Fantasia Bucheon!

WOW! Siheung. No, I don't just really, really like where I live. 'Wow! Siheung' is the city slogan, and it's plastered everywhere. Why? Well, Korea just loves branding its cities with odd English slogans. Even though hardly anyone here speaks English. So here are just a few:

"Amazing Iksan. The City of Friendly to Women"

"Nice Jecheon. Healthy Life! Beautiful Life! Wealthy Life! The city of fresh wind and bright moon"

"Aha! Suncheon"

"Welcome all Netizens"



"The challenge which is force! Gongju which is great!"

"Active Yangsan! Nature! Tradition!!
Harmonizes today YANGSAN
(note: Mayor is do the suicide because to
express his sentiment towards the investigation and to prove his innocence)"

"Hanam City which is the
city of new leap,
and in which everyone wants to live!"





"Yes Gumi. Great Gumi Brilliant Gumi YesGUMI.
W.E.L.C.O.M.E. T.O. G.U.M.I."

"Wow! Siehung. Again & Again Siheung. Ace of Tourism City Siheung.
Pleasure Nature, Treasure Paradise Siheung"

         


and then the biggie.....

"Cheonan, the World's Best City"

So as you can imagine, Korea is pretty amazing. And this weekend I felt wonderfully spoilt for choice with all these amazing cities nearby.  So I decided to stay local and explore a neighbour to mine......"Fantasia Bucheon". 

It turns out that Bucheon has a lot to offer besides restaurants and bars. After a little online exploration we found that Bucheon boasts its own outdoor film set, better known as Bucheon Fantastic Studios. The film set covers over 39 square kilometres, and is made to replicate 1920s Seoul, imitating the old streets of Jongno, Cheonggyecheon, Myeongdong, and Euljiro.

As an alien in Korea it's hard to imagine Seoul in its down-town heyday, so it's pretty amazing to walk around the old streets and soak it up. And because it's Bucheon, it's pretty empty, and therefore even more realistic. Until we came across the....er....big chicken sat in a corner being photographed by a film crew. There is no explanation.

Right next door to the film set is the Korea Cartoon Museum....or The Manwha Museum. And wow, did this museum exceed expectations! The museum is curated with creativity and diversity - illustrating satirical, manga and children's Korean cartoons. There are current artists exhibitions, as well as historical propaganda cartoons, opportunities to create your own pieces, and a 4D Manga Cinema.

The short manga film was fantastic. I sat down with my big classy spectacles expecting to be blown away by the 4D effects, and instead was blown away by the beautiful and incredibly sad 20 minute film. I expected my blokey-bloke of a boyfriend to be untouched by the beauty, only to find him trying to (unsuccessfully) download it at home later (was that a tear in his eye?). 

Anyway, it was a nice reminder not to overlook your home territory, just because it's home......there are always nice and exciting surprises to be found if you just dig a bit deeper. It was a fantastic day in Bucheon.... or should I say, fantasia.... ;-)