Bonsai tree Hadong

HADONG 하동 SOUTH KOREA ZEN PHOTOGRAPHY RETREAT (June 19-23rd, 2023)

Dear friend, if you desire to embark on an insanely phenomenal photo and life experience, I cordially invite you to my totally new HADONG SOUTH KOREA ZEN PHOTOGRAPHY RETREAT (June 19-23rd, 2023) a weeklong creative photo experience from Monday to Friday this summer.


What can you become?

Selfie Eric Kim eye

The first impetus of this workshop is unlocking your true hidden potential. To give you a full stack visual training, in order to become the uber photographer artist creative.

This workshop will be both practical and philosophical. You will venture to one of the most epic places on planet earth, Hadong South Korea, in the beautiful and zen mountainside. There, you will have the zen opportunity to focus on your creativity and art.

The mountains

Why is it that all these philosophers always retreat to the mountains in order to think, philosophize, and make art? My theory is because of the higher elevation, it increases your red blood cell count, which actually increases your blood flow, which gives you a stronger visual creative stimulus.

During my month in HADONG South Korea, I achieved the highest levels of inspiration, motivation and creativity in regards to my photography, life, philosophy, and entrepreneurial thinking. I think it will have the same effect on you too.

COURAGE PHILOSOPHY VLOG HADONG SOUTH KOREA

So where is Hadong South Korea?

You have probably never heard of Hadong South Korea. Neither have I. Also a lot of South Koreans don’t really know either.

Hadong South Korea is in the south of South Korea, about a 2 hour drive away from Busan, the second most populous port city in South Korea. Also for personal reference, Hadong South Korea is about a 5 hour drive away from Incheon international airport, ICN, the main airport of South Korea.

You can see Hadong in a Google map pin here.


What will I gain?

This photography retreat is a unique opportunity for you to get away from the crazy hustle bustle of everyday life, endless emails, petty office politics, etc. The chance for you to mentally detox and the opportunity for you to focus on your own photographic creativity, and focus on thriving.

From this workshop you will gain:

  1. How to become more creative
  2. How to become more zen in your photography
  3. How to find more inspiration and motivation in your photography
  4. How to raise your visual acuity, and see like an artist.
  5. Discovering a deeper purpose behind your photography, a deeper personal meaning.

Your week of thriving

Your retreat will be a full-on weeklong experience, every day from Monday to Friday.

June 19-23rd, 2023 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)

The logistics is simple: book a flight to Incheon national Airport South Korea, ICN, And we will take care of the rest of the details.

And of course, a return flight from international airport back home, or, other one way flights if you want to explore the rest of Asia, which could include Japan, Vietnam, Bangkok Thailand, Phnom Penh Cambodia etc.

What dates should I block out?

Prioritize your artistic thriving. Some suggestions on how to schedule this for yourself:

  1. If you are insanely busy and your schedule is limited, I just recommend spending a week in Korea, and flying back home immediately. Thus means fly out of your home airport June 17 or 18th, and then fly home June 24th, 2023 (the day after the workshop is over).
  2. If you have more flexibility in your schedule, spending two weeks in South Korea is a good idea. You can spend a week for the workshop experience, and then spend either another week in Seoul, or go somewhere else in Asia. My friend Stan Hudecki just bought a one-way flight to Korea last time, and then did another one-way ticket to Bangkok Thailand, and then flew home directly from there. I would then recommend flying into Incheon national airport either June 17 or 18th, and then flying back home a week after the workshop is over.

Ultimately bespoke your schedule to what best fits you.


How far can you thrive?

MOUNTAINSIDE VIEW OF HADONG

This experience will not only focus on your photography, but will also expose you to new sights, new smells, new ideas, new people, new cultures, a new language, and a new vision.

LOCAL HADONG TEMPLE

Korea is phenomenal

During the course of this workshop, you will try some of the most delicious food that Korean cuisine has to offer, learn local Korean cultural customs, learn Korean, as well as the local customs and schools of thought. Personally speaking, whenever I learn about a new culture or foreign culture, it always stimulates me creatively.

HADONG SOUTH KOREA GREEN TEA FIELDS

If you’re curious what Korea is really like, this workshop will afford you an authentic experience; the juxtaposition between the new and the old, the traditional and the modern, the Korean and the American. The full gamut and grandeur of Korea.

