A landmark intersection in Seoul, South Korea

I can’t really be certain where most of the photos in this album were shot, but trying to figure it out has led me to some interesting places! Using the translator in the Google Lens app I noticed the name Namsan Clinic in the image above; Mt. Namsan and Namsan Park are located in the south portion of Seoul. I was so pleased with myself for tracking that down that I very nearly ignored the numerous English-language signs reading Grand Ole Opry. It turns out this corner is home to one of the oldest bars in Seoul — the somewhat famous country-western themed bar in the Yongsan district. Its owner, known as Mama Kim, is the subject of a short film, winner of the 2017 Austin Indie Fest.

Sorting out this location was slightly easier, thanks to the Seokguram Cave Map sign (below). This man-made grotto and temple complex is located on the east coast of South Korea; it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and within the cave you will find an enormous statue of a Sakyamuni Buddha, 11 feet/3.5 meters in height. I haven’t come across any photos of the statue yet… although I still have four more albums to go through!

Map of the grotto

Finally, thanks to Google Image Search I was able to discover that the rest of this week’s images are actually from yet a third site, this one the Korean Folk Village in Gyeonggi Province, south of Seoul. The image below shows jangseung, or village guardians, Korean totem poles made of wood and placed at the edges of villages to frighten away demons. The Korean Folk Village is likely where the photographer shot pictures of the Pungmul dancers which I shared last month. I’ll be showing you more images next week from the folk village (and other places, most likely).