“Moi!” ( = “Hello!” [casual/informal])
Introduction
I love traveling but time and money are not always in sync. Through this show, I was introduced to the Lappic culture, customs, and geographical location. Rented in Finland ( 핀란드 셋방살이 ) provides not only entertainment but also educational value about Lapland, and who knows, one day I will be able to visit this beautiful area of Finland!
This article’s objective is only about what I learned about Lapland by watching the show. Therefore, the information is rather limited with additional Internet research. A lot of details to spoil about the show, so read it if you already watched it or don’t plan to watch it. My review article about Rented in Finland contains little spoilers.
Finland: The Happiest Country in the World
According to the World Happiness Report, Finland has been considered the happiest country in the world since 2018. There are several key points about Finnish happiness, and I don’t want to go into detail about the socio-political aspects. One of the key points of its citizen’s happiness is the connection to nature. Finns highly value access to nature, with forests and lakes readily available for recreation and relaxation. Since Rented in Finland show theme is traveling back to nature, through this show I will explore places The Renters visited in Lapland, its nature, wildlife, as well as food and lifestyle.
The Nature
The Seasons
Lapland is called the Land of the Midnight Sun. Midnight sun is one of the eight seasons Lapland has. The four seasons in the Northern Hemisphere are spring, summer, fall, and winter. However, four seasons did not suffice for Laplanders and the Sámi people (indigenous people who inhabit Lapland) in the olden days because of extreme seasonal variation. To better track the subtle changes in weather and natural cycles throughout the year, they structured time into eight periods: frosty winter (mid-January until the end of February) which temperature can be as low as -40°C ( = -40°F), crusty snow (from the beginning of March until mid-April), departure of ice (mid-April to mid-May), midnight sun (mid-May to mid-July), harvest season (mid-July to the first week of September), colorful autumn (first week of September to mid-October), first snow (mid-October to mid-November), and Christmas season (mid-November to mid-January). (Source: Rovaniemi – 8 Seasons)
A source stated that they started filming in September 2024 (AllKpop). However, based on the season description above, there is no way they started filming this show in that month, probably ending it. In some scenes, they were in the Midnight Sun season, but in other scenes, the trees start showing yellow colors. I assumed either the source was wrong, or the statement was deliberately falsified to avoid sasaeng (crazy Korean fans) flying to Finland and flocking to Lapland to get a glimpse of their idols. Based on the nature of the filming, I assume that it was done from July to August 2024, during the transition from the midnight sun to harvest season.
I will only talk about the summer seasons pertinent to the show. For a month of the midnight sun (or polar day) the sun remains visible at the local midnight. The short summer of 3 months is precious to the Laplanders. Nature is in bliss and the prolonged sunlight has positive effects on the harvest. For example, The Renters’ first dinner only contained eggs and vegetables given by Aleksi because they failed to catch fish. The potatoes stir-fried by Cha Eun Woo were so sweet that Dong Hwi thought either they were sweet potatoes or Eun Woo added sugar when cooking.
The Wildlife
It is said that there are more wild animals than people in the place considered as one of Europe’s last wilderness. During harvest season, the Laplanders enjoy what nature provides abundantly. They hunt for meat and fish, pick berries and mushrooms, and preserve them for winter.
Finland’s Everyman’s Right (Jokamiehenoikeudet)
A Finnish legal concept that gives everyone the right to explore and enjoy nature in the country. This includes the right to: roam the countryside, forage, fish with a line and rod, go boating/sailing/canoeing, camp, ski, bike, and hike in natural areas. It doesn’t apply to private property, cultivated fields, or planted green spaces. It’s restricted in protected areas and needs landowner permission for off-roading. The person is responsible for picking up trash, respecting people and property, avoiding private property and protected areas, and not disturbing animals.
For the complete do’s and don’ts on Everyman’s Right, read Visit Finland.
Reindeers
The Sámi people are an indigenous group in northern Europe who still live in Finland and practice their traditional culture. Reindeer herding is a way of life for the Sámi, though the number of herders is declining. They sell reindeer meat, skins, bones, and horns. The best part is reindeer food as shown below. Also reindeer cheese and sausages.
