10 Years Strong: a reunion with my Korean tea friends
![10 Years Strong: a reunion with my Korean tea friends](/content/images/size/w1200/2023/04/IMG-8701.jpg)
I had the great pleasure of hosting my dear friends Ik Joon and Hyoam at my tea room, for a session focused on Yixing and Oolong. I first met Hyoam in 2011, when I traveled to Korea to bring the country's tea tradition back to the Tea Institute at Penn State. I met Ik Joon the following year, when leading the Institute's first Experiential Learning Opportunity abroud.
Over the 10+ years we've been friends, they've hosted me in Korea many times.
![](https://www.cultofquality.com/content/images/2023/04/20190413_111304.jpg)
With this visit, I've finally had the chance to return their legendary hospitality, visiting a few of my favorite spots in NYC over 2 evenings. We were joined by my new friend Kim Wan Jun, an up and coming tea producer on his family's tea garden in Hadong.
![](https://www.cultofquality.com/content/images/2023/04/IMG-8703.jpg)
Here's to the next 10 years of reunions!