Traveling the Nation in a Red Bus: The Journey of 5-Year Companion Baduki and Lee Seung-yeol

At a quiet port in Jangheung, Jeollanam-do, a man wearing jeans and a white shirt whistles, and his five-year-old companion dog, Baduki, comes running excitedly. Lee Seung-yeol, who calls himself a wanderer, and his best friend Baduki, travel all over the country without a fixed route in a special bus modified into red. According to the video from KBS Animal TV : Animal for You animal4u's 'KBS Animal Theater: Best Friends', they are practicing a free life in a bus that has received approval for camping car structural modification.

A Red Bus with a Rooftop Terrace, a Space That Became a Mobile Home

Lee Seung-yeol's red bus is more than just a means of transportation; it is a moving home equipped with a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and workshop. Having purchased a used bus 10 years ago and modifying it himself, this bus boasts unique personality, such as having a self-portrait instead of a route number and funny phrases instead of a route guide. Inside the bus, there is a workshop filled with drawings personally made by Lee Seung-yeol, and on one side, there is even a small vegetable garden where peppers can be picked and eaten during the trip. Lee Seung-yeol expressed his affection for the vegetable garden, saying, "The car shakes when it moves, and when it shakes, the peppers bear fruit even better."

At the very end of the bus, there is an independent space used as a bedroom and study, showing a structure optimized for long-term travel. In particular, a dedicated seat and seatbelt for the companion dog Baduki are provided, so Baduki also enjoys a stable journey inside the bus. The most striking place is the roof of the bus. If you climb up the ladder, a rooftop space appears that can be used like a terrace. When Lee Seung-yeol arrives at a place with a good view, he climbs up here to enjoy the scenery close to the sky. In the video, Baduki spends a relaxing time eating snacks on the rooftop.

The Green Scenery of Boseong Green Tea Fields Captured Through Baduki's Eyes

The red bus headed to a green tea field in Boseong, Jeollanam-do. At this place where dogs are allowed, Lee Seung-yeol holds the camera at Baduki's eye level to record the journey. Seen from Baduki's perspective, which is lower than a human's eye level, the green tea field creates a spectacular sight with waves of green spreading on both sides. Lee Seung-yeol conveyed the beauty of the low perspective Baduki sees, saying, "Dogs lower their field of vision more than humans, and it is extremely beautiful at that time. It seems like the sensitivity they feel is different from humans."

Lee Seung-yeol also recites self-composed poems containing the romance of travel. The lyrics, "The wind that blows to the world while playing with me, the waters of those mountains and rivers turning into autumn leaves while playing with me," contain the desire to travel and play in this world for a lifetime. He does not stop at wishing, "I wish such a world existed," but lives as he dreams together with Baduki.

A Fateful Encounter with a One-Month-Old Puppy, a Companionship Continuing for 5 Years

Their special connection began 5 years ago. When Lee Seung-yeol met puppies in a lower village, he brought Baduki, who was one of the tiny creatures less than a month old that particularly made eye contact with him. The strange sense of kinship felt at that time made the two beings best friends. To Lee Seung-yeol, who began full-scale bus travel after purchasing a used bus 10 years ago, Baduki is the best partner who has multiplied the fun of the journey several times.

Based on their commonality of loving to play, the two boast perfect harmony, enough to be called a "match made in heaven." Lee Seung-yeol explained his compatibility with Baduki, saying, "This one loves playing, and I also love playing for my whole life, so we met perfectly." Their red bus, where there is no fixed destination and wherever the heart reaches becomes the travel destination, runs today in search of new scenery.