Being humbled.
©️Jason.
It is a lifelong journey. Almost feels like I understand something for a moment but then it slips away and I find myself starting over again. That is how it has always been, a cycle of learning and unlearning, being humbled by how much more there is to discover.
Our tea master continues her practice every day. She trains in the Korean royal tea ceremony, refines her movements, studies Confucian texts and deepens her understanding of Korean tea culture. She never treats it as finished work. Watching her reminds me of my own path, the small challenges, the quiet frustrations, the occasional breakthroughs and how running Heesum Tea Room in Seoul has become its own form of practice.
Recently the air in Seoul has started to cool and the light has shifted to that golden tone that only autumn brings. I was standing by the stream, watching the water move under the late afternoon light. It was quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you notice the season changing.
For a moment I felt both peaceful and overwhelmed. There was so much to do, so many decisions to make, so much uncertainty. But the stream kept moving. It reminded me that tea has the same quality, not dramatic, not loud, but persistent. It asks you to sit, to notice, to slow down.
Running this tea room has taught me that there is value in not rushing to the finish line. Guests who join us for a Korean tea ceremony often tell me they feel lighter afterward, as if the pace of the city softened for an hour. In autumn, when the air is crisp and the leaves begin to turn near Korea University, the tea feels even more alive. The steam rising from the cup seems to match the season, carrying the warmth of the harvest.
That is what I hope to keep creating here. A place where time feels just a little slower, where the noise outside can stay outside, and where one cup of Korean tea can remind you that even as the year changes, there is always time to pause and begin again.
If you are visiting Seoul this autumn, we would be happy to welcome you to Heesum Tea Room for a Korean tea ceremony and share a quiet moment with you over tea.
Jason.
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Jason runs Heesum, a traditional Korean tea room in Seoul where guests can experience a Hands-On™ Korean tea ceremony. With a background in journalism and past work as a writer for a global Fortune 10 company, he brings both storytelling and hospitality to the tea table. A passionate painter, photographer, and long-time tea lover, Jason now co-hosts Heesum’s tea sessions with certified tea master Songna, who guides each ceremony with deep knowledge and warmth. If you’re looking for an authentic Korean tea ceremony in Seoul, Heesum offers a personal and culturally rich experience.
