Jeonju International Film Festival

Jeonju is one of my favourite places in Korea for a variety of reasons. It's a really cool cultural centre with loads of beautiful landmarks (including a traditional Hanok Village) as well as loads of up to date cultural things going on like impromptu street music and a vibrant arts scene. 

So it was a massive pleasure to be part of the Jeonju International Film Festival last weekend. This is one of the biggest film festivals in Korea (up there with Busan and Seoul etc) and so it was a fantastic opportunity and good to contribute to CULTURE in my way

. As always in Korea, everyone was immensely friendly and helpful and I met some great people, foreigners and locals alike, including some brilliantly funny high school students and also a couple of kids who were keen to expand their English by reading my stuff (it works on so many levels). There was one slightly mysterious woman though who turned up and set her stall up only to promptly disappear never to be seen again until the end of the day when she dismantled her stall and went home. Interesting.

here are some photos.

Above: the JIFF - it got considerably busier than this and was a great day.

Below: the night marlet including someone singing unexpectedly, it was atmospheric and cool. 

There turned out to be two markets and after the day market at the film fest we packed up and went to the night market. This was held in on of my favourite places in all of the world, the covered art market near the Hanok Village (another stunning place especially at night). Here there are loads of cool independant shops selling all sorts of arty stuff, and often seemingly ad hoc (but presumably organised) gigs as well as loads of little cafes and different bits and pieces. I love hanging out there and to have the chance to take part in the market was a privilege. 

The only problem was finding it however, as my girlfriend had abandoned me to buy make up or something and even though I know the Korean (cheongnyonmall odesseoyeo) of course people still didnt get what I was on about and it went a bit like this : 

Me: Cheongnyonmall odesseoyeo?
Korean person: Uh?
Me: Cheongnyonmall odesseoyeo? (accompanied by some pointless hand gesture) 
KP: Uh? Boya? 
Me: Cheongnyonmall odesseoyeo? (now more fed up with this oft played out chirade)
KP: (Eventually) Oh, CheongnYONmall! (Literally the same word - then they don't know obviously)

And so on. Everyone who has lived in Asia will relate to this, I can only guess its just as hard for people learning English! 

Happy student people, they told me I was handsome so I liked them. 

Above left: the person on the stall next to me, I think she may have been dead.

Left: Music. This guy could wail man.