Shanghai, Shenzhen, Seoul & Tokyo
End of September to end of October 2012
Back in Shanghai I was put on a rather unusual project by Converse, instead of portraying their shoes in a clean &
tidy fashion. I was given the task to wear out & destroy the famously known Chuck Taylors. Nikki at Converse, was
stationed as one of my accomplice in this dirty mission of pretty much dropping tons of items on these sneakers.
tidy fashion. I was given the task to wear out & destroy the famously known Chuck Taylors. Nikki at Converse, was
stationed as one of my accomplice in this dirty mission of pretty much dropping tons of items on these sneakers.
Its quite bewildering that even bustling Shenzhen has a harmonious escape. Vagabond was holding their annual
Hobo Days tradition, which consists of a weekend getaway from madness. The Vagabond team and myself got
flown down to Guangdong to take part in this zen-finding experience. Charles and I filmed the clip while the guys
were skating, surfing, eating seafood and just living up Horace's idea of carpe diam.
Hobo Days tradition, which consists of a weekend getaway from madness. The Vagabond team and myself got
flown down to Guangdong to take part in this zen-finding experience. Charles and I filmed the clip while the guys
were skating, surfing, eating seafood and just living up Horace's idea of carpe diam.
Alexander Hwang is moving to San Fransico to give the American Dream a go. The grass might be greener on the
other side, but the Pacific Ocean is the same.
other side, but the Pacific Ocean is the same.
Shorty after finishing the Converse & Hobo Days Projects, the deadline for the 'Meet The Stans' premiere was
creeping closer and closer. I was stuck for days with Charles editing in the post-production dungeon on Julu Lu, the
hearth of the French concession of Shanghai. The premiere deadline was met & the evening was utterly joyful with all
the friends from Shanghai and visitors from Russia, Mexico, Sweden present. Soon after, the time has come to give
Korea a visit again, to see some old friends and hold the second premiere, but also the first for me on the Peninsula.
creeping closer and closer. I was stuck for days with Charles editing in the post-production dungeon on Julu Lu, the
hearth of the French concession of Shanghai. The premiere deadline was met & the evening was utterly joyful with all
the friends from Shanghai and visitors from Russia, Mexico, Sweden present. Soon after, the time has come to give
Korea a visit again, to see some old friends and hold the second premiere, but also the first for me on the Peninsula.
날씨가 추워요.
Snow White not having the yellow fever. Danny has relocated himself to the Korean Peninsula in the hopes of
learning their language which he has been anxiously desiring and been talking about for years. Dan I and used to be
on the road a lot while filming for my first video 'Translations', it was more than a pleasure to catch up and film some
new maneuvers during my short stay in Seoul.
learning their language which he has been anxiously desiring and been talking about for years. Dan I and used to be
on the road a lot while filming for my first video 'Translations', it was more than a pleasure to catch up and film some
new maneuvers during my short stay in Seoul.
Korean BBQ rest stop on a short motorcycle trip to Incheon.
Songdo is the answer to Shanghai and Dubai from Korea. Barely even eight years old, this build from scratch 600
hectares free economic zone which cost over forty billion dollars to build is embedding tons of skateboard spots
which the Kadence team can't be turning a blind eye to.
hectares free economic zone which cost over forty billion dollars to build is embedding tons of skateboard spots
which the Kadence team can't be turning a blind eye to.
Jason Choi bluntsliding Area 51 like ledges in Incheon. Jason just recently migrated back from the East Coast of
America to the Korean peninsula, where I am pretty sure he will play a big role in the development of this sport for
the upcoming decade. With his humble approach and talented feet, he will make Korea proud one day.
America to the Korean peninsula, where I am pretty sure he will play a big role in the development of this sport for
the upcoming decade. With his humble approach and talented feet, he will make Korea proud one day.
Thanks Phil & Hae Na for the hospitality. Thanks but also no thanks for introducing me to Gangnam Style.
Next stop on the premiere trip around Eastern Asia was the land of the rising sun, 日本 (Japan).