In Lapland, it’s pretty common to meet reindeer on the road. They can be dangerous to cars since they don’t stop and don’t walk away. We need to stop, slow down, or pass them carefully. Besides wild reindeer, there are also farm-raised reindeer. Raising reindeer is an important way to make a living in Lapland. They’re raised on farms in winter since there isn’t much to eat, but they get to roam free when there is plenty of grass in summer. They put collars around the reindeer with attached GPS devices to manage the reindeer, so people set out to find the reindeer that don’t come back to the farm by winter.
Fish
I will talk about abundant fish in Lapland in the Summer Activities section, as it’s connected to fishing activity.
Berries
Berries are naturally grown in the wilderness. Birds eat them and spread the seeds everywhere and the berry plants expand. There are wild blueberries called bilberries, cloudberries, raspberries, and red currants. The berries are eaten raw or turned into homemade jams.
The People
Their Lifestyle
Helping Each Other
It’s common for neighbors to help each other and exchange services in Lapland, for example in small knitted communities like Kemijärvi. On Juri and Anne’s farm, The Renters had a chance to harvest rye for their elderly neighbor Anno. Rye is a common staple flour in Finland, it grows well in the cold climate. However, reindeer ate many of Anno’s rye plants last autumn, so it was an urgent matter to harvest the remaining crop before it was completely gone. They used sickles to harvest. During a break, Anno provided hotdogs for gratitude. They also had a chance to ride the old tractor to Anno’s house and back. Even Juri let Je Hoon drive the tractor home, as you saw in this article’s feature image!
Potluck
Because of the close-knit community, it’s also common for neighbors to do potluck together on the weekends or certain occasions. The Renters had a chance to attend a potluck at Juri and Anne’s farm with their neighbors. The hosts made reindeer soup, ham pie, and lemon cake. The neighbors made grilled fish fillet, mashed potatoes, and panna cotta. From The Renters are Je Hoon’s fried zucchini skewer, Dong Yeon’s bulgogi (he even made a separate bulgogi for Anne who can’t eat onion, garlic, and mushroom), Eun Woo’s chili pepper chapjae, and there are also Finnish bread and rice. Below is the Korean food The Renters made. For the Finnish food, you can read below in the Food Courtesy From the Hosts section.
Smoke Sauna
Finland has something of a cultural obsession with the sauna. Almost every family has saunas in their homes. Although modern homes in Finland use modern electric saunas, in rural areas like Lapland, people still use traditional saunas, and the rarest kind is smoke saunas using firewood. The smoke of the fire is trapped inside with closed chimneys and windows. They spray water on the stove which makes the temperature and humidity go up. The moist heat and steam rise from the stove, mingling with the scents of wood smoke and birch leaves from the traditional sauna whisks. Made from soaked birch twigs, the sauna whisks or vasta are used to gently whip yourself or one another (legs, arms, even face), stimulating blood circulation and filling the air with its aroma.
Aleksi started with a temperature of around 75°C ( ≈ 167°F ). Because of the trapped heat, the ceiling is hotter around 80°C ( ≈ 176°F ). The Renters decided to bet for the last man standing with Aleksi, so he raised the temperature little by little. As the temperature rose, one by one couldn’t stand and withdrew in danger of suffocation. In the final raise, the temperature is about 100°C ( ≈ 212°F ). Aleksi let Dong Yeon win and they both soaked into the lake after sauna. In Finnish sauna culture, the Finns often take a dip in cold water after a sauna session because it’s considered a traditional part of the experience, providing a refreshing contrast to the intense heat, and is believed to offer various health benefits like improved blood circulation, stress relief, and a boost to the immune system; this practice is often referred to as a cold plunge ( = kylmäpisto) or if alternating between hot and cold it’s called Nordic cycle ( = sauna ja kylmäpisto).
Hussi: Composting Toilet
Hussi is a Finnish composting toilet, mostly in rural settings and holiday homes. It’s a non-flush toilet with a recycling system. It’s odor-free, thanks to the sawdust. Instead of water, the toilet is filled with dirt and bark for composing. The piled waste goes through the decomposing process and turns into precious fertilizer. Bacteria eat up all waste within six months into clean soil.
