South Korea

It had been several years since I'd spent 13 months in Korea as a Fulbright Scholar. I hadn't had the opportunity, or, frankly, much interest in returning, but an opportunity to do several months of consulting materialized. Memories of kimchi chigae, Dance Dance Revolution, and debauchery in Itaewon prompted me to actually look forward to my return to "The Land of the Morning Calm," a moniker that often seems a misnomer, particularly during rush hour in the world's most densely populated country. Korea has changed a lot since I last lived there, though some things have not changed at all, which is somehow comforting even though many aspects of life on the peninsula constitute major frustrations for foreigners in this exceedingly homogenous country. A particular frustration is that life is so rapidly changing that coming to an understanding about anything is nearby impossible, because by the time the aha moment arrives, chances are that things have already changed. At the same time, traditions that have been sustained for thousands of years can still be glimpsed among the neon signs and skyscrapers. These photos were taken during my three-month return to Korea in Winter 2007.