this is a softcore tech blog for the laymen, thus following information is for the consumer NOT professional, from a part-time photographer from West Hollywood .

 

ONE-Page General Guide to Choosing and Purchasing
Photographic Equipment in South Korea
with Re-Sale and Repair information

 

 

note that this is Posted at the dawn of 2013, when smart-phones have more than basic resolution of a compact digital camera AND most mirror-less cameras pitting against DSLR have Wi-Fi transmission capability . meaning : think-twice about purchasing a compact digital camera, and in place consider an affordable mirror-less .

as there are enough preview and review site about cameras, here will introduce characteristics specific to the atmosphere in South Korea, on manufacturers, brand names and support . what this BLog do NOT reveal is WHERE to purchase, due to several reasons .

 

[ HISTORY ]

as the Korean Peninsula was recovering from its gruesome war, while just across the Southern Strait : Japan recovered earlier, was building its tech dynasties spear-headed by photographic and audio equipment, as Germany on the opposite side of the Globe, was the ultimate competition to win over .. quite a daunting challenge, then . so in 1960’s and 70’s there were THREE geographic points of camera activity :

  1. NanPoDong, just across the road from the Southern docks were a natural place where merchants brought Japanese cameras over from their Southern-most island of Fukuoka and early trading port of Kobe and Osaka (Japan’s manufacturing “half” of Kansai region). they were the earliest of “baggage merchants” translated as “Bottari JangSakkun” and aside from their fresh supplies, much of affluent part of South Korea at the time bought goods flowed from American bases, and thus the “Can Market” a large block West of this NanPoDong .both of these districts are still alive today : surprising considering how time has changed and South Korea reigns as one of the most developed nations on Earth . the Can Market barely survives more for nostalgia and elders still used to its flow, while NanPoDong camera row is now studdled with Official support centres from Nikon and Canon, although the new generation of the Millennium bore competing store dug-in under-ground North at SeoMyon – Busan’s newer fashion district 😉
  2. then up in the Capital of SEOUL, South Market at NamDaeMun has long-acted as Korea’s camera equipment whole-sale district . more precisely, a large block West of SEOUL’s notorious black-market area called doqqebbi shijang loosely translated as “ghost market”. it was on the under-ground level of SoongRaeMun Market (note : older open markets were called “markets” in Korean, as well as the more modern market called “SangGa” which indicate a whole building dedicated specific goods .the old under-ground level still acts busy as Korea’s whole-sale connection, but the scene has grown such that the whole Southern road from South Gate “NamDaeMun” East to the oldest department store in Korea : ShinSeGae, are full of camera stores including Nikon, Canon and Sony support centres and LowePro camera bag distributors, where you can go in at awe at their full line .
  3. and if the form two were sales districts, one are dead-center in old downtown SEOUL acted as Korea’s Hollywood : full of movie and photo studios, but in a much, smaller scale although quite a number all studdled together . and so it is no surprise a number of camera stores are centered around here, however quite small in size each, considering prime real estate value . this is ChungMooRo ! just one large block East from SEOUL’s original fashion mecca of MyeongDong .

 

[ COMMON FACTORS ] [ PRICE ]

 

[ BRANDS ] [ SUPPORT ] [ RESALE ]

 

[ ACCESSORIES ]

 

 

– Korea Tech BLog –