Reindeer Yoga
Lapland is famous for reindeer yoga, where people work out surrounded by reindeer. It’s all-around year activities. The maximum number of reindeer participants in the yoga studio is during midwinter when the herd is kept on the farm. Even in summer, there are reindeer present, although most of the herd roams freely in the mountains then. The yoga session is timed to coincide with the reindeer’s morning feeding time. Since reindeer are sensitive to people’s moods, it’s important to start with lowering the stress level, or they will run away. Some movements taught by the yoga trainer mimic the reindeer movements, as shown in the image below. Practicing yoga with reindeer is a surprisingly relaxing experience, as stated by The Renters.
Husky Walk
Huskies are a popular part of Lapland, because of their strength, speed, and endurance. They are often used for dog sledding, a traditional way of getting around during winter. They can go as far as 200 km ( ≈ 124 miles ) across the snow fields to pull people and supplies. For tourism purposes, there is a husky safari. It’s a popular activity in which tourists are pulled through the snow by a team of huskies. Basically, the same as dog sledding. In summer, you can still do a husky cart ride or as The Renters experienced is husky walk. After a visit to Husky House and getting to know the huskies by interacting, playing, and brushing their fur, the trainer Maily took The Renters and her huskies together for a husky walk to the river. They attached the chosen dog to the pulling harness and headed out for a walk.
Summer Activities
Fishing and Fish Catching
Aleksi said that Laplanders catch their own fish for consumption, as they don’t sell fish in the market. Although I think local stores may sell fish during winter. With Everyman’s Right, people can fish with poles and baits almost everywhere. However, Finnish law regulates the minimum size of fish and fishing off-season. The Renters were able to catch fish but they had to release them because the size was too small. The catch is to be consumed or preserved for winter.
In private lakes, owners can do more than pole fishing. Aleksi put a fish trap near his cottage. Olva put fish nets and caught a lot of fish to cook for The Renters (see Food Courtesy from the Host – Oiva’s Finnish Fish Soup).
Gardening
The three-month summer doesn’t discourage the Laplanders to do gardening, and planting flowers and vegetables. From Aleksi’s simple mini garden to Olva’s elaborate garden, everyone takes advantage of the long nights to plant something. The Laplanders are also generous to share their harvest with others, including strangers!
Wood Chopping
Wood is used a lot in Lapland for firewood, cooking, and sauna. While wood chopping is done throughout the year in Finland, the majority of firewood gathering and chopping happens during the summer months because the weather is most suitable for accessing forests and working outdoors, with many Finns utilizing their summer cottages to stockpile wood for the upcoming winter.
Summer Work at the Farm
I will put together farm activities The Renters did at Juri and Anne’s farmhouse because there is always a lot to do on the farm. Besides washing rugs (that can only be done during Midnight Sun season so rugs can dry fast), The Renters also helped their hosts with building a dog house for the couple’s dog Ransu. Still, they have to take care of their other animals, especially their four sheep. Ji Hoon and Dong Yeon helped Juri and Anne trim the sheep hooves. The hooves have to be trimmed regularly (not only in summer) to prevent injuries and infection.
In Lapland, sheep ranching is as important as reindeer ranching. Because of the long winter of 7 months, people need nutritious food high in protein. Sheep milk and cheese are important protein sources for Laplanders. Also, sheep wool is warm and durable for making clothes and blankets.
Horseback Riding
Horse riding can be enjoyed all year round. Be it a Finn horse or an Icelandic horse, they are used to the Lappish extreme conditions in nature. Summer days can be spent on horseback in the forests and hills, trail riding from 1 up to 5 hours treks. Lapland should be savored slowly by foot, bike, or horse because of its unspoiled nature and diverse landscape.
Equine-Water Therapy
Since winter in Lapland lasts for 7 months, it’s common for people to develop depression. The concept of “kaamos-depression” has become well-established in Finland to mean a period of depressive disorder that occurs in autumn and winter. There is also the “holiday blues”, a type of seasonal depression that is caused by the stress, unrealistic expectations, or sentimental memories that the holidays bring. Since Katja is a psychotherapist as well as a horsewoman (and lives close to the water), she combines equine therapy and hydrotherapy for her clients. The Renters had a rare chance to experience this kind of therapy by riding a horse in the water without helmets or riding equipment (as compared to the above image when they went horseriding).
