It’s already autumn, and I haven’t been able to travel even once. This year has been cautious, not just for overseas travel but even for trips to nearby states or just a quick getaway. Yet time flows steadily, and as I gaze at the autumn leaves that have begun to color the surroundings, I find myself wondering what books about travel are out there. In an age where YouTube and social media are overflowing with photos and videos of the places I want to visit, how about taking some time to read a collection of travel essays that intertwine experiences and thoughts from various destinations? It could be refreshing to flip through the pages of a physical book, marking impressive passages and underlining phrases that resonate with me.

Research and organization by Editor Son Min-jeong

The Reason for Travel

Essays by Kim Young-ha | Munhakdongne

"I was, above all, a writer, and then a traveler."  
Nine captivating stories that connect the loop of travel-daily life-travel. "The Reason for Travel" is a collection of essays where author Kim Young-ha shares his feelings and thoughts from his first journey to his most recent travels, articulated through nine stories. Rather than simply recounting experiences from travel destinations, this work expands into a philosophical journey centered on travel, exploring themes of humanity, writing, the other, and the meaning of life. The insights into humanity and the world from the perspective of a novelist and traveler are remarkably enchanting. It captures the essence of thoughts that anyone might have pondered but left unarticulated, breathing life into them through Kim Young-ha's unique literary reflections.  
"I have wanted to write about travel for quite some time. What has travel meant to me? Why have I traveled so consistently? Why do people travel? I wanted to pose these questions to myself and seek answers. Looking back on my life, based on the time and effort I’ve invested, I was primarily a writer and, secondarily, a traveler. I have engaged in writing and traveling the most and with the greatest passion. I have had many opportunities to write about writing, but not so much about travel. What started lightly ended up bringing forth many memories from deep within."

The Wind Blows, I Like You

Travel essays by Lee Byeong-ryul | Dal

The second story of "Attraction." Over the years, the author has packed his bags multiple times, left, and returned without fail. What remains unchanged is 'people.' Even on solo trips, he was always surrounded by 'people,' maintaining a warm curiosity about them and a bittersweet longing for connection. The idea that the places people travel to ultimately reside in the heart of humanity rings true.  
This travel journal is not a grand travelogue planned long in advance but rather a raw account of everyday life in unfamiliar destinations and the stories of the people around him. It is not a polished piece written at a desk after returning from a trip, but rather notes jotted down while sitting on a road in some country, waiting for food ordered at a restaurant, or lying on an old bed, capturing thoughts as they come. The unrefined yet vibrant prose allows readers to breathe in the air of those moments.  
Scenes like Dalits in India sprouting beans from discarded ramen packets, a Romanian taxi driver offering to take only half the fare because it was too much, an elderly man meeting travelers who frequent Frankfurt Airport two or three times a week, a son retracing his father's solo trip to Hong Kong, and a young Yemeni man who climbed to the top floor of a hostel with an internet cable—all these moments pass by with an analog sound, like a slideshow. Once again, like "Attraction," this book has no table of contents or page numbers, meaning there is no set order. You can open it anywhere and feel the moments where the author's camera shutter paused or where the pen lingered. That place is both the starting point and the destination, just like our travels.

A Journey Where Thoughts Await

Discovering a journey that can be anticipated but not planned

By Lee Dong-jin | Travel Code

The discovery of travel gifted by the possibility of chance  
What matters more than where you go is how you see it.  
When do we truly feel the charm of travel? It’s not when we mechanically check off our planned itinerary, but when we unexpectedly encounter situations. Unplanned conversations, spaces we didn’t know existed, products we never imagined, experiences that are hard to come by, and unexpected details all enhance the value of travel. Therefore, while planning is essential, it’s also important to leave room for chance. "A Journey Where Thoughts Await" is a record of unexpected thoughts gifted by the possibility of chance during travel, a discovery of travel that is more precious because it couldn’t be planned.  
This travel essay, "A Journey Where Thoughts Await," is a record of the unexpected thoughts encountered by Lee Dong-jin, a leading author in travel culture who has sought business insights from travel, known for bestsellers like "Preparing to Quit: Tokyo," "Preparing to Quit: London," and "I Don’t Know What to Do, But I Don’t Want to Do Anything." While it captures stories from overseas cities, following the author’s perspective on travel reveals ways to transform our everyday lives into journeys where thoughts await.

The Art of Travel

By Alain de Botton | Cheongmirae

Alain de Botton, the 'inventor of everydayness,' has written on various topics such as love, architecture, philosophy, and religion with a unique perspective. Everything about travel is encapsulated in this book. Once again, he does not disappoint us. With his brilliant intellect and seemingly effortless charm, he encourages readers to ponder the value found in the joy of anticipation, the allure of the exotic, and everything from the landscapes of Barbados to the takeoff of planes at Heathrow Airport. This book informs those planning to travel not only about their destinations but also about how and why to travel.  
De Botton travels to various places—Barbados, Madrid, the Sinai Desert, Provence, the Lake District, and Amsterdam. He suggests that the anticipation of a photograph capturing an exotic landscape can inspire us to embark on a journey. He also discusses how we can find solace from loneliness in the places we pass through—rest stops, airports. He posits that the books that comfort us most when we are sad are often sad books, and the places we should run to when we feel lonely might just be rest stops.  
We travel in search of the exotic and to satisfy our curiosity. In unfamiliar lands where no one knows us, we adopt an accepting mindset, allowing us to find greater comfort, joy, and emotion in even the smallest things.