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'Cannabis Port’: Reddit user’s Seoul map shows districts in colorful English names

By Yim Hyun-su

Published : Dec. 14, 2018 - 12:53

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A map of the South Korean capital showing the districts’ names in English is garnering attenetion across online communities.

The post was uploaded to social aggregator Reddit by user nanain_melons in November, and has since been shared on websites like Bestiz and MLB Park.

The map gave Mapo the English name “Cannabis Port,” as the word “Ma” can mean “cannabis” and “Po” can refer to ports.

(Reddit user nanain_melons) (Reddit user nanain_melons)

Yongsan was written as “Dragon Mountain,” which on par with the actual meaning, as old literature shows the area surrounding the Han River and Nam Mountain, also known as Namsan, being described as the shape of a dragon.

Dongjak District, located just south of Yongsan District, becomes “Coppersparrow.”

Seocho was given the English name “Blessedgrass,” while Gangnam and Seongbuk were given the literal translations of “Riversouth” and “Castle North.”

Guro, a district well known for its Digital Complex, became “Nine Elderly,” while Geumcheon was changed to “Collar Creek.”

Reactions have been widely positive, with one member of online baseball community MLB Park writing, “This is wild,” while another said in disbelief, “Songpa is Pine Hill?”

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)