10 April 2012

Market Watch - Korea, April 2012

I was with E in Korea (the South) over the Easter Weekend.

I did try to look for Transformers, but there were next to none or as good as none that I could find. This was plenty fun, but didn't yield anything, toy-wise, as impressive as the Sonokong C-27: Brave Maximus that I found at Lotte World a decade ago (pictured on extreme right).


Won't say that I'm surprised, but I did see some interesting things, a fraction of which were toy related.

So I stayed here...














This is very interesting and a wonderful space in the middle of Seoul city. It is a 10km no longer used canal/ river that snakes through the city and has been converted to all sorts of uses, the main one being for pedestrians who did not want to walk next to the busy roads. Reminds me a lot of Valencia.


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A shop selling wares that are close to toys in the Myeong-dong shopping district. No Transformers.

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A museum of sorts in the Insadong shopping district. Nothing is for sale, everything in it is for display only and a 2000Won entrance fee is required.

The entrance to this place (don't know the name). Toto perhaps?

Shots of the inside



An EVA-01 Test Type figure, one of the many (times infinity) EVA figures that Gainex pimps out year after year after year. I have this one actually. Certainly not rare in any way or form.


A Kotobukiya Jim Lee sculpt Batman, one of the few things in here that impressed me. I have one of these too and looks so much better next to Kotobukiya Supergirl!

A Superman vinyl figurine. I'm not sure which release this belongs to, but it looks like the 'long haired' Superman that returned after his death-bout with Doomsday (the first time round). E pointed out that she likes this figure!

Here is another shot for E.

Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. I'm sure my niece would be trilled.

Poster, comic, collectible card section.

This are only Transformers I saw in Korea.

Next, I went to one of the palaces. Very nice and my gosh, look at that hue of blue for the sky. Absolutely stunning and nothing I've ever seen in months and months in Hong Kong.

Cheers,
~ HD

5 comments:

  1. I love that last picture...beautiful. I've only had the pleasure of shopping for TFs overseas once and that was in Amsterdam. I had a little more luck than your recent trip to Korea, but not much better. Is the interest in TFs starting to dry up worldwide? Are people tired of TFs after 3 live action movies?

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    Replies
    1. The weather in South Korea was just beautiful, almost as good as if not better than Sydney where I was for 7 years. This Korea trip, I really wanted to make it a point to let my wife do as much as she wants to do (like shop, get clothes, cosmetics, etc) because during our trips to SG or Japan it's always been her going with me from place to place to place hunting TFs.

      I think interest in TFs are strong DESPITE the 3 "successful" live action movies.

      Delete
  2. Ironically, I was originally planning to visit South Korea this year. But a series of circumstances prevented it from happening... Hence, I limited it to that two week trip I will be leaving for next month. But the museum does make me think that I need to plan out my collection-based layout (so far: 7 TFs, 1 Figma, 1 possible Chogokin).

    Oh, and in regards to Superman... That version was when he pulled an Optimus Prime and returned from the dead while using his cloned body. Between the time that body was regaining his strength and the wedding, he allowed his hair to grow to that length. (Makes me wonder why.)

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    Replies
    1. hey Kuma-nin, the museum is really not that impressive. I must have spent just about 10 minutes in it. If you are interested in a very wide range of Manga characters then it'd be good for you, but if its just TFs and the occasional Manga, then the museum is not really that interesting.

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    2. I agree, based on what I do see. The only good it does is that it plays as a "low key" homage to the owner's fandom. But it is not for me, besides the fact that it reminds me that I do need to figure out some kind of layout, etc. But, besides that, I do not think I'd visit this unless it gives me a chance to chat with the owner(s).

      And speaking of manga... I have not read any that had kept my interest. In a very long time. I am hoping that'll change during my trip. ^^;

      Delete

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