Any sports that can be done outdoor
Or just play, play, and play…
Summertime in Lapland shouldn’t be spent indoors in your mom’s basement, because it’s only 3 months short. Besides working to prepare for the wintertime and summer sports, people can also just play to soak up enough natural light to last us throughout the year.
Places The Renters Stayed
Aleksi’s Off-Grid Cottage in Kuusamo
The first stay is at Aleksi’s cottage in Kuusamo. Driving from Rovaniemi to Kuusamo takes 2 hours and 40 minutes and it’s about 200 km ( ≈ 124 miles) distance. The cottage is secluded and can only be reached after driving a bumpy road after getting off the main road. The cottage faces a public lake that is like a private swimming pool since nobody else lives within a 5 km ( ≈ 3 miles) distance. There is a small dock and outdoor chairs where you can sit, relax, and enjoy the scenery, and if you’re lucky you can see bears (Image 1). During summer the water is warm, and you can swim or bathe in it. It’s also very clean. You can also take lake water for any chores that need water.
The one-room cottage is made of birch wood and it’s about 200 years old, adorned with family heirlooms and elk antlers (Images 2 and 3). Aleksi and his father hunt elk which meat is enough for one year’s consumption. There are futon beds with a secret master bed above the big stone fireplace under the attic (Image 4).
Living at Aleksi’s cottage is off-grid. There is a fire pit for cooking outdoors in summer. In winter, there is a small kitchen for cooking inside. Since there is no electricity, the refrigerator is an underground ice box filled with ice packs. You cook outside, forage, fish, and hunt for your food, and use the outdoor composting toilet Huussi. Although the lake water is clean, it’s probably unsafe to drink. Aleksi took The Renters to fetch water manually deep in the forest, about 20 minutes walk, in a natural spring. The water is from underground, 2 km deep ( ≈ 1.2 miles ). It’s very cold, around 3°C ( ≈ 37°F ), and can freeze your hands. Although it’s potable water, Aleksi filtered out the water from any bit of residue. Aleksi probably had store-bought water bottles at his home, especially for winter consumption, but he showed The Renters that we could drink natural spring water out of the ground.
In conjunction with living off-the-grid, Aleksi also gifted The Renters puukko. The traditional Finnish hiking, camping, and survival knife, puukko is a versatile tool. Use it to carve feather sticks for lighting a fire, gut a fish, chop ingredients for an outdoor meal, or open a food package.
Oiva’s Private Lake in Poiso
It takes an hour’s drive from Kuusamo to Poiso. Oiva rents several houses to tenants in Poiso, and for The Renters, he rented out his secret place, a private lake! It is said that Oiva only rents out his private lake to his closest people. To reach this secluded place, from the gate by the road, it takes 20 km ( ≈ 12 miles) through dirt road, bumpy road, and walk to reach the cabin along dense forest. The place is called Wara Lampi, a small lake on a hill in the forest (Image 1). The European-style countryside cabin with two beds and a small kitchen. (Image 2) The walls are adorned with memories of the past and messages from the cabin’s visitors. The lamps are battery-powered or use candles. an outdoor kitchen, hussi, and of course a sauna room. Because there are only two beds, the other (lucky) two use tree tents outside where you can enjoy nature at night (Image 3). Je Hoon and Eun Woo learned how to set up one tree tent. Since the lake is private and undisturbed, you can drink the clean water lake.
Not part of the place where The Renters stayed, but Oiva built a house himself in 1999 (Image 4) that was rented to Miki, a Korean lady. Building a house is a traditional custom and a bucket list in Lapland.
Juri and Anne’s Charming Farmhouse in Kemijärvi
Kemijärvi is a town surrounded by lakes and rivers, it has a beautiful waterfront landscape. “Järvi” means “lake”. It’s a paradise for anglers as various fish live here. A newlywed couple Juri and Anne moved from a big city to this 6 ha ( ≈ 14.8 acres) ranch with four sheep, chicken, cats, and Ransu, a Russo-European Laika. The house where The Renter stayed was built in 1819 (200+ years ago) (Image 1). Inside it’s full of antique furniture and decorations (Image 2). One of the unique decorations is rings of ruisreikäleipä, a flat rye flour loaf of Finnish bread with a hole in the middle. The bread was baked in flat rings to be placed on poles suspended just below the kitchen ceiling to mature and dry in relative warmth. There is electricity, a pretty outdoor kitchen gazebo (Image 3), underground water pump but no shower (but of course there is a sauna!). By the lake, there are two egg swing chairs to watch the sunset with a bonfire, relaxing music, and some wine (Image 4). They also have a wine cellar.
