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Why does Korea have so many ghastly looking churches?

 
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Fishead soup



Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:09 pm    Post subject: Why does Korea have so many ghastly looking churches? Reply with quote

If anything I'd rather look at the yellow water tower than another one of those hidious steeples.
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Gamecock



Joined: 26 Nov 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Why does Korea have so many ghastly looking churches?


Because all their architectural genius and endeavors are being put towards apartment design...
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that guy



Joined: 29 Feb 2004
Location: long gone

PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After seeing this thread title, I went out and snapped a picture from my elevator. This should clear it up for you Fishhead soup.

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PeterDragon



Joined: 15 Feb 2007

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm guessing that having all their best building destroyed around 50 years ago caused the Koreans to give up on architecture.
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RACETRAITOR



Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never noticed anything too exceptionally horrifying about the design of Korean churches here.
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JMO



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Daegu

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Theres a really nice catholic cathedral/church in downtown Daegu. There is also a nice presbyterian place beside apsan. I'll take a picture, next chance I get.
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jdog2050



Joined: 17 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PeterDragon wrote:
I'm guessing that being cheap and impatient caused the Koreans to give up on architecture.


I fixed that for you.
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cdninkorea



Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jdog2050 wrote:
PeterDragon wrote:
I'm guessing that being cheap and impatient caused the Koreans to give up on architecture.


I fixed that for you.


Nicely done Laughing
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mole



Joined: 06 Feb 2003
Location: Act III

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://hifromseoul.blogspot.com/2005/07/hwaseong-fortress-in-suwon.html

Awesome photography and narrative on this site, but
about 1/3 the way down, you'll see the biggest monstrosity of a church I've ever seen.
It completely dominates any otherwise lovely view of an historic area.
It's the First Presbytarian Church of Suwon if you want to look up more horrifying pics.
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought you'd be referring to those ugly tar-papered steeples here. I wouldn't be at all surprised if those Wizard of Oz flying monkeys came shooting out of one of them.

Oddly enough, back in the 1970s, when I first lived in Korea, churches looked like, well, churches or they looked like someone's house. There weren't any of those hideous architectural monstrosities or even those rooftop erector-set steeples which are so commonplace now.

I suppose all one can do is pray the fashion changes quickly.
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cwemory



Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Location: Gunpo, Korea

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
I suppose all one can do is pray the fashion changes quickly.


Very clever Wink ...
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mole



Joined: 06 Feb 2003
Location: Act III

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
...those rooftop erector-set steeples which are so commonplace now.

Slightly off-topic, but insomnia has a grip.
My hagwon building had one of those cheezy orange steeples up top.
One morning after a stormy night, I went to work and the steeple was crumpled on the street.
It had shattered the top floor health club windows. I'm glad people weren't in there stair-steppin' & treadmillin.'
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jdog2050



Joined: 17 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
I thought you'd be referring to those ugly tar-papered steeples here. I wouldn't be at all surprised if those Wizard of Oz flying monkeys came shooting out of one of them.

Oddly enough, back in the 1970s, when I first lived in Korea, churches looked like, well, churches or they looked like someone's house. There weren't any of those hideous architectural monstrosities or even those rooftop erector-set steeples which are so commonplace now.

I suppose all one can do is pray the fashion changes quickly.


Thing is, it touches on architecture in Korea in general. There's no style...shape it like a rectangle, order as much concrete as we can afford, and throw up a marble/stucco facade, viola!!! You've got your Apartment/school/jail/church/hospital/massagee parlor. It's like Bentham's Panopticon gone even more horribly awry.
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