Gyeongju

They follow the handrails of the stony steps leading to a psychedelic pavilion’s curved and slate-tiled roof. They link gnarly pine trees, immaculately manicured and bending in such a way to make even the most experienced yogi green with envy. They wrap around octagonal pagodas, adorn the 33-stepped bridges and mark the entrances to painted prayer rooms. They are ubiquitous.

Lanterns.

Green, yellow, blue, red, orange, pink.

Strings of lanterns are everywhere, cascading, rising, and flowing.

They appear as a group of vivid and variegated jellyfish dancing through the water.