How Seoul Moves
A look inside ALO Wellness Club Head Trainer Jeongyoon Lim's life in South Korea's largest city.
ALO Wellness Club just launched Tour Ready, a five-session fitness and recovery series with global pop star NINGNING that’s designed to give members a chance to train like they’re preparing to take center stage—all from wherever they are in the world (and for free). Available exclusively in Korean, the series offers an immersive training experience inspired by life on tour.
Leading the program is Jeongyoon Lim, Head Trainer at ALO Wellness Club Seoul, physique athlete, and Physical: 100 competitor. We recently asked Jeongyoon to share a little more about the city he calls home.
What followed was a personal reflection on Seoul through the lens of wellness: a city known for its energy, ambition, and relentless pace, but one that also offers unexpected moments of balance, recovery, and stillness.
Here’s Seoul through Jeongyoon’s eyes.
Hello everyone. This is Seoul.
I wasn’t born in Seoul. I’m originally from Busan, a city on the southern coast of South Korea. It’s close to the ocean, a little more relaxed, and known for its freer energy. Some people even call it the “LA of Korea.”
My relationship with Seoul began when I was accepted into Korea National Sport University. In many ways, that school became the foundation for everything that followed.
Fitness was never just a hobby for me. It was the first challenge that gave me a real sense of achievement and taught me the value of discipline, consistency, and effort.
The First Place I Could Breathe in Seoul
When I first moved to Seoul from Busan, I honestly thought it was a cold and suffocating city. The first place where I felt at home was Korea National Sport University.
Unlike most campuses, some of the country’s best athletes train there every day. In the mornings, sprinters run the track while wrestlers circle the field shirtless and gymnasts practice nearby.
There was something incredibly pure about that environment. In the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world, it was where I learned how to love movement itself.
Seoul Was More Peaceful Than I Expected
What surprised me most about Seoul was how much peace I found here.
Right next to my university is Olympic Park, one of the largest parks in the city and home to the famous “Lonely Tree,” which stands by itself in the middle of a wide field. I would often lie beneath its shade and spend time alone.
Then there’s the Han River.
No matter where you live in Seoul, it’s never far away. People ride bikes, listen to music, work out, eat ramen from convenience stores, or simply sit and watch the water.
Some of my happiest memories in Seoul are surprisingly simple—taking a short nap beneath a tree near the river or feeling the breeze after a long day.
Ironically, those quiet moments are what made me fall in love with this city.
Seoul Made Me Better
During university, I balanced life as both a trainer and a physique athlete. While still in college, I appeared on the Netflix show Physical: 100, and from that point on, my life became even more deeply connected to fitness.
At first, Seoul’s fast and competitive culture felt unfamiliar to me. But over time, I came to appreciate it.
I spent years pushing my body through endless training sessions, constantly trying to survive and grow in ways I never expected. Seoul can be demanding, but it’s also a city that reflects back the amount of effort you’re willing to give.
And after that training, I would reward myself by exploring cafés and dessert shops across the city. That balance became part of my lifestyle, too.
A Day in Seoul
These days, I wake up around 5:30 in the morning and head to the Han River for a 10-kilometer run. There’s something special about moving through Seoul before the city fully wakes up. The air feels quieter, and for a brief moment, the city feels calm.
After my run, I head to the ALO Wellness Club. I shower, do a cold plunge, and prepare for the day with coffee and a sandwich before my sessions begin.
Then I spend the day sharing positive energy with guests.
To me, being a trainer is not simply about teaching people how to exercise. It’s about helping people build healthier lifestyles and feel better in their everyday lives.
On my way home, I usually call my mother in Busan. Even living a busy life in Seoul, that small routine helps to keep me grounded.
In the evening, I train again, meet friends, play sports, walk along the river, or spend time listening to music and reflecting on my day (check out my playlist here).
Before bed, I study English for a little while. It’s never for very long, but consistency matters to me.
What Seoul Taught Me About Wellness
Living in Seoul taught me that wellness isn’t something that happens automatically.
Everyone here lives busy lives. In a city that moves this quickly, it becomes even more important to create moments where you can reconnect with yourself and recover your sense of balance.
For me, wellness is not just exercise. It’s the combination of movement, nutrition, recovery, and the daily habits that help you continue moving forward without burning out.
There’s something very honest about wellness. You can’t cram your way into health overnight. One perfect day doesn’t change much.
But if you stay consistent, your body responds.
Living in Seoul has reminded me that balance isn’t something you find. It’s something you intentionally create.
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Amazing to hear his story, very inspiring.