A Fearless Exhibition In A Vintage Studio Concrete

The sun was shining fearless above Seoul that day when I decided to visit Studio Concrete which located in Hannam-dong, a cultural complex. Yet, that did not lessen my curiosity to visit the studio. I know this place because its owner, Yoo Ah In, a popular Korean actor is one of my favorite actors. With various artists and a photographer, he remodeled an old house to a vintage, creative space for people to enjoy.

The Studio

It has three floors. There is an art gallery cafe on the first floor, and an artist workshop and a terrace on the second floor, and a rooftop, where you can relax and enjoy the view. A very nice bench welcomed me right when I entered the front yard. With a standing information that tells the visitor what is the signature menu of the cafe. Also, A small frame gives the visitor information about what is the current workshop.

The Goyo Latte

The first thing you meet when you enter the studio is the small counter where the barista works behind it, serving hot drinks (such as espresso), non-coffee beverages such as champagne, wine, gin, and beer. I tried Goyo Latte as the signature menu of the studio.

Goyo Latte is kind of green tea latte, but they make it a bit different style. I’m not trying to brag it because I love Yoo Ah In, but I have been trying green tea latte in many places, I know exactly where is the best one you can have. This Goyo Latte is slightly different than the others I have tried before. They don’t mix all together like most places used to do. It tasted soft latte, then a sweetness, then the green tea, comes the latte, and it mixed in my mouth. You can just mix it up after they hand it to you, or just drink it like that.

Take the Goyo Latte, and enjoy it on the second floor terrace or at the rooftop while enjoying the view of the city, just bear the sunshine.

The Fearless

I considered it was a perfect time to visit Studio Concrete since I came when the studio is open and held a very interesting exhibition called Fearless by Mok Jungwook.

Fearless, a solo exhibition by Mok Jung-Wook, follows the artist around the globe as he tells a story of nuanced dissonances he encountered over more than a decade of traveling through urban spaces.

Traces of Time and Signs, Engraved without Fear

Mok tells his stories through a keen ability to capture the vestiges of time within the most trivial and mundane of spaces. In his Car and Gas Station series of worlds, the artist draws attention to recollections surrounding a subject, and the subsequent emotions that it entails. Contained in his photographs are the subtle ebb and flow of sentiments towards the subject, shifting with the sun and the moon, crashing against the subdued vibes behind the urban splendor, brought forth by sensual tones and composition.

Like a third-person of the urban space, Jung-Wook Mok collects and records, floating through cities as if a castaway at the mercy of the waves. And through his incisive perspective, the mundane moments and spaces become extraordinary, precipitating a rich array of emotional responses. Those tribal spaces become imbued with personal memories and entertaining the vestiges of time, and the firm rectangular figures of the urbanscape amidst the perennial changes of nature, stand frank before our eyes, fearless.

Car Fig 62

Car Fig 32

Car Fig 80; Gas Station Fig 31; Car Fig 79

Car Fig 88 Automatic

Car Fig 91

Red Car by The River Fig 1

Red Car by The River Fig 3-9

Red Car by The River Fig 2 & Car Fig 57

Just when everything about to end

“Excuse me, can I take a photo of you? I mean I need someone to be my model for my blog post” I asked a girl who stood in front of the artwork.

“Yes, sure” She answered me politely. I never thought she would say that though, considered not all Korean people wanted to be in a photo of someone they don’t know.

“Can you speak English” I asked

“A little, “ she said

“I’m blogging about this place and I think it would be great if I have someone in my picture since I couldn’t take my own picture between those artworks” I was trying to explain just to make sure she wouldn’t change her mind, I have no idea if she understood what I just said,

“Is it okay to put your picture in my blog?”

“Yes, that’s okay” then she smiled

I took my camera quickly, and ready to take a picture when I noticed something was just not right,

“Oh wait, to make it better, let’s make it both of you in the picture” I said to the man who came with her, I have been so excited yet I have been afraid I would offend them,

“Is it okay like that?” I was trying to make sure again

“Yes, okay” then she and that man sat down together on a bench. It felt a bit awkward though, so I just told them to follow my style.

Friendship among the art

Kim So Yeon and Kim Woo Jin have been friend for a long time since they were in Junior High School. I used to watch this kind of friendship in Korean movie and always though it was only in the movie. That day I changed my mind.

I learned about being fearless, I learned about friendship. Both of them are part of our life. It’s a friendship that makes us fearless. Having someone beside us is the thing that brings us courage to live in this world, fearless!

Noted


Address

162 Hannam-daero, Yongsan-GU, Seoul, South Korea; 



Opening hours


Mon-Wed 10:30 - 20:00


Thu-Sat 10:30 - 00:00


Closed on Sun and National holidays;



By Bus


Blue bus 110B, 400, 405


Yellow bus 03


Airport bus 6030 (capital hotel)


>Take off at “Hangangjin Station, blue square; 



Metro


Line 6 Hangingjin Station exit 2, then go straight and take the pedestrian overpass and walk until you reach a Harley Davidson building. Follow the path next to the glass walls and you’ll reach Studio Concrete;


No parking so public transportation is highly recommended.