The Transformation of Seoul's Subway Tickets

Seoul has its first subway line back in 1974. Wow...it's as old as I am.^^ The other day I bumped into a very interesting ad (well, it's more like a public-service ad) issued by the authority of Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transportation itself. It tells about the transformation of tickets from its initial groundbreaking jubilee in 1974 up to the present. 

What intrigued me is the fact that the one made in 1974 is so captivating in that it has a colorful rendition of what it all started and looked like. 

I really wish I had one of these as collections.

Then in 1981 and 1886 it somewhat became simpler with less colorful touches.

But then...in 2004 up until 2009 with the coming of 'digital' age...^^ well, sort of...and I vividly remembered it since that's the time when I (once again) stepped into the doorstep of Seoul: back then..the Seoul tickets were printed on a T-Money kind of thing and also on mobiles.  Oh, wait..I also remembered the one made in 1999 since the first time I came to Seoul was back in 1998. So..it sort of a recollection of memories clamped into one ad.

That's what prompted me to 'take the picture' of this valuable ad.

Now...the interesting thing is the notion of what it'll be like in the future....

Maybe we can use our body or part of our body since we have each of us a chip ingrained or inserted into our nervous system.

Sounds so visionary but scary...at the same time.

If you buy something at the traditional market........then...

THEN...you do not only buy things but you also get 'love' 'affection'  or 정 (Jeong) like what Korean people address it.

I also bumped into another interesting public announcement. I love it.

The picture depicts an ajumma or a woman who sells (vegetables?) at the traditional market.

The ad says" 전통시장은 정을 팝니다" Traditional Market Sells 'Love+Affectin" *

* 정 is one of the difficult word to translate into other language. 

But...the point is that...more and more people in Korea tend to shop at hypermarket or any convenient stores or malls or department stores that penetrates almost every corner of Korea's public space. 

E-Mart, Lotte Mart, Shinsagae, Home Plus and many other medium-sized markets have  somewhat replaced the existence of traditional markets. 

And..that fact alone has triggered a massive concern as to whether traditional markets would be able to stand against the time and the pressure of something called 'modernity'

So, despite the fact that Korean Government has imposed the rule stating that major big  department stores to 'CLOSE' their stores twice a month on (for instance) the 2nd and 4th Sunday....

Still...a lot of people are flocking the modern market....instead of the traditional ones.

Well, preferences are hard to condone.

THAT is the reason why...This Kind OF Public advertisement is deemed necessary in subways and any other public venues.

The problem is:

DO PEOPLE really READ this?

I do hope they Do.

They read and then they think..and hopefully it will lead to action.

Mommy, isn't that too soon for me???

I bumped into a very interesting public advertisement on my home. It was posted on many subway platforms for a lot of people to see.

It says "엄마! 이건 너무 빨라요' Mom, isn't it too soon and early for me?"

Well, it satirizes the preoccupation of Korean society's (can I call it excessive?) preoccupation with 'private' education. hmm..can I use the word 'private'here?  

Anyway..what I mean is that...

English for instance..has now been one of the seemingly ULTRA important subject that even small children or toddlers need to brush it up.

then...a lot of kids must undergo a lot of extra classes in music and any other extra training that (may look) good and important..

but...

all of these ....overlook the fact that some kids or children are just kids who just want to play until they reach a certain age...

(Not to mention...the relatively expensive cost that the parents have to burden....)

so...this advertisement or public 'advertisement' attempts to instill or give a 'wake-up' call for Seoulites and Koreans who might see or read this!!!!!!!!

IF they ever want to stop and read this kind of advertisement.

I do hope they do.

쥐잡기에서 녹색성장까지...'공익광고의 진화'

This time, too, I am writing my post in Korean as a medium for me to learn and practice writing of the stuffs I learned in my class. Today, it's about the change or shift in TV ads from time to time in Korea. It all shows how the social changes in Korea occurred over the past 40 years or so. ( I got the material from my listening class).
그 옛날, '쥐를 잡자'던 추억의 공익 광고가 있었지요. 30년 세월이 흐른 지금 공익 광고만 봐도 달라진 세상을 실감하게 됩니다.
<만화 케릭터 '코주부'가 등장하는 70년대 '쥐를 잡자' 캠페인! 쌀 한 톨도 아끼려던 당시 생활상을 보여줍니다.>
귀에 익은 '새마을 운동' 노래에는 경제 자립의 강한 열망이 담겨 있습니다.
80년대는 절약과 저축의 미덕을 강조합니다.
"그래, 저축은 꾸준히 해야 하는 거야!"
복주머니를 버리는 토끼와 주워 주는 거북이가 등장합니다.
"부정 부패 추방, 남만 탓하고 있을 수 없습니다."
90년엔 도덕성을 강조하며 깨끗한 사회 만들기에 역점을 둡니다.
"꿈 꿔라 청춘아, 힘내라 청춘아"
경쟁의 짓놀린 젊은이들을 격려하는 2천 년대의 공익광고는 기존의 훈계식 구호를 벗어던졌습니다.
천6백여 편의 작품이 도전한 올해 '대한민국 공익광고제' 공모전은 '저탄소 녹색성장'이 주제입니다.
<"환경우염을 줄여나가고 온실가스를 줄여나가는 데 초점을 맞준 작품들이 주류를 이루었다고 보시면 될 것 같습니다.">
빠르게 진화하는 공익광고, 시대상의 변화를 생생이 보여줍니다.
(http://news.kbs.co.kr/culture/2010/11/03/2187513.html#//)