Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hippy4god]

does anyone know where you can buy musical instruments such as a flute in Seoul? I am also looking for a decent used keyboard...with at least 80 keys.

[jhaelin]

try nogwon music arcade.

get off at 'jogno-3-ga' on line 3
get out exit 5
walk straight until odd looking grey building that goes over a street.
if you pass subway entrances for line 5, you are going in the right direction.

if lost, ask people for "nog-won-a-ki"

this building houses a large selection of music equipment on floors 2-3.

oh, here's something interesting to think about....
even though you would think that with all these vendors in one place there would be lots of room for haggling, what i've come to understand is that basically there is only a hand full of true owners and the majority are just employees working for them. so they are not actually competing with each other for sales but just trying to create the impression of competition to the customers...still they have the largest selection in seoul.

goodluck

[Trevor]

Find out exactly what you want (make, model, etc.) then go to:

www.gmarket.co.kr

Dirt cheap.

You can make purchases with any Korean Bank card (don't need a credit card). Get your Korean buddy to help you.

Delivery is very fast. A couple days, usually.

[hepcat]

[lion]

[jhaelin]

[lion]

posting again

[jhaelin]

i was trying to buy an earth 1500,
which evidently is not made often in the factories these days.
each of the bigger stores in nogwon was able to tell me immediately whether they had it in stock or not (btw-they didn't)
if you are familiar with the nogwon arcade you would know the layout with the sales booths in the middle of the halls and the shops to the sides.
anyway, each of the stores would keep refering me to the big 'cort' store upstairs in the 3rd floor. i was not eager to go up there as their service is pretty crappy (the shop caters towards buyers who will throw down 1mil for a guitar without actually sitting down and playing it). to explain: one day, i was trying out a guitar by actually sitting there and playing tunes up and down the scales and clipping on a cappo to test the tuning down the fretboard, when the clerk got all jerky on me and says basically the guitar needs to be put back so buyers can check it out... to which i wondered 'isn't that what i am doing right now...checking it out as a buyer...

anyway, sorry for that digression...

so the stores are referring me to the big one upstairs, i don't want to go there,
out of desperatrion i try one of the booth guys....
this chap insists he has an earth 1500, even though as i look at his stock he obviously doesn't. he then proceeds to make a call, to his sajangnim (boss) and check on the stock...
i tell him, i;ve tried all the stores in the place. he then asks which and goes down a mental list (including the major one upstairs).
at this point things that bugged me before click together in my head...
like how the hell to these folks all make money?
why does it seem like these guys know which stores i've already visited before (i'd explain how i get this feeling but that would be a whole other posting).
anyway, one of those light bulbs clicked in my head and i ask the sales guy,
"hey are all these cort shops owned by the same guy?"
to which he nervously smiles and responds "yes".
he meant the big asshole store on the third floor is basically the flagship for the whole building and many of the booths and shops were all just affiliated with it.

anyway, that's my short-LONG story.

[lion]

I think I know the upstairs store you mean. I think I got referred there myself for a line6 pod (which I didn't buy).

btw, how good was the guy's English? Was he just saying "yes" in that timid Korean way? I did once manage to get a price reduced by 20k on a 100k item (midi interface) by walking around in circles for a bit.

But yes, I have seen a bit of collusion there myself (people going to each other's shops to borrow stock). Anyways, thanks for taking the time to post the story.

[jhaelin]

i speak korean

so no language confusion here.



p.s. i'm not saying you can't get the price down on items, however, i'm saying that the lowest price you can get will be the same for all the sellers (that's what is already set) as opposed to a truly open competetive market.

[Harpeau]

[hippy4god]

Hey thanks for the info, i haven't looked too closely at the site but my korean friends have also spoke highly of the gmarket website and looks like the prices are really good..

[luvnpeas]

What's the entry point for a new, smaller-than-dreadnought, solid-top steel-string guitar?

[Hollywoodaction]

As Harpeau was saying, they all know each other. The same goes on with computer parts. Ask for something they don't have and they'll call their buddies at some other store for a quote.