OVERVIEW

THE DISTRICT JONGNO IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, IS THE URBAN HEART OF SEOUL'S METROPOLITAN AREA NORTH OF THE HAN RIVER. SKYSCRAPERS, TRAFFIC, MASSES OF PEOPLE AND BIG NEON-LIGHT BILLBOARDS FLOOD THIS VERY DENSE AREA. NEVERTHELESS MANY LITTLE PARKS, ALLEYS AND PATCHES OF OLD RUN-DOWN BUILDINGS ADD TO THIS DISTRICT'S ALSO EXISTING UNIQUE LOCAL FLAVOR. IN OPPOSITION TO THE MAIN STREET AREA OF JONGNO, THE SMALL BACK ALLEYS PRESENT THE DISTRICT IN A VERY DIFFERENT AND OFTEN VERY OLD AND RUN DOWN LIGHT. DESPITE THEIR RUGGEDNESS THEY ADD UNIQUE LAYERS OF COLOR AND TEXTURE-DRIVEN CONCRETE WALLS, GARAGE DOORS OR PLASTIC TENTS. DESPITE THE UNIQUENESS, THESE HARMFUL SLUM-LIKE NEIGHBORHOODS IN JONGNO ARE NOT PROMOTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH OVERLY ADVERTISES THE CITY AS A MODERN CLEAN METROPOLIS. AS A CONSEQUENCE THESE SMALL LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SWALLOWED BY THE CITY GOVERNMENT'S RUTHLESS "NEW URBAN DEVELOPMENT" PROGRAM LEAVING URBAN BOREDOM BEHIND. THE FOLLOWING IS A PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES ON JONGRO.