'Reasonable Architecture - Space Traveler' Hong Seok-cheon and Choi Kang-min have newly explored the architecture of the densely populated city Hong Kong.
On Aug. 26, the MBC cultural program 'Reasonable Architecture - Space Traveler' (directed by So Hyung-jun and Sung Seung-min, written by Nam Soo-hee, hereinafter 'Reasonable Architecture') depicted broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon and Dongbang's Choi Kang-min departing for an architectural study trip to Hong Kong with architect Yoo Hyun-joon. The trip, framed around the keyword 'architecture,' offered viewers a unique perspective on the city known for its fine dining, shopping, and night views.
MC Jun Hyun-moo said, "This is the first travel program focused on architecture instead of a food tour," expressing his interest. Hong Jin Kyung recalled Hong Kong through her encounters with movie stars from the 1990s, noting, "Whenever there was an interview with Leslie Cheung or Andy Lau, I would always go," and shared a story about being the only interviewer in Korea to grab the chin of the actor, saying, "I remember when Andy Lau only looked at the interpreter and I turned his chin."
Arriving in Hong Kong, architectural students Hong Seok-cheon and Choi Kang-min headed to their first location, which required them to start their day at 10 a.m. The place, known for the scene where Tony Leung rode the escalator in the movie 'Chungking Express,' was the Mid-Levels Escalator. However, the two were surprised to find that the escalator was only running downhill at that time. This was because the Mid-Levels Escalator was originally designed for commuting. It operates downhill from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. for people in the Mid-Levels area to get to the financial district in Central, and then switches to uphill operation after that.
Yoo Hyun-joon spoke about the symbolism of the Mid-Levels Escalator. Built in the 1990s, the Mid-Levels Escalator serves as a free public infrastructure and symbolizes Hong Kong's economic peak. It also captures the geographical characteristics of Hong Kong, explaining, "Every second the landscape changes when you ride the escalator. It compresses the density of the experience over a unit of time."
Crossing into the West Kowloon Cultural District, the two encountered architecture that showed different land use regulations. It was the M+ museum, unimaginably long horizontally in the expensive land of Hong Kong Island. Inside M+, there was a hidden space called the Found Space where the airport rail tunnel passes through. The architect's idea of utilizing the obstacle (the airport rail tunnel) that existed since the construction of M+ as a unique exhibition space stood out. Found Space means a newly discovered space architecturally. Additionally, louvers installed to block sunlight had LED lights attached, and at night, M+ transformed into a massive screen. Hong Seok-cheon and Choi Kang-min marveled, saying, "The building itself is art. It is a visual culture museum."
Especially, the West Kowloon Cultural District where M+ was built is a newly created land through reclamation and is a space that embodies pride for Hong Kong people. Hong Seok-cheon interpreted how special this space is for the people of Hong Kong from his perspective, eliciting admiration from Yoo Hyun-joon. He remarked, "I heard it's so expensive that people have to look for places to walk their dogs. For Hong Kong people accustomed to small spaces, this place offers the taste of a wide area," adding, "I thought it was a space that gives them relaxation," and humorously remarked that many were jogging without their shirts, which left a lasting impression on him.
The legendary city of Kowloon Walled City, which has since vanished into history, left everyone in shock. The area where the Kowloon Walled City used to exist is now a peaceful park. It was noted that Kowloon Walled City was a lawless slum, a hotbed for various crimes, and also the home to countless people's lives. The three were astonished by a photo of the hyper-dense city of Kowloon Walled City, where a population of 50,000 lived on a land equivalent to four soccer fields. As the population grew, the buildings expanded like proliferating cells, resembling a maze, and the fact that there was even a real mailing address and postmen there surprised them.
In a set that recreated the cityscape of that time, Hong Seok-cheon, Choi Kang-min, and Yoo Hyun-joon were amazed by the ecosystem of the Kowloon Walled City residents who built their own settlements. Yoo Hyun-joon commented, "Any store that isn't here is likely unnecessary for human survival," and envisioned the lives of residents who lived under what was essentially an anarchic state. Jun Hyun-moo remarked, "I heard the police couldn't enter," while Hong Jin Kyung exclaimed, "Did they not pay taxes?" Choi Kang-min added, "There were 50,000 people living here. I can't imagine how they survived," and Yoo Hyun-joon expressed regret for the Kowloon Walled City, saying, "It was the ultimate three-dimensional alley. It will be a building we won't see anymore. It could have been precious research material for studying humans. I consider it to have pyramid-level value."
[Photo] Captured from MBC 'Reasonable Architecture - Space Traveler' broadcast.
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