Katja and Jonni’s Retreat House in Rovaniemi
Katja and Jonni Kiuru live with their children and grandchildren in a remote area of Rovaniemi that can be accessed by rowboat, across a lake 11 km long ( ≈ 6.8 miles). Their rented house has the most modern amenities The Renters want to see (Image 1), with an attic bedroom (Image 2). There is also a trampoline and jacuzzi, and of course a sauna building… a big one with a dressing room and a bedroom upstairs (Image 3). What’s the difference besides modern amenities are 7 Finnish horses the family-owned (Image 4)
Local Food The Renters Ate
Food Courtesy from the Hosts
Aleksi’s Grilled Salmon on Finnish Flatbread
With so many lakes and rivers, fish is a staple food in Lapland. People grilled freshly caught fish on thin Finnish flatbread. Aleksi made The Renters a simple breakfast of buttered salmon seasoned with salt. The flatbread is also grilled and when warm is also buttered. Flaked fish put on top of the flatbread with some lemon juice and freshly picked dill from his mini garden. You can also add different herbs and leafy vegetables. Fold the flatbread is how you eat this simple but yummy meal.
Marketa’s Black Currant Pie
Oiva’s Finnish Fish Stew (Kalapottu)
Also, because it’s a private lake, Oiva set up a fishing net to catch (a lot of) white fish for The Renters’ dinner. After cleaning and gutting, the fish is cut into three pieces. The Renters also harvested potatoes in Oiva’s garden earlier. The washed potatoes are also cut the same size as the fish cuts. Put them into the soup pan with sprinkles of bay salt or sea salt. Boil the stew. Then mince an onion, and mix with butter (Oiva didn’t specify the measurement) and fish broth to make a soupy gravy. When the fish and potatoes are ready, add the gravy on top of the dish.
Potluck at Juri and Anne’s Farm with Neighbors
From the host: Reindeer soup, ham pie, and Anne’s lemon cake
From the neighbors: Jorma’s fish fillet, Hanna’s mashed potatoes, and Irma’s panna cotta with hand-picked cloudberries.
Katja’s Bilberry Pie
Restaurants in the Show
Pure Burger ( Kauppayhtiö )
Where The Renters tried their first reindeer meat. Website: https://www.kauppayhtio.fi/en
Mia’s Wilderness Restaurant ( No Name? )
For a goodbye gift from Aleksi, he treated The Renters to Reindeer Yoga (See Lifestyle Section above) and an unknown local restaurant since the information is blurred. I assume the restaurant only caters to the locals? It looks like a farmhouse, and it’s actually the owner Mia’s home and farm. The restaurant is really small but has been run from generation to generation and has a wild food certification. The restaurant serves the food they produced and caught themselves. In Lapland, wildfood restaurants are valued higher than Michelin restaurants. Even if you can’t find this restaurant, you can look up “wildfood restaurant” in the area.
Aleksi treated them to four courses of meals (how nice he was!):
Turnip Soup
Raw Deer
Finnish-Style Trout Steak
Reindeer Steak
Meadowsweet Crème Brûlée with Fresh Strawberries
Buffett with Fried Muikku in Lapin Satu
Lapin Satu (https://www.lapinsatu.com/en) is a hotel and restaurant in Poiso. The restaurant has a buffet of Lapland homemade dishes recommended by Oiva. The highlight of the buffet on the day when The Renters came was Fried Muikku. Fried Muikku is a traditional festive dish of fried vendace. The fish is breaded with rye flour and fried in butter and oil. The rye bread crust gives this dish a unique crunchiness and distinct flavor, no wonder this is one of the most beloved finger foods of the country!
