South Korea's been on a running path for decades. Since shedding its war-torn past the country has displayed an economic spurt that is often deemed as a miracle. Though the formation of Seoul-based running crew PRRC1936 has been inspired by the global initiative Bridge the Gap, the spirit of running (or sprinting) towards a destination has always been rooted in its people and culture. In a country where the importance of academia and work far outweigh physical improvement, recently there has been a noticeable change as both media and the creative sector encourage more fitness-driven activities. PRRC1936—lead by a designer, model, MC, connector, and a business overseer—is the result of this shifting attitude pushed forth by the city's foremost creatives. It all started when a group of friends that were regulars at parties hosted by DJ collective 360 Sounds found out they shared an affinity for running. Headed by JBW, who's been a go-to figure in Korea's subculture scene, and Make-1, a former rap artist and an MC of 360 Sounds, PRRC1936 was born February of 2013. Since its inception, the club has quickly grown into 30-plus regular runners (and 60-plus registered members), every Wednesday they are easily spotted running across Seoul's congested streets. UNDO caught up with the founders JBW and Make-1 to learn more about The Land of the Morning Clam's premier running crew. 
What does PRRC1936 stand for? Whether you run as a group or as an individual, every road is different for each person, so we've decided to name our group "Private Road Running Club." 1936 was the year when marathoner Sohn Kee-chung became the first medal-winning Korean at the Berlin Olympics. To honor that spirit, we've named ourselves Private Road Running Club 1936 or simply PRRC1936. Every Wednesday night, about 30 or more members gather up to partake in 8K or 10K group runs. Living a health-conscious lifestyle has been a growing trend globally. How is PRRC1936 affecting the local scene? Our primary focus is running, but through group runs we share a lot of insights and know-hows on how to improve our health and eating habits, like the benefits of superfoods like acai bowls and coconut water. Any challenges for the club? Where are some go-to spots for runners? Seoul doesn't have the cleanest air. But there are way more pros than cons to running. First, there's the sense of joy that's unmatched, and there are multiple health benefits that follow. Some of our go-to running spots in Seoul include Namsan—the mountain peak in the heart of the city—and trails alongside the Han River. How's PRRC1936 different compared to other sports clubs in South Korea? There's not much difference. Our meeting spot, Jas Climbing Gym, has a space limitation, so we can't accept anymore club members. To enter the club, one must be recommended by an active member. The club's been around for less than two years, so we've been focusing more on building teamwork, and partaking in marathons than growing our membership. 
What's the reaction like from friends and colleagues? Some might consider running a boring activity. After all, you can run everywhere, anytime. But marathon is a sport that deserves more respect. Through the formation of PRRC1936, more young people are showing interest in running and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Many similar running clubs, groups, and crews have formed since we started PRRC1936. We take great pride in starting this movement. This past September we gathered 12 of Seoul's running clubs and held #BTGNAMSAN (Bridge the Gap, Namsan). Moving forward, #BTGNAMSAN will be an annual gathering for runners in Seoul. Are the members mostly working in the creative fields? Since we take new members through recommendations of existing members, naturally we have many runners that work in either fashion or design. But we also have a professional fighter, who's part of Korea's MMA league Road FC, a high school teacher, a tattooist, and many more. What are some of PRRC1936's goals moving forward? Longevity is key. We're going to continue our weekly Wednesday runs in Seoul, but our members are also partaking in international functions to further push the #BRIDGETHEGAP initiative. In November, three of our members will partake in the Shanghai Marathon. They'll be apart of #runhai and joined by other members of Asia-based running clubs. In February 2015, two of our members will run in the Tokyo Marathon. Aside from running, what are some other fitness activities lined up for the group? One of our co-founders Minjun is overseeing PRRC Triathlon (#prrc_tri), and JBW is hosting trail runs across Seoul. We also have plans to host group yoga sessions by the Han River. But our main priority is to develop more marathoners. Wish to add anything else? We want to say thank you to the founder of the Bridge the Gap movement, Charlie of RUNDEMCREW (London), who's an inspiration, Mike from Bridgerunners (NYC), Knox from BLACKROSENYC (NYC), Jay from Paris Running Club (Paris), Jun, Emi, Rio, and Kensuke from Athletics Far East (Tokyo), Edson from Patta Running Team (Amsterdam), Nigel and Joseph from Harbour Runners (Hong Kong), Anders and Nanna from NBRO running (Copenhagen), and everyone else that's part of the #BRIDGETHEGAP family. We want to take this opportunity to say that we respect the movement. Last but not least, we'd like to thank Youngmi and Taehoon from Nike Korea for the constant support. 
