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Seoul vs. Busan
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mushroomyakuza



Joined: 20 Sep 2012

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:01 am    Post subject: Seoul vs. Busan Reply with quote

Hi all

I'm sure this has come up before several times, but I suspect threads about this are probably a bit on the outdated side now.

I'm in the UK at the moment and looking to go to SK for Feb/March of 2013. My main issue is I'm having a hard time deciding between whether I want to be located in Seoul or Busan. Obviously Seoul is harder to get a job in - but let's leave that to one side for now and just discuss the benefits and downfalls of living in one versus the other.

Having lived in Tokyo for two years, I wonder how Seoul would compare. Now, again, I'm not looking for a comparison between Korea and Japan but just between Seoul and Busan, but also a general sense of which city would suit what kind of person better. I travelled all over Japan and found Tokyo my favourite place by far, though Osaka and Kobe are close seconds.

Any kind of comparison would be most appreciated, both from people living in Seoul and Busan, as well as people living in neither but who have visited both.

Thanks
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metalhead



Joined: 18 May 2010
Location: Toilet

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It most certainly does come up a lot. I lived in Seoul for two years, and I am now close to Busan. It really depends what you are looking for, so you'll have to be more specific. Seoul is good for when a metal act comes to Korea, obviously, and has more food options. Busan has friendlier more laid-back people.

Given a choice these days, I would choose Busan. I'm quite fond of the place. Failing that, Changwon or Jinju are both really good places to live in, too.
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PatrickGHBusan



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I lived in Busan for 11 years so clearly I loved the placed. I would not have lived in Seoul unless I had no other employment option in Busan or unless a job offer in Seoul was just that good.

All that being said, preference for one city or another is so damn personal that whatever you get here should be taken with a grain of salt.

From my point of view, Busan wins because I loved the vibe of the city. I liked that it was not as large and polluted as Seoul. I prefered the people's general attitude (Busan crazyness included). I liked the beaches, the near by mountains that offered great hiking, the fish market. We lived near the ocean and that was great too. Cost of living was and is a bit cheaper and the foreign community is a bit more tight knit as it is smaller and more concentrated than Seoul's (this however is changing as Busan develops). The winters are milder than Seoul's but the summer can sometimes get hotter.

Busan does offer fewer cultural attractions (foreign ones at least).

So it really depends on you and on what you prefer.
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mike in brasil



Joined: 09 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Busan.

Don't listen to those who say Seoul is the end all.

If you don't like the beach and you don't mind a lot of cars and pollution, then Seoul is for you.

However, if you are the kind of person who is super motivated and has a greater plan to take over the world, then Busan is too small.

If that's the case, then Seoul will be too small for you as well.

If you just want a stress free life and meet a few local girls, then Busan is the ticket.


Last edited by mike in brasil on Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:13 am; edited 1 time in total
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heavymetalpancakes



Joined: 24 Sep 2012

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been living in Gyeonggi/Seoul for five years. If it wasn't for my girlfriend and a few other things, I'd be down to Busan in a heartbeat!
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sirius black



Joined: 04 Jun 2010

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What are the vegas odds for how many posts will go by before FDNY will post 'Cohiba's Rule'? put me down for a ten spot on within the next 5 posts.
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PatrickGHBusan



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sirius black wrote:
What are the vegas odds for how many posts will go by before FDNY will post 'Cohiba's Rule'? put me down for a ten spot on within the next 5 posts.


Considering they are likely the same person (FDNY and Cohiba) the odds seems rather high.
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Rutherford



Joined: 31 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seoul and Busan are okay, but there are some better cities in Korea like Gumi and Pohang. Especially if it's your first time in Korea.
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coralreefer_1



Joined: 19 Jan 2009

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ive never lived in either city (been in Daegu for 8 years), but I would suggest Busan as well.

Seoul has alot of great stuff lets not misunderstand, but considering you have already lived in Tokyo, what Seoul has to offer (big city atmosphere and attitude) pales in comparison.

Busan is large enough to have most if not all of the luxuries of Seoul without the pretentious nature and cost. Aside from that, easy access to the beach is probably the second largest reason I would choose Busan

The only drawback to Busan that I can come up with would be its cornered nature on the peninsula (in regards to traveling to some other city for various friends/events, etc) However, Seoul is pretty much in the same position only on the norther frontier, so not much difference in that regard other than ALOT of stuff happens in Seoul.

Go for Busan~
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coralreefer_1



Joined: 19 Jan 2009

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rutherford wrote:
Seoul and Busan are okay, but there are some better cities in Korea like Gumi and Pohang. Especially if it's your first time in Korea.


Gumi > Seoul/Busan??


Huh?
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PatrickGHBusan



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

coralreefer_1 wrote:
Ive never lived in either city (been in Daegu for 8 years), but I would suggest Busan as well.

Seoul has alot of great stuff lets not misunderstand, but considering you have already lived in Tokyo, what Seoul has to offer (big city atmosphere and attitude) pales in comparison.

Busan is large enough to have most if not all of the luxuries of Seoul without the pretentious nature and cost. Aside from that, easy access to the beach is probably the second largest reason I would choose Busan

The only drawback to Busan that I can come up with would be its cornered nature on the peninsula (in regards to traveling to some other city for various friends/events, etc) However, Seoul is pretty much in the same position only on the norther frontier, so not much difference in that regard other than ALOT of stuff happens in Seoul.

Go for Busan~


I would say that with the expansion of the KTX service and the steady increase in international flights leaving from Busan for other destinations, this travel issue has been greatly reduced. However, Busan is not as "central" a location as Seoul can be, thats for sure.
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eslwriter



Joined: 15 Sep 2010
Location: A dot on the planet with an exaggerated sense of importance.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depending on what you're looking for, Busan has great points...like those already mentioned.

One potentially serious drawback is that it is by Korean standards Busan is a blue collar town with a hard hat mentality.

If, for instance, you have aspirations to do something other than teach English, Busan is the wrong place. All major companies and all major media outlets are in Seoul. All the players are in Seoul. Heck, I know some Korean doctors who say Busan is a little backwater.

Here's the simple over-generalization: Busan, a hillbilly village with a few pretty places and 3.4 million rednecks.
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lemak



Joined: 02 Jan 2011

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rutherford wrote:
some better cities in Korea like....Pohang.


Better? Might be the first time I've ever seen Pohang referenced in any of these forums by foreigners alongside a word(s) other than "craphole".
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nicwr2002



Joined: 17 Aug 2011

PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:41 am    Post subject: h Reply with quote

If they consider Busan backwater, I wonder what that makes Gwangju-jeolla namdo?
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Garciua



Joined: 16 Sep 2011
Location: Iceland

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are the girls any different between the two? Dating a foreigner, one night stands and such. Is Pusan English friendly? Signs and stuff.
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