最初は仁寺洞でのみ見られるハングル看板のスターバックスや新たに復元された 淸溪川 の姿などを撮ったが、単身赴任で外食が多い彼の視線は自然に食べ物のほうに向く。御飯の白い部分が残らないように几帳面にかき混ぜたビビンパをクローズアップして撮るほか「おかずがなくなるといくらでもお代わりしてくれる気前いいレストランのおばさんに感動し」おかずの小皿を撮った。カキ氷も韓国的な写真の素材になった。
「ビビンパとカキ氷は韓国の「かき混ぜる食文化」の代表だと思います。日本にそういう文化はありません。日本人はビビンパやカキ氷は教えてもらわないとかき混ぜて食べるということはわからないと思います。」
飲み会になるとよく出てくる爆弾酒も撮った。全ての韓国人が爆弾酒文化を誇らしく思うわけではないと言ったら「そうですか？私が思うには韓国ではお酒が強い男が男らしいと考えられているみたいです。台湾でも似たような爆弾酒を経験したことがあります。 」 と言う。
彼は 6 月在韓日本大使館広報文化院で写真展を開き、先月はフォトエッセイ「ナンセンチョウム」を出版。今月 9 日からは仁寺洞のサムジキルの招待で写真展（ 21 日まで）を開いている。韓国に来る前には豪州シドニーで 5 年間駐在しながら花の写真を撮るなどして今 3 万枚以上の写真を保有している。今まで写真集を 5 冊も出すぐらいだから並のアマチュアの経歴を超える写真経歴を持っている。カメラを通した彼の韓国文化探訪はこれからも続く。彼は「韓国と韓国人をもっと深く理解するために」韓国語を学んでいる。
韓国語記事 http://www.chosun.com/national/news/200608/200608100587.html
Japanese business man, Mr. Yuji Ogawa, who holding a photo exhibition with “something Korean”
Generous woman and mixing-everything food culture cannot be found anywhere
Chosunilbo August 10, 2006
A Japanese business man captures something Korean such as Pappinsue, “Bomb Liquor”, etc from a unique viewpoint, writes essays and even holds a photo exhibition. His name is Yuji Ogawa (52). He works for the Japan’s leading shipping firm, NYK Line Korea. Since his transfer to Korea in April of last year, he has taken photos of “Korea” instead of playing golf every weekend. What he captures in his photos are not typical Korean scenes.
He first took a photo of the Starbucks signboard written in Korean in Insadon or restored Cheong-Gye River, but he naturally became to look at food since he lives apart from his family and eats out frequently. He zoomed in bi-bim bob that is thoroughly mixed and free small dishes that usually come with the main dish because he was so impressed with generous restaurant ladies who give refills as much as you like. Pappinsue also became a good object of his something-Korean photo.
Mr. Ogawa said, “I believe bi-bim bob and pappinsue are the most distinguished examples of “mixing-everything food culture” in this country. We have no such food culture in Japan. Japanese don’t know how they can properly mix bi-bim bob and pappinsue without someone teaching them.”
He also took a photo of “Bomb Liquor” that is often seen in after-hours meetings. I said that not all Korean are proud of drinking “Bomb Liquor”. Responding to my comment, he said “Is that so? I think men drinking lots of alcohol drinks are considered to be manly in Korea. I have drunk similar liquor in Taiwan, too.”
He held a photo exhibition at Public Information & Cultural Center of Japanese Embassy in Seoul last June and published his first photo-essay book “Nan Seng Cheo Um” last month. He was also invited to hold another photo exhibition at Samziegil located in Insadon. This exhibition will be held from August 9 to 21. He has taken over 30,000 photos after taking Australian flowers in Sydney where he resided for 5 years before coming to Korea. He has also published five photo books, so his photo-taking technique is professional level rather than amateur. His Korean-culture search through his camera continues from now on. He currently studies Korean in order to deepen his understanding of Korea and Koreans.
