2013 Denmark - Copenhagen Part 1: Learning Hygge

✈️ One day in 2013, I left Seoul for Denmark in Northern Europe. 

Incheon International Airport

The Starting Point of the Journey, Incheon International Airport So, one spring day back in 2013, I just suddenly decided to take a trip, breaking free from the same old routine in Seoul.

I grabbed my backpack, spread out a map, and eventually landed on... Denmark, a small, quiet country up in Northern Europe. The moment I actually got on the plane at Incheon Airport, it really hit me: "Wow, I'm actually doing this!😁" With a mix of excitement, nerves, and this slightly unfamiliar flutter in my chest, I boarded that long journey heading for European soil.

The moment the plane landed on the runway, I finally realized that I had arrived in Denmark.

Seoul was a busy city crowded with countless people. Everywhere, people flooded everywhere and there was lively noise. However, the air was different in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the first time when the door of the airplane opened. Calmness unique to Northern Europe, relaxed walking without rushing, and quiet smile of people.

I now understand a little why Danes are proud of their relaxed and comfortable way of life called "hygge." Instead of the familiar congestion and tension in Seoul, I was ready to indulge in Denmark's own comfortable charm from the beginning.

 🏙️ Høje-Taastrup Staion - the starting point of a trip

Høje-Taastrup  station with glass and steel frames in harmony

Høje-Taastrup station with glass and steel frames in harmony

After changing planes, changing subways and trains several times
The first space in Denmark is Høje-Taastrup Station.

Modern glass ceilings, neatly arranged structures, and quiet people.
Even in the space of the train station, I felt a calm atmosphere unique to Northern Europe.
At that moment, I realized for the first time, "I really came to Denmark."

At that time, I booked an accommodation near this station.
It's a little far from downtown, This quiet and laid-back atmosphere was the perfect place to feel Denmark for the first time.
The day that began every morning at this station was as calm and still as a scene in a Nordic movie.

🏛️ Rädhuspladsen, Copenhagen's City Hall Square

Rädhuspladsen, Copenhagen's City Hall Square

The square delivered my first impression of Denmark to me, who had just arrived from the airport.

An antique city hall building built of red bricks, a golden clock tower decorated over it,
And the bells that ring when the clock strikes the hour mark, This place retained the calm atmosphere unique to Northern Europe.

I sat in the square and looked around for a while.Someone took a leisurely cup of coffee, and someone walked slowly and had a conversation.

The low Danish voice, which was slightly heard in the wind, was unfamiliar but comfortable. I couldn't find the busy steps and noise I felt in Seoul.

The images of people passing by on bicycles were also impressive. Copenhagen is famous for being a bicycle city, and it was surprising to see that bicycles were prioritized over cars.

Do the Danes always move at the same speed as the wind naturally?

Symbols on the City Hall building that you can only see when you raise your head

It was not just the size of the building or the color of the bricks that stood out in the City Hall Square.
If you look up and look slowly around the roof and clock tower,
You can see that there are many statues hiding on it.

These sculptures are not just decorations,
These are stories that quietly tell the history, culture, and spirit of Denmark.

The most impressive one is the golden statue under the central clock tower.
The figure is none other than Bishop Absalon, the patron god and founder of Copenhagen.
His statue seemed to still guard Copenhagen while looking down at the city.

On both ends and edges of the roof
Viking warriors, Nordic mythological figures,
And symbols representing Denmark's maritime and commercial prosperity are quietly in place.

Dragon Fountain, a sculpture that coexists with intensity and delicacy

In the northwest of City Hall Square, one of the most crowded places is
There's a Dragon Fountain standing tall.
From a distance, it looks like just an animal sculpture, but when you get closer, you'll be surprised by the details.

[Voiceover] This sculpture of two dragons intertwined and intertwined,
Contrary to its intense image, it strangely fits in the warm atmosphere of the square.
Even though they are strong, the water they emit is
With the laughter of the children, the quiet steps of the citizens passing by
It makes this space more lively.

The fountain was originally built in 1888 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Danish Constitution,
Later, it was formatively supplemented again and became what it is now.
The dragon is considered to be a symbol of power, protection, and the protection of the city,
There is also an interpretation that it symbolically 'protects' everyone passing through here.

And most impressively,
It's a sculpture that's so delicate and heavy
It lies naturally in the middle of the city.
Danish aesthetics are always like that.
"When art seeps into a non-special routine, that's the real value."

It is the statue of H.C. Andersen, Denmark's most beloved storyteller.

Walking through Copenhagen City Hall Square
There is a statue where people take pictures naturally.
It is the statue of H.C. Andersen, Denmark's most beloved storyteller.

In the statue, Andersen wore a long coat and a hat
He holds a book in one hand and looks as if he is trying to tell someone a story.
There is warmth, imagination, and a little solitude on that expression.

If you sit still passing by here,
Fairy tales like "The Little Mermaid," "The Little Match Girl," "The Untaken King," and "The Ugly Duckling."
I feel like I'm being carried by the wind.

In fact, Andersen is not just a fairy tale writer.
Most of his works contain deep themes such as love, loneliness, and self-searching,
These are stories that become more touching when you read them as an adult.

Maybe that's why in front of his statue
Adults are often seen sitting longer than children.

🔜 preview of the next story

leaving behind the whig, art, and fairytale moments in Copenhagen City Hall Square
In the next episode, let's go a little further out of the city.

About 40 minutes by train, head north of Copenhagen and you'll get there —
It's Hiler ø d, Denmark.

This place has a Renaissance architectural beauty that lives and breathes
**Fredericksborg Castle** is located.
This beautiful castle that seems to be floating on the lake
It has the history of the Danish royal family, and the National Museum of History is also inside.

In the stillness of the lake, the red brick castle, and the silence of the garden
You'll meet Denmark with a slightly different atmosphere.

Next up: Denmark 2013 – Hillered and Fredericksborg Castle
It will continue on the show. Please look forward to it