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T ammy Chou is a Toronto native whose life had to slow down a bit when her teaching career sent her to the scenic rural county of Goseong, Gangwon Province, on Korea’s east coast. She has a background in urban planning that informs her photography, and shoots primarily on film. Groove Korea: Give us an introduction to yourself as a person and as a photographer. Tammy Chou: I picked up photography as a hobby when I was a teenager, experimenting with various toy cameras, disposables, point-and-shoots and eventually SLRs (both digital and film). I have a background in urban planning, which lends itself to my interest in capturing streetscapes, buildings, nature and the peculiarities of everyday life. I take photos as a way to document something that, at some point, had briefly inspired me. When so many aim for the big cities, what made you choose Goseong? In short, I didn’t choose my placement, but was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Goseong is a beautiful coastal village in the northeastern corner of the peninsula. It’s surrounded by beaches, the East Sea and Seoraksan. Coming from Toronto (the biggest city in Canada), living in Goseong was a stark contrast. It allowed me to slow down and appreciate my surroundings. There are two counties that share the same name in South Korea. Goseong County in Gangwon Province should not be confused with the more populous Goseong County in South Gyeongsang Province. I made the mistake in think- ing I was placed there, first! you capture a fantastic small-town feel with these images. What are you looking for when you’re out shooting? Goseong is exactly that. It’s off the beaten path on the outskirts of Sokcho, another small, but well-traveled city. The population of Goseong has been de- creasing every year — it has lost over 60 percent of its residents since 2001. In my photos I wanted to capture the feeling of a declining, quaint seaside village. Beaches, farms, long roads and pensions dominate the landscape. While it is busier on the weekends when people stay overnight at the pen- sions, during the weekdays it is essentially a ghost town. You’re shooting on all flm. How does that differ from digital for you? I’m the type of person who likes to use my products until they give up on me, which meant I was always behind in the digital world. Ever since I got into film, I never got out of it. There’s an aesthetic achieved with film that digital cannot replicate. It challenges me to think critically about the photo I want to shoot, given that each roll has a limited amount of exposures. The anticipation and wait period between shooting and developing is another element that sets film apart from digital, making the final results much more deserving. if someone was heading out to Goseong, what would you recommend seeing or doing? Goseong would be a great weekend getaway for those who want a quiet escape from the city. As previously mentioned, there are lots of pensions in the area, and quite a number of them are well designed and architecturally impressive. The area is known for its beaches, mountains, seafood and its proximity to North Korea. While there, it would be worth taking a trip up to the DMZ, where you can catch a glimpse of North Korea’s Geumgangsan at the Goseong Unification Observatory. The best way to get to Goseong from Seoul is to take a bus to Sokcho from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal at Gangbyeon Station, and then take local bus 1 or 1-1 to Goseong. 117