[HanCinema's Korea Diaries] "Gangneung" August 1st-4th

Taking pictures with random objects is a bit of a tourist tradition in South Korea. For all I know it's like that everywhere, but this is the only place I've seen it so much firsthand. While I'm pretty sure this thing is just some random abstract art piece at the front of Gyeongpo Beach (경포대), as far as most people are concerned, it's a photo opportunity.

This poetic monument is found at the Heo Gyun and Hae Nanseolheon memorial park. The written Chinese and the lack of spaces make it rather difficult to read. Heo Gyun and Hae Nanseolheon were brother and sister poets from sixteenth century Joseon. This monument is one of many in the park dedicated to their literary accomplishments which, as far as I know, are not available in English. The siblings are among the more famous historical personae of Gangneung, which is how they got their own park.

This, by contrast, is a random statue to a carp on the bicycle sculpture trail around Gyeongpo Lake. I was rather surprised to find this place, considering the complete lack of tourist information denoting its existence. My guess is this is because it was constructed in the late nineties, before South Korean tourism as we know it today came into being.

This presence of this statue right outside the entrance is much easier to parse- it's in remembrance of comfort women. Where most of the rest of the sculptures at Gyeongpo Lake have either Chinese translations or nothing, this one has all the relevant information in English, indicating its more recent placement and purpose.

On a lighter note, Gangneung's Chodang Tofu Village (초당두부마을) there's a delightful mural depicting the process for making Gangneung's special regional Chodang Tofu. It's mostly the same process as regular tofu, it's just that seawater is used rather than fresh water. The third step- grinding the beans.

And this is what it looks like at the end of the process. Oh wait, no, that's not right...

...This is the final form of tofu generally seen, as the main dish (right hand side). The Chodang Tofu Village is heavily dedicated to restaurants that serve Chodang Tofu in stew form. And I will admit, compared to the regular type, Chodang Tofu is definitely lightier and tastier. Another fun fact- the guy who invented it, Heo Yeop (허엽) was also the father to the Heo siblings with the dedicated park.

Gangneung is also quite proud of its ecolife. Some divers ran into this dead leatherback turtle awhile back, and ever since it's been sitting here at the Gangneung Green City Experience Center (강릉녹색도시체험센터). It was presumed to be around three hundred fifty years old.

Tourism in Gangreung is so big street performers are a reasonably big fixture along the walking paths just outside the beach. They benefit a lot from sparkly visuals like this glowing bridge.

Of course, mere street performers can't compare to the spectacle of the Gangjeong International Junior Art Festival, where kids from art schools all over the world come to perform on Gyeongpo Beach. These girls are from Jirin, China, and were identified in the program as "Teenager representatives of art". My guess is someone marked the field wrong.

This is the parking lot to Kepco's Gangneung office. They're a sustainable energy company who briefly confused me into thinking they were some kind of traditional museum.

See what I mean? I can't imagine whose idea it was to go for the medeival look. At bare minimum, I suppose it did attract my attention.

And at long last, before finally leaving Gangneung, I had a chance to watch a hip-hop concert on the beach, on the very same stage where the international children's performing arts troupes once played. Hey, once the stage is set up, might as well keep rocking you know? Not to worry- the Gyeongpo Summer and Music Film Festival (경포썸머애드뮤직 페스티벌) will return.

- Article by William Schwartz

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