Recent Blog Posts
How to Accept Criticism as a Photographer
Last month, Chase Jarvis recently gave an in depth answer to a question of mine. He peeled back the layers of my website and tutorials and gave some hard advice to something that I have been struggling with for a long time. That show has since been added to a recent podcast of his as well. Now, this has put my photography, my site and even myself in a slightly harsh light. Due to the popularity of the show, it has opened up the door to a number critical comments. However, it has been one of the best things that I could have ever asked for. Here is how I deal with criticism as a photographer.
How could someone be happy about a random stranger saying “I looked at your site and your photos and many of them are certainly amateurish” as one person stated on my most recent youtube video. The reason is that I am learning from these comments and you should too. Great comments and “virtual hugs” are great and I certainly received a few of those as well. Peter DeMarco as well as Dylan Goldby at F-stoppers gave their 2 cents and I couldn’t have beeen happier. Not to mention I have had a number of people write to me with very supportive advice which I am forever grateful for. However, critical comments are like the pain caused from a day at the gym. Thus, the old saying still stands “no pain, no gain” The supportive comments are like the shower and beverage after. They make you feel alive again and then you want to go and do it some more. To grow as a photographer BOTH good and bad comments are needed.
Seek Reason, Not ReactionThe first thing that you have to do is calm yourself. Being pissed off because someone thinks that your photos are crap or that you are “only in it for the money” as some have stated to me recently, will only make matter worse. It also blocks any sort of lesson from occurring. As a teacher, I give feedback to a lot of my college students. The one thing that I have noticed is that the ones who really understand why they got the grade that they did are the ones that I see showing the greatest improvement. I am no different. You have to realize that there is a reason for some of these comments.
Recently, I stumbled across an article written by John Aldred over at DIY Photography who gave some hard advice. This was an unbiased objective look at my work and my site. He took the time to read my own article and made his own conclusion from there. I rarely have been in the position to have so many people critically view my work and write about it. The article outlined John’s thoughts on my situation and it enlightened me on how my current efforts to transition into the world of full-time photography may come off as a person seeking a quick buck.
What you have to do when your work is criticised is step back and really think about the critique or comment as objectively as you can. There is no room for emotion here, you have to simply look at what is being said and then think about what you can do to improve. This is where the real learning happens. If it does not look professional or is sending the wrong message, what can you do to make it better?
If people are thinking that my transition to full-time photographer and educator sounds like a scheme to make money then I have to step back and look at what I have put out there. By staying calm and reading these articles at face value allows you to really evaluate where you might have gone wrong. Did I push too hard to promote my courses or did I not show my best work to really show people that I have what it takes?
Accept ResponsibilityMost of the time, we seek to defend ourselves when somebody criticizes our work or who we are as a photographer. We puff out our chest and in a sniffling 6-year-old way spout back “Am NOT!” or “You are too!” as if that will change things. It hasn’t worked since kindergarten and certainly doesn’t work online. The only one that I can blame here is myself. This is also not done is a self-depreciating way either. This is done in order to improve.
So why are people thinking this way? Why did Chase immediately jump to the conclusion that I was only doing for the money? Why did John think the way he did? The answer is that’s what I put out there. I have to accept responsibility for ALL the content that I put out online. Yes, it is an incorrect assumption that I am just looking for quick cash, but it is not unfounded. Chase did not pull this out of thin air. If people are looking at the content that I have created and thinking that “oh Jason Teale is trying to make a quick buck” rather than seeing the years that I have put into my craft, the publications that I have worked for and the accolades that I have received, then I have to fix that. This is my fault because I didn’t take the time to create a proper site that shows my best work, who I am and what I’ve done.
If someone takes a poke at you, sometimes they are only reacting to the vibe that you are giving off. Sure, there are trolls out there that want nothing more than to rip you apart and laugh at you. However, this is not always the case. The people that are looking at your site are most likely people who are in the photography industry or people wanting to learn more about it. If I am not getting the right response from them, then it is up to me to change how I present my work and my courses.
Learn from your CriticismAccepting the jabs and doing nothing just makes no sense. You have to take action. For me the attention to my site and my photos was a HUGE wake up call. I looked at my site and wondered “what the hell was I thinking?” and immediately changed the template and the content. It still needs a lot work and improvement, but I am aware of that now and am taking steps to correct it. I have made goals to try and tweak it and even invest in a complete redesign by the end of the year. This is the patience and dedication that Chase brought up. You can’t just flip a switch and make everything better but you can seek to improve over time.
Reading the comments about my question to Chase also made me realize that you must always put your best foot forward. Don’t just publish whatever you managed to shoot. Seek to make it the best and as Chase said “master your craft” or something to that effect. Really look at what you are putting out there. I reached out to John for a follow up and he also suggested seeking the advice of photographers that you respect and see what they have to say. He noted that “it maybe harsh but they mean it in the best way” and I have to agree.
The bottomline is that you are not always going to get the warm fuzzies from complete strangers. Not everyone is going to like your work but NEVER write them off as “trolls” simply because they didn’t give you a thumbs up. The more that put yourself out there the more that people are going to look at and criticise your work. The best thing that you can do is learn from these comments and always seek to improve.
Here are the major learning points from this article:- Seek reason, not reaction. Try and find the reason people are criticizing your work and don’t get angry. There is always a bit of truth in every comment.
- Accept responsibility for your work and your situation. Realizing that your work is what people are reacting to is part of the problem. There is a possibility that you haven’t given 100% and that is what people are picking up on.
- Learn from the criticism. Take a look at what people are saying and seek to improve. Often, the ones that take the time to write comment or articles are the ones that have invested enough time in you to have some sort of advice. Just dig a bit and see what they have to say, even if it is a bit nasty.
The post How to Accept Criticism as a Photographer appeared first on The Sajin.
