합격

... which means passing an examination, refers to my main activity today, which was going to Seoul Medical Center, to pick up my medical check results for Immigration.

The new SMC, which is actually where I went last year as well, is a grand, gleaming facility located in the middle of nowhere, a.k.a., Bonghwasan, the eastern terminus of line 6, and then a fifteen minute hike. Go out Exit 2:
The new building is quite impressive. Instead of being marched all over the building to get your check-up done, as was the case in the old building, here there is a department just for these basic checks, with reception and payment, vital signs and measurements, chest x-ray, blood and urine collection, all located together. The process takes about 45 minutes and costs 52,000 W. I had the check-up procedure on Friday, and returned today, as instructed, to pick up the results. In front of the building is a rather bland sculpture, representing, I imagine, something about the 'circle of life': To one side of the building is a surprisingly extensive park area, which seems to be mainly used by patients in pajamas on a cigarette break: The mediocrity of the previous art installation is made up for, in my opinion, by this delightful piece. WARNING: Mercury is a toxic metal, and is not intended for human consumption.