How do I know if this workshop is right for me?

I say this workshop will be perfect for you if you’re hungry for a new experience, hungry to travel, and experience and create something new.

Visiting the home of a local Zen Korean Monk in Hadong

I can personally guarantee you that this workshop will totally transform you. You will be inspired with new life, new motivation, new chutzpah to keep exploring.


Our focus

  1. First, the focus on your photography. How to conquer photographers block, to become a more productive and happier photographer, and learning how to make better photos. We will work on how to make more creative and dynamic compositions.
  2. Second, for you to be pushed outside of your comfort zone, in order to evolve as a thinker and artist. This would be ideal for you if you were on a traveling roll before Covid hit. Now, one of the great opportunities of going to South Korea is that it is very easy on the Covid restrictions, and the testing. Also no more quarantine restrictions. This means, consider South Korea as a future site for you to travel to frequently, maybe South Korea could become your second home.
  3. Third, to experience the food, culture, and the language and life. To experience the real South Korea. And to eat some of the most delicious Korean food— even I was surprised how good the food was in South Korea compared to the states. Also to learn a little bit more about the local customs and language, just imagine going back home after the workshop and being able to tell your friends and families how phenomenal of an experience you had.
  4. Fourth, to become more creative. Creativity is our lifeblood. We will not focus only on photography, but painting, drawing, making videos and vlogs, and even thoughts on starting your own YouTube channel. Also, the opportunity for us to create our own entrepreneurial illuminati, sharing creative ideas, and other entrepreneurial ventures we may have.
  5. Fifth, making new lifelong friends and memories. Let us consider, if you spend a whole week with fellow passionate like-minded creative people, how can you not become new best friends? Also, memories. We are our memories. Physical things come and go, but the memories remain.

The vision for the workshop

My Hadong Photos

This is my general vision for the workshop:

  • (Day 0): Arrive to Incheon national airport on June 18th (Sunday), and spend the night in a hotel we will organize for you in Myeongdong, Seoul.
  • Day 1 (Monday, June 19th): in the morning we will all meet at LIFE+WORK CAFE, a very cool and trendy store and coffee shop in the fashionable MYEONGDONG South Korea Seoul neighborhood. Day one will be focused on introductions and greetings, and general thoughts for the workshop. Then we will have a full day to shoot in MYEONGDONG, practice our street photography, and get some great food there. We will practice on dynamic street photography composition exercises, and how to become more courageous in street photography, how to get closer, how to ask for permission in Street portraits in Korean, etc. We will then have dinner together, and then spend the night at the same hotel in Myeongdong.
  • Day 2: in the morning we will then take a shuttle, taxi, train or bus to HADONG South Korea, which is about a four hour transit away. Once we arrive at HADONG, we will break for lunch, and then I will introduce some Zen creativity assignments for you. We will then go into downtown HADONG, where there is a very fun and lively cultural downtown traditional area. We will shoot around there, and then we will have some great Korean traditional food in a dorm, party and have some nice drinks, and then retreat back to our Wabisabi Airbnb’s, where we will spend the night.
  • Day 3: Awaken to the beauty of Hung South Korea, and we will enjoy our Zen surroundings. We will explore the local village, and focus on Zen minimal photography assignments. This will be a unique opportunity for you to meet some local villagers, and also breathe the beautiful mountain air. This day will also be focused on Zen creative assignments, which include drawing, painting, and how to think more artistically. We will then enjoy a very epic feast at my mom’s minimalist mountain house, where we shall continue to talk photography, creativity, and life.
  • Day 4: For day four we will explore more of the greater area of HADONG, check out some of the traditional temples, architecture, and also experience the mountains. We will stop to break at some epic coffee shops, cafés, and once again, some incredible food. If you’re up for it, we will also do some light hiking, and to see some of the most sublime views that South Korea has to offer. And when the day is over, we will visit a local Korean restaurant, and continue the party.
  • Day 5: The opportunity for us to digest some of our experiences from the workshop, and review our photos. I will talk about how to best pare down and edit your work, and how to select your best photos. I will demo practical ways that I cull my photos, and share my workflow thoughts and philosophies. Essentially how you could edit your photos quicker, more efficiently and more productively. we will then do a final presentation of our best work, and offer one another honest feedback and critique. Also the chance for you to pitch some of your creative ideas and entrepreneurial ideas, whether it be website design ideas, YouTube ideas, publishing ideas, etc. We will then have the final epic feast in HADONG, where we will cry our cries, and share our favorite memories from the workshop, what we learned, and what we will bring back home. Then we will all go back to our Airbnb‘s and spend the night.
  • Day 6 (after the workshop). We will then arrange for your transit back to either Seoul or international airport, depending on what your travel plans are.