Maneki Neko or beckoning cat can be seen at store fronts all over Japan. If you come across cats which have their
left paw up means that customers are welcomed. In the other hand if the right paw is lifted good fortune & money is
in demand. As erotic as Japan can be, I was not too surprised after doing some research that even this harmless cat
originates from ancient sex tales. Before 1872 big wooden carved penises were used at store fronts around brothels
as good luck charms. But with the establishment of the Meiji government and a desire for modernization, the male
organ shaped charms were replaced with cats since the prostitutes would beckon for customers the same way.
left paw up means that customers are welcomed. In the other hand if the right paw is lifted good fortune & money is
in demand. As erotic as Japan can be, I was not too surprised after doing some research that even this harmless cat
originates from ancient sex tales. Before 1872 big wooden carved penises were used at store fronts around brothels
as good luck charms. But with the establishment of the Meiji government and a desire for modernization, the male
organ shaped charms were replaced with cats since the prostitutes would beckon for customers the same way.
During my teens while I was babysitting the kids next door in Kings Park, New York, I was able to save up around
three grands over a year which I felt was obligatory to spend on a trip to Japan. I flew over with 14 and was intrigued
and in love with this eastern nation which was my first dose of the soon to follow non-toxic yellow fever. The last half
a decade I been pretty much in almost all the countries in Eastern Asia, but didn't return back to Japan, mainly
because it was just too expensive. Also in the back of my head, I was leaving a revisit to Japan for a later time being
where I would value it more than just a typical skate trip encounter. Sharing 'Meet the Stans' with the Japanese
audience was a pleasure. Thanks to VHS, we were able to add Japanese subtitles, so no one was lost in translation.
three grands over a year which I felt was obligatory to spend on a trip to Japan. I flew over with 14 and was intrigued
and in love with this eastern nation which was my first dose of the soon to follow non-toxic yellow fever. The last half
a decade I been pretty much in almost all the countries in Eastern Asia, but didn't return back to Japan, mainly
because it was just too expensive. Also in the back of my head, I was leaving a revisit to Japan for a later time being
where I would value it more than just a typical skate trip encounter. Sharing 'Meet the Stans' with the Japanese
audience was a pleasure. Thanks to VHS, we were able to add Japanese subtitles, so no one was lost in translation.
If there is a society where your carrier and your job are of top priority, Japan is number one. Working overtime is
widely accepted since denying to do so would probably result badly. According to a labor ministry, 80 hours a month
overtime dosn't break any health violations like karoshi, meaning death or suicide because of overwork. The printing
company Dai-Nihon Insatsu is known to ask their employees to work two hundred hours extra a month, making it the
number one probably worldwide in abusing free overtime work. 200 hours is like 6 hours in addition to your probably
nine to ten hour daily job, which would probably leave you snoozing like this man above on the subway to work.
widely accepted since denying to do so would probably result badly. According to a labor ministry, 80 hours a month
overtime dosn't break any health violations like karoshi, meaning death or suicide because of overwork. The printing
company Dai-Nihon Insatsu is known to ask their employees to work two hundred hours extra a month, making it the
number one probably worldwide in abusing free overtime work. 200 hours is like 6 hours in addition to your probably
nine to ten hour daily job, which would probably leave you snoozing like this man above on the subway to work.
Japanese etiquette and politness is probably the most culture shock you will take home from Japan. While using
the bidet like futurist toilet at your nearest 7/11, you will realize that you are greeted a zillion times alongside a
customal bow while getting your change back with two hands is quite in the norm in Japan. While using the subway
system I came across three children who got their ticket stuck within the machine. While obtaining the ticket back,
the kids thanked the vendor, then the vendor thanked them back for thanking him, and then the kids did another
bow for the sake of encore appreciation, which chain reacted to another bow out of the vendor... only in Japan.
the bidet like futurist toilet at your nearest 7/11, you will realize that you are greeted a zillion times alongside a
customal bow while getting your change back with two hands is quite in the norm in Japan. While using the subway
system I came across three children who got their ticket stuck within the machine. While obtaining the ticket back,
the kids thanked the vendor, then the vendor thanked them back for thanking him, and then the kids did another
bow for the sake of encore appreciation, which chain reacted to another bow out of the vendor... only in Japan.
Halloween in Japan is a race between sexy nurses, cats, police officers, devils and vampires.
Arigato Laurence, Iseki, Masafumi, Buchi, Akira, Makoto, Yuki, Toeda for the good times in Tokyo.
