My father’s excited face and smile, still vivid in my memory, as he eagerly anticipated visiting Busan for the first time in 60 years. This filial piety trip, brief yet profoundly resonant, began with my desire to preserve my father’s fading memories. Over time, I recorded my father’s voice and used AI to write short stories. Among these were precious memories of the year he spent in Busan. I wanted to vividly revive those memories for him and show him how unrecognizably Busan had changed, so I suddenly prepared a one-night, two-day trip.

Meeting my eldest and youngest aunts during this journey, and visiting my uncle at the nursing home, was truly meaningful. Hearing my eldest aunt exclaim, “I never imagined my brother would come to Busan,” filled me with joy. It made me feel that, though late, bringing my father here now was absolutely the right thing to do. Seeing my father constantly snapping photos with his phone camera at every stop—from Haeundae to Songjeong Beach, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, and Ananti Resort—made my heart ache. I visited these places every year for business, yet I felt both regret and gratitude that I hadn’t thought to bring my parents until now.

As we drove along the roads, my father reminisced about past memories, recalling friends’ names and old stories. Listening to him was like hearing an audiobook. Early one morning, walking with my parents on Dongbaek Island, we shared a leisurely moment, feeling like true Busan locals. Especially when we found the ‘rock of memories’ he had long sought at the edge of Haeundae, my father’s eyes reddened. I can never forget the sight of his back as he tirelessly explained to my mother, recalling memories from when he was around twenty.

During the long journey back and forth from Incheon to Busan, my father’s stories of the past layered into new memories within my own recollections. I wonder what kind of memory this trip will become for the youngest, who listened intently to Grandpa’s stories from the backseat. The beautiful weather and scenery granted by God, and the even warmer love shared among family, became an unforgettable page in my life.

“Father, Mother. Next time, I’ll take you to Gyeongju. Stay healthy for a long, long time.”