If you stand at the entrance of Bukhansan on a weekend morning, you hear it before you see it. Fallen leaves rustle, and hiking poles tap against the stones. Through it all, a voice calls out, "Hello!" A voice passes by, a man I'd never met was smiling and greeting me. A foreign student asks, "Do you know that person?" I asked. No, we're not. We don't know each other. ## When you're out of breath, your greetings get shorter too On an uphill climb, I'm too out of breath to say much. So my greetings are short too. Some people say "Hello," and others just nod with a breathy "Yeah~." In the cold air, that single word sounds warm. On the subway, you don't greet strangers, but on a mountain it's different. ## Why Only on Mountains? There isn't just one single reason. Still, many people explain it this way. Mountain trails are narrow, and if you get hurt, it's hard to get help. So it's a way for people walking the same trail to let each other know, "I'm here." Many people feel that while they climb the same mountain, they briefly become part of the same team. In the city, you're wary when a stranger speaks to you, but when you climb a tough trail together, you loosen up a little. ## Try it this way It's not difficult. When you pass someone, just give a slight nod and say "안녕하세요." On narrow paths, people often let those going uphill go first. But it isn't a rule you absolutely have to follow, so just make eye contact and decide comfortably between yourselves. Don't feel upset if no one returns your greeting. They're probably just out of breath and can't speak.