From left, Jimin Yoon and Yubeen Kim

Q. Hi, Roommate Campers! Could you introduce the roommate sitting next to you instead of yourself?

Yubeen Jimin was born in summer, and she loves the lush green of spring and summer. She grew up by the sea, but she actually prefers forests with that deep green tint.

She's not afraid to try new things, and she's more of a show-don't-tell type. She's spontaneous, so when something unexpected comes up, she handles it way more flexibly than I do. She's also pretty upfront about how she feels or what she thinks, never in a rude way, though! She has this knack for saying "no" without it ever landing badly, which is something about Jimin I genuinely envy and want to learn.

And once she sets her mind on a goal, nobody works harder at it. Her diligence is honestly my fuel. Watching Jimin push herself makes me want to push myself too, and before I know it, I'm actually doing something about it.

Oh, and she's obsessed with that sweet-and-salty combo. Hang out with Jimin long enough and you'll find yourself stuck in the sweet-and-salty trap more often than not. (laughs)

Jimin Yubeen is calm and disciplined, and honestly, I've picked up a lot of good habits just from being around that. She's also the warm-hearted type who never shows up without something good, egg tarts, bread, cream puffs, she always manages to touch me with it.

But what really clicks between us is that she's an "okay girl," game for pretty much anything. That's let us do all kinds of things together. We've traveled abroad together a ton, Tokyo, Fukuoka, you name it. I'd confidently say we've done almost everything two friends can do together, except actually live under the same roof. At this point, we basically have each other figured out.

Mangrove Dongdaemun, 15F Canteen

Q. You can just tell from your expressions how comfortable you are with each other. Do you remember the day you first met?

Yubeen We first met in the same class freshman year of high school, ten years ago already. She's basically my personality's opposite, so the first impression really stuck. I'm the type who thinks everything through, while Jimin just moves the moment she decides something. Watching her walk right up to people and start talking, no hesitation at all, was both impressive and a little enviable. I was the opposite, more the type who quietly waits to be picked. (laughs)

Back then, that kind of fearless personality would normally have felt like a lot to me, but somehow with Jimin, we just naturally seeped into each other's lives. We're different, and that's oddly what made us click. When I'm stuck overthinking something, she's the one who gives me a push to actually do it. And when she's running too fast ahead, I'm the one who calms her down.

I still think about that blue comfort blanket she used to carry everywhere back then. The one she held onto until it was basically worn ragged.

Jimin My first thought about Yubeen was, "wow, she's so quiet and calm." We didn't actually get close until a year later, sophomore year, when we started going to the same math academy. Yubeen was good at math, so I asked about her academy and started tagging along. After class we'd go to the same study room too, so we ended up spending the whole day together. On the walk home, we'd talk about all kinds of nothing, the most random, pointless stuff, and it was genuinely fun. We didn't become best friends the moment we met, it was more like we gradually seeped into each other's lives.

©Yubeen Kim & Jimin Yoon

Q. Was there a space you especially liked while staying at Mangrove Dongdaemun during the camp?

Yubeen This might sound obvious, but I really like the room we're staying in. It's a good size, and having the desk separate from the bed keeps the flow comfortable too. It's been a great spot for the two of us to talk things over at the end of the day.

At home, you need to be able to take the mask off and focus completely on recharging. I only ever invite the people I genuinely love and value.

Mangrove Dongdaemun, Bunk Room

Jimin For me, it was the B1 work station. I've been studying Japanese lately, and when I was looking for somewhere to focus on homework, the work lounge turned out to be exactly right. Quiet, warm, spacious.

Mangrove Dongdaemun, B1F Work Station

Q. What was it like actually living as roommates?

Yubeen I used to live alone, so having someone waiting at home after work turned out to mean a lot more than I expected. I'm the type who plans out the next day's dinner in advance, so after work we'd either go out for whatever we'd decided on, or just order delivery and keep it easy.

Jimin It was honestly even better than I expected. Just having her there was enough to feel supported. I even started thinking I'd want to keep living as roommates going forward. Just eating something good together, watching Netflix, swapping stories about how our day went, all of it was genuinely fun.

Mangrove Dongdaemun, B2F Laundry Room

Q. Last question. What does home mean to each of you, and what kind of place is Mangrove?

Yubeen For me, home is a place for 100 percent healing and recharging. I'm an introvert who burns through a lot of energy around people, so at home, I need to be able to take the mask off and focus completely on recharging. I only ever invite the people I genuinely love and value. Mangrove is done up with such a cozy atmosphere that it really felt like a space where I could recharge.

Jimin Home, to me, is a space that's entirely mine, warm and comfortable. Like Yubeen said, I could rest at Mangrove just as easily as I would in my own place.

퇴근하면 집에 누군가가 기다리고 있다는 사실이 생각보다 힘이 많이 됐어요.