Note that this is my creative vision for the workshop. The real experience will be even fuller, richer, and more fascinating.


I’m already getting excited!

WABI SABI TRADITIONAL KOREAN HADONG 하동 AIRBNB

The dates for the workshop is June 19 to June 23, 2023 (Monday to Friday). I suggest you take a good look at June of 2023, and see whether you could fit this workshop in your schedule:

  1. January
  2. February
  3. March
  4. April
  5. May
  6. June (June 19-23rd, 2023)

Something that I’ve always learned is that June creeps up pretty quickly, so the quicker you could talk to your spouse, your partner, or your employer or your boss, to takeoff time, the better.

Bring your partner, friend, family, or kid along!

An insanely unique part of this workshop is that if you have a friend, partner, or somebody who you feel like will gain much from this workshop, if you attend this workshop, you could bring somebody second, your partner for free. This is the ultimate BOGO, buy one get one free.

Also, if you have any young kids, or children, feel free to bring them along! My son Seneca will be there, and I’m sure that my mom can help take care of your kid(s).

Your Investment

Experiences never die.

This workshop is going to be very expensive, at $16,500 USD. However, the early-bird discount tuition for this workshop will only be 9998 USD. This cost will include everything, besides your flight. Your tuition for the workshop will include all local transport and transit, your hotel and Airbnb accommodations, your food and drink, etc.

And if after the workshop, you’re not 100% satisfied with the workshop experience, I will refund you your full cost after expenses. This is the ultimate skin in the game.

Also note that your tuition for the workshop means that you could include a friend or your partner for free!


Questions?

If you got any questions about VISA, vaccinations and COVID, contact my workshops manager Lea Chung (Lea.s.chung@gmail.com). As an upside, she’s also my mom! She is your personal on-the-ground personnel for this insanely epic experience.

For the most part, getting an electronic VISA is very easy to get into South Korea. Currently the only thing you must do is get a COVID-19 test, which you can get at the airport (this cost is covered by me for you).

Also, you do NOT need to quarantine before or after entering South Korea (super nice)!


Things to do before the workshop

  1. Get a Korea Electronic VISA Here >
  2. Get a “Q code” before entering South Korea

The current up to date information for travel to South Korea

Also, see the current CDC guidelines for South Korea here.

The upside also is that proof of a negative COVID-19 test is NOT required before flying into South Korea.

Also, you are NOT required to have a COVID-19 vaccine before entering Korea. This means you can still travel to South Korea if you are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Personally I’m fully vaccinated with all my boosters and encourage you to do so as well!


Secure Your Future

To make logistics and planning easier, securing your spot for this workshop will include a first deposit, and then a final deposit a month before the workshop.

The first earlybird deposit for this workshop will be March 23, 2023 (4999 USD):

FIRST EARLY BIRD DEPOSIT (4999 USD) // Due March 23rd, 2023

The second and final deposit for this workshop (4999 USD) will be a month per to the workshop May 23, 2023:

PayPal buy it now button
SECOND AND FINAL EARLY-BIRD DEPOSIT (4999 USD)// Due May 23rd, 2023

With questions in regards to deposits, or other payment options, please email my workshops manager Lea Chung at Lea.s.chung@gmail.com


Questions?

Interview with my mom in HADONG SOUTH KOREA

If you have any further questions about the workshop, please shoot email to my mom Lea Chung at Lea.s.chung@gmail.com for on the ground information regarding travel to South Korea and the workshop experience.

You only shoot once

You got nothing to lose, everything to gain.

Be bold brazen and adventurous in 2023. What new evolutions await you?

ERIC