The Korea Queer Cultural Festival: My first Pride Experience
July 15, 2017
The Korea Queer Cultural Festival (퀴어문화축제) was my first Pride experience. I support the LGBTQ community everywhere in the world –especially in a country where many people aren’t openly gay as they fear the reactions from their community. I saw and met so many incredible loving, courageous people in Seoul!
Celebrating love and diversity was more blissful and liberating than anything I had imagined. There was some on-and-off rain and hateful protestors. I am thankful for the 85,000 supporters and 6,000 police officers in attendance (numbers from Korea Herald).
The lawn of Seoul Plaza was bursting with a variety of gender and sexual minorities all day. Then, participants marched 4 kilometers with nine decorated trucks in the parade. What an amazing day. Discrimination out. Hate out.
July 15, 2017
The Korea Queer Cultural Festival (퀴어문화축제) was my first Pride experience. I support the LGBTQ community everywhere in the world –especially in a country where many people aren’t openly gay as they fear the reactions from their community. I saw and met so many incredible loving, courageous people in Seoul!
Celebrating love and diversity was more blissful and liberating than anything I had imagined. There was some on-and-off rain and hateful protestors. I am thankful for the 85,000 supporters and 6,000 police officers in attendance (numbers from Korea Herald).
The lawn of Seoul Plaza was bursting with a variety of gender and sexual minorities all day. Then, participants marched 4 kilometers with nine decorated trucks in the parade. What an amazing day. Discrimination out. Hate out.
About
Hi, I'm Stacy. I'm from Portland, Oregon, USA, and am currently living in Busan, South Korea. Check me out on: Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, Lastfm, and Flickr.
Korean Women Do It Again!
Good morning,
Rfreshing news came to Koreans under stress from THADD dilemma with Chinese Xi Jinping and ICBM fire works by Northern brother Kim Jong-Un. The 72nd U.S. Women's Open Championship held in N.J. on July 16 turned into a Korea Women's Open, with rookie SungHyun Park winning the title and $900K while 7 other Korean women ranking in top 10. It was Park's first LPGA win also.She was a star in Korean LPGA until last year with 7 tour wins in 2016. The club owner Donald Trump was at site to give thumbs-up to the players, becoming the first sitting president to attend the U.S. Open. This is the 9th U.S. Open victory by Koreans since Seri Pak's first in 1998. Koreans girls worked together to capture 9 wins from 19 tournaments so far this season.
The saga of Korean women in LPGA started with Seri Pak's dramatic U.S. Open win in 1998. In the playoff against Jenny Chuasiriporn(U.S.A), Pak's ball from 18th tee flew to land on a rough just a few inches away from a lake. As both were equal after 17th hole, everyone thought championship would go to Chuasiriporn with Pak's ball practically inside hazard zone. Pak then took off her shoes and socks, went into the water and made a nice trouble shot to tie her opponent. Both went into sudden death play off, and Pak won in the first hole with a birdie. The picture of Seri Pak in the lake making an unbelievable comeback from tough situation was a huge encouragement for Koreans who were then suffering from economic meltdown under Asian Crisis, and is regarded as one of the best photo shots in Korean sports history. This was also the beginning of poor Korean men getting compared and judged, unfortunately.
Regards,
H.S.
Trick Eye Museum Guide: Seoul’s Best 3D Museum in Hongdae
Located at the popular district of Hongdae, Trick Eye Museum is one of the most popular and unique attractions in Seoul where you can freely touch, take photos and interact with 3D artworks.
For those who are planning a visit to Trick Eye Museum during your trip to Seoul, you may want to visit Love Museum and Ice Museum as well since they are located inside the same building as Trick Eye Museum.
If you want to know what each museum offers, here’s your guide!
1. Trick Eye MuseumInside Trick Eye Museum, you can find plenty of funny, creative and realistic 3D paintings and installations, which are 2D artworks that are made to look like 3D using an optical illusion.
Not only these paintings come alive right before your eyes, you can actually step inside them and take a pose and snap one-of-a-kind photos, which will definitely get you a ton of likes on your Instagram!Moreover, with Trick Eye Museum’s new Augmented Reality (AR) feature, some of the paintings come alive so much more! You can try this feature by downloading Trick Eye app and point your smartphone camera at a painting when you are at the AR Museum in Trick Eye Museum.Plus, you can also experience Virtual Reality (VR) at Trick Eye Museum’s VR Zone!
Love Museum is another unique attraction in Seoul dedicated to adults only and it is especially popular among couples looking for a unique dating spot!
It offers 3D art and paintings just like Trick Eye Museum, but it gives you a whole new experience as the museum features erotic and sexual themes.As you explore, you can take photos and interact with sexy and erotic, but humorous, paintings and sculptures (some of them are very explicit!).
Those who want to visit Trick Eye Museum and Love Museum in one day can get discount combo tickets here.
3. Ice MuseumIf you are visiting with kids, you can opt for Ice Museum, which offers stunning ice sculptures on display all year round (best place to escape the heat during the summer!).
There’s also a gigantic ice slide for you and your little ones slip down, so don’t forget to try it!Now, if you want to see what it’s like to visit these unique museums in Seoul, check out the video taken by Trazy Crew’s dearest friend, Charly!
Looking for more fun things to do in Hongdae? Check out more:
For all the latest and trendiest things to do in Korea, check out Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop, today!
Trazy.com
a service for travelers to easily share and discover the latest hip & hot travel spots from all over the world.
We are currently focusing on Korea as our destination and plan to expand to other countries gradually.
My last day at work
Yesterday was my last day at work. So I had to give a short speech to all the middle and high school students. The closing ceremony was held at a local church. The students are now officially on summer break. There were about three hundred people in attendance.
The middle school director said some nice words about me. He told the kids that I had been with the institution for nearly seven years. He also said that he's going to miss me. Then he called me to the stage.
Standing behind the pulpit, I soon realized that being a pastor must be daunting work. You'd certainly have to be comfortable speaking in front of large crowds. I felt quite nervous and jittery. But I had to say something. Standing there like a wooden statue simply wasn't an option.
