Hanaya

Hello everyone! This is Hana.
🇺🇸 How’s the weather in the U.S. these days?
🇰🇷 Here in Korea, it’s still very hot. As the heat lingers longer, I realize even more how precious autumn 🍂 and winter ❄️ truly are.

Today, I’d like to share with you my second video from Washington, D.C.📽️
I sincerely apologize 🙏
for the shaky footage in this video. Since it was my very first time visiting U.S. museums and art galleries,
I was so focused on the exhibitions that I couldn’t pay enough attention to filming. If I could go back to that moment, I would take my time to look around slowly—it truly was one of the best days of my life! ✨

Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience while watching the video 🙇‍♀️.
I’ll make sure to put more effort into subtitles 💬 and narration 🎙️
so more people can enjoy the videos comfortably.
🌍 Please continue to join me here on the hanaya channel, as I share my journey of escaping North Korea and stepping into a wider world 🌈.

💖 Thank you so much for your support! 💖

1 week ago | [YT] | 564

Hanaya

🚨 Urgent Notice! ⚡️ Please make sure to read this announcement 📢✅


Hello, this is Hana from the Hanaya channel. I’m writing this as an urgent notice. Someone is impersonating my channel and spamming WhatsApp phone numbers under comments. I have reported this to YouTube, and I want to inform you so that no one gets harmed. I do not use WhatsApp and I do not have a phone number. Please be aware that this is a scam using my profile and channel name. My real channel is hanaya21, and hanaya2I is a fake. Thank you.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 470

Hanaya

Hello everyone, this is Hana.

While I'm busy editing my unforgettable Washington D.C. travelogue, I've just uploaded a new video. This one is filled with so many different emotions.

The very end of the video, in particular, contains a moment of unimaginable happiness from my sister Ina, who crossed the Tumen River with me. Even I couldn't have predicted her emotional journey…

I would be so grateful if you would watch this new video and connect with me in the comments. Every single comment is a huge source of strength for me.

My U.S. travel series is now coming to a close with one final stop: Washington D.C.

Gentle San Diego,
Dynamic Chicago,
And Washington D.C. is...??


I'm planning another trip to the U.S. soon, though the exact schedule isn't set yet. So, I would love your recommendations!

👵🏻 Trip with my mom (in her 70s): If I travel with my mom, who loves architecture, where would you recommend we go?

👧🏻 Trip with my sister Ina: And where would be a good place to travel with my sister, who loves charming and cute things (which is why she travels to Japan so often!)?

Please leave me lots and lots of recommendations!
As I prepare for my world travels, I am studying English very diligently.

Thank you so much for supporting the hanaya channel, even with all its imperfections.
I hope you are always healthy and happy!

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,776

Hanaya

Hello everyone, this is Hanaya. 😊

Thanks to all of your incredible support and interest, the Hanaya channel has finally reached 50,000 subscribers. 🎉

When I first started uploading videos to this channel, I honestly had so many worries. "The cultures of Korea and the U.S. are so different; will I be able to convey my story well?" "My English isn't perfect; what if the language barrier leads to misunderstandings?"

While I was hesitating with these concerns, there were about twenty people who gave me strength with their comments every single day. It was thanks to them that I found the courage to share my stories one by one. And now, 50,000 of you are on this journey with me. I am truly grateful to every single one of you. 🙏💕

There is still so much about the world that I don't know. That's why every day is exciting and full of anticipation for me. I always wonder, "What new things will I learn today?" "What will I discover?" ✨

I've been curious since I was a child. If I hadn't escaped from North Korea, a place with no freedom of thought or creativity, I feel like my life would have been cut short. My unique perspective—constantly discovering new things and seeing the world differently from others—is the very driving force of my life. 🕊️

Of course, forging my own path has not been an easy journey. My life, from North Korea through China to settling in South Korea, was filled with challenges. But because of all those moments, I feel my life is now as beautiful as a colorful rainbow. 🌈

Although I may not have a grand career, my countless experiences have given me the wisdom to write, strengthened my inner self, and completely changed my perspective on the world. I am so happy and thankful that I can now share my story with so many more people. 🥰

There are still a few more videos left from my travels in Chicago and Washington D.C. Please continue to follow along with Hanaya's journey. 🎬✈️

Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who supports and cherishes this channel. ❤️

Skip the Carousel

1 2

1 month ago | [YT] | 1,702

Hanaya

Hello, this is Hanaya.

Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing a story that many of you have been curious about — the story of how my family escaped from North Korea.

We all live together in South Korea now, but it was a long and difficult journey before we could reunite. I had originally planned to share more about my settlement in South Korea first, but so many of you have asked about our defection story. And honestly, it’s a core part of who I am today. That’s why I felt it was important to share it first.

The video I’m preparing is based on real events from our past — including my mother’s escape, and the story of my youngest sister, who was left behind at just nine years old and had to make the journey on her own. I’ll be sharing each story in order, so please stay tuned.

Also, I’ve seen some comments expressing concern for my mental health, suggesting I might need therapy or medication. Thank you for your care — but please don’t worry.

These videos are based on stories I’ve written, and I recreate the scenes to express the emotions and memories as clearly and honestly as possible. It’s not a sign of current distress, but a way to honor and share our journey.

I’m mentally strong, deeply grounded, and living a happy life as the proud wife of a South Korean soldier. If anything, I think my ability to portray those past emotions so vividly might have made some of you worry more than necessary — for that, I’m sorry.

I truly appreciate your support.

💛 A heartfelt thank you to everyone who walks this journey with me.
📌 Please look forward to our defection story coming soon.
I’m also attaching a photo of my family — the main characters of our defection story. This is my mom, and my younger sisters, Ina and Sena. Thank you.

Skip the Carousel

1 2

2 months ago | [YT] | 794

Hanaya

A Letter I Cannot Send


Hello, everyone. 👋
Today, I’d like to share something deeply personal with you—
a project called “A Letter I Cannot Send.” ✉️

It’s a letter to my cousin, Heeya.
She was like a sister to me, and still is. 💛
But she lives in North Korea.
It’s been more than 20 years since I last saw her face. 🕰️

This letter is my way of sending my heart across a border I cannot cross. 🧭
It’s the only way I can express my longing
for someone I may never see again. 💔

As my YouTube channel grows 📺
and I connect with more people around the world 🌏,
I’m reminded, more than ever,
that there’s still one person I can’t reach.
The person I want to reach the most. 🌙

So I’ve decided to share this letter—
and more to come—
with you, my subscribers and community. 💬🤍

A Letter I Cannot Send is not just my story.
It’s a journey. 🚶‍♀️
And I’d be so grateful if you joined me on it. 🙏✨

Thank you so much for listening. 💌
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Letter I Cannot Send

Hi, Heeya.
It’s me—your cousin, the one you were closest to.
How have you been?
I often wonder… if only you could somehow read this letter.
It’s been over twenty years since I last saw your face.
You must look so different now.

We used to argue so much when we were young, didn’t we?
But now, the thought that we can’t even argue—can’t even meet—is more painful than I ever imagined.
What brings me comfort, though, is that I live in a place where I can freely write down how much I miss you.
That freedom—that's something truly precious.

You and I were separated when we were just children, unaware of what freedom even meant.
Now, I’m raising two children in a place where I can speak, write, and live as I choose.
And you, I imagine, are a mother too—but living a very different kind of life.
Back then, we were just two girls growing up under the same system, shaped by the same stories,
so our hearts understood each other.
But now, I wonder—how much have our minds, our feelings, changed?

If we stood face to face again, what would that moment feel like?
Would we recognize each other?
What words would we say first?

