Monday, December 11, 2006

Day 5 - Nami Island 南怡岛

We went to Chunjeon. We are going to take a ferry to Nami Island, the famous filming site of 'Winter Sonata '( 冬 季 恋 歌 ) starring Korean stars Bae Yong-joon (裴勇俊) & Choi Ji Woo (崔志友 ).

The ferry had just left when we alighted from the bus. So we had to wait in the cold for the next one. It was so icy cold when the wind blew. I was shivering and there was no place to hide from this coldness. My nose started to turn runny again.

There were many tourists going to Nami Island. When the ferry finally arrived, we rushed to board it, only to find there were no seats. Some Koreans went to stand on the deck. How do they do it? Why aren't they feeling cold? It's -5 deg C for God's sake!

We arrived on Nami Island 10 minutes later. Like a leaf floating on top of Cheongpyung Lake is the tiny Korean Island of Nami. There are no cars on Nami island, and so the air is so crisply clear and fresh. With only a circumference of 6 km, the half-moon shaped island can be walked across in a matter of minutes. There is simply no need for the use of cars.

We had to walk then. And it was a long walk, until we came to two rows of trees lining a path, the Central Pathway. Xiao Lian wanted all the couples to act romantic & lovey-dovey when taking pictures, like the ones that Bae & Choi took in their TV drama. Jing Jing & I turned into director, camera-man & make-up artist. It was so fun directing them to pose.

I took a picture with Yang Fan, not a lovey-dovey one. We were 'wrestling' each other. hahaha....
Central Pathway
The young families & teens went to take more pictures while I sat beside a huge campfire to warm my almost frozen body. When the others were done with their posing, we continued our stroll back to the ferry terminal. The atmosphere was relaxed and people were strolling around, chatting and enjoying the scenery.

Campfires were conveniently dotted around, providing warmth and a welcome break. The shore is lined with wooden lodges where travellers can spend the night. Nami Island is a particularly enchanting place to be. I was mesmerized by the rows of chestnut trees and authentic cottages.

And that's it on Nami Island. We came all the way here to take a few pictures. Gosh! I almost freeze my butt off!

While waiting for the ferry, a TV production set came filming at the ferry terminal. It was a teenage drama, so no big stars. Many people gathered around to watch. Nobody was supposed to make noise while camera was rolling.

The poor young actor & actress were shivering in the cold in their summer clothings. Once the director shouted,"Camera!", they have to look 'lively' & act. And when the director shouted,"Cut!", their assistants would rushed towards them with jackets, thick blankets & hot beverages. Fame comes at a price.

The ferry finally arrived & I was glad. We were heading back to Seoul. The bus ride would take an hour and a half.

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