Korea: Ssamji Filming, mascots and snacks, oh my!

While working as a caricature artist for the Fun Caricature company in Korea, I was able to rotate shifts between different locations which meant that I never got too bored or stuck at an underperforming location for too long. One of my favorite locations to work was the Insadong location, tucked into the Ssamziegil shopping center. The building itself is a unique concept, with minimal stairs and the floors laid out at a gentle incline so that you can comfortably wind your way around and up the building until you arrive at the uppermost deck. There was a palpable energy to the area that I really enjoyed, and the surrounding Insadong is a neighborhood robust with arts and crafts and old-school winding cobblestone streets surrounded by charming restaurants, hostels and museums tucked into classical style buildings. You can easily walk over to the Bukchon Hanok village to take in the history and shopping, and there's tons of other sights to take in nearby too! For me, though, I thoroughly enjoyed working in the Insadong area and taking in the ever-changing craft fairs and flow. Some days we'd get parades of people marching down the main central walkway, banging on drums and singing in traditional garb as they make their way through a historic loop, others flocks of youth protestors campaigning against the dog-meat industry and raising awareness. Naturally, there are so many options for food throughout the area that you'd have no reason to go hungry- whatever your budget. If you're feeling a little spend-thrifty, there's ample convenience stores and street food to fill your belly with something warm and quick, whether it's chicken skewers or instant ramyun. For those with a little more won to their name, you can wander the seemingly endless alleys of Insadong and find everything from fermented skate fish meals to fancy Royal court cuisine, which was once prepared exclusively for the Joseon Dynasty, considered one of the peaks of historic Korean royalty culture. I must admit, I never got around to trying the royal cuisine, due partially to the cost and partly due to the sheer volume of food presented. It's definitely a meal meant for sharing with friends! It's on my bucket list, though, so next time Antho and I happen to be in Seoul it's definitely going down. On this particular day, though, I kept it simple with some cheap convenience store snacks and enjoyed the entertainment. Not every day a mascot shows up to your job, right?

Korea: Galbitang 갈비탕 and Ssamziegil snacks

Undoubtedly, one of the best things about living and working in Seoul is the ready accessibility of delicious, affordable food at any turn. Whether you're in need of a robust, hearty meal with a rainbow of banchan to whet your palate and satisfy your hunger, or simply an easy, light, quick snack to tide you over, you'll never have to go far to find it. The Fun Caricature location I spent a significant portion of my work days at in Seoul's historic arts and crafts district of Insadong, near Anguk station, was especially well-endowed in terms of delicious options- from food carts to sit down breweries, high or low end, it was all there. We could even get food delivered to us right at the location, fresh and steaming hot, should the need or desire arise (it did). Korean food delivery systems are among some of the best in the world, though America is desperately trying to catch up these days with Ubereats and Doordash and whatever other silly-named services have since come out offering to ferry your food directly to you to save you the hassle of going to get it. 

While I frequently opted for the cheap, quick snack from a vendor or the convenience stores, there was no denying the bounty of restaurants available to choose from near the caricature location. At first I was too anxious to go and try to fend for myself in a restaurant where the language is something I sorely struggle to comprehend, but once I started to pick up on reading Hangul (it's really a lot easier than you think it is) and could deduce the items on the menu it was a lot less intimidating. The meal pictured above, a delicious and warming bowl of beef rib soup (aka Galbitang) and ample banchan was reasonably priced, even for being in a nicer restaurant in a tourist-heavy area, and I thoroughly enjoyed it as a change of pace from the usual hard boiled eggs and mysterious sausage-shaped-fish-based-food. My coworkers would sometimes join me on these lunch outings, but this was a solo mission. It was peaceful. If there's a lesson here, my friends, it's to be brave and get out there and try. Believe it or not, most people are actually quite kind at heart, at least in my experience out in the world. 

And who knows, maybe you'll make friends with the sweet lady at the dongppang (poop bread) shop!

Korea: Craft Fair at Ssamziegil in Insadong

Seoul is a vibrant city of roughly 10 million people and bustling with personality, passion, and variety. From the visor-wearing aunties in their colorful track suits lugging their carts full of goodies to the suited office workers trying not to fall asleep on the subway, the high-fashion youth with perfectly powdered visages and the burly workmen doing construction, it's as vivacious and nuanced a big city as one could hope or imagine with all the fashion, art and entertainment to boot. All the activity and bustling energy translate to a lot of creative energy, too, and there is no shortage of craftsmen and artisans in Seoul. Luckily, South Koreans are very proud of their culture AND their creations, so crafts fairs and historic traditional arts flourish and coincide in peace. 

Ssamziegil, a spiral walking path that works its way through four floors of artisan shops and little restaurants, was one of the several locations I would draw at while living in Korea. Our little shop for Fun Caricature was right on the ground floor near the entryway, a prime location for catching curious tourists on their way to grab some Dongppang (poop bread). Rest assured, there's no actual poo used in the bread! It's a griddle cake with sweet filling pressed into the shape of the poop emoji...a bit silly or juvenile, perhaps, but it's a hit with travelers who would form long lines waiting for a chance at their own selfie with the peculiar treat, even in the freezing cold! The building for Ssamzi (what we called it) is located in the heart of Insadong, in the Jongno-Gu area of Seoul proper. That was, without a doubt, one of my absolute favorite areas in Seoul as there are so many cultural important monuments and so many things of note to see within a readily accessible walking distance of each other. To get to Insadong proper, take exit 6 from Anguk station and you'll be right around the corner. Insadong, in particular, is rife with crafts and art, alongside the Kimchi museum. There are many places you can rent a Hanbok to wear and friendly guides proliferate in the area, eager to lend aid to a confused traveler. It was always a fun location to work at! 

The photos in this post are going to be from one particular day when a craft fair happened to pop up inside the open courtyard of Ssamziegil. I couldn't help but to be curious and poke my head over for a look when business at the booth was slow. Please enjoy this glimpse into what daily life was kind of like when I was working in Seoul! Plenty more photos below~