Some Things in Seoul Are Free

by R. Elgin on July 14, 2007

Something nice for Robert and all of Seoul. (Check out the gangbae at the end of the video)

{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Mr Kim July 14, 2007 at 3:45 pm: An earlier, less successful attempt in Korea (via DailyKimchi):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEMp9tquIsM

Some background, for anyone who hasn’t seen the original:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_hugs
2 sewing July 15, 2007 at 2:32 am: That video actually choked me up. The businessman who was the first person to go up for a hug…at least that’s the way it was edited to look…was the most touching. What was sad, though, was in the next few frames, seeing all the young ladies out shopping standing around gawking at the spectacle, filming him with their cameras, like he was an animal to be looked at but not touched—not one felt any compulsion to step out and go up for a hug. I don’t know though…I probably would have stood there gawking, too, like it was a piece of non-participatory performance art.
3 sewing July 15, 2007 at 2:37 am: Gee, it’s even got the same music and editing as the original…even so, it’s a charming idea.
4 caliboy888 July 15, 2007 at 3:58 am: Saw free hugs in Busan’s Nampo-dong back in January. My friend got a free hug. I didn’t though because I get plenty from my wife. I’ll leave the free hugs for the hug deprived.
5 ●~* July 15, 2007 at 2:29 pm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBjia1Hm0nY

In this video, it seems that the Free Hug is his job or business or obligation or something.
And the hugged do not look like the ones who need FREE hugging.
6 MigukNamja July 15, 2007 at 3:01 pm: That’s pretty cool. I hope it gets done over and over again.

Free hugs are much better than nasty words and violence.
7 Pyotr July 15, 2007 at 6:24 pm: That was revolting. The true manifestation of the Caring Understanding Nineties Type.

“What was sad, though, was in the next few frames, seeing all the young ladies out shopping standing around gawking at the spectacle, filming him with their cameras, like he was an animal to be looked at but not touched”

Unfortunately, they were the few who were still in touch with reality.
8 R. Elgin July 16, 2007 at 12:21 am: It was amusing to see. What was strange for me was watching the guy being approached by the rented gangsters at the end instead of the police.