We all met at the hotel Near Myeong-Dong. After short self introduction, we went to explore the commercial district. The Myeong-Dong area was a colonial side of the city/ neighborhood. There is unseen border which splits the neighborhood to Japanese and Korean sides.

Back in the days, when the democratic movement was demonstrating for democratic rights, those streets were one of the main spots to demonstrations. All the small and wide streets were full with salary man/ woman on their lunch break, due to the tear-gas evacuation tool of the police, they used to go back to the office with sore eyes… And the democratic movement was demonstrating. 

Consumerism in a stage of rage – living in a global city, 10 years ago you couldn’t see those huge companies (like Uniqlo). Every global city is trying to cultivate shops both for foreign and locals. The changes in Korea brought to changes in the consuming culture, backed up with policies to move the economy towards more consumption.

Those streets full with young couples, who hold hands. We stopped to interview a couple. According to them they coming here to eat, window shopping, interaction with others. Actually they came today to the big city, they from Daegu (close to Busan).

We went to the end of the street to the Myeong-dong Cathedral. The Catholic Church  had a special role for the democratic movement. The student from the democratic movement used to hide and get asylum in the church. The history of the Catholic Church in Korea is interesting. Korea is the only place in the world when the Christianity started with no priests. The Catholics in Korea starts with a group of scholars.

Actually, only 5% of the population are Catholic and they are rising. The Protestant in Korea are 37% and decreasing. It seems that the Catholics are less conservative. We interview the priests who visits once in Jerusalem. According to the priest, the distinguish between the Catholic and the Protestant is that the prior follows the Romans Catholic and ancestors rituals. In terms of the visitors there is a verity of people who attend to this church, there is 12 ceremonies per day on Sunday and on the evening ceremony there is more young adult who come to the ceremony after their shopping.

Post writer: Hadas Kushelevich

Photographer: Alina Imas