South Korea. A country that I visited for the first time back in 2023. One that I enjoyed so much, I knew that some day I would have to find my way back.
And so it was. After spending three weeks in Tokyo as part of my three-month long sabbatical from work, I jumped on a flight for the relatively short journey to Seoul, where I met up with Grace. She knew far more about the culture and food than me, but had never had the chance to go – so this was the perfect opportunity to show her about some of the places that I had discovered previously, and also have our own adventures in places that were new to the both of us.
To be honest, I was a bit concerned that after such a great time in the hyper-stimulating atmosphere of Tokyo, that Seoul would feel like a bit of a let-down in comparison. However, that thankfully wasn’t the case at all. From the moment we got into the South Korean capital, it was clearly bursting with life, as well as its own unique character.
On this leg of the trip, I ended up gravitating more towards shooting film than I had in Japan. The digital shots I got were taken mostly at night, when it was the more practical choice. Unlike in Tokyo, I didn’t carve out dedicated time to shoot, partly because travelling with others changes the dynamic a bit. There’s only so often you can make people wait about while you skulk around one spot looking for a particularly good frame after all. I do wish that I had been a bit more forward about approaching folks for portraits, but at the same time I was cripplingly aware of not annoying people, which is probably a bit of a critical flaw for a photographer. Bizarrely enough, I do feel like I took more pictures in Seoul than in Tokyo despite this… and to be honest, the truth is that I always come away from a trip feeling like I should have done more, shot better, or pushed myself – irrespective of the actual results. It’s just the way of things. What’s that… tortured artist you say? Well, if you insist.
Looking back through the photos now, it’s funny how many I’d originally written off – only to realise, months later (okay, many months later), that some of them might actually be ‘worth’ sharing. Over time I’ve come to realise that the real value in sets like this isn’t always about the publication of individual masterpieces. It’s more about how they collectively capture a feeling, a moment… a place. And honestly, they don’t need to mean anything to anyone else but me anyway. I often return to old posts on this blog just to jog my own memory… relive a trip, or figure out what bizarre, discontinued battery some old camera of mine needs. That in of itself is valuable enough.
I’ve written a lot about how much I hate photography, and it’s true. I do. It is an endlessly thankless, lonely endeavour, which leaves you feeling constantly underwhelmed, unfulfilled, and frustrated. However, it is also a constant challenge. A way to soak up and engage with what is around you. It pushes you to connect more with yourself, and with other people. Why bother asking folks in the street to take their pictures in the first place if it’s so awkward and terrifying? Ultimately it isn’t really about the end result – or at least – for me that’s at least only part of it. The real reason, surely, is the interaction itself, and the connection with the people and the environment. It’s about living in, and being part of a place, as opposed to just passing through.
Anyway, that’s enough of all of that. Back to Seoul.
I don’t want to fall into the trap of only speaking about Seoul in relation to Tokyo, because that would do both of these amazing places a dis-service. With that said… it is also hard not to draw comparisons, given that I’ve now spent a significant chunk of time in both cities, and flew directly from one to the other on this trip.
As much as I love the vibrancy and vitality of Tokyo; its fantastical, dizzying assault on the senses… and the fact that if you dig in deep enough you can find communities dedicated to all sorts of weird and wonderful sub-cultures… the pace and nature of life in Seoul felt much more comfortable.
Don’t get me wrong. Seoul is definitely still somewhere that you can party. The Koreans infamously love to drink (we attended classes to learn how to make our own makgeoli rice wine!), but it also somehow felt less frentic. More natural. A place that you could properly live, as opposed to just being swept up in the tide.
I’ve got a feeling this won’t be my last time in Seoul.
