Korean Pop Culture

Bitter, Sweet, Seoul

If you have an hour to spare and I hope you do, this is what you should watch today.

Culling together clips from over 11,000 videos submitted, directors Park Chan Wook and Park Chan Kyong, known together as PARKing CHANce, made this movie using 141 clips from Korean and international submissions to represent Seoul and I think they did an amazing job. It’s not just the pretty view of the city or even the pretty people of the city, it’s real life and real moments with black and white clips of historical moments in Korea from archives to today.

There are the kind people we meet on the streets and in restaurants and the not so kind people that tell us to go away. There are people from all walks of life including the trash collectors, policemen, firefighters, barbers, artists, a coffee shop owner, fishermen, farmers and newspaper delivery people. There are students trying to pass tests and shooting for the stars that are Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University. There’s a guy dancing in a chicken head, a guy dancing in a bear costume, a guy dancing in a gold costume and people dancing in the rain. Children throwing snowballs at each other and children chasing each other down streets clipped next to the old women that push the carts of cardboard and even a sighting of the Makkoli Man. There are feet tapping and head bobbing moments that lead right into gut clenching, cringing, tear drop worthy moments. There are sunrises and sunsets, dark alleys and wide open fields. It’s an open invitation to what Seoul is and has to offer.

I think this video is a great representation of Seoul. What do you think?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1X5N679noM?rel=0]

“All the blind open their eyes instantaneously.

Some open them while going, some while coming.

Some open them standing, some sitting.

Some open without reason, some unexpectedly.

Some open, venting anger, some getting angry.

Some open trying to open, some with ease.

Some open while working, some playing in chairs.

Some open, waking up. Some drowsing.

Some open, blinking their eyes.

Some open, rubbing their eyes.

Some open them while going, some while coming.

Some open them standing, some sitting.

Some open without reason, some unexpectedly.

Some open, venting anger, some getting angry.

Some open crying, some laughing.

Some open using strength, some with great effort.

Some open trying to open, some with ease.

Some open while working, some playing in chairs.

Some open, waking up. Some drowsing.

Even blind animals open their eyes instantaneously.

The world becomes bright for them.

After that,

once this part of Sim Cheong’s story is heard…

various eye diseases, such as sties, bloody and gummy eyes are cured.

Far sighted, near sighted, and bad looking eyes are corrected too.”

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