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Posted by jubilantj179 pts Friday, November 13, 2015

Short and sweet video shows both the beauty and ugliness of Seoul's Gangnam District

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Most people outside of South Korea know the Gangnam District, a posh area within Seoul, thanks to Psy's globally viral song "Gangnam Style," which glorifies the so-called fast, fancy, frivolous lifestyle of Gangnam's residents. 


SEE ALSO: The Hipster Districts you can visit around Seoul


What most people also don't know, however, is that though South Korea is a first-world developed nation with a steadily rising per capita income, there are still many elderly folks living in destitution. This penury can be witnessed daily on the streets of Seoul; as you trudge past the buildings packed suffocatingly together and bustle along the subway stations, there are street vendors--usually elderly women--selling all sorts of wares, ranging from vegetables, cheap home goods, to snacks such as gum. 


A YouTuber that goes by 'THE INTER-VIEW' captured one such street vendor selling gum on the stairs of the busy Gangnam Station to show the "other side of the story." Unlike what people may see in the media and believe, the user wanted to show that you cannot take everything at face value. 


The street vendor, much like the others, was an older woman who sat motionless on the hard stone steps, patiently waiting for someone to give so much as a glance at her. While many people just walked past the woman, some people stopped to buy gum from her and even converse with her. 


With this simple yet heartwarming video, the YouTuber reminded us once again that there are multiple facets to what you may see. Gangnam may wear a shiny veneer but underneath lies a harsh, ugly reality; people's hearts may seem cold, but there are also those who possess hearts of gold. 

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