I cleared my throat. "I came to Korea in 2009 with my family, and my goal was to make a lot of money. As many of you know, English is a billion dollar industry here in your country. I wanted to deliver private lessons to young kids and get rich in the process. By 2011, I had an apartment picked out in Daejeon. It was the perfect location... building after building after building. I was well on my way to making a fortune."
I had their attention.
"Alas, my strategy failed. Life had other plans for me. My oldest child sucked at Korean and was falling behind in school. Meanwhile, my youngest kid could barely speak a word of English. So I really needed this job so that my children could get a bilingual education. But the first year was tough. I was a chain-smoker, and I had to quit or risk getting fired. It was a hard deal. I smoked two packs a day at the time. Thankfully, with the power of God, I managed to conquer my filthy habit. I'm no longer a drug addict."
Big applause.
"And the Christian education my sons received was first-class. My children succeeded academically as they grew spiritually. My oldest son is currently in the States, and he's doing great. He just made a B in honors geometry--which is a heck of a lot better than I ever did. He learned his good habits right here. He plans on becoming a registered nurse. Furthermore, my youngest child is now fluent in two languages. He speaks both English and Korean like a native. Nevertheless, it's time for me to move along."
I then gave the reasons for my departure.
"Some of you might be curious as to why I'm leaving. So let me be completely honest. First, I'm 48-years-old, and I want a new adventure before I die. I don't have much time left. Secondly, I've always wanted to live in China. I hear the food is excellent. Shanghai specializes in crawfish. My mouth is watering as I think about it. Third, the job pays a little more than I'm currently earning--which certainly doesn't hurt. So I want to wish you the best of luck in the future. And I certainly hope that God will bless you all."
The middle school director prayed for me. Then I left the stage and walked back to my chair. I felt great. My plane to Shanghai leaves on August 21st.
Korean Phrases Ep. 51: 천하장사
This week's new video is a "Korean Phrases" episode. This series is for learning quick idioms and phrases in Korean. Lately, it's mostly been a series for learning about 사자성어 ("4 character idioms"). These types of idioms (mostly) originally come from China and the Chinese language, but are still useful to know in Korean as well. And this week we'll learn about the idiom 천하장사.
Even if you don't use any of these idioms in this series when speaking, you might find them written in books, or hear someone use them when speaking.
Check it out here~
The post Korean Phrases Ep. 51: 천하장사 appeared first on Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean.
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There will be No US Airstrike on N Korea; SK will Veto it
This is a local re-post of a piece I just wrote for the Lowy Institute. Mostly I wrote this as a response to all the cable news chatter we’ve been hearing all year about how the US should consider air-striking North Korea. I have been saying for awhile that we won’t do it and that US policy-makers should stop bluffing something they’re never going to do.
There are lots of reasons why bombing North Korea is a terrible idea. But there’s one obvious reason we won’t do it, and that’s because South Korea will never approve. South Korea would bear the brunt of any Nork retaliation, and we can’t very very jeopardize hundreds of thousands of people without asking them first. And Moon Jae-In, the president of South Korea will never agree. He is well-established dove on North Korea supportive of engagement for 20 years now. He’s extremely unlikely to suddenly embrace a course he’s fought against almost his entire career, and certainly not for a belligerent, posturing buffoon like Donald Trump. So let’s all come back to reality and start thinking about what will work – missile defense, China, sanctions, perhaps negotiation. But bombing is ‘off the table’ for at least 5 years (the duration of Moon’s presidential term). That’s an easy prediction.
The full essay follows the jump.
Last week’s test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by North Korea raises the time-honored question of East Asian international relations: what to do with a neo-feudal, cold war-relic wildly out of touch with the modernizing ethos of the fast developers of this region? North Korea is a bizarre anomaly; Victor Cha has referred to it, correctly, as “the impossible state.” It is surrounded by business-like states with little interest in ideology, focused mostly on rapid development and economics, and concerned with traditional ‘national interest’ issues like territorial disputes, trade deals, and shifts in the balance of power. North Korea, by contrast, is a bizarre, and frightening, mish-mash of gangsterism, feudalism, and sun-king ideology.
It is grossly out of place in its modernizing region, and this wide variation from anything surrounding it, indeed from anything in the world, is much of the reason why we find it so hard to live with an emerging North Korean nuclear missile. Whenever I speak on North Korea to laymen, the adjective I hear most often in the Q&A is ‘weird.’ When cable news pundits discuss North Korea and possibility of bombing it, this too is the implicit reasoning: North Korea as a grotesque, un-understandable, terrifying place who simply cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons. Hence the growing debate over force.
Bombing Won’t Happen – because South Korea has a Veto
I have written about this elsewhere, but it is worth reiterating why a strike will not happen given all the cable news talk about how this ICBM launch is a game-changer.
The most important reason is not strategic but political. Any kinetic action by the United States against the North would risk substantial Northern retaliation. US allies in the region, South Korea and Japan, would likely be the targets of that. Yes, North Korea might launch against Alaska too now that they can range it with a missile. But Pyongyang could strike with far greater force and flexibility in the region. Its many missile tests into the Sea of Japan over the last year almost certainly intend to signal Japan that it too is in the firing line. But of course, it is South Korea which is most vulnerable.
Therefore, any US strike against the North would require, both politically and morally, the assent of the Japanese and especially South Korean governments. Politically, a strike without their assent would almost certainly terminate the alliance(s) immediately. South Korean and Japanese populations and cities would likely face devastating retaliation after a US strike. If they did not have the right to consent to the risk of that strike before running it, why would they stay in alliance with the US? Morally, because it would astonishingly callous for a democracy to risk hundreds of thousands of lives without even soliciting those people beforehand for their assent.
