Seoul's Hammering Man

When I first arrived in Seoul, I immediately noticed that in front of every big building, there always is a sculpture or a piece of art calling the attention of everyone passing by. I guess it's the tradition here in Korea, to upstage your neighbor with a bigger sculpture.

Some works of art don't impress, while others are just too huge to be ignored. And while some huge sculptures seem like an expensive waste of real estate, a few are worth it.

And one piece that actually impresses is the Hammering Man  in front of the Heungkuk Life Insurance Building in the Gwanghwamun area.

The first time I saw it was when I wandered around the area on my way to the Seoul Museum of History years ago. With the height of 22 meters, the sculpture of a giant with a very big hammer can't be missed. It's silhouette was like from a Tim Burton movie.

I wonder how much steel was needed for this 50-ton installation. The artist Jonathan Borofsky created the Seoul version of the Hammering Man in 2002, and in 2008, it was "moved closer to the main street in order to interact fully with the urban landscape". Of course, it was meant to interact with the landscape, and not with pedestrians. Ha-ha-ha!

I think the move was a good decision; it caught my attention from afar. It wouldn't have been obvious if it stood on the side of the building, hiding it from view.

And tonight, as I leave the Cinecube Cinema inside the Heungkuk Insurance Building, I took some photos of the giant. And next time, when you're in the Gwanghwamun area and happen to see a giant with a hammer next to a tall building, it's the Hammering Man.

Thanks To King Sejong, It's Hangeul Day!

 Yes, it's a holiday in South Korea because of this revered monarch, whose silhouette is perhaps one of the two most recognizable silhouettes downtown.

But there's a huge reason why King Sejong sits in the middle of Gwanghwamun Square bathing in reverence and tourist photography every day and night. King Sejong, or Sejong, The Great, promulgated the use of hangeul, or the Korean language. 

If you're a foreigner living in Korea, a basic knowledge of the Korean language would be a big help in one's daily living. That's why I enrolled in a few Korean classes in my early years in Seoul, which made my buying bananas and, depending on the season, strawberries, persimmons and apples, from the fruit vendor down the street so much easier. And a few times, at E-Mart, too.

Hangeul is actually very easy to learn. King Sejong made sure of that. He and his scholars invented it in 1443 for illiterate people. And in the 21st century, one of these people, illiterate in hangeul that is, sat down in Korean classes and added a few more Korean words  to his vocabulary (read blog here). 😁

So, thanks to the most photographed Korean monarch for making hangeul very easy. And for making this day a holiday.

And if you're in Gwanghwamun Square today, make sure you thank his royal highness, too (read blog here).😊

#PopeFrancisInKorea: The Beatification Mass At Gwanghwamun Square

I was right about not asking for a ticket to Pope Francis' beatification of 124 Korean martyrs at Gwanghwamun Square on August 16, 2014.  I heard from friends that those with tickets had to be at the site as early as 5AM; I woke up at 7:30AM that day, and my reconnoitering of the area two nights before the event didn't help (read blog here)!😆

But as soon as I awoke that Saturday morning, I checked the live news about the beatification. On TV, thousands were already entering the secured area and people were already posting and tweeting from their seats at the Gwanghwamun Square. Although I felt a little envious, I always reminded myself that I might not have been able to move around to take pictures if I was assigned a seat.

                   (An empty Saemun-an or 
                    Gwanghwamun street)

I left my Hannam-dong neighborhood in the Yongsan District about 9AM. By this time, Pope Francis was already at the Seosomun Green Park for a short visit. After that, he was off to the highlight of his visit to South Korea.

I thought of taking the subway, but I realized taking the bus would be more convenient for me since my route to Gwanghwamun Square was via the Seodaemun area. From Hannam-dong, the Blue Bus 421 took me to Sookmyung Women's University bus stop, where I transferred to Blue Bus 752. This is what I like about Seoul: its very efficient transport  system. So, even if the subway stations of Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbuk Palace were closed that morning, anyone could still get to the site. From the Seodamun Police Headquarters bus stop, I simply walked for 15 minutes, and...Hallelujah! I was at Gwanghwamun and could already hear the choir singing!

             (A huge empty space where more                          Catholics could have occupied)

                    (Behind the barricades)

Pope Francis actually roamed around the beatification area to greet the crowd on his pope mobile before the ceremony. Even if I made it earlier, I wasn't sure if I would have been able to take a picture of him,  much less get a good glimpse of his holiness. There would be hundreds of people blocking my line of sight if they were standing or waving hankies, or raising their smartphones to take pictures.

