Dundee Trio Jailed!

A couple of weekends ago, we visited Seodaemun Prison in Seoul, with our old chum Northy accompanying us. It was forcibly built during the Japanese occupation, and has stood for almost 80 years as historical testament to the ordeals, grief, and tumultuous events of modern Korean history. When the Japanese occupied Korea by force, they started to build the prison in 1907. It was completed on October 21, 1908, and opened under the name of Gyeongseong Gamok (a traditional name for a prison). As Korean sovereignty was being infringed by Japan, an Independence Movement was launched by numerous patriotic fighters.

Upset by this movement, the Japanese started to arrest and imprison national patriots. Until the Liberation of Korea on August 15, 1945, Seodaemun Prison served as a clandestine Mecca of the anti-Japanese Independence Movement for many patriotic fighters, where they were imprisoned and barbarically tortured. Many were executed or died from their brutal treatment.



Here we are standing in front of one of the cell block wings. This one was locked if I remember correctly, but one of the others were open to public viewing, and it was very interesting getting to see the solitary cells. Or "The Hole", to anyone who has seen a prison movie at some point in their life. Obviously, with this prison having a real emphasis on torture and execution, the cell conditions were squalid at best. It's doubtful the jailers had any care for the comfort of these prisoners. However, I'd take a week in "The Hole" sleeping in my own waste than endure a couple of days in the "Wall Coffin"!


This delightfully simplistic torture method was open for us to revel in, and we each took a turn getting cosy inside. There is literally no room to move once the door is sealed, and theres is absolutely nothing you can do to increase your comfort. Prisoners were stuck in these coffins for 2 or 3 days at a time, and if they still refused to give their oppressors what they desired, they would exit the box paralyzed from the neck down. Many other methods of torture were graphically displayed, including fingernail ripping, water torture, electro-shock torture, and the sadistic rape of female inmates. All of these images are accompanied by speakers pouring out screams of agony, and the laughs and taunts of the Japanese guards. Our Korean co-worker at school told us they once brought the Kindergarten classes here, and they all started crying. What a surprise!




As well as the pictures you can see here, of the old prison itself, there was a fairly substantial Prison History Hall. Unfortunately, very little of this was translated into English, and the bits that were seemed to just repeat themselves from one display to the next. It did score extra points for having a "Magic Vision" item, which was a funky projected image of actors moving within a model diorama. Very similar to the part in Star Wars where R2-D2 plays the projection of Princess Leia sayi........holy shit that sounds geeky! You'll either know what I'm on about, or you won't.



For a fleeting, terrifying moment I was caught up in the stifling oppressive atmosphere, and feared I had been locked up with a twisted sexual deviant. I don't think I would like jail.



Ah safe on the other side of the bars. Outside we found the most ridiculously huge flag ever, and asked some Korean girls to take our photo.



This homely looking shack could have come straight out of Sunday morning hangover classic, "Little House on the Prairie", if it weren't, in fact, the finely preserved original "Execution House". Outside this enclosure is an ancient ash tree, known as "The Weeping Ash". Prisoners were reknowned for clinging to this tree as they screamed and appealed for mercy one final time before their death. These words were of course futile, falling on largely uninterested ears. Inside the house, prisoners were then seated over a trapdoor, a noose around their neck, and executed. Efficiently, bodies could then be left in the stone bunker below the house, awaiting disposal. We tried to have a look down the steps into this old vault, and into the house itself, to fully appreciate its grim character. I'm sure ex-"Most Haunted" man Derek Acorah would have a field day in here, and sense all kinds of "residual energy". "What's that? Say that again Sam!" Ah I miss shite like Most Haunted a little bit haha!



This is the tunnel used to transport corpses out of the prison compound. A happy place, I'm sure you'll agree. Another joyful location was the Leper House. You can pretty much guess what that was for.



In other recent news I was partially and indirectly to blame for one young boy's miserable experience at the barbers. Alex, pictured standing below, told his Mum he liked "Chris Teacher's" haircut, and persuaded her to let him go for it. When he looked at himself in the mirror afterwards he started sobbing uncontrollably, and wouldn't stop until his Mum bought him this hat to wear. I know this, because she wrote me a nice letter in broken English explaining his traumatic ordeal, and hoping I could comfort him! She said a girl on the street said to him "You look like a monk", which made him cry even harder. Luckily he's a hardy character, and now seems quite proud of his skinhead. Quite right little man! It also helps that the wee mentalist could probably pound the other 53 kids on his own!



Finally, I just finished watching 2 films sharing an aviation theme, Snakes On A Plane, and United 93. As many of you will no doubt know by now, one of these films is equal parts thrilling, horrifying, tense, and entertaining. The other one has snakes in it.

Yes I know it's a "B-Movie" homage, but it's still pish. And no, films like United 93 don't exploit a terrible tragedy in the interests of making money. Load of old arse that is.

Next time......I keep promising a full on look at the children's artistic efforts. I've saved up a bundle, so we can explore and analyze just why Peter from Sue class insists on colouring in Superman to appear naked, while fighting pink planes.

And lastly, a gratuitous picture of Mickey, as he hasn't appeared here for a while. We were down at Fun World one morning with the kids, and he was trying to tell me how to play this game on the old Playstation 2. Even more hilarious than he is cute, he has gone computer game daft recently and now quizzes both Lynne and I on all things Super Mario related. And check the camouflage wife-beater, what a dude!