[JoyNews24 Reporter Kim Yang-su] Mother and daughter An Ok-soon (58) and Baek Ji-yeon (28), whose smiles even mirror each other, strolled the slopes of Bukhansan as petals floated through the air.
On the 25th, at Man-nam Square in Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, upscale entertainment business magazine JoyNews24 (CEO Lee Chang-ho) hosted the 13th Hope-Finding Hiking & Trekking Class (hereafter, the Trekking Class) with mountaineer Captain Oh Eun-sun.
An, who runs a headhunting firm, and her daughter—whom she calls a friend—joined the warm spring outing. The two said they took a taxi from Godeok-dong in Gangdong-gu and smiled brightly.
The pair are close companions who enjoy relaxed evening walks and lean on each other for support. Baek lived in the United States for about 10 years starting in high school, naturally spending time apart from her family. She studied architectural engineering at Virginia Tech and returned to Korea two to three years ago. Since Baek began interning at An’s company while preparing for employment, the two have grown noticeably closer.
Holding her daughter's hand, An said, \"Hiking Bukhansan, one of Korea’s most famous mountains, with my daughter on a spring day makes this day even more meaningful.\"
An, who expressed a hope for a peaceful world without war, added that she would love to see more events like the Trekking Class run under the Hope Companion initiative.
\"I hope this event lets people glimpse into others’ lives,\" she said. \"I also hope it becomes an occasion that brings shared warmth and happiness.\"
This year, following springs in 2022 and 2025, participants once again walked the Bukhansan azalea ridge. The trail—carpeted in azaleas and cherry blossoms, the heralds of spring—offers sweeping views of Bukhansan.
The event also raised donations for neighbors in need: organizers set aside a fixed amount per finisher and donated the total to support marginalized communities through the Hope Companion program.
JoyNews24 hosted the event, co-organized by the Korea University Mountaineering Club and iNews24, and supported by People and Mountains, the Korea Forest Service, and the Korean Alpine Federation. European athleisure brand Odlo and Norwegian outdoor brand Norrona participated as title sponsors.
