The Lost Expo – Nippon and Beyond

Gyeongju, our next stop on our trip, was once a great city during the Silla dynasty (0–900 A.D.). With a population of almost 1 million people, it rivalled cities like Constantinople or Baghdad. Now it is famous for its many ancient royal tombs (from said Silla dynasty), scattered throughout the city and painting an image that slightly reminded us of Teletubby World.

What left a greater mark on us, though, was the old Expo site a bit east of the city. We were intrigued by the main sight there, Gyeongju Tower, impressive due to its portrayal of the historical wooden pagoda of Hwangnyongsa Temple through a void silhouette. The original pagoda, a representation of Gyeongju’s ancient power, was unfortunately destroyed during the Mongol invasion. We decided it was worth the visit and put the entire Expo Park on our schedule.

What we found was an empty park filled with different exhibitions, barely kept alive by a few dedicated staff members. With abandoned amphitheaters, old recordings of classical music blasting over the speakers, and no one but us around to hear it, it definitely gave us an eerie feeling in our stomachs.

We haven’t been to North Korea and are not planning on it, but somehow we got the feeling that we were getting a little peek into that world.