Cheonggyecheon Canal Video

It was my first evening in South Korea, and I had been re-energized by a 90-minute nap after having travelled for about 18 hours. I had time travelled 13 hours into the future (by Ottawa standards), and I didn't want to waste any more time.

One of my non-negotiable night walks in Seoul was the Cheonggyecheon Canal, a stream that runs for nearly 11 kilometres from west to east in the heart of the city. This stream had been covered over after the Korean War, during the city's restructuring. It was uncovered and built into a water park that runs below the streets in 2005.

Today, it's a massive draw for tourists like me and the city's residents. On a Saturday night, the waterway was packed with families with their young children, couples on a date, and friends out on the town. Folks were strolling, sitting by the stream, or taking selfies in front of the illuminated pieces of art that hovered above the water.

I had seen images on Google Maps' street view, but the still images don't capture the atmosphere of being there.

I took many stills, myself, hoping to capture some candid images of people relaxing, but I also brought my 360-degree video camera with me, and I put it to use. As soon as I had walked about half a kilometre eastward from the canal's starting point, I turned on my video camera and walked back.

The walk took about five minutes or so but the video has been sped up in spots, and runs for less than two minutes.

Unfortunately, with my jet lag, I forgot to set the camera to night mode, so that the camera runs faster in low light. As a result, there is some pixelation in spots, but it does give a good feel for the canal and the night life.

Here's the video:

Note: this video was shot in one take and edited on my smartphone. I love portable technology.