Two smoking men, 30 stray cats and a mechanical goose watched me as I strained against the merry-go-round. A couple of heaves later and the rusting carousel began to move, encouraging the dusty horses into a slow, undulating trot. Fifteen years ago, it didn't require its riders to pull a muscle to make it spin. The ride was part of the bustling family-run theme park Yongma Land in Seoul's Jungnang District. The funfair opened in the early 80s and was a big success, before competition from the