[Insta Walk] Gorae Photo Studio - 'Gorae' as a Film Photography Hotspot

From the 'Hite Jinro' Parody Signboard Catching Eyes
Unmanned Film Reception Box at the Door to Avoid Wasted Trips
Sharing Food Comfortably Like a Neighborhood Gathering Place
The Top Popular Feature Is the 'Self Scan' Capability
No Need to Worry About Who Sees My Photos
Film Camera Rental and Flea Market Events Also Available

The interior of the film developing studio 'Gorae Photo Studio.' It gives a comfortable, workshop-like feeling, attracting a steady flow of customers. Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Gayeon] There is a place where you can gather scattered memories from the depths of your mind and paint them with your own colors. This is the film developing studio 'Gorae Sajin-gwan' located between Chungmuro and Euljiro in Seoul. If you walk about five minutes from Exit 6 of Chungmuro Station on Subway Line 4, you can find a signboard parodying 'Hite Jinro.' Instead of a toad, the signboard features a whale and includes phrases such as 'The Origin of Film,' 'For Photo Development, Gorae,' 'Entrance Staircase Ends at 3rd Floor,' '高來 (Gorae),' and 'It's the 3rd floor, but please come up.' Climbing the steep stairs with the whale drawing to the third floor, you can strongly smell the sharp scent of developing solution. In front of the door, there is an unmanned film drop-off box decorated with Kodak film boxes, a thoughtful touch for customers who come without checking closing hours or holidays.

As the name implies, meaning 'a whale swimming in the sea of film,' a variety of films are densely displayed on the stand right next to the entrance. From commonly used films like Kodak, Fuji, Fomapan, and Tmax to movie film, various products catch the eye. There is also a vintage corner for customers looking for expired films. Camera-related accessories such as disposable cameras, waterproof cameras, camera-shaped badges, photo books, and straps are also noticeable.

Film rolls densely filling the stand right next to the gu. They range from commonly used films like Kodak and Fuji to movie film./Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

Director Yoon Pubbit introduced this space as a 'Film Lab & Community.' As a 'cultural playground' established with the motto 'Making people's content valuable, and valuable content accessible to many,' it is a space where various people can comfortably stay and visit.

The reason for its location somewhere between Euljiro and Chungmuro also aligns with this motto. There are many places nearby that sell cameras and repair shops close by, making it easy for passersby to drop in.

This is also why this space feels like a pavilion where local residents gather in small groups. At 'Gorae,' staff prepare snacks like ice cream to share with customers, and sometimes customers bring desserts to share with both staff and other visitors. Director Yoon said, "Many people take photos regardless of the weather, whether summer or winter," adding, "Those who take photos come here to comfortably carry out somewhat time-consuming tasks like photo scanning or retouching, so we started sharing food." He added, "When there is someone next to you, you naturally want to share food," and "We even planted lettuce, chili peppers, and cucumbers on the rooftop because we want to have a barbecue party together."

You can cut the scanned film and put it in a file for easy storage.
Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

The main attraction of 'Gorae' is undoubtedly the 'self-scan' service. Unlike typical developing studios where you receive scanned images online after submitting your film, here you can adjust the color tones to your liking yourself. When submitting film, you write your name or nickname and contact information, then choose the scanner type among Noritsu, Fuji, or Kodak. Director Yoon explained, "Through the process of scanning by yourself, you can see how your content turns out and gain a detailed understanding of the work you do," adding, "We started the self-scan service with the idea of 'How can people make their works more valuable?'"

Another advantage is that your photos are not exposed to others during the scanning process. A visitor who came here said, "After receiving the developed film, you can do the scanning yourself, so you don't have to worry about who might see your photos," and added, "Sometimes I worry whether the scanned files of my photos remain somewhere on the photo studio's computer, but here, I don't have to worry about that."

Disposable cameras with unique designs are also available for sale.
Photo by Kay Kim

'Gorae' also rents out film cameras at affordable prices and holds various events such as 'flea markets,' 'artist support programs,' and 'one-day classes.' These efforts aim to introduce the charm of film to more people. Director Yoon said, "These programs are designed with the hope that people will try and fall in love with the charm of film," adding, "Sometimes, those who have connected with us come back saying they have published a photo book. We are very grateful at those times." He also added, "I hope this remains a comfortable, everyone’s workspace where people can come and use it freely."