Korea, palace courtyards and a hillside temple
Gyeongbokgung, the streets of Insa-dong and Heungnyunsa in the 2016 archive.
My Korea album from 2016 brings together palace halls, Seoul shopfronts and a wooded temple hillside in Incheon. The buildings range from long rows of tiled roofs to a stone grotto, with the modern skyline appearing beyond the trees.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul
Geunjeongjeon’s throne stands beneath an elaborate canopy, framed by red columns and densely patterned beams. Behind it, a screen sets the sun and moon above five mountain peaks. The hall was used for major royal ceremonies and receptions for foreign envoys.
Outside, long palace buildings enclose broad sandy courtyards. Grey roof tiles sit above red panels and green shutters; another path follows a narrow stretch of lawn beside the buildings. These quieter views preserve the smaller spaces around the grand throne hall.
Insa-dong, Seoul
The street views include closely packed shop signs and the brightly coloured entrance for Alive Museum and Dynamic Maze. Pink balloons hang below a small tiled gateway, with playful figures above it.
Heungnyunsa Temple, Incheon
At Heungnyunsa, stone paths and white balustrades climb through clipped shrubs and pines. The temple buildings sit among the trees, their curved roofs rising above the planted terraces.
A stone grotto entrance sits beside a small cascade. Carved dragons border the doorway, and water falls over dark rocks into a bright blue basin. Another view from this group looks across open land towards a dense line of high-rise buildings, a very different setting from the enclosed palace courtyards.