To learn more about PRRC1936 and the growing running movement in South Korea, follow them on Tumblr and Instagram. Writer: Jaeki Cho // Photographer: Park Jungwoo
What does PRRC1936 stand for? Whether you run as a group or as an individual, every road is different for each person, so we've decided to name our group "Private Road Running Club." 1936 was the year when marathoner Sohn Kee-chung became the first medal-winning Korean at the Berlin Olympics. To honor that spirit, we've named ourselves Private Road Running Club 1936 or simply PRRC1936. Every Wednesday night, about 30 or more members gather up to partake in 8K or 10K group runs. Living a health-conscious lifestyle has been a growing trend globally. How is PRRC1936 affecting the local scene? Our primary focus is running, but through group runs we share a lot of insights and know-hows on how to improve our health and eating habits, like the benefits of superfoods like acai bowls and coconut water. Any challenges for the club? Where are some go-to spots for runners? Seoul doesn't have the cleanest air. But there are way more pros than cons to running. First, there's the sense of joy that's unmatched, and there are multiple health benefits that follow. Some of our go-to running spots in Seoul include Namsan—the mountain peak in the heart of the city—and trails alongside the Han River. How's PRRC1936 different compared to other sports clubs in South Korea? There's not much difference. Our meeting spot, Jas Climbing Gym, has a space limitation, so we can't accept anymore club members. To enter the club, one must be recommended by an active member. The club's been around for less than two years, so we've been focusing more on building teamwork, and partaking in marathons than growing our membership. What's the reaction like from friends and colleagues? Some might consider running a boring activity. After all, you can run everywhere, anytime. But marathon is a sport that deserves more respect. Through the formation of PRRC1936, more young people are showing interest in running and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Many similar running clubs, groups, and crews have formed since we started PRRC1936. We take great pride in starting this movement. This past September we gathered 12 of Seoul's running clubs and held #BTGNAMSAN (Bridge the Gap, Namsan). Moving forward, #BTGNAMSAN will be an annual gathering for runners in Seoul. Are the members mostly working in the creative fields? Since we take new members through recommendations of existing members, naturally we have many runners that work in either fashion or design. But we also have a professional fighter, who's part of Korea's MMA league Road FC, a high school teacher, a tattooist, and many more. What are some of PRRC1936's goals moving forward? Longevity is key. We're going to continue our weekly Wednesday runs in Seoul, but our members are also partaking in international functions to further push the #BRIDGETHEGAP initiative. In November, three of our members will partake in the Shanghai Marathon. They'll be apart of #runhai and joined by other members of Asia-based running clubs. In February 2015, two of our members will run in the Tokyo Marathon. Aside from running, what are some other fitness activities lined up for the group? One of our co-founders Minjun is overseeing PRRC Triathlon (#prrc_tri), and JBW is hosting trail runs across Seoul. We also have plans to host group yoga sessions by the Han River. But our main priority is to develop more marathoners. Wish to add anything else? We want to say thank you to the founder of the Bridge the Gap movement, Charlie of RUNDEMCREW (London), who's an inspiration, Mike from Bridgerunners (NYC), Knox from BLACKROSENYC (NYC), Jay from Paris Running Club (Paris), Jun, Emi, Rio, and Kensuke from Athletics Far East (Tokyo), Edson from Patta Running Team (Amsterdam), Nigel and Joseph from Harbour Runners (Hong Kong), Anders and Nanna from NBRO running (Copenhagen), and everyone else that's part of the #BRIDGETHEGAP family. We want to take this opportunity to say that we respect the movement. Last but not least, we'd like to thank Youngmi and Taehoon from Nike Korea for the constant support. To learn more about PRRC1936 and the growing running movement in South Korea, follow them on Tumblr and Instagram. Writer: Jaeki Cho // Photographer: Park Jungwoo
