Notes from inside the work.
Culture· 6 minWhy nobody talks on Japanese trains
It isn't a law. It isn't even a strict rule. It's a single cultural instinct applied at scale. Once you see it, the calm makes more sense than the silence.
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Belgium vs Japan· 7 minWhy Japanese trains are almost always on time
Average delay on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen: 18 seconds. How Japan actually got there, what Brussels could borrow, and what's structurally impossible to copy.
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Culture· 8 minUnwritten rules in Japan: what I noticed on my trip
Three weeks in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hakone. The small social rules I noticed - trains, eating, onsen, photography, daily life. Honest, not a checklist.
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Belgium vs Japan· 8 minWhy Tokyo feels safer than Brussels
Walking back to my apartment in Minato at midnight, my shoulders relaxed in a way I hadn't felt in years. Here's what I noticed about Tokyo safety - and what Brussels could borrow.
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Travel Guide· 8 minFirst trip to Korea: a guide from someone who’s been twice
Two trips to Korea, including two months living in Seoul. Honest first-trip guide - when to go, where to base yourself, what to budget, what to skip.
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Marketing· 9 minRunning Google Ads in Asia vs Europe - what I learned from Tokyo and Seoul
Eight years running paid campaigns from Brussels. Two months in Korea, then Japan, dismantled most of my channel-mix assumptions. Honest notes on Naver, LINE, Kakao and what Google Ads can't reach.
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Travel Guide· 8 minJapan or South Korea: which to visit first?
I've been to both. Honest decision framework for first-time European travellers - cost, language, food, transport, and the kind of energy you want.
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Belgium vs Korea· 8 min10 things South Korea does better than Belgium
After two months living in Seoul and coming back to Brussels, ten specific things Korea does meaningfully better. Plus the honest list of what Belgium still wins on.
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Belgium vs Korea· 6 minT-money vs Suica: why Korea’s transit card is the one thing that isn’t smooth
Korea has the most digitally integrated daily life I've used. And its transit card is meaningfully more annoying than Japan's for a foreign visitor. Here's why.
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Belgium vs Japan· 6 minWhy Japan and Korea stay so clean with no public bins
Tokyo has almost no street bins and is spotless. Korea has more bins and is still much cleaner than Brussels. Here's what I noticed - and the small reasons behind it.
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Travel Guide· 7 minEverything I wish I’d known before flying to Seoul
I'd been to Korea before and I still got plenty wrong. The honest list of small things that would have saved me a week, written from Brussels.
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Daily Life· 7 minWhy convenience stores in Japan and Korea are so much better
Fresh meals, bill payment, parcel pickup, ATMs that work. Japanese and Korean convenience stores are public infrastructure dressed as retail. Here's why.
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Travel Guide· 8 minWhat two months working and living in Seoul actually cost me
I spent two months in Seoul as a Brussels freelancer. Here's the honest breakdown of what it cost - rent, food, transport, language school, and the lines I undercounted.
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Korea Daily Life· 9 minEF International School in Seoul: my honest review as a working freelancer
I spent six weeks at EF in Seoul while working full-time. Honest take on what worked, what didn't, who it's for, and what I'd do differently next time.
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Korea Daily Life· 8 minSeoul work-life balance: what I noticed as a Brussels freelancer working US hours
Working from Seoul on Brussels mornings and US evenings, ending most days at 3am. Here's what late-night Seoul does for freelancers that Brussels doesn't.
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Tech· 9 minWhat Belgium could learn from Korea's digital services
After two months in Seoul, daily life felt much smoother because digital services actually worked together. Belgium has the tools - Itsme, Mobib, banking apps - they just don't always connect.
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Culture· 8 minUnwritten rules in South Korea: what I noticed living in Seoul
After two months living in Seoul, I started noticing small social rules I hadn't paid attention to during shorter trips. Once I saw the idea behind them - respect - they stopped feeling random.
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Korea Daily Life· 6 minFirst two weeks in Gangnam-Seocho: what surprised me about living in Seoul
After two weeks living in Gangnam-Seocho, Seoul already feels different from a short trip. Here's what surprised me about the neighborhood, cafés, food, Korean classes, and daily life.
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Korea Daily Life· 6 minWorking remotely from Seoul for two months: why I'm doing it
I'm spending two months working remotely from Seoul as a Brussels-based freelancer. Here's why I chose Korea, how I'm planning my schedule, and what this blog will be about.
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