What's in My Bag: 6 Everyday Carry Items of a Tech Dad in Seoul
A peek inside the daily bag of an engineer dad in Seoul -- from MacBook and Galaxy Tab to the surprising essentials of Korean daily life.
Hi, I'm hitechpapa.
"What's in your bag?" is one of those questions that's oddly hard to answer. You carry the same things every day without really thinking about them. So today, I decided to actually dump out my bag and take inventory.
I work at an IT company during the day. After work, I write blog posts, study development, and play Nintendo games with my kindergartner. Just an ordinary dad in Seoul. Here's what I carry every day.
1. MacBook -- The Center of Work and Study
The biggest item in my bag is my MacBook.
At the office, it's my work machine. After hours, it's where I study web development and write blog posts. Coding with Claude Code, drafting articles, organizing project materials -- there's barely a moment in the day when I'm not using it.
I still remember my first encounter with MacBook. After 20-plus years of Windows, the switch was genuinely disorienting. But now, I can confidently say the MacBook is the computer that maximizes my productivity.
2. Galaxy Tab -- A Revolution in Note-Taking
The second thing I reach for most often is my Galaxy Tab with S Pen.
Its primary purpose? Handwritten notes. Meeting memos, study summaries, jotting down ideas on the fly -- it has completely replaced paper notebooks for me.
I'm someone who finds that the physical act of writing helps organize my thoughts, and the Galaxy Tab brings that "handwriting advantage" into the digital world. I can search my notes, organize them into folders, and cleanly erase mistakes.
MacBook for typing, Galaxy Tab for handwriting. This combination works perfectly for me.
It does occasionally get commandeered by my kid as a YouTube machine... but I suppose that counts as a use case too.
3. Portable Charger -- The Modern Lifeline
This one probably needs no explanation. A portable charger is essential survival gear in the modern world.
When you're running a MacBook, Galaxy Tab, and smartphone all day long, battery anxiety is real. Especially on days when I'm working outside the office or heading to a cafe after work -- going without a portable charger feels genuinely risky.
I carry a compact 10,000mAh unit that can charge my phone about twice. A single USB-C cable handles both my phone and Galaxy Tab, which keeps things simple.
Even on days I don't use it, just having it in my bag provides peace of mind. It's my "just in case" item that I never leave behind.
4. Lip Balm -- Small but Essential
Tucked quietly among all the gadgets is a lip balm.
This has nothing to do with technology, but going without it makes for a miserable day. Winters in Korea are brutally dry. Office heating makes it even worse -- your lips start cracking almost immediately.
I keep one Vaseline lip balm in my bag and another in my pocket. It's a survival strategy.
In Korea, lip balm is extremely common among men too, especially during winter. It's considered a basic essential regardless of gender.
5. Wallet -- Getting Thinner by the Year
I carry a wallet, but honestly, I rarely open it.
Korea is one of the most cashless societies in the world. Convenience stores, cafes, restaurants, taxis, even street food vendors -- almost everything accepts cards or mobile payment. So the cash in my wallet is usually just a bill or two, kept around for emergencies.
Why carry it at all? My ID, driver's license, and "just-in-case" cash. Occasionally I'll encounter a traditional market stall or an old shop that's cash-only.
The wallet keeps getting thinner while the phone keeps getting thicker. Someday I might leave the wallet behind entirely -- but I'm not quite there yet.
6. Pocket Tissues -- A Korean Essential
Last but not least: pocket tissues. It might seem like a quirky thing to mention, but in Korea, this is completely normal.
Tissues in Korea aren't just for blowing your nose. They sub in for napkins at restaurants, work for wiping hands, and save the day when your kid spills something. They're genuinely multi-purpose.
Here's a fun cultural note: many Korean restaurants put a roll of toilet paper or tissue box on the table instead of napkins. It might surprise visitors at first, but in Korea it's a perfectly ordinary sight.
With a kindergartner in tow, tissues become absolutely non-negotiable. Kids are unpredictable spill machines. One pack of pocket tissues can handle most minor crises.
Final Thoughts
Looking at it all laid out, my bag is basically "digital gear + survival essentials."
MacBook and Galaxy Tab are the tools for work and study. The portable charger is the lifeline keeping those tools alive. And lip balm, wallet, and tissues are the small necessities of daily life in Seoul.
Nothing glamorous, but these are the items that keep my day running smoothly.
What's in your bag?