Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wowser]

I just thought I'd post this. I have been here three years and I have missed it every year (because the parade is a week before the 'birthday'). The parade is tomorrow. Information can be found at http://www.llf.or.kr/

[I_Am_Wrong]

anyone gone to this before? where's the best place to see it?

[SeoulShakin]

I'm also very interested if anyone knows where the best place to see it is. Anyone know what exit at Dongdaemun stadium to get off at?
Thanks!

[animalbirdfish]

You'll get a great view anywhere along Jongno, between Dongdaemun and Jonggak. Get off at Jonggak, any of the Jongno Stations (3,4,5), or Dongdaemun.

Saw it a couple years ago at the Jonggak intersection and it was well worth it.

[indytrucks]

The parade is one great photo op, to be sure. If you can deal with the crowds (which is a small feat in and of itself) you'll be rewarded.

Some tips:

- Get there early. At least 90 mins before the thing kicks off. Walk a portion of the route yourself to familiarize yourself with possible vantage points, obstacles, etc.

- Bring your fast lenses (and some fast film if you're still shooting it ... like me) and possibly a monopod if you've got one, but don't pack everything but the kitchen sink. That bag will get heavy after about an hour.

- If possible find out where the parade starts and ends. I can't remember where it started last time I went (about 4 years ago) but if I recall correctly it finished at Jogeysa. You can get great photos at the starting and ending points, while people are milling around before it starts and while they're finishing.

- If you can handle the crowds, move through them and shoot. Get shots of the crowd's reaction as well as the parade participants.

Just my two cents. Unfortunately, I can't make it to the parade this year. I'm relying on Jinju and other board members to get some great shots. Have fun everyone.

[jinju]

I will be there for sure. Ill be going early in the morning, like arounf 9am to get a feel for the place as you said and start thinking about some shots.

[animalbirdfish]

As I recall, there are lantern-making activities and other such happenings earlier in the day - near Dongdaemun, if memory serves. Could find much on that website, though (language issues). Anyone know anything about this?

[flotsam]

There was an English page and seems that the earliest event is at 4:30, no?

Be careful, somebody twatted some of the dates and one or two events are listed as happening on May 12th...

, *beep* makes it through the thought police censorship cordon...

Note to self: use *beep* a LOT when posting.

Note to self #2: Damn, previewing the message has demonstrated that *beep* only works when used in the past or progressive tenses. Well, anyway be sure to start twatting things up by using *beep* at least in those ways: maybe it won't seem too twatted to used it as an adjective as well.

[wowser]

The site that I posted is amazingly helpful. The click for English button is at the top right of the screen!!!

Exhibition of traditional lanterns:
Time: 2006/ 4/28(Friday) - 5/5(Friday)
Location: Bongeun-sa Temple, in Samsong Dong

Buddhist street festival:
Time: 2006/ 4/ 30(Sunday) Noon - 8:00PM
Location: In the street in front of Jogye-sa Temple
Lantern making, traditional games, music and dance, food tasting, rosary making...

Opening ceremony for the parade:
*Time: 2006/ 4/ 30(Sunday) 4:30 - 6:30PM
*Location: Dongdaemun Stadium
Transportation
- Subway Lines #2, 4 & 5 Dongdae-mun Stadium Station

Lantern parade:
Time: 2006/ 4/ 30(Sunday) 7:00 - 9:30PM
*Place: Jongno Street (Dongdaemun stadium --> Jogye-sa Temple)


Daedong Celebration of Unity and Hope:
Time: 2006/ 4/ 30(Sunday) 9:30 - 10:30PM
Place: In front of Jogye-sa Temple



Transportation
Jogye-sa Temple: Subway line #1 (dark blue) Jonggak Station Exit #2, or line #3(orange) Anguk Station Exit #6.
Jongno Street: Subway line #1 (dark blue) Jonggak Station, any exit.
Dongdaemun Stadium: Subway line #2 4 or 5, Dongdaemun Stadium Station, Exit #1.

There is a map of the parade route on the website....

[riley]

[Xerxes]

As I remember it, Insa-dong, the touristy place a block east of Joegyesa, has a lot of day-time stuff going on there with open air dduk-making, traditional vendors, a lot more of what usually goes on there. By the time Joegyesa gets set to go, word spreads about Insadong, and people mill to that direction. The switch between Insadong and Joegyesa throughout the day is fun (one of them becomes boring after a while).

Get to the front and see the guy hitting the cymbal in the front of the procession. The guy is very athletic and very spirited (nature of the percussion music he leads).

[Troll_Bait]

I started this thread on Friday, but it got buried in a day.

I'll bump it because I'm an attention wh0re, er, because it has some links that people might find interesting or useful.

Happy Buddha's Birthday and Children's Day everyone!

[ilovebdt]

I went yesterday and the parade was fabulous!!!

Lots of firebreathing animals.

[matthews_world]

I live 5 min. from Cheongyecheon and didn't see or hear any English advertisement of this parade. Buddha's Birthday isn't officially a red day so I was out of the loop this year. Heard the noise outside my place but didn't feel like going out into the crowds.

[ilovebdt]