Photo Blog:

[wongsan]

하루 하루 18.12.2011 – 27.12.2011

Too many buying and selling without much shooting these days…
Hence, I was looking forward to the end-of-year vacation to Korea. Although it was a family vacation, I was hoping to do some streets.

Our itinerary would take us to Yongpyong Resort for our first ski experience and, later, to Seoul.

I would usually pick up a book about the host country/city prior to the trip. It wasn’t necessary for this trip as the Korean dramas have invaded the Wong’s household. The vocals and moves of SNSD have been sighted on my boys’ iPhones and Macs. For the uninitiated, SNSD is 소녀시대/So Nyuh Shi Dae/SoShi/少女時代/Girls’ Generation. Youtube link here: Girls' Generation THE BOYS_Music Video (KOR ver.) - YouTube. I wonder why they are so popular

I packed light for this trip…just the M9P with the 35mm Summilux ASPH V1 and the Ricoh GRD3. It turned out to be a good choice for the RF but not the GRD3.

The weather when we were there was cold by any standard. The ski resort was a -14C but the -10C in Seoul was the killer. A couple of minutes without the gloves on would be too much for me. Hence, the gloves were on most of the time. Holding and using the tiny GRD3 was a problem with the gloves on. The buttons are too small. The GRD3 stayed in the bag for the trip.

The M9P with the 35 Lux was a different story. It was hanging on my neck for hours during the Seoul walkabout.
I’ve always complained that the 35 Lux ASPH is too big unlike the compact 35mm Summicron which I like very much. However, I’m glad that I brought the bigger Lux. The longer lens barrel of the 35 Lux allowed better maneuvering with the gloves on. The focusing tab was a god-send. The M9P with the Luigi case and the thumbs-up provided the necessary grip.

The battery life in cold weather was not an issue for me. A single charge lasted more than a day but I didn’t shoot a lot for a digital camera. 300+ shots over nine days with a peak of 150+ shots on one of the days.

This is also the first trip with a digital M and without a film body. I would say I enjoyed the convenience of the M9P. I shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom V3. I converted some of the street shots to b&w.

Gears:
Leica M9P (Silver)
Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH V1 (Black)

tbc...

 

[wongsan]

Yongpyong Ski Resort:

Yongpyong Ski Resort (용평리조&#53944 is a ski resort located in Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do of South Korea. As well as skiing facilities, the resort offers golf in the summer months.

The ski season runs from November to early April. Yongpyong will host technical alpine skiing events for the 2018 Winter Olympics (slalom and giant) and 2018 Winter Paralympics, and was also involved in the bids for 2010 and and 2014 Winter Olympics (missing out to Vancouver and Sochi, respectively). Yongpyong Resort has 31 slopes, 15 different lift facilities, including one 3.7 km. long cable car lift, and Korea's largest ski house (Dragon Plaza).[1]

Yongpyong Resort has hosted races in both the alpine and disabled alpine skiing World Cups. The resort hosted the 2009 Biathlon World Championships, although the event was marred by lack of snow due to a unseasonable warmth, and criticized for poor spectator attendance.

Some scenes of the popular 2002 drama Winter Sonata were filmed at the resort.

Source: Wikipedia
==============================

We spent 4 days in Yongpyong. It was a great experience although I became the expert in falling and getting up with both the skis on….practice makes perfect, they say.

> Yongpyong slopes

> dragon peak

> the boys

> korean grandpa

> self-portrait...again

tbc...

 

[wongsan]

Yongpyong Ski Resort:

> the walk

> where are you?

> snowboarding girl

> beginner slope

> self-portrait in rental garb

 

[wongsan]

Seoul:

Seoul (서&#50872, officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world.[4] The Seoul National Capital Area is the world's second largest metropolitan area with over 25 million inhabitants, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province.[5] Over half of South Korea's population live in the Seoul National Capital Area, and nearly a quarter in Seoul itself, making it the country's foremost economic, political, and cultural center.

Seoul has been a major settlement for over 2,000 years, with its foundation dating back to 18 B.C. when Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, established its capital in what is now south-east Seoul. It continued as the capital of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire.

