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New LONELY PLANET: SEOUL guide has just been published.
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 1:08 pm    Post subject: New LONELY PLANET: SEOUL guide has just been published. Reply with quote

Anyone see it yet? It has about 15-20 less pages than the previous addition, but seems to have alot more information.. particularly under the entertainment and bars section. It looks good!
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The King of Kwangju



Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Location: New York City

PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LP Korea has to be one of the worst editions in their line of books. It's obvious the guy writing it doesn't like Korea very much, and the "cute" sidebars are just plain dumb. I've never felt the need to buy the Korea or Seoul editions - just leafing thru them in the bookstore was enough.

My predicition is that it'll be a waste of money.
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
It's obvious the guy writing it doesn't like Korea very much, and the "cute" sidebars are just plain dumb.

the newer version (2001+) swung too far the other way - cities that were accurately depicted as "concrete jungles" in the old books now get the KNTO ("Gwangju is one of the great artistic centers of Korea..!")treatment. LP books (as well as Let's Go) are at their best when they're irreverent. The new Korea one is too much like a tourist pamphlet.
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Lemon wrote:
Quote:
It's obvious the guy writing it doesn't like Korea very much, and the "cute" sidebars are just plain dumb.

the newer version (2001+) swung too far the other way - cities that were accurately depicted as "concrete jungles" in the old books now get the KNTO ("Gwangju is one of the great artistic centers of Korea..!")treatment. LP books (as well as Let's Go) are at their best when they're irreverent. The new Korea one is too much like a tourist pamphlet.


Funny.. the 'concrete jungles' references.. I guess you remember that well.. my first time here in Busan in 1996 and picked up the LP.. it basically summed up Busan as a concrete jungle to quickly get through on your way to/from Japan. There wasn't much else being said about it.

Then I think the next edition there was some reference to Texas Town/Russian Town in Busan.. and suddenly oddly we'd see weird backpackers looking around LP in hand trying to find some bar that was printed in the book.
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weatherman



Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The King of Kwangju wrote:
LP Korea has to be one of the worst editions in their line of books.


There is something that doesn't touch the visceral in you, doesn't feel like the experience that you having... After being here a number of years, the book reads like you would take your great aunt here for a visit, (That might be cool... )
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Canuck



Joined: 05 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The LP SE Asia book sucked big time. I found it basically useless. And SE Asia is a pretty popular tourist destination, and one of LP's best sellers. So I wont be expecting much from their Seoul book. Im sure I will not be buying it, or any other LP book any time soon.
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rapier



Joined: 16 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The author didn't like Korea?- yeah I noticed that as well, with the previous one. He was particularly scathing about Korean men in the summary section!!!! It could have been written by a disgruntled ESL teacher...
I guess they must have given him a fat brown envelope this time round.
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rapier wrote:
The author didn't like Korea?- yeah I noticed that as well, with the previous one. He was particularly scathing about Korean men in the summary section!!!! It could have been written by a disgruntled ESL teacher...
I guess they must have given him a fat brown envelope this time round.

I've always felt the LP Korea guides were written by ESL teachers as well.. particularly since they seem to be filled with ESL teachers in all of the pubs and bars and such listed in the entertainment sections.. plus it has that teacher perspective on things as opposed to a traveler perspective.. (talks about xenophobia and such).. as a backpack traveler wouldn't pick up on that.. people that I know who visit here as a traveller, find everyone to be extremely friendly, helpful, etc., etc.
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eamo



Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 4:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The new edition might be worth a glance-through in the bookshop. If you've been in Korea a while you're only going to be interested in bits and pieces.

Save your money and skim-read in the bookstore!!!!
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waterbaby



Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am NEVER doing the Lonely Planet again. I don't care how many new versions come out or if I write it myself... I'll never ever read the bloody useless things again... aaah, that feels better...
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Holyjoe



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: Away for a cuppa

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="Tiger Beer"]
rapier wrote:

I've always felt the LP Korea guides were written by ESL teachers as well.. particularly since they seem to be filled with ESL teachers in all of the pubs and bars and such listed in the entertainment sections.. plus it has that teacher perspective on things as opposed to a traveler perspective.. (talks about xenophobia and such).. as a backpack traveler wouldn't pick up on that.. people that I know who visit here as a traveller, find everyone to be extremely friendly, helpful, etc., etc.


Therein lies the problem with the Korea LP though... it's not really one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, so I'd wager that the majority of folk who are voluntarily contributing information/recommendations to it are the ex-pats here.
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itaewonguy



Joined: 25 Mar 2003

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Globalization has ruined this country!!
might be time to move to Vietnam.. they are pretty much where korea was 10 years ago... that place will be booming in 10 years
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

itaewonguy wrote:
Globalization has ruined this country!!
might be time to move to Vietnam.. they are pretty much where korea was 10 years ago... that place will be booming in 10 years


Vietnam rocks! I love that country.. I was going to move down there a year ago.. i packed my bags and everything.. but.. well, a month down there and ended up elsewhere and elsewhere and elsewhere and no more money and here i am again in Korea!

Vietnam is pretty cool though.
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sickboy



Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Location: Miari Texas

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I reckon Hanoi is the way to go down there. Met many satisfied expats, and it was a bloody lovely place.

Highlite being the 10 cent beers, and with wages between 13-17 bucks an hour, well do that delicious math.

I'd go, but I don't want to die.

Alcohol being the least of my worries down there!

*beep* I miss 'nam! Smile

-sick
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Chonbuk



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Vancouver

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

About a month ago in the Korean Herald, there was an article about Lonely Planet and how they were working on a new Korean edition. There was a picture of the writer. Martin Robinson, he used to work for Epik- aka Koretta in Jeon ju, he lived here for 2 or 3 years, and while he was here wrote a hiking guide to the mountians in Cholla. The hiking book was great, very informative, and full of day trips, and overnights. If this new guide is the one that he worked on than I'm sure it will be much much better than past issues (95-96) which basically told people to not bother with any town.

The reason why the last one (00-01) seems like an English teacher wrote it was because the writer had English teachers show him around the area. Makes sense to me, who better to show the place than the people that are in thick with the locals. Most of the teachers here are also travellers, and know what travellers want to see, do... I know I always prefer to travel to a town where someone I know lives, I get a visit, and a great tour all for one airfare.

I haven't seen the edition, and I won't buy it, but I don't want to knock it either.

Cheers,

Chonbuk
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