Korea Update 15.0 :: Okpo Land – Okpo, South Korea
Okpo Land, an Abandoned South Korean Fun Park
This post is from an excursion to the top of the hill in Okpo. Located just on the outskirts of the downtown area of the city is an abandoned amusement park, Okpo Land. It is a bit of a hike up the steep hill, but for photographic purposes, it is well worth the trouble. Amusement parks are like playgrounds for the entire family, but the atmosphere of a closed amusement park takes on an entirely different vibe (“Eerie and pleasurably twisted”). It is also a spectacular view looking over the city of Okpo and Okpoman Bay. Here you have the perfect panorama over all the shipping and oil rig industries located in the bay below.
From the research I did, and the heresy I’ve listened to, the park was shut down in 1999 after a number of fatal “accidents”. Apparently, after the first fatality in the ’90s, the park continued to operate without remorse to the family affected. Sometime after that there was a second fatal accident. This incident is what put an end to the procurement of smiles from wide-eyed children, adventurous teenagers, and nostalgic adults alike. Supposedly a young girl was killed after she was thrown from a ride. Although it’s unclear exactly what happened, whoever was responsible wasn’t interested in taking responsibility for the tragic deaths. The family of the young girl received no compensation (or even an apology), and the park’s owner disappeared overnight, leaving everything as it was the day the park closed. Although the story is appalling and the theme park owner’s response deplorable, the park itself is an absolute jewel for urban explorers and photographers alike. Since Okpo Land’s dastardly owner didn’t have time to sell any of the park’s rides, everything has been left intact to rot and rust. Even the derailed sky-bike car, that looks to be the ride that killed that young girl, is left suspended in the air. And yes, I did say sky-bike. It wasn’t even a mechanical ride. It was similar to the looks of a roller coaster, but apparently it was a pedal ride much like the pedal swan/duck boats that are everywhere in Korea.
The theme park itself was designed like much of Korea :: build it small, build it dense, and make it mediocre. None of the rides were great, but they weren’t completely rubbish either. And just like architecture in much of Asia, all rides were built one on top of the other, quite literally in fact. The rocket ship you see in the last few of the photos is above another ride. Both, were built inside the tracks of the sky-bike ride, which is an efficient use of space. The rides Okpo Land could claim were :: a swinging Viking ride (of course), a carousel, a roller coaster, a spinning rocket ship ride with a smaller ride below, bumper cars, some sort of virtual reality motion simulator, and a few buildings which most likely housed some games, noraebangs, and restrooms. In addition to the rides on the campus of Okpo Land, there was also a building that housed an indoor swimming pool and sauna.
Teaching Engrish 