show in which the main character shared striking similarities to me, humorously being the matchmaker of her friend group, leading the group together, but most importantly, yearning to inspire that love, connection, and community, her undercurrent of motivation. 

The main character goes back to a place in her history, to reconnect with one of the most important people that she lost in her life, at the age of 10. Her mother. This was the age I was when I lost my mother. The place she goes to reconnect back to herself is… 

Seoul

In a second show I watched, the narrative revolves around two initially un seemingly connected characters. The girl goes through an initial darkness after an accident, and doesn’t feel the strength to keep on living. However, the second main character, her guiding light, reminds her to keep on going, and to find her solace in the outdoor elements. Their story continues forwards, through inter dimensional, time traveling plot loops, until they finally reunite. And in this show, do you know what the message was, which allowed both characters to find redemption? The soul keeps score. A story, most beautifully, created in the city of 

Seoul 

Personally, I felt a higher power, God, giving me hints through these stories, as storytelling has always been my primary method of understanding the world at large.

In a third show, which also touched my heart in an endearing way, I learned the lesson of patience, the value in staying true to yourself, and the very real reality of dealing with and breaking out of that outcast-worldly shell, one protected, molded, and affected by the control of parents, all at once. Dealing with the balance of growing up, whilst respecting your elders, following tradition, but being brave enough to stand up and find your voice. In 

Seoul 

A beautiful Catholic monastery, and which true love is realized, thousands of miles away. The far reaches of the globe, but yet there a commonality, a uniting faith, a gap bridged by all encompassing morals. 

At my internship in Pasadena, California, I had a mentor, a Turkish woman by the name of Danielle. Danielle was very kind, supportive, and I found that I shared many similarities to her, both in our interests and lineage. I am Turkish through my mother’s side. 

Danielle told me that she herself, many years ago, heard a rumor that Turkish people are descendants from Korea. This came as a shock to me, because both places are so distant from each other, geographically and culturally. 

After watching these shows, I was searching for more recommendations. In a related search, below, popped up the sentence 

“Chrysanthemum in Korea, meaning” 

I clicked on this, and saw that chrysanthemum’s meanings in Korea, include, consolation from grief, Honoring loved ones who have passed, And New beginnings, rebirth.

I smiled, and felt a warmth in my soul so strong, and very reassuring. Maybe, these are Love notes, given to me by 

My mother, 

And 

God himself 

Reminding me of 

Soul 

from Seoul 

Most humbly, I have created this festival to honor the beauty, resilience, and power of storytelling from the nation of Korea, and to express my heartfelt gratitude to a place which has reconnected me to my mother, and has brought profound healing through its wisdom, kindness, and grounded ness to nature. Across thousands of miles, this love note has reached, and reminds me of the very truths which connect all of us, humanity, together. 

Thank you so much Seoul 

From my soul to yours,

Melody