South Korea - Protests, Riots and a Lantern Festival

Next Friday is Buddha's birthday, according to the Lunar calendar, and so this weekend Seoul is hosting a huge lantern festival, with a parade and lanterns everywhere. We came across a temple in the Jongno area and were blown away by what we saw.


The view when you first enter the grounds.


Here a large tree on the temple grounds stretches high through the ceiling of lanterns.


A close-up of the tree poking through the strings of lanterns.


Seriously, thousands of these things.


Rows of the coloured lanterns in front of the temple.


White lanterns strung near another part of the temple.


Women performing a traditional lantern ceremony at the temple.


Close-up of hanbok and shoes.


A parade float resting on the temple's platform.


A nearby female float.


Buddha with a traditional lotus flower.


Soccer Buddha!!


An elaborate structure of the big guy.


A more cartoonish version.


A Buddha at the temple. He has received gifts of bottled water and digestive cookies.


A woman admiring the handicrafts in a local shop.


Elaborate gold Buddhas in a store window.


The side of a building.


The Jongno Tower. We think it's the Samsung building. Regardless, it's cool, and you can see it everywhere in Seoul.


Another side of the same building, reflected in the glass of the one across the street.


A gold pagoda on a random sidestreet.


The river in Dongdaemun again, this time apparently with a fountain. I love this area of Seoul.


Police. Hundreds. Running down a major street in Seoul. How did this happen? Well...


Nearing what we were expecting to be the lantern festival area, we heard a ton of orientation week-type cheering and saw flags waving everywhere. As we got closer, we happened upon this giant protest.


To the best of our knowledge, this protest was about education.


Waiting for the speaker to start again.


More students on their way to set up.


One group with their banners.


Towards the 'front' of the protest was a large group of drummers. At this point they were all sitting and watching all the activity.


More drummers, taking in the rest of the chaos.


Here's part of the main set of police - above you can see where they've created a full wall barricade and are positioned on top, as well as all around - and in large units throughout the area.


Here one of the forces blocked off the street and the cops were ready with their riot gear.


Barricades and police vans were everywhere.


Craig, lookin studly with the flowers.