One year in Busan changed everything.

Lena Davis, a young Black American photography student from Atlanta, embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime study abroad program at Hanseong University of Science and Arts in Busan, South Korea. Leaving behind everything familiar, Lena dives into the unknown—armed with only her camera, her journal, and a heart wide open.

From sweet bites of tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) to bustling nights at Kkangtong Market, Lena is swept into a vibrant world of culture, friendship, and self-discovery. She forms unexpected and powerful bonds with four Korean classmates—Ji-hoon, Soo-jin, Eun-kyung, and Min-hyuk—each of whom opens her eyes to a different way of living, loving, and letting go.

As a year of laughter, heartache, and profound change unfolds, Lena documents it all—one letter, one photograph, one memory at a time. But when it's time to say goodbye, can she carry the spirit of Busan with her, even as she boards a flight home?

Told through vivid scenes, emotional letters, and quiet reflections, Beyond the Tide is a soul-stirring story of cultural exchange, identity, and the kind of friendships that transcend borders. A love letter to Korea—and to the people who change us forever.