A Model For A day

Date: April 17, 2011

In April, I got a chance to do something pretty fun.  I got to be a model for a day.  There is an international photography contest in Gunsan, and they were looking for a foreigner couple to get dressed up and be models.  I was lucky to get a email from a friend asking if I wanted to do it--and I immediantly said yes!  (What American girl doesn't have some sort of dream to be a model?)

So, bright and early on a Sunday Morning I woke myself up and headed over to the hair stylist that had been arranged for me earlier that week.  I was actually pretty nervous about getting my hair done (don't really trust Korean hairdressers with my hair, and after seeing the place when we made the appointment, I was a little more nervous):

It was an old school Mom and Pop shop.  And I do mean "old school" in every sense of the word.  It was a little dirty...I don't want to know when the last time the lady cleaned her equiptment, but I wasn't going to be high maintance about it.

So, I arrive on time, with a smile, and get ready to get my hair done basically the first time in Korea.  Of course, she wouldn't start until I had finished a cup of instant coffee.  While i was sipping away (realizing, that "Oh, she's not going to start until I finish this") she pulls out the bunsin burner and sets up by my chair.  And then she turns it on and sets some OLD SCHOOl curling irons in the fire.

I couldn't help myself.  I got up out of my chair and got my camera.  Logically, I know this is how curling irons started out as--but seriously--in Korea, one of the most advanced technological places on Earth--to have a lady still using old school curling irons, definitely threw me for a loop.  It made me smile and realize that it was going to be a fun day.

So, I finish my coffee and keep my camera in my lap--because there are more pictures to be taken.  How exactly does one curl hair with these throw-back curling irons, anyway?

 Surprising, it is super effective.  I tried to figure out how to say "Curls do not stay in my hair" but never really could get it simple enough in my head.  So, I just watched as she slowly made my BOARD straight hair hold a curl:

This is how she did it:

She takes a chunk of hair and then puts two pieces of gauze on either side.

Then with the small crimp she slowly clamps on my hair (and the gauze) and winds up.

Next, she takes the big curler (which is like a shealth for the smaller curler) and works her way up the hair.  I don't think she just keeps curling around and around, like modern day curlers, but actually unclamps and twists and reclamps.  I'm not sure if that makes any sense, maybe it was one of those "You had to be there to understand" moments. 

 After about 15 minutes: Bamb!  Model ME!

 Then she pins my hair back.  This is a traditional Hanbok Style Hair Up-do.

And let me tell you..she made this thing to LAST!  L. A. S. T.!!!  I was schelacked, hair sprayed, gel-ed, and pinned into place.

I get picked up by the Korean who was helping us (Matt and I--the foriegner couple) and driven to the model site.  I get changed into my Hanbok and am all ready to go.

Finished product!!

In case you were wondering, this is my changing room: the belly of a WWII airplane. 

We are taking the photos at the local "Theme Park."  Not a roller coaster park, but a park dedicated to the city's reason for being build: being a harbor city.  Gunsan is right on the coast and boast a pretty impressive military history (I guess.).  So, there is a small, outdoor museum dedicated to this military history.  They have a big ship, a bunch of airplanes, and some tanks.

We start the day off with a parade (I think Koreans like their parades).

My "Dressing Room" and sample of the types of "displays' they have at this "Park/Museum."

I spent the next 6 hours smiling for the camera.  It was a lot of fun--and not hard work at all.  I felt a little silly posing, and getting a bunch of attention.  I think my favorite comment of the day was, "Wow, you look beautiful--even for a foreigner!"  Yeah, jeeze, thanks!

 I had camera envy--my little point and shoot was soooo out man-powered that it was ridiculous.  Every single camera present was one of those super fabulous Canon or Nikon Master Cameras.

But, it was awesome.  It was one of those "I didn't expect that to happen" moments that I will never forget.

The Korean man in the middle is Mr. Oh.  He is a magazine photographer and was our "Set Director" for the day.  It was really fun to have him direct us around the park, putting us in various poses and positions.  I think one Korean photographer came up to him afterwards and said he was getting the best pictures of his life because of Mr. Oh's directions.  

The two Korean girls are the local Cherry Blossom/City Beauty Pagaent winners. They are in high school...

It was an International contest--there was a bunch of people who had taken the boat from China that morning.  This lady was one of them.  They wanted a picture with us.