Showing posts with label Photographic Ajosshi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Photographic Ajosshi. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Copyright Infringement Tuesday (김해 Edition)

It's Friday night, it's late, you are stranded in 김해 (Gimhae) and you have a desperate urge to munch on some juicy fried chicken. Where are you going to go? Who will serve you a plate of the crispy, crunchy, feathery goodness that you need so much?

Look no further my friends, for this little blue fellow will satisfy all your chicken related needs:

Smoper Fried Chicken

"Smoper" has got your back and he and his friends want to serve you the finest fried, roasted and stewed chickens in the south of Korea.

Smoper Fried Chicken

This tiny chicken outlet in the backstreets of Gimhae means no harm and its cutesy portrayal of "Smoper" the fried chicken mascot should be admired. However "Smoper" does seem a little familiar.... His hat may be yellow and his features a little distorted, but he does remind me of a figure from my childhood. Is "Smoper" Papa Smurf's long lost cousin? Is Peyo rolling in his grave?

Smoper Fried Chicken

Searching for "스모프" on google I found the parent website for this intriguing chicken franchise. So it seems that this rather blatant copyright infringement is not isolated, but that there are in fact a fair number of "Smopers" selling their wares across the country. Better not let the Smurfs know.... Turns out they call themselves "Smupers" (스머프) in Korean.

Disclaimer - Paul Ajosshi has never tasted "Smoper" chicken and so cannot vouch for quality, quantity or fair treatment of any chicken eaten at one of these franchises. Consume at your own risk....

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Sunrise on Banpo Bridge

Sunrise

Up early this morning, I decided to see the sunrise over the Han River by 반포대교 (Banpo Bridge).

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Beautiful, but very, very cold...

Sunrise

Wrapped up ajosshi...

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Ice along the waterfront.

Sunrise

And a shadow self-portrait.

More photos here.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Year's Day Sunrise on Namsan

6.00 am on New Year's day, a saner person would have stayed in bed for at least another three hours, but Euna and I braved the vomit strewn streets of Itaewon and made our way up to the top of Namsan mountain to see the sunrise. Unfortunately it seemed that half the residents of Seoul had decided on the same course of action.

Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan

Wading through the hordes of visitors we headed to the base of the tower; squeezing our way past thousands, nay millions of families, elderly couples and drunken twenty-somethings in high heels and trendy suits. We came for the sunrise, but we stayed for the bizarre sight of thousands of Seoulites worshipping the sun.

Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan
Sunrise on Namsan
There were no bloody sacrifices, just a lot of pushing and jostling as everyone tried to get their camera-phones in the perfect position to capture the sun. Walking through the crowds our nostrils were assaulted with the stench of soju and happiness and when the sun poked it's head over the horizon there was a real sense of celebration; a joyous moment shared between the multitude on top of the mountain. Half were early risers starting the New Year with a bang, the other half finishing off their New Year's Eve and stumbling around in inappropriate footwear. All of us were glad to see the sun rise on 2009.

Sunrise on Namsan
Happy New Year.

More photos here.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Snow on Christmas Eve eve

The Itaewon Orange Pig says Merry Christmas.

Snow

And at Passion 5 Bakery....

Snow

Real snow on a fake plastic tree. Beautiful kitsch.

Snow

Snow

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Photos of 2008

Coming to the end of the year we find ourselves in a time of reflection.... blah blah blah.....

Here are some incredible photos collected by the Boston Globe looking back on the past twelve months:

Friday, November 28, 2008

Cranes in Shinsa

Flying Cranes HDR

Fly away from the rubbish my pretties... fly away!