               (People watching the Pope from 
                         a huge TV screen)

When I got to Gwanghamun, it was almost 10AM and Pope Francis was already a few minutes into his beatification ceremony. I think I was in the area for a good ten minutes when the thousands erupted in a singular cheering and celebration, clapping and waving their hankies in the air. That was the moment Pope Francis declared and beatified the 124 Korean martyrs!  Paul Yun-ji Chung and 123 Korean martyrs, who were persecuted and died during the Choseon Dynasty in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, had just been declared by the Catholic Church as 'blessed'. 

(As the Pope declared 'blessed' the 124 Korean martyrs...

         ...thousands and thousands stood up,                      cheered and clapped endlessly)

As I expected, the whole site was orderly with thousands of police and security making sure this part of Seoul was free from any nuisance that would ruin the event. Aside from the news of people fainting probably due to the summer heat, there wasn't much of a disturbance except for the one I witnessed by the entrance on the west side of the Square, where a Korean woman tried to barge in through the security, but was stopped. She lay sitting on the pavement wailing, but was appeased and carried to the next building.

               (A Korean woman wailing while 
                being watched by the police)

At the Seodaemun side where the road was closed, there was a big empty space that would have been available for people with no tickets to stand and watch. Had the organizers brought the barricade closer to the Square, a few hundreds could have watched the ceremony closer.

   (Do you recognize anyone from the crowd?)

And speaking of being closer, I made my way closest to the Gwanghwamun Square through a small open passage for Catholics with no tickets next to the barricades at Exit 7 of Gwanghwamun Station. Across the street from where I stood was Kyobo Building, to my left was the proud statue of Admiral Yi and right behind me was Godiva Chocolates! This chocolate shop actually had a cafe on the 2nd and 3rd floors, which they opened to their customers. But watching from the inside, even in air conditioned room, would not be the same as being on the ground where you can hear everything, especially the choir that sang during the Mass. Their singing was remarkably good with soprano and tenor voices soaring above everyone else's. They must have picked the best singers and rehearsed weeks (or even months!) before the ceremony. I wondered in which parish that choir regularly sang.

                                      (A sitting sea of humanity)

           (Majority of those who attended were 
             from the provinces and other cities)

As I expected to stand at the site for hours, I brought almond bread from Taegukbang, my new favorite bakery, and a bottled drink in case I got a little hungry (read blog here). But I worried about those people sitting on the pavement under the sun. I wondered if they had food with them, too. Most of them came from the provinces and nearby cities, and perhaps, even travelled through the night. And when my tummy started to grumble right somewhere between the offertory and the Lord's Prayer, I had to give in and started munching a piece of my snack, reciting the line, "Give us this day our daily bread". 

(I could see Admiral Yi from where I stood)

                                   (The crowd to my left)

                      (The crowd to my right)

The skies were cloudy, making the temperatures tolerable. Although everyone attending was not allowed to bring umbrellas, when it was time for the Holy Communion, I saw white umbrellas lining up and made their way to the center. These umbrellas actually were carried by assistants to cover a lay minister who distributed Communion to the thousands.

                           (The Pope on the screen in front)

              (And Godiva chocolates behind me!)

The attendees on our spot were lucky when two Catholic girls in front of me frantically waved to the lay minister to draw attention to the faithful (and sinners!) in our area, just like fans do when watching their favorite k-pop band on stage. But unlike k-pop bands who ignore the screaming fans and simply concentrate on their choreography and lip-syncing, the lay minister went straight to us! It turned out, most lay ministers gave communion even to those outside the barricade!  After receiving the Communion, I immediately realized that this was the highlight of my attending the beatification. Even though I didn't have a ticket and didn't have to wake up early, I was able to celebrate the beatification, hear the papal Mass and even receive the Holy Communion! I guess I was also 'blessed'! Perhaps Pope Francis could add one more non-Korean martyr to the list! Ha-ha-ha!

              (Emergency responders in orange and a               priest in a black cassock who reminded 
              me of the drama 'Thorn Birds')

     (The skies opened for some rays of light!)

And it was all over by noon time. The whole beatification was a success from many angles. From the campaign of the Korean Catholic church for the beatification of the 124 Korean martyrs, to the staging of the ceremony right in the middle of Seoul that required a lot of planning and preparation by the Church, the national police and the city government, to the selection and distribution of the thousands and thousands of tickets, and a lot of other things that weren't obvious on site and on the TV screens. 

