Hi, I’m Lia — and this is Ippo (Yule).
In the winter of 2024, on Christmas Day, I adopted my dog on a beautiful island in Korea. He was two years old. I named him Yule, a word that means the end of December, around Christmas — because that is when our story began.
He also has another name—Ippo (이뽀). In Korean, ippo means “pretty,” “lovely,” or “cute.” Since Yule isn’t the easiest name for me to say every day, I naturally started calling him Ippo instead. It’s the name he hears most often, and it’s the name I usually use when introducing him to other people. In many ways, Yule is the name that holds our story, while Ippo is the name that fills our everyday life.
That day I met him felt almost unreal. Even though it was the middle of winter, the air was gentle, warm, and bright. On the drive back, I held him in my arms for the first time. Outside the car window, the ocean stretched wide and luminous. The sunlight reflected on the water, shining so brightly it felt like it was wrapping around us. That moment — the warmth in my arms, the quiet car, the glowing sea — is something I will never forget.
Since then, life has never been the same.
We now live in New York, building our everyday life together. Ippo goes wherever he can with me — long neighborhood walks, quiet coffee shops, small trips, slow mornings at home. The city moves quickly, but with him beside me, everything feels softer and more meaningful.
Because of Ippo, I’ve grown deeply interested in pet well-being and happiness. I care about what makes him feel safe, calm, healthy, and loved. I’m always learning — about nutrition, enrichment, comfort, and how to create a life where he truly thrives.
Whenever we can, we return to Korea — the place where our story began. Living between New York and Korea feels like carrying two homes in our hearts.
This blog is our small corner of the world — life in New York, travels to Korea, and everything I’m discovering about living well with a dog who changed my life.
Thank you for being here.