Visions of Seoul V

I sit in a darkened multiplex beside two co-workers, surrounded by Saturday afternoon Korean moviegoers. All heads in the theater are craning back (with an occasional aversion of young or sensitive [that would be me] eyes), thrilling to the larger-than-life action unfolding before them. The film (no spoilers forthcoming here, but likely an in-depth debriefing later) on-screen is this summer's darling, the critically lauded blockbuster it seems no one can hate: The Dark Knight.

The action reaches an emotionally resonant crescendo of pathos and mounting action, as the Joker - Batman's foil, embodiment of chaotic, senseless evil - bursts into a large society function, knife flickering unsteadily in his hand as he jabs erratically at cowering bystanders making pretense of bravery. One finally takes a moral (and physical) stand, causing the psychotic figure to whirl around as she interrupts his capricious soliloquizing:

Woman (on-screen, bravely): OK, stop.

Me (without thinking, out loud): Hammertime.

On My New York Trip

6/12/2008

Thursday6.12.2008

My visa confirmation # came through at 5:57 AM, so my
dad and I headed into The City for my visa interview.


Wheatpaste at Princeton Junction NJ Transit station.


Sticker at NY-Penn Station.


Korean Consulate - NYC.



During the consulate interview, the Korean consul and I discovered
that his wife is from the same family (朱) as me and that his
daughter and I were at Yale together for 2 years.

Immediately after, we headed back to Jerz.


Park Street Ferrari dealership.


Passing through a Hello Kitty-themed Tom Sachs
installation.






On the train back home, I found out that R Stevens' Diesel Sweeties
is syndicated in New York. Gratz.