One of the better photo points along the Hangang River is Yongbongjeong Park in Heukseok-dong. Heukseok-dong is an older neiborhood built on a hillside on the south bank of the Hangang River, and if you’ve got time, it’s worth walking about. At the top of the hill is a small park with a wood observation [...]
According to the Chosun Ilbo, the heads of major Korean corporations and their relatives have been purchasing Korean traditional homes, or hanok, in the Bukchon neighborhood, driving up real estate prices. One long-time resident told the paper if you don’t have 1 billion won, you can’t buy a home here. As many of the corporate [...]
In late July, a friend and I went to Mt. Daemosan (293), a prominent hill in Gangnam, to take a couple of evening shots. In the old days, Mt. Daemosan was called Mt. Halmisan (“Grandmother Mountain”) as it was said to resemble an old grandmother. The name was changed to Daemosan on royal order after [...]
In the old days, Mt. Inwangsan used to mark Seoul’s western limits. The fortress walls that once ringed the city still snake along the mountain’s ridges—to hike the wall, sections of which are still manned by soldiers and police, gives you an extraordinary sense of historical continuity. In addition to its strategic and feng shui [...]
Just another lovely summer evening sky, this time over Deoksugung Palace. Deoksugung is something of an old friend of mine. I just love its many contrasts—old vs. new, Eastern vs. Western, nature vs. manmade. In a way, it’s a microcosm of Seoul itself.
The good weather just keeps on keeping on. After some rain showers yesterday afternoon, the sky really opened up nicely. If I’d had more time, I’d have gone up a mountain as I had the previous two evenings (posts coming soon), but by the time I left the office, there wasn’t much sunlight left, so [...]
Some Gangnam Fun Facts: Real estate in front of Exit 11 of Gangnam Station costs 43 million won (about US$37,500) per square meter (as of late May 2012). Some 70% of Seoul’s plastic surgery clinics are located in Gangnam-gu. I don’t know how many that is, but considering that one in five Seoul women get [...]
We’ve had some nice, fluffy white clouds in the skies since yesterday. I’m guessing this is due to the heat wave, but I’m sure the more meteorologically savvy among you will give me the specifics. Somebody, remind me this month to pick up a graduated ND filter.
I had a bit of time Sunday evening, so I went down to Dongdaemun to shoot the landmark (and newly restored) Heunginjimun Gate, Seoul’s old eastern entrance. I’d originally wanted to photograph it from the other side, but the buildings I wanted to climb were locked. Alas. I also left my hat on the roof [...]
After the rain Friday afternoon, the skies above Seoul opened up in a truly spectacular way. I was lucky enough to have my camera and tripod at the office, so after work, I ran over to the officetel roof near the Cheonggyecheon where I took these photos hoping to get lucky. And lucky I got. [...]