박근혜 퇴진 and Seoulmate: Old memories in Seoul - Jeong-dong tour

This is going to be one of those days I will never forget.

I went into Seoul today for another tour with the Seoulmates -a group of friendly university students who run free tours for visitors.

I noticed on the way in that there was a lot of people. When I transfered at Seoul Station I didn't get on the first train I saw because it was packed in a way I hadn't seen before here. When I did get on, it was a tight fit.

I arrived slighly early and as I moved towards the exit I quickly discovered how many people were actually here. I was in a river of people. The bathroom was packed. The stores were packed. When I finally surfaced, I found this.

This is not for Pepero Day.

At first I couldn't tell if it was a festival-parade thing or a protest. If you haven't heard what's going on with Korea's president, Park Geun Hye, let me fill you in:

First off, you should know that the current president is the daughter of a former Korean president. He came to power by coup, survived many assassination attempts while manipulating policy to stay in power for 18 years -when he was finally assassinated. 

It's now coming out that during this mourning period a vulnerable Park Geun Hye was distraught and a close confidant, Choi Soon-il, began to groom her for future manipulation. Choi Soon-il is the puppet master who essentially indoctrinated Park Geun Hye to be used for her own benefit. She used a sort of shamanism to convince the president to do such unethical things as channel funding to non-profits that actually are jsut Choi Soon-il's pocket. Now, there's a web of corruption surrounding Park Geun Hye and Choi Soon-il is known to be at the helm.

The president was elected with a slight majority but now has an approval rating of less than 5% after making several apologies, reshuffling her cabinet, and restricting some of her own policies. Whether she is evil or just dumb is not the point, the people of South Korea no longer see her as a legitimate leader and without the mandate of the people she must step down.

Once these allegations came into the spot light, there was a small uncoordinated uprising. Next week a formal protest. Today it's estimated that 1 million people came from all over Korea to put pressure on her to step down. 

This is could be history in the making. I have never seen anything like this, so I can't make accurate comparisions, but I do want to paint a vivid picture.

This protest was so coordinated that I did intially believe it could be a festival, until I recognised Park Geun Hye's name on everything. There were screens, signs, stages, and concerts everywhere. The volume of people was incredible. At every protest I have attended there is a pretty visible divide between those involved and those spectating. Here there was no protestors, everyone was involved. There were all kinds of people here. Of course there were university students, and unions. But there were office workers, farmers from the rural areas, children, elderly people, men and women, religious groups, queer groups, middle school students, everyone. Even me, but we'll get to that.

The Seoulmates arrived along with our other tour participant and we began our walk around the area famous for, huh what a coincidence, being a site for historical moments!

The stone road is a favourite spot for couples, but with a bit of a mixed message. It ends in at courthouse, so you don't really want to walk to the end of the road because that courthouse implies divorce.

We went up this observatory, just look at the difference between the palace, with a 1,000 won entry fee, and the city square, with the first protestors peacefully sitting.

Now we did of course go into the palace area and the amazing thing is how many of the people in there were also at the rally. Since so many people came from outside Seoul, they might aswell check out the sites, too!

Visited a historic school set up by an American Missionary which ended up teaching many of the people who were involved in overthrowing colonial Japanese rule and establishing an independant Korea.

We visited the church founded by the same missionary where early meeting were held in the organ room to discuss independence. The church was handing out free food and tea to all the protestors, so naturally we joined the queue.

We visited the only part of the former Russia legation that still stands. The building housed the king after the queen was murdered by Japanese assassins in the palace.

We took a tour of a stone building that was used for diplomatic purposes between the emperor and foreign governments. Interesting, because, while he was an emperor he was infatuated with Western ideas. The building is a complete systemitrical, built in a classical style and furnished with articals from Britain. He even loved coffee, and the dining hall only served Western meals. There's some globalisation for you.

It was too difficult to get to the restaurant we had planned on going to since the the protest route consumed most of the surrounding roads. So we took a chance on a restaruant opposit the road and it was pretty good -I had some coconut curry.

When we exited it was easier to travel with those marching down the street. I suddenly recognised the where I was. I had been in this area before spotting embassies and I thought I had found the Canadian one when it turned out to be the Four Seasons Hotel. Right in front of me was that Four Season Hotel with the misleading Canada flag out the front. Immediately I had my bearings.

So when the tour officially concluded I asked the Seoulmates if I could tag along with them to the main rally site. I had my sense of direction, and a phone with data, and I wouldn't be a bother. They agreed, and the other tour participant joined too.

The emotions were real. Music, candles, everyone surging to the streets with a sense of duty. It wasn't a feeling of anger, in fact the people of South Korea should be very proud at the level of enthusiasm they greet politics with. Everyone cared.

After an intense week with the US election I was starting to feel as though people just don't care anymore. Not here. Everyone cares.

My Korean lesson for the night:

박근혜 퇴진

Pak geun hye twa jin

Park Geun Hye Resign

What a stirring feeling. The magnitude of it all. The singing and the chanting. The streets filled with people with signs and candles, just waiting for change.

Again, this was not necessarily a feeling of anger. Since they no longer believe she is fit to lead, it is attacking democracy for her to stay in power. Here's hoping she does the right thing and steps down.

I'll leave you with a little compilation of videos I took today.