Author’s note: I credit Seoul Sub>Urban for the inspiration behind a more abstract set of photos.

In the movie Mallrats, our heroes Jay and Silent Bob try to disrupt a dating show filmed in a mall somewhere in suburban America. While Dongtan’s Metapolis didn’t even exist for the 1995 flick, the several floors of stores, ice rink, and food court wouldn’t look too out of place in anytown, America.

Out front is Metapolis’s contribution to modern art – a sphere of colored wires.

Funny – I had no idea the horse head was in this year.

The centerpiece of the mall is a fairly romantic ice skating rink – romantic, that is, if you can avoid the kids not much taller than the metal structures helping them stay upright. During the weekdays, the rink is virtually deserted.

 

The third floor features several cell phone shops side-by-side. This model of a Blackberry seems to have everywhere but Korea covered.

The two large halves of the shopping mall are connected by a second story walkway, overlooking a public plaza complete with some waterworks. It’s a great place to break out the rollerblades, as there’s a smooth rink under one of the bridges.

Furry toe loops, anyone?

Where one half of Metapolis is an indistinct shopping mall, the other half features European facades, knights in shining armor, and art I wasn’t allowed to see when I was 16 years old.

Being the weekend means there are periodic performances – the bubble man, the magician, and so on.

It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, as there are very few local elements to speak of. It’s a shopping center, pure and simple, and succeeds in that regard. For the locals in the area, the Homeplus in the basement likely has what the rest of the mall doesn’t, and is a good day to meander on a rainy day.

 

Ratings (out of 5 taeguks): How do I rate destinations?

Ease to arrive:

Foreigner-friendly:

Convenience facilities:

Worth the visit:

Directions to Metapolis: the easiest way is to take 1551 (a red bus) or M4403 (a light blue and gray bus) from the Gangnam station area. Start from Sinnonhyeon station (line 9, exit 7) or Gangnam station (line 2, exit 7). The buses stop close to the Frisbee Apple store. Ride the bus for about 45 minutes to an hour until it exits the expressway, then listen to the Metapolis bus stop. They’ll be the two tallest buildings in sight on your left.

© Chris Backe – 2011
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