During the Chuseok holiday, I visited my sister-in-law’s family in Yangyang, Gangwon Province. We stayed overnight at a pension near a valley, and the next day we played in the sand at an exotic beach called Surfing Beach. We then shared a bountiful Chuseok meal with my sister-in-law’s family at her home. Before that, during a family gathering, my father suddenly felt unwell and had to go to the emergency room. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious, so after briefly worrying the family, we were able to go on our planned trip.

In truth, our family trips mostly follow itineraries set by my sister-in-law’s family, so we rarely embark on journeys with any particular plan or intention. However, I have a habit of seeking out and recording the feelings and meaning I find wherever I go, so I believe every moment becomes a precious memory of time.

In that sense, our recent family trip to Yangyang, Gangwon Province, served as a preliminary scouting trip and hands-on experience, as I’d long been curious about Yangyang’s surfing beach—now a mecca for workation. While the beach’s scale differed from LA’s coastline and the waves were too small for serious surfing, its charming atmosphere was delightful. The waves were perfect for beginners learning to surf.

In my role developing business opportunities, I frequently visit client startups. This has given me the chance to understand the diverse cultures of various startups—from small teams working in shared offices to large development companies occupying entire floors of buildings. Meeting companies that operate virtual offices in the metaverse and others that work entirely remotely has prompted me to reflect on the future of work.

Actually, as the sole representative in Korea and business development manager, I already combine remote work with shared office spaces, handling tasks and video conferences anytime, anywhere with just my phone and laptop. This made me realize that even at a workation office in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, I could fully work while enjoying the leisure of a resort area. However, while workation isn’t feasible when visiting clients or needing face-to-face meetings, video conferencing could likely serve as a reasonable substitute. I recall reading articles about major IT-based corporations sending employees to shared offices in places like Yangyang or Jeju Island to work. I believe this approach is entirely feasible for companies with a strong ethical foundation and a performance-driven organizational culture.

The company I envision is a startup that operates a DAO organization based on a token economy, rewarding performance achievements through 100% remote work, and actively utilizes a workation system. This allows employees to work freely anytime, anywhere, while delivering the best results. It was a delightful preliminary visit.