Heeya, I think you’d be curious about life in South Korea, wouldn’t you?
They say even in the North, people are catching on to the Korean Wave.
Do you ever get to watch any South Korean dramas?

I hear about life up there through the news and through those who’ve come from the North…
but you, I suppose, rarely hear anything about the South.
Still, one day a strange thought came to me:
What if… you were somehow able to read the words I write?
That fragile hope has filled me with a quiet excitement.

So today, I decided to start writing letters to you—
to tell you about my life, my world, the South as I know it.
Wouldn’t that be something worth waiting for?

Of course, I sometimes daydream that you could write back to me,
telling me your stories from the North.
But I know that’s a dream, something too distant to grasp.
Still, I hold onto this hope:
that maybe, somehow, my words will find you.

I’m a writer, after all—so I believe I can tell you stories worth hearing.
Maybe these letters will continue until the day we finally meet again.
Or… maybe they’ll carry on until we meet in another world.

Either way, I want to leave behind something—
something for your children and mine.
So that if they ever meet, they won’t feel like strangers divided by a border.
When I think about that, tears well up in my eyes.

But I’m grateful.
Grateful that I can write, that I can share.
So Heeya, I’ll keep writing to you about South Korea.
Promise me you’ll listen with your heart—wherever you are.

Because this might just be the only letter like it in the whole world.
That’s all for today.
Goodbye for now, my dear Heeya.

With love,
Your cousin

2 months ago | [YT] | 728

Hanaya

Hello everyone! It's a beautiful Saturday morning here in Korea,

and I woke up to something truly dreamlike... 🥹

Thanks to the explosive love you showed for the supermarket video, over 10,000 new family members joined us overnight.

I stayed up all night, my heart full, reading each and every one of your comments.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. 🙏❤️

To show my gratitude, I want to give you a little sneak peek of the next episode you're waiting for: the baseball stadium! ⚾️

My first-ever visit to a baseball stadium was an unforgettable moment.

Energized by your incredible support, I'll work hard on editing and bring the next video to you soon! ✨

2 months ago | [YT] | 1,935

Hanaya

Everyone, please help! 🙏
(An important decision for the channel)


Hello everyone, this is Hana.
Every video on the hanaya channel is made with the sincere desire to share my life story with you.
To convey that feeling without language barriers, I've been experimenting with an AI English narration based on my own voice. This process also requires a lot of effort, but I've always been curious about whether my true feelings are being delivered well.

Recently, a subscriber gave the valuable feedback that 'the AI voice harms the story's authenticity.' This comment made me seriously wonder if many others feel the same way, or if there might be even better methods to explore.

So, I would like to respectfully ask for your opinion and discuss this together.
What do you think is the best way to deliver my story? Please let me know your honest thoughts by participating in the poll below. Each and every one of your votes will shape the future of the hanaya channel.

[POLL] What do you think is the most effective way for me to deliver my story?

2 months ago | [YT] | 120

Hanaya

Hello everyone! 🌿

It’s been a while since I last posted, and I’m so happy to connect with you all again.

For those who are new here, I am a North Korean defector rebuilding my life in a new society. The journey hasn’t been easy, but every challenge has taught me something valuable.

And I have a story to tell. I risked everything to find freedom, following my heart to the man I love.
But here’s the irony—after escaping to a free world, I now find myself living as a military wife in the most heavily guarded place in South Korea: the frontlines of the DMZ, right next to North Korea. 🫡

Having lived in two completely different worlds, I want to share my experiences—
What life was like in North Korea, how I adapted to South Korea, and what it means to live as a military wife in a place where freedom feels both so close and yet so far away.

And now, I have a question for you!
What do you want to know about North Korean defectors?
What are you curious about—our journey, our struggles, or what life is like after we escape? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

This channel is not just about me, but about sharing stories and learning from each other.
A new journey is about to begin, and I hope you’ll be part of it. 💬😊

See you in my next video. Thank you for being here! 💖

6 months ago | [YT] | 61