In short, even Donald Trump, for all his bluster, is not going to attack North Korea without South Korean and Japanese approval. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a conservative and a hawk on North Korea, might assent. But the new South Korean president, Moon Jae-In, is a liberal and a dove on North Korea. He wants outreach and engagement. He will never assent, and his five-year term has just begun. In short, there will be no US strike against North Korea in the next five years, because the South Koreans will not agree and the US is unwilling to abolish its alliance position in Northeast Asia.
There are other reasons, including the possibility of Chinese involvement spiraling into a Sino-US shooting war and North Korean use of human shields around bombing locations. But the South Korea veto alone is sufficient to stop this, and it is in place for at least the next five years.
We Learned to Live with Russian, Chinese, and Pakistani Nukes
If kinetic options are not, in fact, ‘on the table,’ what other choices do we have as the ‘impossible state’ progresses toward a nuclear missile that can strike the lower forty-eight states of the United States? In brief, adaption. The United States and the West learned to live with the nuclear missiles of unfriendly regimes in the past. Despite the hysteria of the Cuban Missile Crisis, we did adjust to the Soviet ability to strike the US homeland less than a decade later. When China developed that capability in the next decade, the United States did not provoke a repeat of Cuba. By then, US policy-makers had accepted that some level of nuclear proliferation was likely and that the costs – the constant risk of major war if Cuban-style crises were repeated – of trying to prevent others from nuclearizing were enormous.
Pakistan too developed nuclear weapons and despite all the regular panic about a South Asian nuclear war, it has not happened in the twenty years since India and Pakistan crossed that threshold. Nor has Pakistan handed off nuclear weapons to salafi terrorists, lost a nuclear weapon, accidentally launched a nuclear missile, suffered an Islamist nuclear coup, and so on. So we have adjusted to at least three non- or partially democratic states with nuclear weapons. This suggests we can learn to live with a North Korean nuclear missile too.
None of this is preferred of course; better none of these states had nuclear missiles. But Northern nuclearization is simply a reality at this point, as it is for these other states. North Korea has these weapons and the only option to compel rapid de-nuclearization – the use of force – is fraught with dangers and politically impossible anyway, because South Korea, the North’s most obvious counter-strike target, will never agree.
China, Sanctions, and Missile Defense
So what to do?
In the long run, if North Korea changes, it will likely be due to the slow leakage of foreign ways, particularly South Korean media, into the country. That should entail generational change and undercut the ‘weirdness’ that so much of the world finds so frightening. And in the short-term, there are no good options. The real debate, then, concerns medium-term approaches, specifically the debate between engagement and a tougher line. Assuming engagement does not work, as it has not in the past, the usual options re-assert themselves:
Sanctions: Sanctions are often unfairly condemned for not stopping the nuclear and missile programs, but that is not an appropriate counterfactual. The better question to ask is, where would these programs be without the sanctions effort? Also, sanctions and sanctions-relief give us a bargaining chip if the regime ever chooses to negotiate, just as they were in the Iranian denuclearization negotiations.
China: Whatever else we may say about Trump, his instincts on China and North Korea are correct. He did the right thing by trying to engage China on Pyongyang. China’s economic leverage over North Korea is enormous. The North’s trade and banking operations – licit and illicit – go through China. If China were to genuinely close the pipeline into North Korea, to strictly enforce the sanctions, North Korea would almost certainly enter a major economic crisis. We have little choice but to keep working with Beijing, as every president since the 1990s has realized.
Missile Defense: Sanctions and the China route have indeed been disappointing. We have little choice but to keep trying them, however we should consider what measures we the democracies can take unilaterally. The most obvious is missile defense. There is much complaining in South Korea and Japan that missile defense is too expensive. The time for this whining is over. North Korea is not going to stop building missiles; China is highly unlikely to coerce North Korea into that; and the US is even less likely to bomb North Korean missiles.
A ‘roof’ of layered missile defense, beginning with Patriot missile batteries around major sites and moving upward with Aegis cruisers and THAAD, is now an obvious choice. As defensive systems, they importantly signal no offensive intention. We can continue to look for smarter sanctions, Chinese assistance here and there, negotiations, and so on. But if there is any one thing last week’s emergence of North Korea as long-range missile power should tell us, it is that we need to ability to block those missiles. This is the future of deterrence, and perhaps conflict, with North Korea.
Filed under: Korea (North), Lowy Institute, Missiles/Missile Defense, Moon Jae In, Nuclear Weapons, United States
Robert E KellyAssistant Professor
Department of Political Science & Diplomacy
Pusan National University
@Robert_E_Kelly
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Seoraksan National Park Hiking: Best Trails & Attractions
Seoraksan National Park, also referred to as Seoraksan or Mount Sorak, offers stunning landscapes and gorgeous trails all year round, making it one of the best hiking destinations in Korea.
Located in Gangwondo Province in the eastern part of Korea, you can reach Seoraksan within 3 hours by car, which is close enough to make a day trip or weekend getaway from Seoul.
If you want to step back to nature and enjoy a hike or short walk, then Seoraksan National Park is a must-visit for you!
Hiking in Seoraksan National ParkYou can visit and hike in Seoraksan National Park at almost any time of the year, but the landscape is particularly beautiful during winter.
In winter, you can enjoy hiking through the icy waterfalls, snow-capped mountains and trees, which is definitely a one-of-a-kind experience Seoraksan National Park has to offer.
If you don’t want to miss out on its winter splendor, make sure to plan ahead to make the most of your visit!
Seoraksan National Park in Winter Tips for One-Day Hikers1. Take a tour – In order to go to Seoraksan National Park, you must travel out of Seoul which can be very tricky. If you want to take the hassle out of organizing your trip, taking a tour is highly recommended.
Find the best Seoraksan National Park Tours here.2. Pick up a free map from the National Park Visitor Centre – Know where you are going! But don’t worry about getting lost as all the signs showing you distances and directions are written in Korean and English.
3. Know your hiking ability – There are plenty of walks for all levels of hikers in the park, but make sure to hike according to your level.
