Some Things in Seoul Are Free

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

8 Comments

  1. Posted July 14, 2007 at 3:45 pm | Permalink

    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. Posted July 15, 2007 at 2:32 am | Permalink

    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. Posted July 15, 2007 at 2:37 am | Permalink

    Gee, it’s even got the same music and editing as the original…even so, it’s a charming idea.

  4. Posted July 15, 2007 at 3:58 am | Permalink

    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. Posted July 15, 2007 at 2:29 pm | Permalink

    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 your flag
    Posted July 15, 2007 at 3:01 pm | Permalink

    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 your flag
    Posted July 15, 2007 at 6:24 pm | Permalink

    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 your flag
    Posted July 16, 2007 at 12:21 am | Permalink

    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.

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