Seoul International Drum Festival 2010

These guys were from Japan. I didn't enjoy their performance, so I left.

Some North Korean Style Stew

This North Korean style soup had beef, mushrooms, vegetables, dumplings, ginko berries and pine nuts. Because of the cooler weather in North Korea, hot peppers are harder to grow and not generally associated with the cuisine there.




This raw beef was unique and is served in only a small number of restaurants in Korea. It had pickled onions and some different sprouts inside.




The entertainment was top-notch as well.

Artreon Movie theater

We went to see the "Knight and Day" movie at the Artreon movie theater in Idae near Sinchon. While we were waiting for the elevator I stuck my camera out an open window.

View from the top

This is a picture from Marco Polo, the restaurant on the 52nd floor of the Trade Center in Gangnam. You can't see the financial district or most of Gangnam. Instead, you see the Apgujeong area and Seoul to the north.

Seoul Auto Show 2010

I went to the convention center at COEX mall to see the Auto Show.





I got a lot of shots of the models. The portraits came out the best. Here are a few.

My impression of the show is that there were a lot of photographers. That was the majority of the crowd. Actually the biggest advertiser there was Nikon from what I could tell.

I'm on a bus.

I guess this is the Seoul Square Building. It's located across the street from Seoul Station, the main hub in downtown Seoul.

The Main Post Office downtown.

That building in the back on the left should stick out. That colonial style architecture is one of the last physical remnants of Japanese rule. It is the old Bank of Korea, which is now a museum. I'm guessing the fountain was built after the war as a memorial.

Buddha's Birthday

Zoom lens

These were all shot through the window of a cafe using a Zuiko 70-300mm zoom lens on an Olympus E520 camera.







People standing around in the sunlight are easy subjects.

Latern Festival Parade

Last Weekend

Co-worker Justin and I at a pork ribs joint across the street from work.



Gwanghwamun




My co-worker's sister is on the right.



Shot from a taxi near Gwanghwamun




Ice sledding in Gwanghwamun square.




Here is the Oido lighthouse on a cold February morning.

Happy Birthday to Me!

We got about 20 centimeters in the first week of January. That doesn't happen much here. First time I've seen anything stick. Needless to say, the city wasn't prepared for it. I got the day off and walked around the area. This is a shot from my window.



This is a barbeque duck restaurant near my apartment. Actually my building is one of those in the background.


Here is a picture of my friend's two daughters playing Jenga. I lost the game.



Last night was my birthday. We went to Myeong Dong, ate barbecue and had coffee afterwards.

End of the year

Well December was a tough month for me. I didn't go home for Christmas and I really didn't take many photographs.

I can't remember which subway station this was.


Students taking a test at the academy.


Young Shin and Ellie

The Korean War Musem

We went to the Korean War Museum on Saturday. Actually it's not only about the Korean War. It also has information about all the armed conflicts in Korea throughout history. I really found it much more interesting than the other museums I've been to in Seoul.







I didn't pay too much attention to the weapons because everytime I looked at them, I kept thinking about all the poor bastards who got completely blasted. If you're into that sort of thing, you'll love this place. Every single instrument of death and destruction seems to documented and displayed within these halls. However I liked seeing the uniforms and reading about the Korean War which is still a big gray area in my mind. As with every history, there are countless details that elude me despite my careful investigations.











If you want to go there, take the blue line to Samgakji station and get out at exit 12.

By the way, there are also a lot of Daegu Tang restaurants around the other exits if you want to eat a Korean style fish stew.