Avengers: Age of Ultron Filming Begins in Downtown Seoul

Gangnam District in Seoul, Korea that is now known globally after Psy's viral hit song "Gangnam Style" will become the center stage of a battle scene in upcoming Hollywood film, Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The shooting has officially begun today on Mapo bridge causing pretty severe disruption to the traffic in the area since the bridge is one of the viral pathway to cross the Han river that passes through the middle of the capital city.

South of the river is where Gangnam (traslates to south of river) district is located as the name indicates, and the north side is where the traditional downtown area resides.

According to the country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Earth’s mightiest heroes will be fighting an evil robot named Ultron (James Spader) “Gangnam Style,” as Whedon will be filming in the Gangnam District of Seoul after shooting on two massive bridges, Mapo Bridge and Cheongdam Bridge.

The film's director made a public announcement in a apologetic tone for causing "inconvenience".  He also added that he is "really grateful and excited to be shooting in South Korea".

“We love this movie, we love your city, and having the two of them together will show the city to the world in a light that I don’t think it’s been shown, certainly not in America."

The filming for Avengers: Age of Ultron will last from March 30 through April 14 and will be possible joined by the main main cast, Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo.  Scarlett Johansson was confirmed to be absent for the Seoul shooting regrettably.

The shooting the most prestigious district in South Korea is planned for upcoming weekend, April 6th, 2014.  I don't know how the heck they will be able to seal off the area, but it will somehow be done.  The director surely don't want any photos or videos to be leaked online.  Walt Disney Company Korea who has the distribution rights has sent out strong message with a threat of legal actions for such instances.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which reunites Marvel’s most bankable star, Robert Downey Jr. with the rest of his profitable posse, hits theaters on May 1 in 2015

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Monday, March 31, 2014  No comment

Korean Tourism Police Unit in Style, Uniformed by Psy's Designer

If you are visiting Seoul, South Korea, you may encounter something you have never seen in any other city in the world.  The country's capital city has launched a special police unit named, "Tourist Police".

No, they are not there to arrest naughty tourists committing a crime, instead, their sole mission is to assist tourists with pretty much anything they need - directions, shopping and even take unregistered tour guides off the streets.

The Korea Tourism Organization didn't want to mislead the travelers, "The tourist police wasn't created because this country is unsafe".  They are instead "ambassadors who promote how safe the country is"

It has been a little over 100 days since the unit composed of 101 men and women took on their tasks, and they have already handled over 9,000 reported cases.  Among the tasks the officers undertook, helping with the directions was by far the most frequently occurred event.

That again is a strong indication of how safe the city is.  About 10% of task, or 96 to be exact, was some sort of complaints but not relating to any serious crimes at all.  For instance there was a total of 7 cases of lost or stolen property.

Don't hesitate to ask these men and ladies of the special unit if you need assistance.  They may even help you with taking a family photo.

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Tuesday, February 04, 2014  No comment