Seoul Crazy
Some of you might ask, "Why in the world is David always in Korea? He's not Korean nor does he speak the language." Great observation. How in the world do I always end up in Korea? For those who don't know this tale, it has been an epic journey in the making. It all started five years ago after a game of Capture the Flag.
It was after that exact game of Capture the Flag when I was approached by an overly zealous Korean exchange student on my dorm floor who asked me and several others if he could take a picture with us. The moment he took one of our flags, punched eye holes and tied the bandanna around a fellow floormate's eyes, I knew he was special. When he went back to his room and brought out his tripod so we can all be in the picture, I knew he was REALLY special. I didn't know it at the time, but this Korean man would have me infatuated, traveling 6000 miles for his warm embrace and to see his smile again.
The last time I was in Seoul was three years ago, after my stay abroad in Beijing. Though at the time, the arrangements were significantly more cumbersome. I has initially planned my trip to Beijing without the trip to Korea set in stone. I was accepted into EAP nine months prior to visiting Korea so you could say the details were rather fuzzy... Compounded with KJ's unreliable internet access, the time zone discrepancy, and his uncertainty over when he could take a short leave from his military service, I would be surprised if I saw him at all. As the months progressed, our persistence to meet manifested in the compromises we made and a game of catch with our availability. Ultimately, we managed to set aside some dates for my visit to Korea albeit two weeks after the end of my Beijing program. Infatuated, I roamed around China for two weeks until he was able to see him again. Seeing him again really meant that much to me.
This time felt like our reward for our persistence - it wasn't so cumbersome this time around. KJ finished his military service a couple of years ago and since I've graduated, I have more freedom with my time off. Once he confirmed that he would have the week of Chuseok off, I booked my ticket and I was off to Seoul. It has been almost two years since I've seen KJ and as I was in transition towards Seoul, I couldn't help but feel nervous. Nervous, you might ask? It's the same anxiety you feel when you haven't seen someone in eons and you wonder how you two are going to interact. Will it be the same? How's my hair? Will he like how I look? To my relief, after getting lost on the subway to Gimpo Airport from Incheon, the moment I saw him through the subway window and witnessed his smiley laughter, I knew I would be infatuated again. Despite the distance and our time apart, we picked up where we left off and prepared for our "honeymoon" in Jeju. As for the remainder of the trip, we went "Seoul" crazy. (I know... a bit lame...) Enjoy!
*Disclaimer: If there was one guy I would have a bromance with, it would be this guy. There might have been times where the lines might have blurred a bit but I have nothing to be ashamed of. I wholehearted love this guy and my world has been transformed because of him. Yobo, thank you for such a wonderful trip. Until our next adventure. Maybe next year???
Location, Seoul Korea; Cheju, South Korea
Gear: D700, 50 1.4G, 24-70 2.8, D90, Sigma 10-20
DCHU Photography
