Gasan Digital Complex - Hyhill Outlet

Sohyeong at Dunkin Donuts

Pen and watercolor

View from customer lounge

Pen & watercolor

It was a spring-like day at the middle of cold winter. We gathered in front of the movie theater in Hyhill Outlet at 10:30am and drew until 4pm. Time goes really fast whenever I draw with urban sketchers. Not only the drawing, but the chatting with the ones in love with drawing always make me happy.

I found drawing inside a building is more difficult than drawing from the outside. After seeing what others drew, I realized that I had trouble in framing things out. The thousands of figures inside the building were overwhelming and now I understand why some people make frames with their hands(fingers) to see the objects before drawing.

The area used to be industrial complex but it now is where many fashion outlets are located. I wondered if they were gaining sufficient profits because they seemed so many and I heard the consumption's been frozen. Are they having relative profits against department stores thanks to the long recession? I don't know.

One of the sketchers told me that there was an exposition around 1960 in this area. One of the exhibition goods was pencil that didn't easily break which made people quite surprised. The time when this area was full of farms and rice paddies, the time when the solid pencil was so rare, I wish I can have a chance to live the time just for one day.

I drew this in a bus in my way to Seoul one day and started to feel nauseous because of the motion sickness. I was so close to finish this so I kept drawing and when I'd done I was about to throw up. I was happy to have it completed but I'd never draw in a bus again.

Seoul Folk Flea Market, Sinseoldong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 14, 2013 Sinseoldong, Seoul

 

It was my first visit to Seoul Folk Flea Market, which Korean title is "Seoul Pungmul Market". The word 'Pungmul' sounded a bit vague to me (I'm a native Korean!) so when I was going there it felt like being a child unwrapping a Christmas gift.(For those who'd wonder, the market sells a variety of goods from antiques, cloths, golf clubs, food, tea, and even to medicines. It also has a small exibition of Korean traditional equipments.)

 

Sinseoldong, where the market is located in, seemed quite old due to the traditional houses around the roads, versus the flea market building itself was somewhat modern for a "market". It was a bit of surprise for me because I was expecting a more traditional-form market like Namdaemun Market or Anyang Central Market. I heard from a merchant that it was once a traditional market dated back from 1950s, but the government started a landscape restoration project that made the market move in the present building.

 

Though it was a freezing snowy day, the market soon became crowded and it was fun to watch how people try to beat the prices down and to listen to the talks among the merchants. As a newly participating member of urban sketch, I found myself so delighted seeing the scenes through the eye of canvas. I had to leave early for the next schedule but it was one romantic snowy day with Seoul urban sketchers. Thank you all!

 

 

 

서울풍물시장에는 이번이 첫 방문이었습니다. 사실 '풍물'이라는 단어가 조금 모호해서 대체 어떤 물건을 파는 시장일까 궁금해하며, 선물포장을 뜯는 어린 아이의 마음으로 시장에 갔습니다. 처음으로 가본 신설동은 오토바이 가게마저도 기와집으로 지어져 있어서 "오래된 동네인가?"하는 의문이 들었습니다. 검색을 해보니 조선시대에 우의정 한분이 이 곳에 살았다고 합니다.

 

풍물시장은 2층짜리 큰 건물안에 있었고, 남대문시장과 안양중앙시장에 익숙한 저는 다소 현대적인 시장의 외관에 좀 놀랐습니다. 아침 10시 반의 시장은 문을 열지 않은 점포도 많고 사람도 우리 말고는 많지 않았지만 낮이 되면서 이내 활기를 띠고 북적북적 해져서 시장 특유의 생동감을 느낄 수 있었습니다.

 

그림을 그리면서 제일 어려웠던 것은 시장에 있는 물건들에 자꾸 정신이 흐트러진다는 점이었습니다. 마음에 쏙 드는 오래된 타자기가 있었는데 집에 와서도 몇일간 눈앞에 아른아른 합니다.

 

흥미로운 물건들과, 흥정하는 손님들, 담소를 나누는 상인들의 모습과 어우러져 눈 오는 토요일이 무척 로맨틱하게 느껴졌습니다. 오후에 일이 있어 일찍 돌아가야 해서 아쉬웠지만, 추운 날씨와는 달리 따뜻하고 즐거운 시간이었습니다.

 

 

 

Personal blog: http://relache.blog.me/140202837086 (Korean)