Urban Explorations: Samsan-dong

Exodium Towers

Samsan-dong is the so-called "new downtown" of booming Ulsan. As home to the world's largest automobile assembly plant (Hyundai), the world's largest oil refinery (SK Energy), and the world's largest shipyard, Ulsan's economy is solidly grounded in a number of important and lucrative industries. Because of these successful industries, the citizens of Ulsan are awash in cash. At almost $64,000 GDP per capita, its easily the wealthiest city in Korea. With such a successful economy, the people of Ulsan need a place to spend their excess income. That place is Samsan-dong.

I had a brief introduction to the glitz and glamor of Samsan on my first Sunday in the city. A co-worker took me on a whirlwind tour of all the major landmarks. Today I set out to do a bit more in-depth urban exploration. So on a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon, I hopped onto the ever-present 307 bus for the almost thirty minute trip to the commercial heart of Ulsan.

Because I'm still relatively unfamiliar with the area (and because I hate missing my stop), I got off the crowded bus a little before reaching my destination. I could see the Exodium Towers looming in the distance so I decided to do a little back alley wandering. Ducking off of the main drag of Samsan-ro and drawn towards the crisp clanging of golf clubs coming from an urban driving range, I happened across this peculiar scene:

(Two large apartment buildings branded with the Samsung and SK logos.)

Are these apartment buildings built and operated by these two massive corporations? Are they dwellings exclusively made for the company's employees? Are these buildings just used as a blank canvas for advertising? Just for some perspective, imagine how weird it would be for a high rise apartment building in the states to be branded with a Microsoft or Exxon logo. In a country where family is so important (and so many people are closely united by blood relations with their neighbor), what role does the massive conglomerate corporation play in the public psyche and in people's every day reality as an artificial banner with which one identifies oneself? Interesting questions that I can't answer at the moment.

After a nearly ten block walk with the city constantly unfolding in front of me, I reached my destination.

(Hyundai Department Store)

The Hyundai Department Store marks the start of a thickly stratified, highly congested area of stores, restaurants, bars, dvd bangs, and more. As I was walking up, there was a group of four K-Pop dancing girls out front of the department store promoting a new Hyundai vehicle. Their performance ended just before I got close enough for a decent picture but this is the sort of thing I imagined randomly encountering during my time here in Korea: pulsating, optimistic, somewhat alien events.

Around the backside of Hyundai department store was a large, mostly pedestrian area (although as I've mentioned before, cars in Korea tend to snake through even the tightest of streets, sidewalks, even). There I found some amusing simulacrum of Western culture...

(Guessing this is a steakhouse. Just guessing.)

(Its never even "Miller Time" back in the States.)

These kinds of curious reinterpretations/attempts at recreation of Western culture can be found here and there around Ulsan. There's a "NY bar" near my apartment in Mugeo-dong called "Kuntakinte". There is a bar near where I work mixing vintage 50's found objects, American Indian decor, and two Blues Brother statues greeting you at the entrance. I don't think the owners of these places give the details much thought but then again, neither do the customers. Koreans seem mostly ambivalent about American kitsch and I can't blame them.

(The utterly massive Lotte Department Store.)

I spent much of my afternoon floating around the massive compound of capitalism that is Lotte Department Store. The main building is seven floors, mostly divided conveniently between clothing for the ladies and for the gentleman. There is Gucci, Burberry, Lacoste and every other expensive designer brand you can imagine. The first two floors are for the ladies with make-up, shoes, handbags, etc. The Korean fashion game is amazingly cutthroat and played at a really high level. My guess is this is where Korean women go to truly get their game on. There is a whole floor dedicated to the outdoor/sports brands that Koreans love so much: North Face, Nike, New Balance, K2, and tons of others. Puffy/bubble jackets and fleeces seem to be the hot item right now. Another floor is dedicated to casual/career men's fashion, suits, dress shirts, and the like. Wandering around this floor, I set off a wave of bows and hellos from the employees, each of whom were minding their little branded section of clothing. Once one bowed, I think all the rest felt obliged. It was truly amazing (and a little unsettling) bowing and saying hello to like ten people in a row.

Most of my wanderings had to do with my desire to find the Uniqlo store. Almost defeated after not finding it in seven stories of department store, I settled down in the large square separating the main department store building and another three story wing housing the Lotte cinema, Zara, Levi's, etc., and there I saw it. There is only one Uniqlo store in the States so, as it is a combination of being 2/3 Gap and 1/3 American Apparel, I wanted to check it out. They had some nice things (olive wool cardigan, sweet plaid) but I will have to wait until my first payday to go back.

After a long time of dodging, weaving, and melting my way through a voracious Sunday shopping crowd, I decided to head back to Mugeo-dong. But not before eating something delicious. After walking past what was surely a member of the Ulsan Mobus basketball team (1. How many 6'10" black dudes are there in Ulsan? and 2. I just saw him on television), I found a Vietnamese restaurant. Actually, I could smell the cilantro about a block away. Cilantro is far from a common smell here, sadly. I had some spicy seafood pho and left with a sweaty forehead and pleasantly warm ears.