‘Breaking Bad’, season 4, episode 6, fans like me would remember the ultra riveting dialogue –
I’m not in danger, Skyler. I’m the danger.
I still get goose bumps.
Well, rewind to 1982, Ridley Scott released ‘Blade Runner‘, a Sci-Fi flick featuring Harrsion Ford. The movie’s box office performance was so-so (IMDB 8.2), perhaps maybe because it was ahead of its time. But then, the movie was filled with nuggets. And the OG dialogue, similar to the one in ‘Breaking Bad’ was buried some where in the movie.
I’m not in the Business, I’m the Business.
You can watch that scene here –
I watched the 1982 Blade Runner somewhere in mid 2000’s, on one of those jobless, vodka fueled, binge movie nights. The movie remains blurr in my memory. Well, obviously.
Anyway, in 2017 the second edition of Blade Runner was released – Blade Runner 2049, featuring Harrison Ford, Rayn Gosling, and Ana De Armas. I watched Blade Runner 2049 for all its Sci-fi ness, the replicants, the seamless human machine interactions, the dystopian …..errrr…nooo!! I watched it just for Ana De Armas 🫣.
She looks stunning in the movie and that was my only motivation to sit through this otherwise boring, slow paced sci-fi flick.
But there was one thing about both the Blade Runner movies that stood out – the visuals. It inspired a bunch of cinematographers and photographers worldwide. There was a cult following for the movie’s visuals, me included. The movie popularized the concept of split toning, playing with the hues, saturation, contrast, and tone curve adjustments to bring out a distinctive look, often associated with the neo cyber punk vibe. Technically, these are ultra cool images. By cool, I’m referring to the image’s temperature, measured in ‘kelvins’. These images tend to be sub 3000 kelvins.
But yeah, these images also look cool, in the regular sense. Well, that’s the whole point of photography, isn’t it 🤷🏽.
There are a few photographers who nail the cyber punk editing style, and they all somehow happen to cluster around Korea and Japan.
Understandably so since Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Busan still have handful of gullies that are neon lit, a key element in extracting that ‘Blade Runner esque‘, look. In fact, neon soaked allies on a rainy day makes a perfect setting to create the stunning cyber punk images. So I guess photographers around that part of the world get ample opportunities to experiment and perfect their craft.
Earlier this year, we did a family trip to South Korea. While we packed the itinerary with all the typical South Korean, ‘things to do and places to visit’, I also squeezed out some time to experiment with the ‘Neon Street Photography’, a genre that is not so common here in India. A few months prior to my visit, I started learning about neon street photography and the elements needed to create these cyber punk images. The learning curve was not as intimidating as I thought it would be, at least theoretically, thanks to YouTube.
But there was one tricky bit that I needed help with. I wanted someone, preferably a photographer to accompany me to these neon lit, grungy gullies. I needed this help for two reasons –
- I dint want to waste time figuring out the locations, given that my time in South Korea was short.
- Let me admit, I dint have the courage to get lost in these remote allies, looking like a stupid tourist with a camera, trying to figure my way out, especially in a country where Google Maps and English does not work.
So I tried taking help by reaching out to photographers in Seoul. A few were kind enough to oblige, but the dates dint workout. Eventually I stumbled upon Steve Roe on Instagram, a British photographer, settled in Seoul. Needless to say, Steve specializes in neon street photography! I touched base with him, exchanged few messages, and soon I had a photography date in Seoul. I had seen Steve’s work and obsessed over his creative photography and editing style.
Anyway, fast forward to the date night – my wife and daughters decided to have a girls night out at Myeong-dong and gave me my time to experiment with my photography.
Steve suggested I meet him at the Euljiro 3-ga station, in the heart of Seoul. We met on time, and while we exchanged pleasantries, I quickly scanned the area around, hoping to be dazzled with all the neon signage. But there weren’t any. Steve, was quick to clarify that the Euljiro I was looking for was off the main road, a few blocks inside.
In my mind, this was like getting off near Empire hotel in Shivajinagar, Bangalore, and cutting inside the heart of Shivajinagar. You get the point, especially if you are from Bangalore 😉.
As we made our way, I saw a completely different world. Euljior is dotted with 100s of bars, clubs, speakeasy joints, restaurants, hole in the wall cafes, gambling den, heck even tiny ice cream parlors, all packed and sandwiched in a tight spaces. Super vibrant, young, charming, and intriguing at the same time. And of course, there was a lot of neon!
And, I was quickly in my elements, trying to photograph whatever I could see, while Steve was giving me a crash course tour of Euljiro. Every alley we visited was interesting in its own way, but the entire area has a industrial undertone. The fact that Euljiro was a former printing press hub of Seoul explains the industrial undertone.
I so wish there was a bit of rain that day to add that texture to the images I was trying to create. But there wasn’t any, unfortunately.
While I was feeling bad about missing out on the opportunity of not photographing Euljiro on a rainy night, Steve casually described how Euljiro transforms on a cold snowy night. Layers of snow contrasting the bright neons.
Sigh! The things in life you ought to try and experience somehow never ceases to end.
Anyway, South Koreans, as you may know are also super conscious about how they look, what they wear, and how they appear in public. South Korea surprised me in many ways, amongst the many surprises it threw my way, spotting a cosmetic vending machine at a subway, dispensing lip gloss and foundation was one.
I said S-u-b-w-a-y, as in the city’s underground train transport. Yes, a cosmetic vending machine at the subway. I mean I understand the need for a coffee, snack, or water vending machine, but lip gloss 🤯 ??
That should give you a perspective of how particular the locals are about their style quotient.
From outfits, soon to become global trends, to hipster wear, you find them all in South Korea.
After strolling through Euljiro for a while, we finally decided to call it a night. It was one of those different life experiences for me, and I remain thankful!
If you like these images, I’d suggest you also checkout Noealz’s work on Instagram, his work is epic.
And I know, my images kind of pale in comparison to Steve’s or Noealz, but hey, that just gives me another opportunity to go back Seoul!
Until next time!
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