Asian Adventure - Modern Gangnam & The Ancient Deoksugung Palace, 8 May 2019

Today was Gangnam day; the three of us were heading towards K-Star Road, where the famous Gangnam district is situated. The road is dedicated to the fashionable teen pop culture, that Korea is famous for. My little Cousin Ruby is into all things Korean at the moment. She sits in front of the television, glued to the latest Korean soap opera or listening to her favourite Korean band. Modern day Korea is a World apart from the traditional side of this country. The two contrasting styles sit happily side by side, in Seoul, a city that has evolved dramatically over the last sixty years and embodies modernity in all its forms. High tech is the order of the day and Gangnam pays homage to a growing culture and lifestyle that older generations would find hard to quantify. However the wide open boulevards, spectacular architecture, beautiful people and well kept sidewalks of this neighbourhood offer a chance to explore new and equally as interesting experiences!

Situated the length of K-Star Road, there are small bear like 'emoji's,' each one depicting a particular band or musician unique to K-Pop culture in Korea. As a novice in such matters, I was a little dismissive of the whole place. Korean pop really isn't my thing and like most of the customs that surround the K-Pop scene, I find it banal and far to kitsch for my taste. Having said that it is extremely popular in Korea and as a nation, they are proud of the music their country manufactures. The songs they produce are popular all over the World and I can understand why. Teenagers like this music because it is so different, young and vibrant, rather like the modern day Korea it seeks to emulate.

Walking down towards the river we stumbled upon some fantastic street art on display. I am a big fan of Graffiti and this form of expression; coming from Portsmouth I am well used to such visual displays. The one thing that has struck me about my time in Korea is just how modern Seoul is. This underground art, shows just how far this part of Asia has come, finding its place in the modern World. It wasn't too many years ago, that this tiny nation was considered a third World country; it's come a long way since then!

Our next stop was Deoksugung Palace, a very special place in the heart of Koreans. This is probably the inhabitants of Seoul's favourite royal palace. Members of the Korean Royal Family lived here right up until 1910, when Korea was annexed by Japan. Of all the palaces I visited here, this was by far my favourite too, a mixture of the ancient Korean style and the more classical European design.

The complex is made up of a number of buildings, wonderful architecture painted in the traditional Korean colours, with a big influence on Blue/Green, which represents the East. The west is white, red is south, north is black and the centre is yellow. This type of design is called dancheong and refers to traditional decorative colouring on buildings for the purpose of style. On a purely practical level the paint is used to protect the buildings from changes in temperature. Symbolically, the patternation also signifies the rank and social status of the residents of these stunning constructions.

Like other historic sights we have visited, these beautiful structures have been preserved and expertly looked after, creating a public space out of what was once a private inner sanctum. On the day we arrived, there were many people waiting to go through the large imposing gates at the entrance to Deoksugung Palace. We were also lucky enough to arrive just in time for the changing of the guard, which was a special experience harking back to an altogether different era. As someone who is fascinated by royal history, both in the UK and abroad, I was in awe at the spectacle being played out before me, right in the middle of a busy intersection in the centre of Seoul.

Next to the ancient buildings of Deoksugung, stands a newer palace, equally as beautiful and more purpose built for the royal family of the time, allowing them to live a more comfortable lifestyle. This newer building is a reminder of colonial and European influence on Korean life. The wonderful gardens, ponds and water features add a air of sophistication to this tale of two palaces. I was taken aback by the sheer scale of this place and could have spent hours sitting, looking at this amazing oasis in the middle of a sea of concrete.

We stopped for a late lunch in a small family run restaurant, just outside the palace walls. This was the best meal yet in Korea, all cooked by a single Korean lady. There were no waiters or other members of staff, just this charming woman, who made us feel completely at home, while she busied herself in the kitchen. The cost of the meal, including three large beers? 34,000 won, which equates to about twenty pounds. This was real Korea and I felt relaxed and happy to be spending time with Darrell and my Aunt in such an historic setting. Korean food seems to suit my constitution and there hasn't been anything I haven't enjoyed while I have been here.....

......However as we left the centre and headed back towards our apartment and Myeongdong, we were confronted by a lone protestor, wearing an A board. On each side of the board, graphic pictures of dogs and cats being slaughtered for meat. The sign simply said 'Stop the Killing,' in English and Korean. It was a large reminder of exactly where we were and yes Koreans do eat animals we don't in the West. Up until now I hadn't seen any cats or dogs being ill treated, but I was aware of restaurants selling specifically dog and cat meat and chose to walk away.

Seoul seems to be a rather open society, at least on the surface. Adult sex shops sit happily next to restaurants selling dubious food still swimming in tanks, including, shockingly for me, turtles and exotic fish. Yet the etiquette expected in everyday life indicates a more reserved, quiet, respectful population. No one bats an eye when they pass a hardcore private shop, yet frowns upon a lack of manners, from a rather confused tourist like me. I find Koreans fascinating and for the most part, engaging and a delight to be around. Something inside of me wants to know more about these enchanting people.

We spent the evening walking around Myeongdong, while Darrell looked for a new pair of shoes. One would think that with all the shoe shops in this shopping district, Darrell would have found something, but no. Exhausted we popped into McDonalds, for one of their Asian burgers, not where I really wanted to go, but since this is Darrell's eatery of choice, I gave in, just this once!

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