.. a Movie Korea ?

Obscure's Far-East Agent .. dials in with some action !

27 Jun 2003

It looked just like a movie set!

Right now i'm in the middle of Countryside Korea.

We drove here yesterday, out of the smoggy concrete jungle, through the trees, the further away from Seoul, the more beautiful it got. Smiled when i finally saw blue sky and clouds. We were definately away from the pollution now.

Stayed the night in a cheap dodgy "love motel", awoke at 5.30am to get ready. 6.30am we jumped in a car, a kiwi, a jamaican, a canadian, an american, and a korean. We drove out 15 minutes to this amazing rural village, stone walls, traditional houses.

Pulled up, got our kits, and walked over to the most amazing house i have ever seen in korea. It looked just like a movie set! Which was great, because that's what we were using it for.

Formally introduced to the Film Director, spoke what little korean i knew, shook his hand, then sat back and waited, watching the crew bring in and set up the gear.

Met with the person that spoke the most English, got given my lines to say, some of them in Korean, sat there practising over and over my lines, checking my pronounciation with unsuspecting locals. Didn't want to look too much like a stupid foreigner in front of tens of thousands.

...and then came the rain. Monsoon season is upon us.

The crew ran around like wildfire, donning raincoats, laying down plastic, covering everything they could lay eyes on with water resistant materials.
I sat there, thinking of all those dance parties where it had rained, and we'd been a part of. Wanting to pitch in and help, but i would be of no use to the crew as a "wet and soggy" player.

So i sat there doing the only thing i could, watching the crew, and being the giver and reciever of smiles and laughter, taking all in with my eyes, capturing some with my "electric eye". Amazing how relaxed and accepting they are with both me and my camera.

After cups of coffee, sharing jokes, and watching the rain teem down with no sign of stopping, we were finally told by the production manager that it was time to go. No filming today. 9am, we drove back.

And here I am at the "love motel" waiting for the rain to stop.

Ah well, there's allways tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.....

...life in the movies.

d.