We often claim that our culture has been putting Korea on the map BUT in this next report we hear from an artist who’s literally doing just that : placing Korea on a map.
Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin reports.
You know Gwanghwamun Gate, but you’ve never seen it quite like this.
This is how UK-based map artist Jenni Sparks reimagined one of Seoul’s most iconic landmarks.
For over a decade, her hand-drawn maps have covered major cities across the West, such as London, New York, Paris, and Berlin.
Now, she’s turning her creative compass toward Asia, starting with Seoul.
“The traditional architecture is extremely different from all the cities that I’ve done before. I think, also like the actual geography of the place, it’s got like it’s very like mountainous, including actually in like the middle of the city.”
This idea sparked when Seol Jae-woo, who runs a local tour business in Seoul, reached out to Sparks a few years ago.
“Maps are usually seen as just information, useful in the moment but often forgotten after. Jenni Sparks’ map, however, felt like a work of art.
So I thought, what if we could create a map people would treasure, one that tells a story of the place they live?”
That question led to Sparks creating a map of Seoul’s Seochon neighborhood before setting her sights on the entire city.
It’s halfway done, but already, you can see what makes her maps so unique.
It’s not just the pop art-style design or the bold use of color but the sheer level of detail, including hidden gems like Tongin Market in Jongno-gu District.
That insight comes from her rigorous research, her first and most important step, through books and videos.
She then sketches out the bones of the city, rivers, mountains, parks, and metro lines before layering in Seoul’s soul.
“I will usually ask people from that city and say, ‘Is this right?’ or ‘Take a look at this.’
Is there anything you’re like, ‘This is absolutely wrong, like no, what you’ve forgotten this building is this is a really famous cafe, this is a really famous restaurant.’ And then right at the end, it’s just kind of just drawing like lots of residential buildings.”
It’s a challenging process that takes months, but the map, in the end, becomes something more than directions.
It becomes a story, one you can hold in your hands and revisit.
Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.
Source : Arirang TV, https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=282442
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