The Korea Times has an article about two British expats in Seoul who have a very successful Youtube channel where they conduct short documentary like interviews of random Korean people:
His understanding of Korea and Korean culture is reflected in the roughly 150 videos uploaded to his YouTube channel. Teaming up with his business partner Joel Bennet, they explore Korea to shoot mukbang, have casual discussions about Korea-related topics and create short documentary-style videos. Those videos aim to show the real Korea, starring Bright’s neighbors and other ordinary people he meets. As of Thursday, “Dan and Joel” has some 272,000 subscribers.
You can read much more at the link, but I started browsing through their videos today. One of the videos I watched that was featured with the article was of them interviewing one of Korea’s ubiquitous cardboard collecting ladies. Definitely a tough life for the elderly people doing that job.
Enchanting Seoul view from Mt. Bukhan Climbers enjoy an autumn view of Seoul from the top of Mount Bukhan in northern Seoul on Sept. 13, 2020, in this photo provided by Park Chang-young, head of the Bukhansan safety volunteer service team. (Yonhap)
I wonder if this will be the new normal for Seoul? Not too long ago Seoul reported only 3 local virus cases:
A medical worker works at a makeshift clinic in Gwangju, 320 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea’s new virus cases stayed below 200 for the seventh consecutive day Wednesday, but health authorities are still on guard against sporadic cluster infections across the nation.
The country added 156 more COVID-19 cases, including 144 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,588, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
It marked an increase from 136 new cases Thursday, which also slightly rose from 119 cases added the previous day, the fewest in 24 days.
You can read more at the link, but if this is the new normal of community virus spread in the Seoul area, it will be interesting to see how long the government can keep people locked down.
Empty streets in Seoul The main downtown streets of Seoul are almost empty of people and cars on Sept. 6, 2020, as South Korea maintains tightened social distancing rules to stem the spread of COVID-19. (Yonhap)
Little activity at COVID-19 screening stationA COVID-19 screening station set up outside the Yongsan Ward community health center in Seoul sees little activity on Sept. 5, 2020, as the number of infected people in the capital city stayed under the 200 mark for the third straight day. (Yonhap)
Virtual learning for most students in the Seoul metro area will continue until at September 20th:
High school seniors go to school in Seoul on Aug. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
The Ministry of Education said on Friday that schools in Seoul and its surrounding cities will remain online-only until Sept. 20, in accordance with the government’s decision to extend stricter social distancing rules in the area.
The measure will apply to all kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools in the metropolitan area — Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. But high school seniors are not subject to the policy in order to prepare for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the yearly national university entrance exam slated for Dec. 3.
It will be interesting to see the effect this has on case numbers:
Seating is not permitted at a cafe in central Seoul on Aug. 30, 2020, the first day the government’s weeklong social distancing restrictions on restaurants, bakeries and cafes took effect. (Yonhap)
The city of Seoul on Sunday designated this week as a “week of standstill” for nearly 10 million citizens in its latest measure to fight the spread of the new coronavirus in the capital area.
During the “10 Million Citizen Standstill Week,” which runs from Sunday to next Sunday, citizens are advised to remain at home and stay away from social gatherings as much as possible, Seo Jeong-hyup, the city’s acting mayor, said in an online press briefing.
“This is a time of burden sharing. … Over the next week starting today, I ask you to thoroughly abide by quarantine requirements with a resolution to almost sacrifice your everyday routines,” the acting mayor said.
The spread of the coronavirus largely in the Seoul area continues to get worse:
Citizens wait to receive new coronavirus tests at a screening center in Wonju, 132 kilometers east of Seoul, on Aug. 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
South Korea’s health authorities warned Friday they will consider upping the level of social distancing to the highest level if nationwide outbreaks of the new coronavirus continue after the weekend.
The country’s virus fight has reached a critical phase as its daily new virus cases surpassed 300 for the first time since early March on Friday due largely to church-linked cluster infections in the wider capital area and other regions.
The country added 324 more COVID-19 cases, including 315 local infections, raising the total caseload to 16,670, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Friday’s tally marked the most since March 8 when the daily virus cases reached 367.
Disinfecting streets Officials disinfect streets around Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul’s northern ward of Seongbuk on Aug. 17, 2020, as the church reported more than 300 new coronavirus patients. (Yonhap)
