Young Woman Returns to 'Treehouse' Instead of City Job, Bringing Life to Rural Village

[Anchor]

A rural village in Jeonbuk State is buzzing with energy. The choice of an eldest daughter to return to her hometown and the treehouse built by her father is transforming a quiet countryside village into a lively place.

JTV reporter Kim Min-ji has the story.

[Reporter]

A treehouse perched up in the branches—something most people dream of at least once during their childhood.

It is a space created for his children by Mr. Mizuno, who personally renovated an abandoned house more than 60 years old to raise his five children.

The marks left behind from measuring his children's heights quietly capture the passage of time for a family.

[Mizuno Masayuki / Father of Choi Sa-rang: A home is, in a way, like a time capsule holding memories of how a person has lived....]

As the treehouse gained fame and visitors increased, Choi Sa-rang, the eldest daughter of Mr. Mizuno, turned the family's former home into a cafe and opened its doors.

Although she attended university in the city and worked in Seoul, she believed that the life where she could truly be happy was not in the city, but in her hometown.

[Choi Sa-rang / Eldest daughter of Mr. Mizuno, Cafe Owner: I thought about what direction would allow me to live happily if I only considered myself. A life of getting a job and living in Seoul just didn't seem right for me.]

Word of mouth about the unique cafe brought a continuous stream of visitors from all over the country.

With the opening of workshops where people can experience woodworking, the village also began to buzz with vitality.

[Yoo Seung-min, Choi Min-seo, Lee Seung-eun, Im Se-on / Banpo-dong, Seoul: Passing by, we saw a lot of people and cars coming and going. We thought it was a village where only elderly residents lived, but being surrounded by nature makes it different from other cafes in Seoul. I think foreigners would especially love it.]

After returning to Gimje, Sa-rang got married and became a mother of two children.

[Choi Sa-rang / Eldest daughter of Mr. Mizuno, Cafe Owner: I vaguely dreamed of getting married at 27 and having a baby before turning 30. Seeing that now, I can really say I've achieved my dream.]

The treehouse that Mr. Mizuno built for his family has transformed into a space that brings new vitality to the village along with his eldest daughter's return home.

[Mizuno Masayuki / Father of Choi Sa-rang: Nowadays, there are really only grandfathers and grandmothers left in the countryside. But since so many guests bring their children along, you can hear the sounds of children again.]

The treehouse high in the trees continues to give dreams and memories to many people.

Today, the time of the family and the village is carving out another growth ring.

(Video by Kwon Man-taek / JTV)

Kim Min-ji, JTV
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.