HEART AND SEOUL
HEART AND SEOUL
Photography &words by Shelbi Lynn
March 30th 2013 North Korea declared it was “in a state of war” with South Korea. About six weeks later I was sitting in Calgary International Airport waiting for my flight to Seoul, South Korea. With so much propaganda of war between North and South Korea I was definitely nervous about landing in this foreign country. I have always had a vivid imagination (most artists do), so of course I pictured a war torn country with tanks driving through streets and cries of children heard throughout the city. Never did I expect it to be, for lack of a better word, normal. I easily found my luggage in the great air conditioned Incheon International Airport, and made my way to my hotel. People were friendly and accommodating despite the language barrier and I felt as though I was on vacation. It was surprising to say the least after tuning into the news regularly for the past few months and hearing more threats of nuclear war from North Korea. What shocked me even more than the absence of war and hate was the incredible presence of love. Observing Korean couples on the streets I soon felt very aware of the fact I was single. It was rare to see PDA (Public Displays of Affection) such as kissing, which is very common in North America. Instead couples were showing affection in very respectful and innocently cute ways. Walking through the popular shopping area Myeongdong it was very common to see men holding their girlfriend’s purse or shopping bags. Couples simply waiting to cross the street were often cuddling and giggling. They even wore matching outfits! As a born and raised Canadian girl it was so foreign to see very pure acts of affection. The majority of the time back home it was common enough to see couples necking or making out in public. This is often how to decipher if two people of the opposite sex are a couple or not. Of course there is holding hands as well, but never the amount of chivalry that I saw daily in Seoul. It was absolutely endearing and after spending two months in this incredible city I was soon accustom to this. No amount of time in Seoul could have prepared me for Namsan Tower. This popular tourist spot is a must see so of course my Korean friends convinced me to go one evening. As we rode the gondola up the mountain I started to notice something; almost all of the people there were couples. Once we reached the top there were mountains and mountains of ‘love locks’. Couples were sitting on benches, writing wishes and promises on their locks and adding onto the neverending chain link fence. It was so beautiful, and of course for a single girl like myself so depressing. After months of propaganda of war and hatred I never expected to be surrounded by so much love in South Korea. It was definitely a culture shock. Returning to Canada was just as much of one. I am fairly certain my jaw literally dropped when I saw a couple kissing at a café downtown. It is a profound revelation though to realize no matter where you are or what the circumstances may be, there is one thing everyone has in common: heart.
shelbilynnphoto.ca shelbi.lynn3@gmail.com