some sketches around Hongeun-dong village, Seoul

a cityscape viewed from the opposite hillside, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.7cm 

a scenery from the opposite hillside, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.7cm

an old fashioned mixed-use building on the roadside, pen and soft pastel, 21 x 29.7cm 

viewed from the hillside looking down the street, ballpoint pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.7cm

viewed from the roadside looking up the hill, pencil and watercolor, 21 x 29.7cm

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Last week one afternoon, I visited Hongeun-dong village located in Seodaemun-gu, not so far from my office. Many parts of the village already holds designated apartment reconstruction district by Seoul Metropolitan Government.

For urban sketchers Hongeun-dong is an interesting village, where modern buildings and demolition sceneries are mixed together naturally.

at Digital Media City, Sangam 3-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

MBC building under construction

heavy machinery in a row at rest on Chusuk holidays(Thanks Giving days) along the street

street scene on holidays

405 x 306 mm

part of Nuritkum Square

YTN building under construction

30 x 40 cm

On Chuseok holidays I went there not far from my house twice. As the name of the area, Digital Media City shows leading media companies such KBS, SBS, MBC, YTN, Nuritkum Square started to locate. Buildings are so big and attractive that it will be necessary to go there often to capture the changing shapes of buildings during construction. 

around Dongguk University, Pil-dong 3-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul

Rusty colored red buildings in a row across the Donguk university was very inpressive. Those buildings were just amazing by contrast of light and shadow with the depth of color. I feel like going there again for more drawings. 

Manhaegwan and Sungjeong Jeon in the university

at the back of the Sungjeon Jeon

Manhaegwan and Hyehwagwan in university

pastels, pencil, watercolor, 40 x 27 cm

The day was wonderful with autumn weather. I enjoyed sketching at Dongguk Universityj. The campus was beautiful with young students here and there. And the scenery surrounded by urban buildings was fantastic too.

sketches around Hansung university

scenery seen from the Yeon Ku Kwan building of Hansung University, 

pencil & watercolor, A 4

 scene seen from the Yeon Ku Kwan building

apartments are seen through the campus buildings.

pen and watercolor, A 4

How steep the slope was!

I went to Hansung University located at Samseongyo for sketching. Walking down the Samseongyo - Gil, I could see the very steep steps. But the far scenery was beautiful with houses on hillsides. Houses where people live look familiar always. 

some sketches around Jogyesa Temple, Seoul

One Pillar Gate (main gate of Jogyesa Temple), pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Daewoongjeon building (Main Buddha Hall), pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Daewoogjeon viewed from main gate, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Paradise Hall (Amita Buddha Hall) under repairs, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm 

The 8 angle and 10 story Stone Stupa, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Buddha Statue in Daewoongjeon, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Baby Buddha Statue and offering box, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Memorial Hall of Buddhist Culture & History of Korean Buddhism, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm 

Templestay Building across the street, pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Ujeongchongguk( Central Post Office,1884), pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

Statue of Min Yeong-Hwan, patriot,minister of the Korean Empire, 21 x 29.6cm

The Portrait Shrine of Yi Saek(牧隱), pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm

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A few days ago, I visited Jogyesa Temple located in the middle of Seoul. Jogyesa does not give off the solemn and traditional air of the other temples located deep in the mountains. But because it is located within the heart of the city, the public transportation is so convenient, and well combined with the sceneries of the old city Seoul. Maybe another interesting place in town where nature is present is a temple.

I sketched some colorful sceneries here and there delightfully around crowded precints of the temple.

Naksan Park

pen,watercolor 

pencil,watercolor  A4

at Olympic Park, Seoul

I got to revisit the Olympic Park, near Jamsil, near the southeastern part of the city.  I had visited this before, once with friends, the other time to go to a Hyundai-sponsored Summer Concert.  The park was beautiful, with lots of amenities, ranging from rollerblading area and an ice-skating rink during the winter, to a public garden full of interesting sculptures, and an art museum, SOMA, to go with it.  This was my third visit, and it didn't fail to impress me with a mix of historical areas, interspersed with sports facilities.  

할아버지들의 모임, pencil, 257x357mm

grampas -- The first sketch was done near the entrance.  There were many areas with shades, and elderly grampas, joined together for a serious game of Chinese chess or just chit chat.  There was even a garden of lavender behind, so it felt peaceful, to be sitting and sketching there. 

올림픽공원의 장승들, pencil, 257x357mm

olympic park entrance -- This was the first sketch I did upon arriving at the Olympic Park.  There are columns of totem poles on both sides of the Peace Gate leading one towards the actual entrance with all the flags.  Each totem pole wears a funny expression, so I tried to capture that.  But it would have been nice to capture a whole row of columns so that the length of the grand entrance could 

be felt. 

골목길, pencil, 257x357mm

streetview -- This alleyway is the narrow corridor between two parts of the SOMA museum buildings.  Perhaps because of the long ramp leading up to it, or because of the narrowness of the corridor, it was a stark contrast to the open expanses of greenery both in front and behind, it felt very quaint and mysterious.  I stood there for a longer time than usual, trying to capture that mystic mood. 

at Children's Grand Park, Amusement park, Neungdong

pencil, watercolor, 21 x 30 cm

The park locates at Neungdong, Seoul. Because the park is free for citizens there are lots of people who walk or come for picnic with family to see animal and enjoy at amusement park too. But the amusement park was closed since July 1st this year for changing new riding machines till March next year. This one locates by the way of rear entrance. So I could draw though the amusement park was prohibited to enter.

Seoul sketches

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