4. Prepare hiking gear – Bring your own hiking gear. If you don’t have any, shoes, hats and hiking poles are readily available at the park. But do take note that they are for Korean sizes.
One of the must-sees in Seoraksan National Park is Ulsanbawi Rock, a unique rock formation composed of six granite peaks, at an 876m high peak.
In order to reach Ulsanbawi, you will have to climb over 800 steps, which are relatively steep.
However, it is definitely worth the hike to the top as you can enjoy the panoramic views of Daecheongbong, Sokcho and the East Sea.
2. Gwongeumseong FortressFor those who opt for an easy hike but wish to see on a mountaintop, going up to the Gwongeumseong Fortress is highly recommended.
Though you only can see some remains of this ancient fortress today, this is a great site where you can admire the breathtaking scenery of Seoraksan and its surrounding areas.
3. Seoraksan Cable CarSeoraksan Cable Car is another popular attraction at Seoraksan National Park, which offers the fascinating views of the park during the ride!
Seoraksan Cable Car Info
| Operation Hours: 9:00am~18:00pm (departs every 10~15 minutes)
| Round-trip Ticket Price: Adult (14 yrs~): 10,000 KRW, Child (3~13 yrs): 6,000 KRW. Children under 36 months old are free.
|NOTE: Tickets can only be purchased onsite and they are given out on a first come first serve basis. The cable car may not operate on days with bad weather, and the waiting line can be long during the weekends.
4. Sinheungsa TempleSinheungsa Temple, built in the 7th century, is a head temple of the 1,200-year-old Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism,where you can admire the beautiful traditional Korean architecture and wall paintings.
The temple is only a 10-minute walk away from the entrance to Sogongwon Park, so make sure you drop by during your visit!
5. Bronze Buddha StatueNear the Sinheungsa Temple stands a 14.6m-high (48ft) seated bronze Buddha statue called the Bronze Jwabul Statue.
The statue was built as a symbol of hope for the reunification of North and South Korea so it is also known to as the Great Unification Buddha or “Tongil Daebul”.
Seoraksan National Park Map with 5 Best Hiking TrailsWhether you are a beginner or an expert, Seoraksan National Park has a variety of trails to suit all levels of hikers.
Here we’ve picked five most popular trails in the park according to their levels of difficulty.
Check out our Seoraksan National Park Hiking Map below to find the hiking trail perfect for you!
| NOTE: In this map, all the featured trails starts from Sogongwon Park, the entrance of Seoraksan National Park.
1. Gwongeumseong Fortress CourseA Family-friendly TrailHiking with the entire family? This is the perfect trail for you!
This trail requires only a little bit of walking and includes a fun, exciting cable car ride to the top of Gwongeumseong Fortress where you will only have to take a short 10-minute walk before you witness the magnificent mountain landscapes.
Gwongeumseong Fortress Seoraksan Cable Car| Route: Sogongwon Park (Entrance) ~ Gwongeumseong Fortress
| Level: Very Easy
| Distance/Duration: 3km round-trip (2.4km by cable car + 0.6km on foot); 40 minutes without waiting time
This trail is fairly easy but has stone steps with a slight incline along the way.
The trail offers glimpses of three great attractions in Seoraksan National Park, and they are Sinheungsa Temple, Bronze Jwabul Statue and Biseondae Rock, a flat-topped rock with letters written by ancient poets.
Singheungsa TempleBiseondae Rock| Route: Sogongwon Park (Entrance) ~ Biseondae Rock
| Level: Easy~Moderate
| Distance/Duration: 6km round-trip; 2.5 hours
Take this hiking trail if you want to capture Seoraksan’s absolutely gorgeous fall foliage in autumn!
Known as one of the best fall foliage destinations in Korea, Seoraksan National Park offers colorful leaves, which you can usually enjoy from mid-October until early November.
On this trail, you will see Shinheungsa Temple, Bronze Jwabul Statue and make a final stop at Heundeulbawi Rock, a famous spherical rock located on top of a larger rock, which you can try and push it for fun.
Spectacular fall foliage in Seoraksan National Park| Route: Sogongwon Park (Entrance) ~ Heundeulbawi Rock
| Level: Easy~Intermediate
| Distance/Duration: 5.6km round-trip; 2 hours
This is a scenic trail that will take you to the beautiful water falls in Seoraksan National Park.
On this trail, you will see Yukdam Falls, a water fall made up of six small waterfalls and a deep pond, Biryong Waterfall, a waterfall which looks like dragons flying up towards the sky, and Towangseong Falls, a huge, three-tiered waterfall known as one of Asia’s tallest waterfalls and an observatory.
Take note that you will have to cross a 400m-long section of steep wooden steps, which stretches from Biryong Falls to Towangseong Falls Observatory.
Biryong WaterfallTowangseong Falls| Route: Sogongwon Park (Entrance) ~ Towangseong Falls Observatory
| Level: Moderate~Intermediate
| Distance/Duration: 5.6km round-trip; 3 hours
While this is one of the most difficult hiking courses, it is also one of the best trails Seoraksan has to offer, rewarding hikers with magnificent views of the Seoraksan panorama with dramatic peaks and the East Sea.
Take note that the slope gets relatively steep and severe from Heundeulbawi Rock to Ulsanbawi Rock, and hikers must climb a steep steel staircase of over 800 steps to reach the top of Ulsanbawi Rock.
A staircase to the top of Ulsanbawi RockPanoramic view from the top of Ulsanbawi Rock| Route: Sogongwon Park (Entrance) ~ Ulsanbawi Rock
| Level: Easy~Advanced
| Distance/Duration: 7.2km round-trip; 4 hours
Visiting Seoraksan National Park for the first time? Check out our travel guide:
For those who want to visit Seoraksan National Park and other nearby attractions in Gangwondo Province in one day, make sure to check out more of our Seoraksan Tours on Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop!
