The Hands of Living Mutually

The city of Pohang is famous (okay maybe that’s pushing it), Pohang is well-known for two things mainly; Asia’s most profitable steel mill, POSCO, and for the abundance of seafood (easily seen at Jukdo Market where every species of fish, crustacean and seaweed abound). On every street and alleyway, there is a seafood restaurant (not of my culinary taste – raw, moving, alive squid and catfish are a real treat here).

But Pohang has a third, lesser known tourist treasure. Well beyond the smoke and haze of the POSCO factory, lies a small fishing village, Homigot, on the east of the city. While the beaches in this little town aren’t the most beautiful and are too rocky for swimming, there is a piece of art worth seeing; the “Hands of Living Mutually” or “Hands of Harmony” as they are better known.

These are two massive bronze and granite sculptures of hands stretching up to the sky. The oddity in the situation is that the one hand (the right hand) stretches up from the water in a small cove. And the second bronze hand (the left and of equal proportion) stretches up from dry land on the Homigot Sunrise Square. The hand in the water is the main attraction, particularly at sunrise, when the sun seems to be rising through the fingers of the hand. As Homigot is on the east coast, the sun rises here first in Korea.

Apparently, the hands were constructed in 1999 “to symbolize continuing efforts of all Korean citizens to pursue a better quality of life” (www.frikworld.com). This charming little place is a bit of an absurd tourist magnet. Photographers from all over the country come to take pictures of the sun rising through the fingers of the hand. Some use cellphones, others are professionals. Some will even venture into the water to be closer to the Hand and prove they were really there.

A couple friends and I decided to visit Homigot on a day off. We didn’t make the sunrise, of course. I am not sure what I was expecting but I was a little disappointed by the Hands of Harmony. It is obviously a fantastic artistic concept and quite a sight to behold, this hand stretching up from the ocean. But the Hand was really only a few metres from the shore and it wasn’t nearly as big as I had expected. Beyond the Hand though, stretched the ocean as far as the eye can see. We had a little childish fun scrambling over the rocks and taking silly pictures. The water was also pleasantly warm.

According to the locals and some blogs, New Year's Eve is presumably the best time to visit as there are fireworks and the Homigot National Sunrise Festival runs until 7:30am. Some people go during summer, when the weather is more pleasant. There are hotels scattered around the place and they are in walking distance but some visitors bring a sleeping bag, insect repellant and some soju to get them through to sunrise.

A good one and a half hour bus ride from the Intercity Bus Station or an expensive cab ride away, visiting the Hands of Harmony is a pleasant outing, whether one visits during the day or to watch the sunrise. There is a lighthouse and museum in the vicinity as well as some tourist stores, seafood eateries and several little food and beverage stalls. Don’t buy the roasted chestnuts though, they are expensive and not at all worth it (from experience). A slush puppy is definitely recommendable.

And it is one of the places you just have to see in Pohang city…