Covid 19 - Dispatch from Seoul | masks
In touristic spots and large public spaces, everybody is wearing masks.
0 new domestic cases in South Korea for the past 2 days - we are slowly getting there! As the global pandemic continues worldwide, I will continue documenting the situation from here. Touristic sites are mostly empty most of the international flights have come to a stop but people have continued to wear masks, even by themselves in empty spaces as a courtesy in case of a sudden encounter. Those new landscapes give an eerie feeling of what is to come in the rest of the world
The royal guard performers at the Gyeongbokgung palace are wearing masks - but theirs are special are they are embroidered with a mystical creature from the Korean folklore that are suppose to protect people from plagues.
The Gyeongbokgung palace, one of the most touristic site in Seoul is mostly empty.
A royal guard performers at the Gyeongbokgung palace are wearing a mask.
Even in large empty spaces such as the DDP, people are wearing masks.
all images by Tim Franco. Get in touch at timfranco@gmail.com if interested
Covid 19 - Dispatch from Seoul | back to the office
White-collars are getting back to work in their office all over South Korea. With social distancing, masks and constant checks, the working force is learning to live in a new reality.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, a lot of office workers have been working from home. When the situation in Seoul did not escalate as much as in Daegu, offices have started to organize a system of shifts to preserve social distancing. With only half of the effective present, the chances of transmission supposed to be kept to a minimum. This week as the curve is flattening, most companies have decided to get their full effective back to work. The center of Seoul is once again busy with white-collar workers covered with masks walking around, getting lunch and coffee and enjoying the first warm days of the spring. Wearing masks almost constantly is a new normality and each office building checks the temperature of each employee before they are allowed back in.
Office workers on their way to their lunch break.
On some terraces. office workers are allowing themselves to take out the masks in small groups.
Each worker is checked for body temperature before getting inside their office building.
All photos are copyrighted by Tim Franco - available upon request : timfranco@gmail.com
Covid 19 - Dispatch from Seoul | Cherry Blossom
The cherry blossom season and rising temperatures in Seoul have pushed a lot of people outside of their homes. How Korea is dealing with spring crowds under the COVID 19.
This week signals the coming of springs -with temperature finally rising and most importantly, cherry trees blossoming, it is the big come back of the beautiful days. The local government is advising strong social distancing policies but it is impossible to keep people, especially young ones, away from the beautiful white trees and the relaxing banks of the Han river. For this occasion, a big number of volunteer are walking around the crowds with panels reminding to wear masks and to keep a safety distance of 2 meters between groups of people. As most of of people are doing their best to respect those rules, younger people don’t hesitate to take off the mask for a quick selfie or while enjoying the sun on the grass.
For the past two month, most of the urban population of the peninsula is following the regulations of masks. But with numbers of cases falling down again in Seoul, the population is starting to relax without worrying much about the so called second or third wave. Here are some images around the “officially canceled” cherry blossom festival.
A couple enjoy the Cherry Trees in Yeouido, downtown Seoul. Part of the street has been closed to the public but people are still free to stroll around. In between trees, numerous signs are reminding visitors to keep wearing masks and observe a safety distance between groups.
At every entrance of the Hangang park , hand sanitizers and volunteers are here to remind the visitors of the dangers of the Covid 19
A volunteer with a sign reminding visitor to wear masks stroll up and down the main alley in between the cherry trees.
A group of young people playing in the the Hangang park. Young people have less tendencies to wear masks at all time.
The park is crowded but groups are sitting spaced from each others. Young people take off their masks for selfies and snacks.
A group of young people posing for a photo in front of one of the many cherry tree of Yeouido.
A volunteer offers some hand sanitizer to visitors arriving at the park/
All photos by Tim Franco | get in touch : timfranco@gmail.com