Photo CreditsIlweranta Biryong Waterfal via photopin (license)
Ilweranta Sinheungsa in Seoraksan National Park via photopin (license)
Ilweranta Bronze Buddha of Sinheungsa (Buddhist Temple) near the main entrance to Seoraksan National Park via photopin(license)
Ilweranta Sinheungsa in Seoraksan National Park via photopin (license)
Ilweranta Bridge via photopin (license)
Ilweranta Sinheungsa in Seoraksan National Park via photopin (license)
Fabian Matthias Hutter Seorak Mountain via photopin (license)
BaboMike Seorak Buddha via photopin (license)
BaboMike Seorak Snow Temple via photopin (license)
ejorpin Seoraksan National Park via photopin (license)
donuzz korea-seoul-sokcho-44 via photopin (license)
HopeLand 넙뜩이들 설악산 나들이 via photopin (license)
HopeLand 넙뜩이들 설악산 나들이 via photopin (license)
ejorpin Seoraksan National Park via photopin (license)
rbitting _MG_2583.jpg via photopin (license)
randomwire Don’t Look Down via photopin (license)
jbeaulieu Co-Sokcho-Seoraksan-Montagne (13) via photopin (license)
Seoraksan Cable Car Official Website
Expat Dating Diaries – A PSA to Grown Men: Stop Ghosting
Everything ends, but some things don’t even get a chance at a proper start. Grown men need to learn to communicate rather than “ghosting”. This is the story of my devilishly handsome, mysterious, and insanely cowardly rebound.
Photographer: Jake Davies My Most Recent Ghosting ExperienceI recently went out with a man who I thought was interested in dating casually. As I was fresh out of a relationship, I figured he planned on getting to know me over time. It’s also fair to assume that he was seeing other women throughout the first month of what I’ll call our “courtship”. Tinder is like window shopping, and I had a brand new account. We saw eachother 4 times that first week, which was a little intense for me. It was also pretty similar to my last relationship. Co-P was in a new Facebook relationship a mere 11 days after he and I split. That’s such a shady look. Perhaps he shouldn’t have cheated if he knew he’d get so butthurt about our break-up. I wasn’t in a place where I felt I needed to “win” the break-up. I want to wait until I actually know someone before determining I’ll be spending my valuable time with him alone.
So, rebound and I had some really nice dates. We went to some of my favourite spots in Itaewon as he was new to the city. A friend of mine came along on date #1 (what I call an “audition”), and his boss met up with us later that day. He joined me for a restaurant review and asked that we spend the next night “just us”. He held my hand in public and let other males around us know through physical cues that he was the alpha and I wasn’t going to entertain their advances. By date #3 he told me he didn’t want this to just be a fling. After that, I started to get the silent treatment. He’d go incommunicado for days, then blow up my phone with cute selfies and videos. We both left Seoul for the long weekend, but were in touch the whole time.
Photographer: Matheus FerreroWhen he got back home, he called me via video chat. He cracked a joke at one point, so I laughed. He told me that’s all he ever wanted. All he wanted was just to make me laugh and smile. The line was delivered with such innocence and fluidity I almost believed it. I rolled my eyes and that’s when he said the one thing that surprised me.
“You’re so cool. You play it so cool.”
“What?”
“Yeah, you act like you don’t care. I care.”
“I’m confused. You’re the cool one in this situation. I’m just trying to keep up.”
My bullshit-o-dometer was whizzing out of control. That’s when he told me he had the next 10 years of his life planned out. Where was I going to fit in? It’s nice to have a casual, physical relationship, but what were we and what happens next? What about the “dot…dot…dot…”? After I told him it was a little early to be having this conversation, I suggested getting together on the weekend. He agreed, with the caveat that now (after nearly a month of knowing one-another) was the perfect time for this serious discussion. After that? Radio silence…was he seriously ghosting me after trying to lock it down on freaking FaceTime?
Photographer: Jacob UfkesGentlemen, you know exactly what kind of shitty human being you are when you consciously decide not to pick up calls or respond to messages. Nobody is too busy to make plans with someone they like. When a man is interested in a woman, he’ll move Heaven, Earth, a board meeting or a boys night to see her. When you’re ghosting, you’re avoiding responsibility because you’re too chicken shit to have an actual adult conversation. Everyone gets anxious when it comes to potential confrontation. You owe it to the other person to provide a proper conclusion. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: to get what you want you have to communicate.
Ladies, here are some of the reasons why he’s ghosting you: He’s Not Looking For CommitmentThis guy will flip his shit at the simplest “how was your day?” text. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a serious relationship or casual tail. He wants no strings attached and assumes you’re hunting for a ring. Drop the dud and play the field. He’s not worth your time.
There’s Another WomanI always say that Tinder is like window shopping. Men can certainly make the most of a shitty situation. In fact, a lot of guys I know actually exclusively Tind while on the can. If you’re dating someone actively perusing your replacement, he’s a turd. Don’t let yourself circle the drain with this one.
You’re the Other WomanI met this wonderful man last year who really wanted to take things slow and get to know me. We went on some fantastic dates and I felt like we really started to make a connection. Then, he started acting weird and before I knew it – he was ghosting. It turns out his ex fiance was getting married and he just wasn’t quite over it all. It didn’t matter that their relationship was over. He wasn’t ready to make an emotional investment that might end with similar feelings. This one actually came back and we were able to talk it out. Eventually, we even became friends.
He’s Just Not That Into YouIt sucks to hear, but the old Sex and the City adage is real. He doesn’t see this going anywhere and doesn’t wanted to get sucked into an emotional conversation where he’ll have to explain why. He doesn’t even respect you enough to have the common decency to tell you he doesn’t want to see you. Start swiping.
You’re an Option, Not a PriorityHe wants to keep you around in case he needs an emotional relationship or a late night booty call down the line. Unfriend. Unfollow. Block if you must. Move the hell along.
