[MORNING CALM TALES] Déjà vu and the 'Yakult ajumma'

During a recent walk back to their apartment, a reporter noticed a familiar woman gliding down the sidewalk in a small electric cart. This sudden surge of recognition sparked memories of the winter of 1991, when the reporter was a foreigner discovering Korea anew. In those early days, the reporter could just barely read Hangeul, and yet, they found themselves wandering through Seoul with a sense of wonder.

As the woman approached, the reporter couldn't help but smile and gesture for her to halt. Upon closer inspection, the reporter was transported back in time to the early weeks of their stay in Seoul. The woman, always dressed in a light beige winter jacket and matching cap, seemed to be everywhere - near the reporter's apartment in Jamsil, several blocks away, and outside the subway station.

Was this an instance of déjà vu? The reporter was certain it was the same woman, her presence seemingly unending. At the time, everything in Korea was still new to the reporter, and they could barely comprehend the written language. Now, they found themselves questioning whether they were merely experiencing a vivid recollection or encountering a truly remarkable moment of recognition.