Since I arrived in South Korea on a working holiday in May, I have explored many of the vast suburbs of Seoul, but have also intermittently left the ‘Republic of Seoul’ to explore some of the other wonderful places in Korea. I have mostly travelled alone, but am always accompanied by my Nikon F60 film camera, gifted to me by my dad a long while ago. The camera is very special to me because my dad used it to document parts of mine and my sisters’ childhoods (although it did rest for many years throughout our teenage years and beyond). Knowing it has spanned many years of use, and has been part of my life since I was very young, makes documenting parts of my life on the camera especially meaningful.
I love the classic feeling of photos captured on a film camera; their analogue nature exudes simplicity whilst simultaneously conveying a depth that was present in the moment the picture was taken. I take a lot of pictures whilst travelling, but the ones which evoke the greatest reflection are usually those taken on my film camera. Film photography has a unique way of capturing the essence of life occurring at the moment the picture was taken, and this feeling evoking a sense of fleetingness—or finiteness of the particular time the picture was taken—adds another layer to the memory the picture takes us back to.
This collation of film pictures is a collection of my experiences captured by film throughout a chapter of my life spent over the Korean summer of 2024. Although they do not fully represent the vast experiences I had across this time, each picture evokes the feeling of having come to understand many more of my previously yet-to-discover places and aspects of Korea a little bit better. When I look at each picture, I am transported back to the moment, getting to re-live the view or feeling of a particular place that prompted me to preserve the memory through film.
14/05/24: Jukdo Market, Pohang (죽도시장, 포항)
A market I discovered whilst walking to the waterfront. Korea’s markets are plentiful and vibrant, each one offering an array of various cuisines and products. This picture was taken following an hour-long conversation with a man whom I shared my table with whilst eating lunch at a market stall. To this day, this was one of the most memorable conversations I have had with a stranger in my whole life; not only was in entirely in Korean (at the time, I still wasn’t overly confident about speaking), but I learnt so much about him, and life in Korea. How special it felt to connect to a stranger, in a different language, over a delicious meal, in a beautiful city; it was very serendipitous.
14/05/24: Yeongildae Observation Deck, Pohang (포항)
Walking along Yeongildae Beach, I saw a beautiful structure in the distance. As I made my way closer and closer, and eventually inside, I was greeted with a sense of peace: it was a sunny day, there was a light sea breeze, and I was standing in a beautiful, traditional observatory above the ocean. I was able to look both back towards the city and out to horizon as far as the eye could see.
14/05/24: Restaurants on Haean-ro, Pohang (해안로, 포항)
As the sun was setting, I wandered alongside the beach, taking in the views against the backdrop of the warm orange tones of the setting-sun casting its light on my surroundings. To me, this picture encapsulates a Korean seaside feeling; hwae (회)—raw fish—is easy to find in these kinds of restaurants, and you can often eat fresh fish whilst sitting at a window table overlooking the ocean.
16/05/24: A street near Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Gyeongju (대릉원경주시 사적공원)
This was my second trip to Gyeongju, having first visited when I was in Korea last year. Gyeongju’s architecture is beautiful, and wandering through the quiet streets tucked beyond the tourist areas offers a glimpse into the city that not everyone would be lucky enough to see. I think it’s always important to wander into the lesser-known areas of a new place; you never know what you may find.
16/05/24: Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Gyeongju (대릉원경주시 사적공원)
Part of travelling alone (and being slightly uncomfortable with having people takes pictures of me when I am standing by myself) is learning to strategically position the camera to capture a (hopefully not-wonky) picture using the self-timer function. This picture turned out surprisingly well (possibly owing to the fact it was placed on a flat concrete bench; several times I have found myself putting my camera in a tree to get the shot…). I love the blend of colours; they seem to harmoniously coalesce and give a sense of softness to the picture, making it feel as peaceful as I felt at the time.
16/05/24: Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Gyeongju (대릉원경주시 사적공원)
The combination of nature, traditional architecture, and the old stone wall reflects three lovely aspects of Gyeongju’s atmosphere, and is why it is one of my favourite places I have visited in Korea.
02/06/24: Sinpung-ro, Suwon (신붕로, 수원)
On a (very hot) day trip to Suwon at the beginning of summer, I was grateful for the refuge the shade provided me from the sun as I walked around the city. Narrow side streets like these always pique my curiosity: often off the beaten-path, I wonder about the kinds of houses I would find on them, and the kinds of lives the residents live.
02/06/24: Jangan-dong, Suwon (장안동, 수원)
Another beautiful Korean cafe I discovered. Throughout Korea, you can find many ‘hanok-style’ cafes, which have preserved the traditional architecture and blend the old and new. Though typically more expensive than other types of cafes, they offer a special atmosphere, even if only for walking past and observing.
02/06/24: (Beside) Paldal Park, Suwon (팔달공원, 수원)
This picture reminds me of the agelessness of some places; this could have been taken in any of the past several decades. It was nice to wander along the road, being immersed in both the past and present.
06/24: Hyochang Park (효창공원)
A park that has become very special to me in Seoul. Hyochang Park is my neighbourhood park, and is the place I go to walk, journal, think, enjoy nature, and to swing on the playground swings (a fond childhood past-time of mine that I still love to do). Like many of Seoul’s green spaces, the park is filled with nature—a small oasis amidst the bustling city where beautiful trees and pink flowers are plentiful. I often see cats lounging around, and can almost always hear (or, usually, have to endure) the sound of cicadas. If I walk at night, which many other locals do to try and coincide with the slightly-decreased summer temperature the evening offers, I am also surrounded by the chirping of frogs. When I hear this sound, I am reminded of summer evenings at home in New Zealand.
06/24: Hyochang Park (효창공원)
06/24: Hyochang Park (효창공원)
05/08/24: Gangmunhaebyeon, Gangneung (강문해변, 강릉)
A small part of the Gangneung seaside. Visiting a seaside city after being in Seoul for two months felt very necessary.
05/08/24: Gangneung (강릉)
Something you would never see in New Zealand is vast quantities of chillies lying out to dry in an unassuming place. When I walked past this house and saw the chillies, I was reminded of the time I was walking home from the train station in Seoul and came across hundreds of chillies drying on the footpath outside a restaurant. It’s one of those things that isn’t exactly a culture shock, but is probably something most Koreans wouldn’t think twice about, whereas I always feel compelled to stop and look.
05/08/24: Gangneung (강릉)
I love the contrast of the traditional roofs against the backdrop of the apartments, both framed by the mountains at the outer edge of the city. I have stayed in some quaint guesthouses while travelling to small cities in Korea; this view was from one of them. It was a pleasant surprise to see an unexpected view.
06/08/24: Gyeongpo Ecological Reservoir, Gangneung (경포생태저류지, 강릉)
I didn’t plan to wander around this area, but stumbling across it was an instance of accidental auspiciousness—it was beautiful. There was no one else around so it was very peaceful, and I was able to take in the Korean countryside with a leisurely feeling. I love Seoul, but getting out of the big city and visiting a much less-populated area of Korea always feels so calming.
06/08/24: Seongyojang House, Gangneung (강릉, 선교장)
An upper class residence during the Joseon period. I find it fascinating to imagine how life would have been hundreds of years ago. It had been a long time since I had seen such a well-nurtured and thriving lily-pad pond, and the pavilion surrounded by this pond seemed so picturesque.
*The film pictures were taken on a Nikon F60.
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