                (The lay minister who came to our spot 
            and gave me the Holy Communion)

Let's count in some miracles like the weather. It wasn't that scorching with some grey clouds shielding the thousands from an otherwise intense sun. And it didn't rain that day; only the day after!

                     (Attendees flocking to the stall selling 
            souvenir t-shirts after the Mass)

           ("The Mass is ended. Go in peace.")

(The Mass is ended. Go and selfie.)

             (Even the police wanted a photo)

Two nights before the beatification, I actually went to Gwanghwamun Square to see for myself the preparations that were going on. Today, I considered myself lucky that I was one of the thousands who had the chance to attend it and even participate in it. I actually didn't need that ticket after all. I guess I just needed some wise transport planning, a bread and a drink, and a miracle or two.  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

One week after the beatification, I went back to the Gwanghwamun Square. To write this blog, I visited the Godiva Chocolate shop, and got a seat next to their 3rd floor window. My spot during the beatification was right in front of this shop. At the cafe, I thought, with the Pope gone now, it was time to sin with Godiva's dark chocolate decadence! But having attended his beatification ceremony, I'm sure he'll forgive me. :-)

              (My sinful Godiva chocolate drink 
                  and my written confession) 

#popefrancis #popefrancisinkorea #papafrancisco #catholic #martyrs #seoul #Korea #gwanghwamun #godiva

#PopeFrancisInKorea : The Gwanghwamun Square Prepares For The Pope!

Weeks before the beatification ceremony at Gwanghwamun Square, my Catholic friends and I were already joking about where to camp out at the area. As everyone expected, thousands would be attending the ceremony and only those with tickets would be allowed inside the barricaded area.

                                       (Closed traffic)

I initially thought of registering for a ticket by making a few phone calls. But as the date got nearer, I realized, if the ceremony would start at 10AM and there would be thousands in attendance, the ticketholders should be at Gwanghwamun early in the morning. And to change a line of a break-up song, 'waking up (early!) is hard to do'! Ha-ha-ha!

I always knew I am not a morning person; I am a nocturnal creature. I thrive at night when the sun is gone and the moon is full! That's when I transform, not into a red-caped creature with fangs, but someone who just enjoys darker surroundings. Ha-ha-ha!

                               (The stand for giant TV screens)

Going back to waking up early.

Even if I got a ticket, I wasn't sure if I could get out of bed as early as 4AM and head to Gwanghwamun Square, pass through metal detectors and security, and sit on the assigned area until 12PM, the time the ceremony was expected to be over. With the summer temperatures not so friendly and with the thousands and thousands of other attendees, who wouldn't be allowed to bring umbrellas, I wasn't so sure if I'd be able to last that long, or worse, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to take good pictures!

So, no tickets for me. I'd be just fine.

And two nights before the beatification, after dinner treat at the Seoul Finance Center by an old Korean friend (Thanks, Jeeho!), I walked to the Gwanghwamun Square to check how the preparations were. That night, everything seemed normal with little signs of any changes in the area.

(A bbokki vendor unfazed with all the security around her)

But on the eve of the papal ceremony, Liberation Day in Korea, a holiday, the area was full of people. This time, the police outnumbered the curious! With police buses lining up the Sejong-ro from both sides, and with demonstrators marching towards the site and being watched by troops of young policemen around the perimeter, the atmosphere seemed scary, not holy. 

                     (Tourists and police at Cheonggye Stream)

                  (The police and their secret admirers)

I walked from the Gwanghwamun Square to the Cheonggye Stream. The families and tourists enjoying the cooler waters of the stream didn't seem fazed by the hundreds of policemen sharing the popular tourist attraction with them. With metal detectors already standing by, the police and organizers had started barricading the site from Gwanghwamun Square down to the Seoul Plaza next to the City Hall.

                                  ( Setting up the metal detectors)

I left the area; it's one less curious pedestrian  for them to worry about. Ha-ha-ha! The ceremony was one huge event and the organizers, the police and the city government had a long night ahead to set up the stage, metal detectors, chairs and barricades all over. 

And me? I'd just go home, get some sleep and wake up the next day, and return to Gwanghwamun Square with a camera and high spirits! 

"I'll be attending a beatification!"

                          (Yellow-green: my favorite shot of the night)