Tasting Central Asian flavors in downtown Seoul
As I walked along the narrow alleyways and side streets near Dongdaemun History and Culture Park station, I noticed more Cyrillic writing than Hangeul. I passed by small shops and cozy restaurants, and the faces began to change. Rather than the usual Korean crowd, the area was mostly populated by Russians, Mongolians, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz. This...
By day: street art and steel factories in Mullae
A few weeks ago, I visited Mullae, “the art village of Seoul,” located on the Western side of the city in Youngdeungpo-gu. I shot some photos of the neighborhood at night, documenting the small metal and steel factories, narrow alleyways and street art illuminated by the dim glow of street lights. As I mentioned in...
Postcards from Europe: a project revealing travel illusions
The summer of 2010, after graduating from college, I moved to Rotterdam, Netherlands for a couple months to live with my then-boyfriend for the summer. We went to Amsterdam and saw the Van Gogh museum, snapped a few photographs of the canals, and participated in some other typical activities that tourists do. We even took...
Travel Illusions: How important are famous landmarks on our travels?
You’re in New York. After waiting in a security line for a half an hour at Battery Park, you’re finally sitting on the ferry sans explosives. You had to fight for a hard metal seat on the top deck, beating a middle-aged woman wearing a floral visor, casting a shadow over her rosy cheeks.You just...
2012 In Photos: the year that I never fully unpacked
Last year I summarized my travels through a photo essay called, 2011 In Photos: a year of transition and travel, so I decided to do the same for 2012. This year, thanks to my three extensive vacations and a slew of Adventure Korea-sponsored weekend trips, I never fully unpacked, continually leaving items throughout various backpacks...
Dueji and ‘Diet’ stamps: the importance of weight in Korea vs. the United States
“What did you do last weekend?” I asked my class of 24 twelve year-old students. “I played with these two pigs!” shouted one of the skinny boys, referring to two of his friends. His friend turned around and slapped him playfully on the head. Later in the day, I was playing a Powerpoint game with...
Promoting Korean Reunification through English Tutoring: an interview with a PSCORE volunteer
Despite living in Seoul, mere kilometers from the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea, it’s quite rare to meet North Korean defectors in everyday life. I may have sat next to a North Korean on the subway, or interacted with someone at a local shop, but I wouldn’t have realized it. In magazines...
The absence of help: a Korean girl’s testimony on recovering from an eating disorder
Last year, one of my good Korean friends, who I met while studying as an exchange student at the Korea National University of Arts, was tutoring a girl who was applying for art school. My friend taught her drawing techniques and how to prepare her portfolio. Her student dreamed of studying in New York, specifically at Pratt,...
Postcards: Seoul’s beach train
April 1, 2012 It was 5 AM. Bleary-eyed, exhausted and still drunk, I placed one foot into the subway car at Hongdae station and paused. I quickly retracted my foot from the train, like a cat after accidentally placing its paw in a puddle of water on the bathroom floor. I thought that the floor...
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