Some readers (and viewers) may not know this, but back when I was a school-aged student, I had dreams of becoming a physician. As a result, I spent long hours studying the sciences and marveling at how the universe functions. In fact, this passion lead to both my desire to obtain a degree in Zoology and my first university teaching role (Human Anatomy and Physiology). That knowledge ultimately cam in handy when I started my massage business in 2002. With that background, it’s probably no wonder that when I fist had the chance to see Body Worlds in the US, I leaped at the chance.

I remember back then not knowing what to expect. I had heard about the show and how Gunther von Hagens preserved complete bodies in ways that were unimaginable, but nothing could quite prepare me for that first visit. Seeing life-sized corpses dissected and “exploded” literally “blew my mind.” After so many years of laboratory work trying to achieve this level of detail, it was a breath of fresh air to actually see masters create intricate works for everyone to see.

Recently, we hooked up with our friends Becky and Tor for another adventure. This one primarily focused on eating (as it tends to always lead there), but Becky mentioned going to the Seoul Body Worlds exhibit held at the War Memorial and Museum. Since this would be my third trip to an exhibition, I decided to call the local PR firm handing things and see if I could get permission to film and Jo authorized to take photos. They agreed. This was very exciting for us, since normally photographing and filming is strictly prohibited. When we arrived, I checked in with the manager and got an extra surprise. Not only did she present Jo and I with a free DVD of the Body Worlds exhibit, but the coffee table book detailing how all this came to be… then it got better.

Jo, Becky, Tor, and I had planned on paying the W15,000 admission. It’s something we like to do, since helping out artists and exhibitions enables more to come; however, the manager had other ideas. As members of the Press, she comped all four of us. That was unexpected and greatly appreciated. Once through the gate, we started to explore the Seoul exhibit, that featured the life-cycle development.

As usual, the exhibit was amazing. The plastinates were some of the best I’ve seen and the camera did really well in the low-light conditions. Walking through the exhibition takes about 2 hours, more if you really want to examine the specimens or have the W3,000 audio guide. Several times we were stopped by guards asking us not to shoot, but once they saw the Press Passes, they apologized and allowed us to continue. I mention this, because many guests thought they’d capture the moments on their cell phones or DSLRs and were quickly instructed not to do so; therefore, if you are planning on attending one of the world-wide shows, don’t even think about snapping a picture.

Body Worlds is something I think everyone should see. For some, it might be hard to get past the skinned and articulated bodies, but being afforded the chance to peer inside the marvelous machine that keeps us going is truly rewarding. Only here can you see how nerves extend from the brain, weave in and out of tissue, pass over joints, and ultimately terminate in muscles allowing you to walk, run, and jump. It simply is amazing.

The Seoul Body Worlds exhibit runs through March 8th at the War Memorial and Museum. For details click here (Korea and English).