KMK: Mass Freeze Seoul

Last weekend mass freeze hit Seoul. If you don’t know what the mass freeze concept is all about just take a look at the video below. Basically, a group of people find a public area to infiltrate, blending in to the background as if they are just going about their business like everyone else, but at a precise time, previously coordinated, everyone stops and freezes in place.

Rudy Mah, an event planner here in Seoul, helped organize the big event at Coex mall. I arrived at the prearranged spot to find about one hundred other potential freezers, both expats and Koreans, eagerly anticipating the big moment. The precise location in the mall where the freeze was supposed to take place was occupied by some game show type of event, so the organizers decided to move the location further inside the mall near the bookstore, burger king and coffee bean.

Originally the start time was 2:30pm, but a snag pushed it back to 2:40. Once the time arrived the eeriness began. The reaction of some people to the freezers was priceless. I moved about snapping pictures of the best poses not realizing that they would be frozen no matter what because it was a photo and not video. Doh! I should have slowed the shutter speed or something to get a blurry of effect of the people actually moving, but I didn’t think of that at the time.

There were several suggestions and helpful tips for people to keep in mind when the big moment arrived:

Start thinking about how you will freeze. The point is for it to be realistic, natural and not jokey. i.e. looking at a map, posing for a picture, reading a book, etc. I suggest practicing to make sure you can stay in whatever position you want for five minutes. I doubt you can balance on one foot for five minutes (if you can then I applaud you!).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDkEMJtPrFU&hl=en&fs=1&]

Decide if you will use a watch or cell phone. With a cell phone, I suggest planning to make a vibrating alarm so you will know when to start and stop.

WEAR An ARTICLE OF BLUE, Rudy sent out a prior message saying this but just a reminder. Doesn’t mean you need to wear all blue just some blue. It will make the pictures turn out really cool.

Still, I got some great poses. Check’em out! And there’s a video of the actual event courtesy of Foreigner/Joy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wSlmE2PRTk&hl=en&fs=1&]