Sara is a writer, photographer, and a baker which means she is also a huge foodie. She was born in Prague, Czech Republic but since 2017 she has been living and studying in Seoul, South Korea.
Always having enjoyed writing and film production, she started her YouTube channel and blog where she shares with the world anything from recipes, lifestyle ideas to what is it like living in a country so far away from where she was born. Meatless Movement recently had a chance to chat with her.
Sara told Meatless Movement that she has been lucky enough to have spent the last decade traveling and exploring different places around the world, learning about new cultures and meeting new people.
Tell us more about yourself, please
Hello and welcome to my world full of wonders!
Sara 🦄 사라
My name is Sara and I have been living in Seoul for the past 4 years. I have always had a big interest in cooking and baking, which inspired me to start creating recipes and sharing them online.
I can’t think of an exact date when I became vegan but it has been almost 7 years since I became interested in veganism and started transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle. It never felt right to eat animals since I was a kid so it was not particularly difficult for me to give up meat.
I think that one of the greatest things about veganism is the creativity that drives various food experiments – who knew you can make fluffy cakes using bean juice?
More new vegan places are filling up Seoul 👏
Sara 🦄 사라
I absolutely love Korean food and one of my obsessions is the cold soy bean broth noodle dish called “kongguksu”. It is perfect for summer and most of the time naturally vegan as the broth is made of soybeans and resembles very thick and creamy soy milk. It pairs perfectly with some vegan kimchi and always leaves me feeling great.
Let’s try to keep the only planet we have a bit healthier together
Sara 🦄 사라
I have met with all sorts of reactions but I think my first few years in Korea were the funniest in a way. Back then, many people had no idea what vegetarianism or veganism means, and when I said I don’t eat meat, I was offered chicken, ham, or fake crab. Sometimes, I was mistaken for being too poor to afford meat so I even got extra for free and had no idea how to get out of that situation without offending the individual.
My life in Korea has been easier since most people I met do not look down on veganism as something “weird” or “crazy” but rather feel bad for the lack of options I might have, or for eating meat. In a way, it is nice to see their concern but at times it makes me feel guilty for making them feel guilty.
A vicious cycle I guess? The other issue would just be the idea that veganism is a diet to lose weight. Sometimes it feels that everything is about losing weight and dieting and so, unfortunately, veganism became entwined in this as well. I have to explain that, no, I can’t just not be on a diet today, because for me it’s not a diet and losing weight is not on the table.
There are many great things about it, and it has made me feel better both physically and mentally. Plus, I can look all the beautiful animals in the eye and feel less guilty.
These days, I think the biggest misconception I fight with is the above-mentioned idea of veganism as a diet and method to lose weight, so I try to explain the various reasons why people choose veganism when given the space.
How To smoothly transition to Veganism
As I mentioned, I try to explain things only if someone brings them up or if they are genuinely curious about veganism. I find that when people become curious and start asking questions almost on their own they are more open to hearing various opinions.
Recipe testing is my new daily routine 😂
Sara 🦄 사라
It might be controversial but I would rarely try to force someone or throw a bunch of arguments at them. So far, my most successful approach has been to try to cook something delicious or suggest a nice vegan restaurant without much fuss about it. I always just hope to be a source of inspiration and break stereotypes about veganism without force.
If you are a beginner, I would say take it step by step, don’t be too hard on yourself but also find new and exciting challenges. I would advise against trying to become vegan overnight but at the same time, it’s nice to have some specific goals that you would like to achieve. Also, the internet is full of recipes and different guides so don’t be afraid to look for new things or ask professionals for help.
Sara 🦄 사라
Sara 🦄 사라
Personal blog
📍Yonsei University, Seoul 🇰🇷
• baking at @alwaysau8ust
• vegan food & beauty & travel
• youtube.com/wonderlifeofsara
• collab/협찬문의 DM/e-mail
all images courtesy of Sara 🦄 사라