"A Failure on Land, but a Seal in the Water" Why a 40kg Bulldog Follows the Fishing Boat

Against the backdrop of the blue sea of Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, and the sunset of the Yellow Sea, a slightly special and pleasant daily life of a family unfolds. The protagonists are Kim Yong-il, a maritime rescue veteran of 10 years, and his companion dog 'Bada', who has been by his side for 6 years. Bada, an English Bulldog, struggles on land to the point of being called a "national low-stamina" dog, but the moment he enters the water, he transforms into a completely different being.

"A Forced March on the Mountain" The tearful hiking journey of a 40kg giant

The mountain behind the house is covered with ferns and osmanthus shoots. While it is a thankful pantry that provides abundant food for Kim Yong-il, for Bada, who has a heavy body approaching 40kg, every moment is close to an obstacle course. Every time Bada climbs an uphill slope with short legs, his heavy breathing fills the mountain. In the video, Bada stops at even a small pile of stones or a tree root to wait for his owner's help. Kim Yong-il expresses his hardship of looking after Bada as if carrying luggage, saying, "When he was a baby, I could just pick him up, but now he weighs nearly 40kg, so it's hard."

The rest time that comes after a grueling hike is sweet. Kim Yong-il even brings out his secret weapon, hardtack, for the exhausted Bada. He says that his thoughts about his pet dog have changed through hiking, and thanks to Bada, he laughs more and has regained his health. Their daily life becomes even more bustling as 'Jinju', adopted 3 years ago following Bada, and 'Kkamang-i', a black puppy adopted last year, join in.

Transforming into a 'Seal' in the water, a pet dog in love with stones

The hardships on land are washed away the moment Bada encounters the water. This is because he boasts excellent swimming skills, to the point where the nickname 'Seal' is well-deserved when he is in the water. Bada's playground is a beach where water and stones harmonize. An interesting fact is that Bada loves 'stones' as much as playing in the water. In the video, Bada spends all day rolling around the hard stones nearby. Owner Kim Yong-il conveys Bada's quirky taste, saying, "Bada just loves stones. He plays by rolling stones so much that he almost ignores Jinju."

On the dining table where the family gathers after hiking, a restorative meal filled with sincerity is served. It is oriental medicinal chicken soup containing about 20 types of medicinal herbs that Kim Yong-il personally dug up and dried. It is the consideration of his wife, Kim Geum-ok, to replenish the family's energy ahead of the hot summer. The cute psychological warfare between the Bada trio (Bada, Jinju, Kkamang-i) over a single chicken leg is a glimpse into the harmony of this family.

The loyalty of a 'Sea Man' blooming on the fishing boat

Kim Yong-il's fishing boat, named after Bada, sets sail. Having started boarding the boat since he was a puppy, Bada has now become an adult and volunteers to be his father's shadow. Bada does not leave Kim Yong-il's side in the captain's room, showing a bond that communicates without words. Although they had to use squid sashimi as bait instead of the intended rockfish due to sudden spring rain and rough currents, the family's accompaniment does not stop.

At an observatory with almost no visitors due to the bad weather, the family faces the sunset scenery, one of the eight scenic views of Boryeong. Kim Yong-il expresses his deep affection for the pet dog, saying, "Now that the children are all grown up, they feel like my children and also like my grandchildren." Under the belief that family is one who shares and resolves good things together, the daily life of the Bada trio and Kim Yong-il's couple melts into the scenery of Boryeong.