I found a great little shop located in an area of many great little photo stores and shops in Chungmuro. It is called Mozart Cafe. It is owned by camera collector, nude photographer, and poet Michael Choi. Mr. Choi lived in Chicago for 30 years before returning to Seoul to open his awesome little camera museum/shop/coffee shop/beer HOF.
The first time I walked into his store, last week, he said, "Can I help you?" I said, "No, I'm just looking." "Get out then!," he said. "Can't you read the sign? It says coffee shop and HOF. You want coffee?" "Sure," I said. I couldn't keep myself from laughing.
Now I go there just to stop and say hello to him and his wife. He doesn't even charge me to look anymore. Yesterday I was looking for a strap for one of my point-and-shoot cameras. He pointed me to a bin of small straps, he handed me one and said, "This one is good." I tried it and it didn't fit. I continued searching. He came back over and said, "That one was good!" "It didn't fit," I told him. He tried to make it fit anyway, it didn't.
I kept looking through the bin. He said, "I don't have one that fits, that's all." About two seconds later I found a perfect strap!
I bought a copy of his book of poems title "Winter Wanderer III." I don't think "Winter Wanderer" or "Winter Wanderer II" ever existed. Please come and visit me in Seoul and we will take a trip to see Mr. Choi at Mozart Cafe. It is so great!