Savurafla Tavern on Kotisaari Island
Website: https://www.laplandhotels.com/en/restaurants/savurafla
Dong Jeon reserved this popular restaurant ahead. Kotisaari is an island on the Kemi River near Rovaniemi, Finland. From the late 1800s until the 1980s, the island was used as a traditional stronghold for lumberjacks. The Lapland Safaris company operates trips to the island from May to October. They have also converted the old boathouse into Savurafla Tavern. At the heart of Savurafla is a traditional smoker, which completes the smokery experience. The venue’s charm lies in its simplicity, with long wooden tables inviting diners to come together for a cozy evening. Interesting details, like an old fishing net hanging from the ceiling, add to the ambiance.
Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
They caught the salmon themselves. The soup is cooked for a long time. It has a smooth and creamy texture with salmon, potatoes, and dill. The consistency of the soup isn’t thick at all.
Birch Wood Barbeque Platter
The meat is smoked inside a traditional smoker using birch logs for 6 to 7 hours at 250°C ( ≈ 482°F). Slow cooking for a long time gives the meat a rich flavor and makes it soft. Along the birchwood barbecue comes three side dishes: braised beans in tomato sauce, mac and cheese, and roasted potatoes with butter
Local Snacks The Renters Tried
Salmiakki (Salty Licorice)
Salmiakki is a licorice made of ammonium chloride. It has many flavors like salty, bitter, sour, and astringent It’s a national obsession in Finland and can be found in pastries, ice cream, and alcoholic beverages.
Xylitol
Xylitol mints, chewing gum, and sweets can be found everywhere. In Finland, it’s made of birch trees as they’re naturally very rich in xylose. Most of Finland is covered by forest, with lots of birch trees. Xylitol is good for teeth, several studies showed that xylitol could indeed reduce cavities. Finnish kindergartens offer xylitol sweets to all children daily. A must-have for the Finns after meals.
Finnish Pancake (Lettu)
During the summertime, you can order Finnish pancakes lettu at the market square cafés of most Finnish towns. Lettu is such as food staple that many cabins and houses have an open fireplace and a big flat frying pan perfect for lettu.
Finnish Sausage (Makkara)
Makkara, a Finnish sausage, is a popular snack in Lapland. The Finnish tradition is often eating makkara paired with beer after sauna, commonly cooked over the hot stones called kiuas. The Finns also make fire and grill sausages while hiking or camping. The culture is called makkaranpaisto ( = sausage roasting), grilling sausage on a long stick.
Visiting Lapland
Rovaniemi, the Gate of Lapland, the Town of Santa
To visit Lapland, you start with Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland. This small city is relaxed and peaceful during summer. The downtown is very small since most of the city comprises of forest. Half of the population lives downtown. The Arctic Circle passes through downtown Rovaniemi at latitude 66°N.
From Helsinki, you can reach Rovaniemi by plane, train, bus, or car. The Rovaniemi airport is small. It’s busy in winter with tourists, but quiet in summer with locals, with only one route from Helsinki and one exit. Driving around Rovaniemi is scenic because Kemijoki (Kemi River), the longest river in Finland, runs through Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi.
In winter, Rovaniemi is crowded with tourists for winter sports, holiday festivities, and Santa. Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus. Santa Claus Village is one of the most popular travel destinations in Finland. The village is open year-round for kids of all ages to see Santa and his elves.
Prepare To Go Off-Grid
Researching ahead of time gives you the opportunity to learn about the place and the environments you’ll encounter during your adventure. The ten essentials to bring are a collection of first aid and emergency items that can help you in the event of minor injuries, sudden weather changes, or unexpected delays. These include: navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire starter, repair kit/tools, nutrition, hydration, and emergency shelter.
See what The Renters brought. Je Hoon: Hat with mosquito nets, battery-operated fly swatter, mosquito repellent, medicine, bear whistle, headlight, and aurora colors for fireplace. Dong Hwi: skewer sticks, a cassette player and cassettes, retro camera, manual fly swatter. Dong Yeon brought condiments, a pot to cook ramyeon, and printed recipes and maps. Eun Woo brought dried anchovies and dried squid made by his mom. I wonder if anybody thought of bringing a compass???
Learn Basic Finnish Greetings and Important Words
The rental car with Finnish language navigation might be confusing like the one experienced by The Renters.
Conclusion
What a mindblowing virtual trip full of information on Lapland, including unexpected things you may encounter when you visit a place, no matter how prepared you are. For a review of the Rented in Finland, check out my other article Rented in Finland: The Breathtaking Lapland in Summer.
