It’s a cold and rainy day here in Seoul today, which made it not as pleasant as usual to go see the cherry blossoms, which are at their annual splendor right now. If I get this post done quickly, my next post will be about that.
But first, I read an article by some automotive journalists who traveled to Korea, and a few lines stuck out… the one in the first paragraph about black and white and silver Korean cars being the typical highway scenery here. So I felt like making a post about cars.
Their statement is certainly true, and I’m guilty of it too. Both of my cars have been used silver Kia Mornings, though I shopped for a different color for the 2nd one but wasn’t able to purchase it. I’m looking out the window at a rainy street in Jamsil right now, and all I see are… white, black, and grey, interrupted by an orange taxi. But there is hope! There are a few other colors dotting the arterial landscape, and plenty of foreign cars among the natives, too. Here, then, is a photographic journal of cars I’ve seen or been interested in over the past eight years. As a bonus, I’ll include just a few highlights from the 2017 Seoul Motor Show.
Kias:
My car! A 2008 Kia Morning Lx (stick shift), parked in front of my apartment
Kia K7 interior (Kia Cadenza around the world)
Part of my car’s dashboard (2008 Kia Morning)
A Kia Mohave fuel cell electric vehicle
My new (used) 2015 Kia Morning! – Dashboard lit up at night
My 2015 Kia Morning’s dashboard, with awesome gas mileage from Namyangju to Bundang – 24.9km/L – 58.6mpg!
My 2015 Kia Morning parked under roses
Forest behind farmland and my Kia Morning
My car, a Kia Morning, getting covered in a dusting of snow
And yeah, this happened once to my car:
Hyundais:
Hyundai Tuscon Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle on the Jukjeon café street
Friend’s new 1996 Hyundai Tiburon parked in front of Browny 70
Driving friend’s new 1996 Hyundai Tiburon
A new Hyundai Ioniq near my apartment
A new Hyundai Ioniq near my apartment
Hyundai Avante (Elantra), I think 2013, rented in Sincheon
Driving to Namyangju from Suji, and trying out Bluetooth for the first time to wirelessly connect music from my cell phone to my rented car (Hyundai Avante (Elantra))
A new Hyundai Ioniq, full electric version, parked at school!
A new Hyundai Ioniq, full electric version, parked at school!
My temporary car replacement, a 2016 or 2017 Hyundai Sonata
My temporary car replacement, a 2016 or 2017 Hyundai Sonata – Dashboard
My temporary car replacement, a 2016 or 2017 Hyundai Sonata – Instrument cluster at night
My temporary car replacement, a 2016 or 2017 Hyundai Sonata
My temporary car replacement, a 2016 or 2017 Hyundai Sonata – Dashboard and instrument cluster
Hyundai Ioniq electric at the new Starfield Hannam shopping mall
Hyundai Ioniq electric at the new Starfield Hannam shopping mall
A few Mercedes-Benzes:
Friend’s parents’ Mercedes (7th generation E-Class)
Yangpyeong restaurant with Mercedes-Benz E-Class in front
A Mercedes SUV decorated with wedding flowers
Brand new Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI, ready for newlyweds, in front of the Korean teachers’ building in Yeouido
Long abandoned building in Sinsa-dong, with a newish E-Class Mercedes parked in front
A wedding car, an S-Class Mercedes, at Seoul National University
Current generation Mercedes-Benz E220d, direct descendant of my 1968 car, using the new nomenclature that harkens back to the old
Eccentric or old foreign cars:
Lotus near Gyedong Coffee
Nissan Figaro parked in Sinsa-dong; this car was produced in 1991 with a 1960’s retro appearance
A sporty Fiat parked beside artistic graffiti in Hongdae
1960s Mercedes-Benz 220S in Cheongdam-dong
1960s Mercedes-Benz 220S in Cheongdam-dong
Sports car parade in Apgujeong – Red Ferrari, white Mercedes-Benz, silver Audi
First sighting of a BMW i8 electric car in Korea, and it’s in Yeoksam
Circa 1960s Mercedes-Benz 220S on the street in Apgujeong, in front of a photo studio
Circa 1960s Mercedes-Benz 220S on the street in Apgujeong, in front of a photo studio
A BMW i8 electric car! charging near Maebong
A 1967 S-Class Mercedes on display in Cheongdam-dong, in celebration of AMG’s 50th anniversary
Old Fiat 600 at 대림창고 (Daerimchanggo (Daerim Warehouse))
Old Fiat 600 at 대림창고 (Daerimchanggo (Daerim Warehouse))
Other assorted encounters:
Ugly crash in Sunae
Fight between a motorcycle delivery guy and a minivan, seen from my apartment
Electric car charging station! near Gwanghwamun
Electricity choices at electric car charging station near Gwanghwamun
Starfield Hanam shopping mall – Korea’s first Tesla store!
2017 Seoul Motor Show:
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex ticket
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Natural cork panels
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Car interior with natural cork panels and integrated displays
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Car interior with natural cork panels and integrated displays
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Colorful side panels
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Kia Niro hybrid
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Kia Niro hybrid interior
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Kia Stinger
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – 2017 Kia Morning interior (3rd generation)
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – 2017 Kia Morning (3rd generation)
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Porsche e-hybrid
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Porsche e-hybrid logo
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz area
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Coupé
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Coupé headlight and sparkling, shimmering paint
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Coupé dashboard
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz C 200 Coupé rear
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz keychains
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz S-Class interior
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz E-Class
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz E-Class headlight with fine details
2017 Seoul Motor Show at Kintex – Mercedes-Benz E-Class interior
I’ve seen one Tesla Model S on the road. They only went on sale here last year. So I look forward to seeing more and capturing a picture of one soon.
There are, of course, millions of cars in Korea, and so many models and colors. But this, of course, is just a snippet. Hope you enjoyed it ~
Snippets of my Seoul 