Odd Dogs

The work from Yonsei University has been keeping me very busy over the last few weeks. However, it has also been really fascinating and is giving me a foundation from which to start making images of Korea. I am studying Korean Buddhism, Culture, Institutions and Development, as well as the Korean language. So, much of my time has been spent reading and not doing much photography, although I have also found some great locations to visit in the city where I can make some images.

So, has there been anything unusual over the last few days? Well, yes, there has.

Firstly, there was a very heavy example of a phenomenon known as ‘yellow dust.’ This is sand picked up by winds in China, which blows across the Korean peninsula and carries pollutants with it. It produces a very eerie effect in the sky and the whole place takes on an amber glow. I will photograph it when it next occurs. If it is really heavy, you are advised to stay indoors and people wear masks when they venture outside. It is really quite a weird effect.

Secondly, I have noticed quite a few example of what I can only describe as ‘art dogs!’ These are dogs dressed in clothes (yes, that’s right) and some even have dyed hair. I have attached a photo of an example of a typical trendy pooch out on the streets of Seoul. Also, I found an interesting dog coat that looks like it is an attempt to disguise your dog as a sheep! Maybe they have a different type sheep dog out here? Perhaps they disguise their equivalent of Border Collies in order to better sneak up on the unsuspecting sheep. Or maybe they do not have any sheep and so make pretend ones from their dogs! It is all very odd. I do not think that it will take off back in the Lakes, but you never know!

University and Soraksan

So, after the shock of suddenly being two years older in Korea, what has happened?

Well, strangely, I have already been on the Korean music channel, giving my opinion on a local group. The TV crew were at the university and picked me out as a foreigner to give my thoughts on Korean music.  Now, that doesn’t happen to you everyday!

I have also started my lectures in Korean studies at Yonsei University, which includes cultural development, Koran language and Buddhism.  This should give me a foundation from which to start making images of these areas of society over here.

The University is quite incredible, to say the least. To begin with, the campus is huge and has several buses running through its grounds.  It is based on an American design and was initially set up by an American called Underwood in 1885, but it is also linked to a hospital which was founded by an Englishman.  It may give you some idea of the scale and wealth of the place, if I mention that it even has its own space research centre complete with a huge radio telescope!

Probably the most amazing difference for me is the University library.  You may be thinking, “Well that doesn’t sound very exciting!”  Let me explain.  Firstly, again, it is huge.  It occupies not one, but two buildings, which are eight stories high.  There is an old section, not much different from an ordinary library, with the usual rows of books.  This is not so incredible, and was much as I expected.  However, when you enter the new section, sponsored by Samsung in 2008, everything changes.

As you swipe your electronic pass, it is as though you have suddenly walked into the future.  In the reception area, there is a relaxation area with bean bag chairs and even fake digital fish ponds to relax you.  There are huge video walls on which you can read daily newspapers from all over the world. There are computers dedicated to reading of eBooks, laptop areas, internet areas, study rooms (one is open 24 hours a day), electronic conference rooms, and even a floor for watching multimedia with free films from around the world.  To top it all, in the basement there is a supermarket and, if that wasn’t enough, on the top floor there is a café with a huge balcony overlooking the campus.  I was in there yesterday at 10pm (a Friday night) and the place was packed with students studying.  This work ethic is a little different to back in the UK.

The people work really had here; they have to study for about 14 hours a day (they also study on weekends) from age 8 upwards to stand a chance of getting admitted to a top class university like Yonsei!  Competition is fierce, but the rewards are great.  When you consider that only 50 years ago, this place was literally a waste ground flattened by the war, and is now the 12^th largest economy in the world, it sets you thinking.  They call it the “Miracle on the Han River” and it is; a miracle that appears to have been attained through relentless hard work.

So, has it been all study for me so far?  Well, no, I had a trip to an area called Soraksan (which translates as ‘snowy peaks’).  Having being in the city for a month, I wanted to escape to the countryside for a couple of days.  After living in Seoul for a while, you may be forgiven for thinking that the entire world is one vast expanse of concrete jungle.  Even the surrounding towns continue into a vast sprawl of people as you travel away from the centre.  I thought that this may continue until I reached the sea, but thankfully, this is not the case.

Soraksan is amazingly beautiful.  Huge granite peaks and rivers and fresh air.  However, there are still people, lots of people all wanting to escape the city.  This is one of Korea’s most beautiful areas and is very popular throughout the year.  On the evening of my arrival it started to snow and by the next day there was almost a metre of snow on the ground.  This made it much quieter, not many people at all! Great.

I took the cable car up one of the peaks and was the first person to walk through the deep snow.  There was not much to see (it was still snowing) but it was very beautiful.  This was all very relaxing, which was a good thing, because the traffic jam on the way back to Seoul was far from relaxing!  The snow meant road closures and the bus sat in a traffic jam for 9 hours, turning what is usually a 3 hour journey into a 12 hour journey.  So much for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city!