The Real Reason We Travel: People, Not Places | Jae Choi
What happens when someone who feels completely lost decides to leave everything behind and travel the world?
In this episode of the Holly Hughes Podcast, Holly sits down with Jae Choi, founder of Good Mate Travel, to explore the unexpected journey that led him from uncertainty in South Korea to building a travel company that connects strangers from across the world through shared experiences.
What started as a small food tour in a traditional Korean market eventually grew into Good Mate Travel, a company known for creating authentic cultural experiences and bringing travelers together in ways that often lead to lifelong friendships.
This conversation goes far beyond travel advice. It explores entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership, cultural expectations, risk taking, and the courage it takes to build a life that feels aligned with who you truly are.
If you have ever wondered whether you should take the safe path or follow curiosity into something unknown, this episode offers a powerful reminder that sometimes the best decisions begin with simply saying yes to the journey.
How Jae Choi built Good Mate Travel from a simple food tour
Why travel is really about the people you meet
How writing letters to CEOs changed Jae’s perspective on life
What traveling the world for four years taught him about purpose
Why group travel experiences create powerful human connections
The leadership lessons behind building a global travel brand
How Netflix discovered Jae through one of his travel tours
What it takes to run immersive cultural travel experiences
Why solo travelers often find community through group travel
The mindset needed to build something meaningful over time
We talk about:
00:00 Introduction to Jae Choi and Good Mate Travel
01:20 Growing up in Korea and feeling lost under societal expectations
03:00 Writing letters to CEOs and deciding to travel the world
05:00 Traveling the world for four years and discovering purpose
07:30 Travel to Korea experience and the origin of Good Mate Travel
10:00 Korean cultural expectations and choosing a different path
12:00 Leading group travel experiences and managing personalities
15:00 How Netflix discovered Jae through a Korea travel tour
17:30 Hosting international creators and travel events in Korea
19:30 Creative projects and attempting a Korean version of The Office
22:00 Building a travel company and leading a growing team
24:20 Solo travel Korea tips and why travelers join group tours
27:00 What travelers from around the world have in common
30:10 Balancing entrepreneurship, work, and family life
33:30 Why travel changes how people see the world
37:30 Authentic travel experiences and lifelong friendships
39:20 Jae Choi’s personal warning label
Connect with Jae
Connect with Holly
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