If fishing is supposed to be a tranquil, reflective hobby, then Jung-Hoon Park takes it to another level of chill. Instead of going after his catch with high-tech equipment or a state-of-the-art rod, Park goes at it old school. The South Korean hobbyist fisherman uses a gyeonji—a traditional Korean fishing pole that dates back at least 300 years—to chase river carp. With a tip that resembles a spinning triple-helix, the gyeonji allows the angler to more intimately feel his catch, even with bigger fish. While using one is no easy task, Park says the gyeonji has made him a better angler and given him a way to honor Korean history and tradition.
