"We lived well alone in the city"… The reason a mountain couple seeks each other more desperately

In a deep valley where not a single person is in sight, in Paranggol, Jincheon County, Chungcheongbuk-do, where snow is falling heavily, Han Gyeong-ho, Kim So-young, and their two children live in a small house built on the mountainside 10 years ago. For this family, now in their 9th year of living in the countryside, winter is not just a cold season, but a time to confirm each other's warmth and taste the fruits provided by nature.

"There is no other heating"… Winter in the mountains where firewood is survival

This family's house does not have a boiler that adjusts the temperature with a single button like an apartment in the city. According to the video, the only means of heating in this house is a stove. As if to say, "There is no other heating at all. It's the bare minimum," the environment is not easy, but when the cold strikes, husband Han Gyeong-ho diligently gathers firewood. The firewood collected in advance to survive the winter in the valley is an asset directly linked to their survival.

He, who used to do sculpture work in the city, says that chopping wood has now become a way to relieve stress and a fun exercise. The sound of wood snapping "crack, crack" also serves as a medium to help reconcile after a couple's fight. "When we have a fight as a couple, chopping wood like this once or twice makes things very lively," he says with a laugh, showing the leisure of mountain life.

The whole family gathers closely around the stove. "Because it's cold and we don't have other heating, we have to light a fire," they say, and the sight of the family gathering around the stove is reminiscent of a family of squirrels. Sweet potatoes ripening on top of the stove and the family's body heat fill the house. Money may be scarce, but the joy provided by nature and each other's warmth fill that void.

The gift given by cabbage that repeatedly froze and thawed

The dining table in the winter mountains follows the rhythm of nature exactly. The vegetables in the garden endure by fighting against the fierce cold. An interviewee in the video says, "Cabbage that has endured the snow and frozen, then thawed, tastes better when you eat it," expressing gratitude for things that endured the cold, noting they are actually more nutritious. They express gratitude for the consideration of the earth that allows them to eat without the cabbage freezing completely.

They dig up aster flowers remaining in the ground and boil soybean paste soup made with cabbage that has repeatedly frozen and thawed. This simple meal, accompanied by golden-brown grilled mackerel, becomes a precious memory for the children. "To be honest, cabbage soybean paste soup doesn't taste good if you eat it in summer. Even in spring, winter is the best," they emphasize the importance of seasonal food. Although it is a season where everything feels lacking, they learn how to feel gratitude for every small piece of food provided by the earth.

"It's different from the city"… Relationships deepened in nature

Life in the city and life in the mountains differ even in the density of relationships. The couple explains that in the city, everyone has their own life so there is no major hindrance to living even if someone is missing, but in nature, they realize every moment that they are 'essential beings' to each other. This interdependence makes the bond between the couple even stronger.

The wife, who has a quick temper, and the husband, who is easygoing, sometimes clash. Even in situations where windows must be covered with plastic due to the cold, the husband misses the view, saying, "If I cover this, I can't see the outside scenery, so it feels suffocating." However, if you slow down the pace of life, things that were previously invisible begin to be seen. The children's play of running through snow-covered fields and breaking ice becomes a joyful time even without special toys. The pond covered in ice becomes a playground for the children, and the small daily routine of picking up pinecones builds the family's happiness.

Han Gyeong-ho also takes care of the puppies with great care. Looking at the puppies huddling in their mother's arms during the cold winter, he feels the vitality of nature. He also enjoys the leisure of life, such as brewing tea using dried lotus flowers. Han Gyeong-ho says there is no need to run at the speed others are running. Hoping that this winter scenery experienced by the children within the embrace of nature remains deeply in their hearts like a fingerprint, the family's winter flows warmly today as well.