The four large jangseung, or Korean totem poles in front of the COEX International Media Center (IMC) in Gangnam, Seoul, is a favorite filming place for foreign broadcasting companies, including England's BBC, America's Univian Network and Brazil’s TV Global Network. The totem poles were set up by the COEX on May 24 and are the artwork of jangseung sculptor You-seok. A man with a topknot and woman with ornamental hairpin stand together and behind them are two figures; one has a soccer ball in its mouth and symbolizes the desire of the Korean team to make the second round, while the other symbolizes the country's mountains. The poles are 4m high and 5.4m in diameter, each weighing more than 7 tons and were carved from trees brought from New Zealand over 3 months.

After the totem poles were first used as a backdrop for a broadcast, the area in front of the IMC changed from an uncharacteristic plaza to a place deeply seeped in Korea's folk culture. Foreign broadcasting companies used to report in front of the World Cup mascots such as 'Ato,' but now there is competition to report in front of the totem poles.

Mexico-based broadcasting company Televisa-Mexico's reporter Alberto Tinoko says, "I can feel the unique Korean culture and I heard that they symbolize a peaceful World Cup with no terror. That's why I chose this spot for my reporting." An American tourist visiting COEX walked around the poles exclaiming, "Amazing!"

With the World Cup mascots getting the cold shoulder because of the jangseung, the World Cup Organizing Committee once requested that they be taken down. Sculptor Bang says, "Jangseung symbolize security and safety, which are key factors for the IMC. Also, instead of a World Cup mascot that has no 'nationality,' these totem poles are popular because they show off Korean characteristics."

(Lee Kil-sung, atticus@chosun.com )