Nextstopkorea

Hi! Could you please introduce yourself to the readers of Visit Busan Magazine?

Hi! My name is Antje, and I run the Instagram account @nextstopkorea, where I share travel tips, hidden spots, and everyday moments from my life in South Korea. I originally came here out of curiosity and ended up falling in love with the culture, the people, the food - and of course, traveling across the country. Now I create content full-time, hoping to inspire others to explore Korea in a fun, approachable way.

You previously worked as a marketer at a major insurance company in Germany. What motivated you to move abroad, and why did you choose Korea in particular?

Moving abroad was something I had dreamed about for years. I always told myself I would definitely do it before turning 30, and then COVID made me realize that I had postponed this dream for far too long. I really loved my job in Germany, but the thought of stepping out of my comfort zone and experiencing life somewhere completely different kept coming back stronger and stronger, until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
So I took a sabbatical that my company offered, and once I finally committed to leaving, I started looking at my options. Korea stood out to me right away. I wanted a big new challenge with a language I didn’t know at all. I already knew someone in Korea, so I had at least one person I could call when things got difficult. I had tried Korean food many times and fallen in love like a mad woman. And the more I researched travel destinations within the country, the more excited I became. On top of that, Korea is generally very safe, which made my mom feel a lot better about the idea.
Originally, I planned to stay for just one year and then return to my old life… but we all know that’s not how things turned out! :D

I noticed that you’re sharing a travel guidebook you created yourself on your Instagram account, @nextstopkorea. What inspired you to make this guidebook, and what were the main aspects you focused on while creating it?

I created the guidebook because I kept getting messages from travelers who felt overwhelmed by planning a trip to Korea - what SIM Card to use, how to get around, where to go, what to prioritize and so on.
So I wanted something simple, visual, and genuinely helpful. My goal was to create a small free guide with practical tips, hidden gems, and honest recommendations from someone who actually visits these places all the time. It’s basically everything I would tell a friend visiting Korea for the first time in one mini guide for Korea. After I shared this Guide, I got more and more detailed questions, so I added different Guides for different Seasons or areas and I’m currently working on a new biiiig Guide including all the 50 small cities I’ve been to in this beautiful country.

Busan offers the Visit Busan Pass, a convenient pass for international travelers. For readers of your guidebook, is there a particular place you’d recommend visiting using this pass?

There are honestly too many amazing places on that Pass.. so choosing only one feels impossible. I absolutely love the Arte Museum in Busan, and the Yacht Holic Tour along Gwangalli is one of the best experiences I’ve done so far. I did that Yacht Tour 6 times now and never got tired of the views and the crew.
But if you would actually force me to pick just one… I’d go with Hill Spa. It’s a Korean Jjimjilbang that feels more traditional compared to the modern luxury spas these days, but the ocean view is incredible and the facilities are great. It’s definitely my favorite sauna in the entire country.

As a creator, what kind of stories would you like to share through Visit Busan in the future?

I’d love to keep showing the Busan that’s beyond the tourist maps - the small cafés on the hillsides, the quiet coastal paths, the temples hidden in the mountains, and the local food spots you stumble upon by accident. Busan has so many layers, and I want to share the version of the city that makes people say, “Wow, I didn’t know this existed.” If my stories can help even one person fall in love with Busan the way I did, that’s already perfect.