Park Hong-suk from South Korea once again set foot in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, in February 2017, and unlike his previous trips, this time he brought his family and settled down in this ancient city.

Perhaps due to his family's influence, Park chose to major in Chinese at university. During his time in university, he also self-funded one year of Chinese study at Zhejiang University.

Park Hong-suk from South Korea now lives in Xi'an with his family. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

It was during this period that Park developed the idea of working and living in China. Over a year after graduating from a university in South Korea, Park returned to China and worked for over four years at a Chinese foreign trading company in Hangzhou.

Before deciding to settle down in Xi'an, Park had visited the city three times as a tourist, over the course of a decade.

Park has had a longstanding interest in Chinese culture since his undergraduate years, and Xi'an, in his eyes, is brimming with a rich history and culture, allowing him to better understand Chinese culture.

"There are relatively more South Koreans in Xi'an, and the pace of life is not very fast, and the cost of living is moderate, which is more suitable for our South Korean family to settle," Park said.

Park Hong-suk (right) graduates from Shaanxi Normal University with a master's degree. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

In 2019, Park enrolled in Shaanxi Normal University to pursue a master's degree. Since graduation in 2022, he has worked at the international school where his children are studying.

After living in Xi'an for many years, Park's love for China remains unwavering, as if he was destined to live here. "Life in Xi'an is similar to South Korea. Except for the visa process, I don't even feel like I'm living abroad," he laughed.