Dating is tough. Expat dating is often tougher. When it comes down to it, we all want to feel important and cared for. Nobody wants to feel tossed aside. Ladies and gentlemen, don’t willfully neglect another human. Be kind, be gentle, and stop ghosting. I can guarantee that a reasonable person will respond much better (and likely stop responding altogether) if you tell him or her in a nice way that you don’t want to proceed. The calling, the texting, the passive aggressive social media posts (and lurks) will all vanish – and you won’t have to. If you want to alleviate guilt and avoid confrontational/ emotional conversations be clear. Stop ghosting.
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The Toronto Socialite
That Girl Cartier
매운 떡볶이 먹방 Spicy Korean Rice Cakes – DDEOKBOKKI
Last month in Korea I decided it would be fun to meet up with some other YouTubers and film a few collaborations. Well the very first time I met with Minji Teaches Korean and Korean Unnie, we went out to eat spicy 떡볶이 and filmed our adventure. 떡볶이 (Ddeokbokki) is a spicy, sweet Korean snack. It's basically rice cakes in a spicy ketchup-like sauce, with fish cake and cheese. Some varieties are lightly spicy, and others are extremely spicy. For this video we went to a place that's notorious for their spicy kind... because why not?
Check out Minji Teaches Korean: https://goo.gl/FLZvLq
Check out Korean Unnie: https://goo.gl/junwbB
The post 매운 떡볶이 먹방 Spicy Korean Rice Cakes – DDEOKBOKKI appeared first on Learn Korean with GO! Billy Korean.
Seoul Food: Brera Italian Restaurant – The Pasta
Open: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM – 3 AM (Kitchen last order at 9:30 PM)
Contact: (02) 2236-0770 or giovanni@brera.kr.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brera.kr_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brera-447958158677680/
Location: 서울특별시 중구 신당동 366-44
366-440 Shingdang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
Directions: We took a taxi to Brera, however you could easily take the subway to Beotigogae Station. There’s a crosswalk outside of Exit 3 that will take you directly up the short stint of hill you’ll enter. Brera is not accessible from the main street, so if you take Exit 1 you’ll have to pull a u-turn right away and then look for the Brera sign. Turn right and you’re pretty much in the door!
Act quickly! Brera is having a contest. 5 winners will receive a KRW 50,000 coupon good for use through the end of August 2017.
This is not a sponsored post, The Toronto Seoulcialite genuinely enjoyed a whole lotta pasta last Saturday night! xox
The post Seoul Food: Brera Italian Restaurant – The Pasta appeared first on The Toronto Seoulcialite.
Jet-Setting Japan: Rockin’ Around the Tokyo Robot Restaurant
The Robot Restaurant is widely regarded as one of Tokyo’s most notorious tourist traps. I had heard mixed reviews from friends and colleagues. A friend who recently visited Tokyo said he loved seeing his boyfriend laugh like a giddy child throughout the show. A fellow blogger and her gal pals said it was a waste of time and she wanted her money back. This likely had to do with the fact that there was a $30 price discrepancy.
How to Get Discount Robot Restaurant TicketsI scoured the internet for ways to get discount tickets for the Robot Restaurant. Ultimately, the best deal was with Klook. Instead of just getting your ticket for approximately $82, you get it for about $56 and it includes an alcoholic beverage. The Klook website states that the deal includes:
- Experience the high-tech laser displays and multi-colored lights ✓
- Watch beautiful flashy dancers and glittering robots ✓
- Have your choice of a variety of food options between robot show numbers (not included in ticket) ✓
- Enjoy the wild music and laugh at all the bizarre routines with a Robot Restaurant discount ✓
- Special Offers for Klook Customers:
- Book the First Performance Offer (4:00 PM on specific dates) to get 2 exclusive FREE gifts: JPY500 drink coupon (good for 1 beer or 1 glass of wine) and pictures with the robots! ✖ (We got the drink coupon, but were shuffled out after the show too quickly to get pictures.)
We wanted the best deal on tickets Klook could offer. We also wanted to have our evening free for dinner and other entertainment. We caught the 4 PM show on a Saturday and got a great seat in the back row. I would recommend this area if you’re more interested in the show than up close and personal pictures. The front row has moments where the robots swing by and you have to pull in your feet and really lean back to avoid getting hit.
Is It Really a Robot Restaurant?Honestly? Not really. The Robot Restaurant in Tokyo is like a smaller version of Medieval Times. There were options for lunchbox style meals, but the draw was the show. I had heard it was like a Kawaii Strip Club with kooky robotic creatures. That’s not the case. You’ll see plenty of singers and dancers dressed up in colourful clothes that bare far more skin than you’d see in Korea. Is any of it truly sexualized? I didn’t think so. There’s plenty of alcohol to go around if you want to imbibe while enjoying the ride. I personally found that the lights, music, costumes, and smiling faces of the performers was enough to have me grinning ear to ear. If you’re looking to feel like a kid again, the Robot Restaurant may just be for you…at the right price!
Robot Restaurant ActsThe performers rotated through various costumes and styles of singing and dancing. The opening act was a party to welcome the guests to the show. Then, there were a variety of robot jousts with several different themes. There were intermissions after each major act to buy refreshments and souvenirs.
Robot Restaurant FinaleThe Robot Restaurant finale included all of the performers in brightly coloured or lit up costumes. I felt like the finale was actually pretty short. We were hustled out of the building pretty quickly. Overall I’d say if you can get your Robot Restaurant tickets at a discounted price you’ll be happy with the experience. Just know you’re walking into a tourist trap. Let yourself be carried away!
Contact Robot Restaurant- Japan, 〒160-0021 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, 新宿区Kabukichō, 1 Chome−１−７−１ 新宿ロボットビル
- shinjuku-robot.com
- +81 3-3200-5500
The post Jet-Setting Japan: Rockin’ Around the Tokyo Robot Restaurant appeared first on The Toronto Seoulcialite.
