Shinwa Art Village & Seonam Lake Park: A great cap to a great weekend

As I said at the end of the last post, after a good chat with Tankia on our three-hour bus ride home from Andong the previous night, I decided it was finally time I get out and actually see some of Ulsan. I've been here half a year and I haven't seen a damn thing aside from Ulsan Grand Park. Hell, I haven't even been to the bamboo forest! 

And so, I looked around on the ol' Interwebs and I stumbled across the Shinwa Art Village in an industrial part of the city. According to this blog, the construction of an industrial plant in the 60's displaced several people, and they were forcibly relocated to this neighbourhood.

Tired of the depressing sight of a petrochemical complex as its backdrop, citizens of this community called upon some artists to liven up the place with artwork that ranges from Andy Warhol to Van Gogh, Kandinsky, and I think I even saw a Mondrian. 

Things took an interesting turn, though, before I even got there. Those who are familiar with my work will not be surprised at all by the following little anecdote. After all, it's not the first time this has happened. 

As I made my way to the bus stop to catch the bus to the park, I realized I'd forgotten my camera at home. However, when I got home, I realized the camera was actually nowhere to be found at all. I freaked out and tried to retrace my steps, eventually concluding that I either left it at Subway the previous night or it was forever lost in the backseat of the taxi that I took home afterwards. Praying that I left it at Subway and some saint had handed it in, I took a cab directly to Subway and walked in with shaking legs.

I approached the counter and recognized the same fellow who had served me the night before. I looked at him with the pleading eyes of a begging dog and started, "Hi, I was here last night." He nodded, I assume a sign that he remembered me. "I sat right there," I said, pointing to my table, "and I think maaaaaaybe.....maaaaaaayyyyyybeeee...I might have left my camera here."

He went in the back to check and I held my breath. I watched him walk to the very back corner and turn around. He asked me the brand of the camera and I explained that it was a Canon camera in a Sony camera bag. As soon as he held it in the air, my eyes popped out and my arms shot up in excitement like flare guns as I blurted out, "I love you!" which aroused a couple laughs from the back room.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Korea, I love you. Needless to say, I left Subway with a spring in my step and in a much better mood to go exploring.

This marks the entrance to the village.

This is also by the entrance. A large-breasted woman with scissors stabbed into her back and a large whale about to crash down on her. Not sure what this is supposed to say exactly...

Then there were pieces that were just beautiful in their own right.

Even the stairs are awesome!

However there were also some obscure and weird looking pieces, just to balance things out.

I was thinking South Park meets Charlie Brown.

This dude's eyes looked straight up eeeevil. And there was another one with a shovel. 

Yup.

I want this put on a shirt.

Some of my favourites, though, were the ones that featured whales. 

There is something mystical about a whale falling through the sky. (Much more majestic than the scene from Hitchhiker's Guide.)

Aboriginal influence?

The entire scene felt very out of place in Ulsan. These cute little brightly coloured structures, fitted with gates that let you peer into open homes, the impressively clean sloped faux cobblestone roads barely wide enough for traffic, and the elderly man standing outside his convenience store smiling at me from ear to ear made me feel like I could've been in some small faraway village.

The cherry on top of this outing was that I finally found some blasted post cards in Ulsan! 

Following my stroll through Shinwa Art Village, I meandered my way towards Seonam Lake Park, not exactly sure if I was heading in the right direction, but just hoping for the best. When I came to a major street and saw Yaum Market, I knew I was on the right path. My next goal, as is usually the case, was to find an English speaking Korean and ask for directions.

With phase two complete, I found myself at Seonam in no time. I’ll let the pictures do the talking, but I will say this: I will definitely be back to Seonam once everything is a bit greener, because this is what the park looks like when it’s in full bloom. Mind you, I still liked what I saw, but that looks purdy as hell!

Ignore the bottom right. 

Note to self: Don't buy anything in there. Saw this on my walk to the park.

Entrance to the park 

View of the city from above.

Always so very tempted...

I love that this...

...is right in the midst of that...

I think it was this view that gave me a real glimpse into just how massive Ulsan really is and how little of it I've actually seen.

Even up here, they still have time to feel the burn.

And if you get bored, there's a random little library to peruse through.

Korea, I love you.

For those who fancy a workout after a nice hike.

Or a soccer match.

Lake Church replica not much taller than myself.

San Pietro

I believe the goal here was to make the rock stand up.

An Min Temple

Complete with the mini fish and bell and everything.

After an art-filled morning and a beautiful hike under skies that threatened to rain all afternoon, I came home to chow down on some delicious chicken and catch up with my buddy Doctor Who, before nestling in with my beloved Kindle. Best weekend I've had in a long time.