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Published: February 22nd 2012
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Ulsan – not to be confused with the very familiar sounding Osan near Seoul - is about five hours from Chuncheon. It neighbours popular metropolitan city Busan to the south and the Sea of Japan to the East. It’s marketed as the ‘industrial city’ of Korea - and when you look at its landscape, you can see why. The industrial district is huge and includes the world’s largest vehicle assembly plant and the world’s largest shipyard – both operated by Hyundai, a brand many westerners I’m sure are familiar with.
So why did my good friend Jason and I venture to such a place for the weekend? Well I can assure you it wasn’t for the industrial aspect, ironically the opposite of cold, hard, work - the world famous Ulsan World Music Festival.
Purely because it sounded drop dead awesome (as read on the internet) and because I found out a popular New Zealand musician by the name of Ladi6 would be performing there. And let me tell you, that had me frothing at the mouth as her style of music is drum n’ bass, kiwi beats style, and this is a genre of music I
A, adore and B, miss hearing as frequently as I did back home.
We arrived about midday on Saturday and made our way to the festival. We found a store at the festival that sold Mokoli (our favourite) for around $1NZ dollar per bottle, and bought a few straight away to get the party started.
The performers were brilliant - an amazing woman from Nigeria, a cool Swedish band....and then the mighty Ladi6. There was about six kiwis in total in the audience and we were all up the front singing and dancing along which was oh so much fun...I was going crazy and swashing around, while my friend stood semi still looking around at the whole affair!
After Ladi6 finished, her band and herself left the stage and headed to the VIP area, aka their dressing rooms. To which, in a sudden moment of fury, I realised I couldn't let this be the end of it, and Jason and I grabbed each other and ducked under the security ropes in the hopes of getting one last glance of her! I should note here it was Jason
firm hand and ‘don’t give up’ resolution that kept me going. Jason – thank you for this.
Low and behold the security guy sees us, starts YELLING in Korean, as we drove past a few more security guards and smashed on through until we get to the building. Next thing you know we were accosted by this Korean woman who simply asked us (And obviously not noticing that we were dripping in sweat from RUNNING our little hearts out) “who WE were”, and what exactly were doing!
To which, for some bizarre reason – perhaps in a fit of panic, we choke out “ahh....Ladi6 of course, we are good friends of hers”. Can I please note here that I have never in my life met the poor woman, and to call her a good friend was plainly ridiculous.
BUT it worked...
“Follow me,” says the Korean woman. Now this gave us an overwhelming feeling of happiness at the time, BUT we soon realised what was about to happen (case and point – we would be put in a room with Ladi6 and her entourage, and not KNOW any of them and one
word – awkward!) So we yell out "ohhhh....ahhh....umm....actually....we are....um.....we are not that closer friends...actually" but TOO LATE! Cue the laugher as the lady had already ever so casually opened the door to Ladi6’s dressing room, called us inside and left rather abruptly. So there we were – Fran and Jason not a way out in sight, and Ladi6 in front of us!
But SUCCESS! We barge on in there....I’m nervous – which makes me want to talk. A LOT. And I start screaming about the first time I was introduced to Ladi6 (which was by my crazy father listening to her long before I grasped what drum n bass was) quite possibly on a red wine loving Friday night – thank you ‘cool’ dad and she responds- much to our delight. "That's nice....thanks " well Ladi6 that's my father for you. We ended up getting a few photos; I pretended I knew everything there was too know about her. We reminisced about Coroglen, and shot the shit about performing at the viaduct in the New Year! Don’t get me wrong I know a bit about this lady – and have seen her perform for years. But there
was still a lot to know – and I was in no position to know it.
So I can now safely say – though shear willpower and determination that Ladi6 and I are indeed acquaintances – I would say friends, but then I would have to know a lot more about her then I do, although I will say this – she is a sweet lady who was happy to accommodate my friend and I in the in the depths of Korea. And for that I will eternally grateful. Chur! to Ladi6 and her crew.
We left the festival sometime after the new friendship had been made and stumbled across another absolute joy of Korea – DVD rooms or ‘DVD bongs’ as they are called. These are quite simply a place where you come, rent a DVD and hire a room to watch the movie in for a couple of hours. It can’t be denied; these are yet another place that many Koreans and Waygooks alike come to get freaky with their significant other (or just an ‘other’ to be fair). And when you see how it works, you can’t really blame them. You
rent a DVD, they give you a key, you go into a room – a darkened room may I add – that features a big couch (that ahem...can be turned into a bed) and the movie starts. You can chose to watch it (which I am happy to confirm I did this night, and have done most other nights in DVD rooms. But it can’t be denied, these can double as lovers own private rooms if you want them too, and if you chose a long movie you’ve got at least two and a half hours on your hands!
Sunday, we ventured back to Ulsan Music Festival, and had to laugh at the sight before us. You can just imagine, rubbish on the ground, delicious food stalls all closed up. The place looked a shadow of its former self. We chatted to some locals in Ulsan then (and I would suggest this to anyone coming to Ulsan) ventured slightly out of the city to take a big walk along the river. This is a big track, just before the industrial area, and a popular place for walkers and bikers. Jason and I bought some drinks, and walked
and talked along the river. It’s a great place to sit and think – or look over the map of Ulsan you are bound to have picked up from the bus terminal.
So that was Ulsan – it really was a trip of epic proportions. And I forgot to mention – another great feature of Ulsan is the huge Ferris wheel – like a mini version of the London eye that allows you to see all over Ulsan. It cost hardly anything, and you can see a great view of Ulsan from the city centre to the industrial areas on the horizon.
"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known"
Winnie The Pooh
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