The content is about the life of Marie Boes, a Belgian woman who is currently living in Seoul, South Korea. She initially came to Korea in 2014 and planned to stay for only one month, but her varied interests and activities led her to stay longer. Marie started a blog to keep her family updated on her travels and eventually turned it into two business projects: a media content production agency and an SEO marketing company. She also has a degree in industrial engineering and uses her background in science and design to work on various medical websites.
Design is a significant part of Marie’s life, and she has taken courses in Belgium and Italy to enhance her skills. She has experience in designing bicycle parts, sliding roofs, and even co-founded a fashion brand. In her spare time, Marie develops designs for blankets, bags, and t-shirts inspired by the colorful paintings found in Korean palaces and temples. She started her own brand and sells these products on her blog website, “Be Marie,” which also provides information for foreigners traveling in Korea and showcases interesting aspects of Korean culture.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when tourism was put on hold, Marie joined an entrepreneurship program where she met a woman from North Korea. They co-founded a fashion brand and social enterprise called IStory, which produces long-sleeved shirts featuring patches on the elbows that conceptually represent the stories of North Koreans who have resettled in the South. Although Marie is no longer involved in the project, she is proud of their work, and the brand even gained attention from The New York Times.
Marie also collaborates with Lee Ji An and Min Kyung Hwan, with whom she created a YouTube channel called “How Is Korea.” They produce videos on various topics such as teaching English, tourism, food, K-pop, safety tips, and taxes. Marie noticed an increased interest in Korea during the pandemic, with K-pop and Korean dramas becoming popular in Belgium. She feels that Korea has truly emerged on the world’s cultural map.
Despite being a young entrepreneur and a foreigner, Marie has worked hard to prove herself. She is dedicated to her work and often works from home, but she and her partners come to the office twice a week. Marie’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, as she has received awards from the Korea Tourism Organization and the Seoul Tourism Organization. In 2021, she was even granted honorary citizenship of Seoul.
In summary, Marie Boes has led an unexpected life in Korea, starting with a travel blog and expanding into multiple business ventures.