A 2-Day Summer Workshop in Suncheon

At Code of Nature, we have a monthly tradition called “Friday Meeting”, where everyone comes together on the last Friday of each month. Since our team is split between our Yangsan headquarters and Seoul office, we need regular time to align our thoughts, rhythms, and ways of working.

Usually, we meet online to talk about COFN and our team culture. But our Friday Meeting in June was a little different. This time, the entire team went on a 2-day, 1-night workshop in Suncheon.

The excitement actually began long before we left. Even choosing the destination turned into a lively event. Different teams had different favorite cities, and in the end, Jeju, Busan, and Suncheon became the final candidates. Each city’s advocate gave a presentation on “Why our workshop should be held here,” and the final destination was chosen through an anonymous team vote.

The quality of the presentation materials was impressive, and the sincerity of each presenter made the competition incredibly close right up until the end.

Drumroll, please... 🥁

The winner was Suncheon, one of Korea’s most livable cities.

After intense competition, Suncheon was selected as the final destination. The result felt even more special because one of our team members—known within the company as the “son of Suncheon”—happens to be from there.

A Day in Suncheon, a City Close to Nature

As soon as we arrived in Suncheon, we headed to a traditional Korean-style guesthouse by the sea. The moment we stepped into the yard, we were greeted by a vast ocean view and an open sky stretching endlessly above us.

It was one of those moments that made us think, “This really is Suncheon, a city shaped by ecology and nature.”

One thing that saddened us was that our CEO and one of our teammates could not join us due to an unexpected COVID diagnosis. We all felt their absence, but that only made us more determined to cherish our time together even more.

Our Team, My Role

The first program of the workshop was called “Our Team, My Role.”

It was designed to help onboard new members and strengthen collaboration across teams. Each team introduced the work they do, and each person shared their own role within the company. It gave us a deeper look into one another’s day-to-day work life.

Maybe it was because we were away from the office, but the atmosphere felt especially relaxed and honest. That openness helped us understand one another better, and it became a meaningful starting point for the strong teamwork we still carry today.

After the first session, we enjoyed a generous Jeolla-do style Korean meal and moved on to recreation time.

From action missions and telestrations to music quizzes and Mafia, we played every game you would expect from a group of young teammates gathered in one place. The action mission game was especially fun because each person had to complete a secret task without getting caught, so everyone kept watching each other suspiciously.

Since the more points you earned, the higher your chances of winning the prize you wanted, everyone took the games surprisingly seriously. The whole afternoon was filled with laughter, cheering, and playful competition.

When the day’s scheduled programs were over, we all took a walk along the beach in front of the guesthouse.

We lit fireworks and wrote “CODE OF NATURE” in the night, walked together down a quiet road with almost no one around, and even shared scary stories along the trail. In those unplanned moments, it felt like we were creating memories that belonged only to us.

That night, with the sound of laughter carried by the sea breeze, our walk together became the true highlight of the workshop.

Visiting Suncheonman National Garden

The next morning, we visited Suncheonman National Garden.

The vast tidal flats, silver reed fields, and expansive ecological landscape were breathtaking. Standing there, surrounded by nature, we were reminded once again of how meaningful our work is—the work of helping nature recover.

It was not just another travel destination. It felt deeply connected to COFN’s vision, which made the experience even more special.

This workshop in Suncheon became a valuable time for us to understand one another more deeply and to build stronger trust as a team. We got to know the people we work with on a more personal level, and that made our sense of belonging even stronger.

😊 As we look ahead, we are already wondering what kind of memories our next workshop—this winter, with the whole team together again—will bring.

Stay tuned for Team COFN’s winter workshop story.