25.2cm. 70 year record broken.

Well, had quite an eventful few days. In fact I have been apart of Korean history. On Monday it snowed 25.2cm, which is the deepest snowfall in 70 years. I woke up to, what I thought was a large amount, and a large percentage of this 25.2cm, but then it snowed for the entire day, and just spiraled out of control. I have never seen such cumbersome snowflakes. It’s like you could actually feel them hitting the ground. Luckily there wasn’t any wind, if so, I think I would have cried. I left the house with damp hair, and this soon froze in the outside conditions. The usual hustle and bustle of a Monday morning rush had been replaced with a delicate silence as the crunching of snow bellowed from underneath the wheels of cars. People shuffled and murmured their way to work, probably feeling a little romantic, and nostalgia for winter festivities just passed, in comparison to their usual commute.

As I sat in my class, the snow fell in true fairytale style. A small break every now and then, gave opportunity for thought, but the snow pretty much consistently worked its way down through my peripheral vision. My class is on the 10th floor, so it was even more dramatic, as we floated within the storm. As our class finished we made our way outside to the snow caressed streets. Men and women of all ages had been, and still were, busy at work, clearing pathways for pedestrians. Huge banks of snow created tunnels that worked their way along the pavements. Women still maintained their elegance, strutting carefully in their heels, and men shuffled along aggressively in their suits and ties. Life carried on.

I took the opportunity to document the event by taking a few pictures. Just outside my apartment sat a procession of motorbikes that had sensibly been left aside for decoration. Now, was certainly not the time to be working your way, from A to B, on a motorbike. This gave me a creative opening.

The day passed, without anymore snow fall. Tuesday arrives, and the snow remains. Temperatures remain low, very low. The snow is slowly solidifying and becoming slushy on impact and icey on the edges. Conditions are worsening. Cars seem more confident, but are more vulnerable than ever. The confidence in the suited men and the elegance of the heeled women has been replaced with a general cautiousness, as every step is carefully chosen and delicately executed. The sign of things to come I feel, as the winter of Korea is very much in a full empathic swing.