Kyungdong Presbyterian Church

by Robert Koehler on August 29, 2007

I finally saw the interior of Kim Swoo-geun’s Kyungdong Presbyterian Church (see this post).

It’s absolutely awe-inspiring. The photos I took don’t do it justice.

Kyungdong Presbyterian Church

Meditator's Path, Kyungdong Presbyterian Church

Interior, Kyungdong Presbyterian Church

Interior, Kyungdong Presbyterian Church

Interior, Kyungdong Presbyterian Church

Note: This is the first series shot with my Nikon 40x, which I finally picked up today. Still learning how to use it, though.

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Iceberg August 29, 2007 at 10:07 pm

Cool, cool pics.

2 steve August 30, 2007 at 3:04 am

Too bad it doesn’t look like a church. Looks like something done by Speer for the Nazis.

3 danson August 30, 2007 at 5:50 am

I gotta say, “awe-inspiring” is absolutely the correct description, inside and out. What it isn’t is “inviting” or “friendly”. It appears to be a very austere, almost sinister structure.

4 WangKon936 August 30, 2007 at 7:07 am

Looks like a hand pointed skyward. Yes, very “Speerish”…

Hey Rob, have you thought about getting a VR (vibration reduction) lens to go with your Nikon 40x? It certainly does make a difference in the lower shutter speeds. About two stops worth.

5 R. Elgin August 30, 2007 at 9:52 am

Wow, that is an amazing interior. It looks like a stage setting for a dramatic play.

I second the VR lens since some digital cameras are capable at operating well in low light conditions but one must not breathe or else there is jiggling.

6 Robert Koehler August 30, 2007 at 11:54 am

I’d like to get a VR lens eventually, but they are a bit expensive.

I used a tripod for the outdoor shots above, which seemed to come out OK, but I didn’t have time to set up the tripod for the indoor shots.

7 captbbq August 30, 2007 at 12:33 pm

The asymmetry and rock texture of the walls, inside and out, gives it almost a demonic feel to it. Not what I would want from a church.

For some reason it brings to mind South Parks hell renditions…

8 danson August 30, 2007 at 1:32 pm

Actually, the use of vertical lines on the outside, and more organic cavernous inner sanctum really reminds of Superman’s fortress of solitude.

9 NathanB August 30, 2007 at 10:05 pm

Robert, those are absolutely fantastic pictures of a truly amazing structure!

I agree that the inside does have a hint of the demonic and hellish about it, largely due to the red carpet and the color of the cave-like walls. Many churches have cave-like interiors nowadays, and sometimes I like that and sometimes I don’t. In this particular case, I’m very intrigued (one thinks of the catacombs and caves used by the early Christians), but also nonplussed by the fact that the interior looks–like too many churches nowadays–like a theater.

10 Robert Koehler August 30, 2007 at 10:08 pm

I’m very intrigued (one thinks of the catacombs and caves used by the early Christians)

In fact, I believe Kim Swoo-geun’s interior design was inspired by the catacombs.

{ 4 trackbacks }

Previous post:

Next post: