The Same, But Different

One thing I love about Korea is those times when I see the old and the new put together in just one photograph. This was taken in Michuhol Park in New Songdo. A traditional shelter, backed by very modern apartment buildings. Although people familiar with Japanese culture may recognise the shape of the shelter, a different strand of Buddhism took off in Korea. Where Zen Buddhism developed a very melancholy attitude and palette of browns and greys in its architecture, Korean buildings tended towards more cheerful and brightly-painted decorations. I find both beautiful, but tend towards the Korean expression. Life is there to be lived and not contemplated for too long, advice I wish I could remember and live by on a daily basis.

Interestingly, New Songdo actually sits on recently reclaimed land, so although the shelter looks hundreds of years old all the buildings are actually relatively similar ages. Many historical buildings in Korea were sadly badly damaged or destroyed in a succession of wars across the peninsula, especially during Japanese occupation and the subsequent North Korean invasion, so by way of necessity the skills for recreating these monuments were never lost to history. It makes me feel grateful that I can still see these elements of Korea's past, yet sad that so many of them are merely recreations of what came before.