The Seoul National Capital Area is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeokgung, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.[6]

Today, Seoul is considered to be a leading global city, ranking among the top ten global cities in the Global Cities Index of 2010.[7] It is one of the world's top ten financial and commercial centers,[8] home to major multinational conglomerates[9] such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia. In 2008, Seoul was named the world's sixth most economically powerful city by Forbes.[10]

Seoul has a highly technologically advanced infrastructure.[11][12] Seoul was the first city to feature DMB, a digital mobile TV technology and WiBro, a wireless high-speed mobile internet service. It has a fast, high-penetration 100 Mbit/s fibre-optic broadband network, which is being upgraded to 1 Gbit/s by 2012.[13] Seoul Station houses the 350 km/h KTX bullet train and the Seoul Subway is the third busiest in the world, with over 2 billion passengers every year.[14] Seoul is connected via AREX to Incheon International Airport, rated as the best airport in the world by Airports Council International.

Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 G-20 Seoul summit. The city was named the World Design Capital for 2010 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design.

Source: Wikipedia
===============================

It was a 5 days of shopping and eating in Seoul. Sight-seeing was never discussed as the wives took over the decision making. Anyway, it was really too cold to enjoy the sight-seeing.

The places we covered:
-Myeong-dong area: Near our hotel. A mixture of mid-class boutiques and bargain bazaar shopping. It was packed with locals and tourists. Youngsters with “Free Hugs” sign were lining the streets during the festive season. The cinnamon pancake stall (outside It’s Skin shop) has my vote for the best sweet during winter!
-Dongdaemun area: Indoor shopping that closes at 5AM!!
-Hongdae area: The mecca of young art in Korea. It is mainly small boutiques by local designers. The crowd is trendy and hip. The light is very good for street shoot.
-Namdaemun area: Wholesale market for women and kids. We bought some dried seafood from this place. There are a few used Leica shops here.
-Chungmuro area: I went to visit the Leica Boutique and some used Leica shops. No bargain to be found there
-Itaewon area: Foreign resident and tourist strip. Plenty of signboard in English. We didn’t quite enjoy this area
-Apguyeong/Sinsadong area: High-end shopping when K-pop stars shop. We didn’t quite enjoy this area as well but we had one of the best Vongole in an Italian restaurant

> Hongdae story [This is probbaly my favorite shot of the trip]

> Hongdae man

> the shoppers

> man with two dogs

> three-leg man and a pigeon

tbc...

 

[wongsan]

예쁜 사진입니다. 플래어를 능숙하게 사용했어요.

Kamsahamnida!

 

[wongsan]

Seoul:

> 3.1.3

> trainspotting

> four stages of smoking

> poison triangle

> keep walking

tbc...

 

[ray_stinger]

Very nice series. You make me want to visit Korea next year.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

> Hongdae man

아주 좋은

 

[wongsan]

Very nice series. You make me want to visit Korea next year.

Thanks bro!
I've just covered the shopping belts...
I would love to go back in warmer weather to shoot again!

 

[wongsan]

아주 좋은

Kamsahamnida!

 

[lowjason]

Hi,

Not sure if this was addressed before, but how did your M9-P perform under the cold condition? any comments on that?

 

[lowjason]

Hi,

Not sure if this was addressed before, but how did your M9-P perform under the cold condition? any comments on that?

And yes, very nice shots!

 

[wongsan]

Hi,

Not sure if this was addressed before, but how did your M9-P perform under the cold condition? any comments on that?

Hi Jason

My M9P endured the cold better than I did
I even used it under light snow as well.

It didn't freeze once the whole trip.
The battery life, as described in my first post, was reasonable. I brought two batteries for the trip.

 

[lowjason]

Hi Jason

My M9P endured the cold better than I did
I even used it under light snow as well.

It didn't freeze once the whole trip.
The battery life, as described in my first post, was reasonable. I brought two batteries for the trip.

Wow, glad to hear about its weather-proof!

 

[wongsan]

Seoul:

> leaning lady and the leading man

> myeong-dong light

> myeong-dong crowd

> three red bulls

> flying kisses

tbc...

 

[NazgulKing]

The weather looks a lot nicer than what it was when I went there last June (it was raining non-stop)

Great shots!

 

[wongsan]

Seoul:

> Namdaemun matriarch

> the generation gap

> captain and prisoner

> No!

> time: the great leveler

End of 하루 하루​

 

[virtualme78]

Nice shots! Was supposed to go Korea this coming CNY but afraid its too cold for my baby Think have to wait till she's older... sigh

 

[gommy]

Nice series, Trader Wong.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[lokewl]

I like the photos in this series.