3 Best Beaches in Korea Worth Traveling For
It’s summer in Korea and you should be taking time out on the beach!
As the Korean peninsula is surrounded by ocean on three sides, there are countless beach options for beachgoers to choose from.
Sure the Haeundae Beach in Busan is a great option as it offers luxurious five-star hotels and buzzing nightlife, but there are plenty of other beach destinations across Korea that are absolutely worth a visit.
For those who are planning a beach getaway, here we’ve got the inside scoop on some of the best beaches in Korea you must visit this summer.
And whether you’re looking for relaxing break or action in or out of the water, these beaches have something for you.
1. Jangho Beach – Best for snorkelingSlip beneath the waves and enjoy snorkeling!| Where: Samcheok City, Gangwon ProvinceLocated on the east coast of Korea, Jangho Beach is often referred to as ‘the Naples of Korea’ as it offers a beautiful crescent coastline with unique rock formations.In addition to transparent kayaking, Jangho Beach offers an excellent snorkeling experience, thanks to its crystal clear waters.
If you want to experience Jangho Beach’s snorkeling scene, take a day trip via Trazy.com. And you’ll definitely want an underwater camera for this trip!
| Book Jangho Beach 1 Day Tour (+Snorkeling)2. Surfyy Beach – Best for surfingGet wave-ready! Swim, surf, soak up the sun!| Where: Yangyang County, Gangwon ProvinceIf you want to avoid the big summer crowds or need seaside chillaxing, and have maybe a cocktail or two, ‘Surfyy Beach’ is your go-to beach.
Hidden in Yangyang County’s Hajodae Beach, Surfyy Beach is a strip of private beach that offers a laid back surfing vibe and new generation surf facility for hip surfing crowds. There are also separates zones for surfers and swimmers, which allow surfers to enjoy the waves without crashing into the beach crowds.
While most of the visitors are locals, Surfyy Beach is also visited by Korean celebrities, including Kang So-ra, San E and Jessi.If being in the water isn’t for you, you can just kick back and laze around the loungers and parasols that line the white sandy beach.
Those who want to visit Surfyy Beach can book a trip via Trazy.com, which includes a round-trip transportation and the use of shower facilities and a locker.
If you are a surfer, you don’t even have to bring your own board if it’s too much of a hassle: a surf lesson, a surf board and shower facilities and a locker are provided at an additional cost.
| Book Yangyang Private Beach 1 Day Tour (+Surfing)3. Daechon Beach – Best for zip liningFly high and zip across the ocean!| Where: Boryeong City, Chungcheongnam ProvinceIf you like buzzing beaches, head to Daecheon Beach, the largest beach located on the west coast of Korea.
While Daecheon Beach is best known for its annual summer festival, Boryeong MudFestival, which takes place around late-July, there are numerous exciting activities for the beachgoers to enjoy by the beach.One of the top-rated activities to try is the exhilarating zip line experience. With Daechon Zip Trek, you can fly down the 52m-high zip line at up to 80km per hour over the Daecheon Beach!
Otherwise, you can opt for riding a scenic rail bike along the 2.3km-long old train track, which has been transformed into a bike trail, offered by Daecheon Sky Bike.
A tour to Daecheon Beach is available on Trazy.com until the mud festival period, before the summer crowds rush in. Zip line and rail bike experiences are available at an additional cost.
| Book Daecheon Beach 1 Day Tour (+Zip Trek)Traveling to Korea this summer? Find out more things to do in Korea in the summer and start hunting for the best summer travel deals today at Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop!
Photo CreditsSurfyy Beach
Boryeong City Official Homepage
Otto Warmbier’s DPRK Travel Company Changes Stance After Coma, Death
ConsumerAffairs.com writer Amy Martyn recently wrote a piece titled “Booze, bribes and propaganda: The company that promises ‘safe’ travel in North Korea” regarding the tour company American college student Otto Warmbier took (Young Pioneer Tours) before being detained for allegedly stealing a poster. After being sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, the world didn’t get an update on his case until recently when North Korea allowed Warmbier, by then in a coma, to return to the US where he died several days later. Martyn spoke with Korea FM reporter Chance Dorland to discuss her reporting on how Young Pioneer Tours handled the incident & changes now taking place at the tour company since Warmbier’s death. Find more of Amy Martyn’s reporting at https://www.consumeraffairs.com/about/staff/amy-martyn/
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The post Otto Warmbier’s DPRK Travel Company ‘Young Pioneer Tours’ Changes Stance After Coma, Death appeared first on Korea FM.
Review: Elizabeth Arden eye & lip beauty perfection
So, yesterday my husband was coming back from a conference in Jeju, and he suddenly called me from airport. He was at a duty free shop then and asking if I want something. I was like, wow, really! Since when my husband became so concern about makeup and stuff! He was roaming around the shops and telling me all the available brands, and what I want from them. Hearing all the brands I kinda got confused and couldn’t decide what I need. So, I totally let him decide saying just pick some eyeshadow.
And guess what he chose! Yup, Elizabeth Arden Eye & Lip Beauty Perfection! To be honest, I never really used anything from that brand, so I was really excited this morning when I was using it for the first time. Here’s a look of the palette:
So, it is a combination of eye and lip palette. It contains 5 creamy eye shadows & 4 lip glosses. The colors are perfect for a nude makeup or nude look. The shades are creamy, so they are not like the regular eye shadow. But they come easily in the brush and also they are pigmented in a good way. So are the glosses. But as the eye shadows are creamy it may mess in your crease line few hours later, so I will suggest to set them with a tiny bit of translucent powder or shiny eye shadow. The total cost was 33$.
So, enough talking, let’s take a look what it actually looks when you use it!
Just as I mentioned, perfect for nude makeup^^
Let me know about your thoughts of the palette, whether you used it, or if you like it or not ^_^
Hope you enjoyed the post!
–Munira Chowdhury, 07/07/17
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