Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xeno439]

Ok, I went to the oh so famous Yongsan, that mecca of electronics in east Asia. And it totally blows. I wanted to get my iPod fixed. Sorry, what, no way, we can't help you. Ok, I want to get my computer updated and ready to install Vista. We can't do that on a laptop. This can't be done anywhere (a couple of places said it can be done for 400,000). All I needed was a graphics card to run Aero. Mind you, I had a Korean person with me so communication wasn't the problem. Anyone else agree that this place sucks? I mean, after all the hype I have heard, its just a bunch of slackers that took a couple of community college classes at the Korean equivalent of Devry working behind the counters of these shops. I thought I was going to tech paradise. I repeat, it blows!

[SuperHero]

1. you were trying to get an Ipod repaired. Even apple has stated that Ipods are supposed to be replaced not repaired. Is there even an apple/ipod a/s centre in Yongsan? if you went to a retail shop for repairs of course they can't help you.

2. laptops - can't comment here.

[Wrench]

[SHANE02]

You can't just put a new video card in a laptop. You can upgrade ram and hard disk and that's about it.

I love going to Youngsan....in fact the wife said since it's my birthday I should go this weekend and buy whatever I want

[SuperHero]

[mindmetoo]

Other than maybe some Korean tourist brochures, I don't think anyone raves about Yongsan.

[eamo]

I don't think Yongsan makes for a great shopping experience myself. And for A/S you really have to know where you're going. Do all your research online first. Print maps. Be sure that where you're going will do what you need.

But, just about everything you need electronics-wise is in there somewhere. It's a learning thing. The first visit to Yongsan is always a nightmare.

[gsxr750r]

I view Youngsan as a sort of necessary evil -- not a "mecca" by any means. It's just sort of one of the only "good" places.

With that said, in five years of shopping there, I have had to return/replace about 50% of what I buy. From computers to cables to headphones, stuff just seems to be problematic. Sometimes I get the feeling that certain cheaper items (like Combs brand cables) are bulk rejects, or items that fail quality check and sold as new under an obscure brand name. Every Combs cable I purchased had to be returned. The same cheap cables are packaged in a similar package and named LanStar. I bought one of those and returned it too. Sometimes pins were missing from VGA cables, or there were ghosting/bleed problems. Stuff like that. Maybe it would pass a level 1 test, but not pass all tests required to be sold under a better brand name.

I know for a fact that this is done with DVD-r disks, and that's why I will only purchase a pre-packaged name-brand from Sony, Verbatim, Imation, HP, etc.

Never accept anything that is not sealed in a factory box. Sometimes, they will attempt to make it look new and put the item in a plastic sealable baggie. They will resell used things like graphics cards as new. I had this happen to me with a GeForce card. It was missing the video dongle (learned that months later), and when I had returned from the 2 hour trip to Youngsan (I used to live out of Seoul) I saw that the card had scratches on it where it had been inserted in a computer before. I didn't have time to take it back, but was pretty upset.

I also purchased some HP Photo Paper from TechnoMart once, and it had been opened, then re-sealed after a cheaper paper was substituted. I brought that back and gave the guy an earfull.

Whenever possible, and within reason, I suggest you check, test, or examine any unsealed item before leaving the place with something.

Do your homework before going. Just bought the lady an LCD TV, and we needed an upscaling DVD player for it. The shops insisted on selling us one at twice the internet price. Twice. Luckily, I had checked beforehand. We're buying it from the net. Also, they will lie straight to your face about things like compatibility, etc., when they know it's not true, just to get the sale. Not everyone is this way (I have met some nice people to buy from) but if they don't know the answer to a question, they will say almost anything to get a sale, regardless.

[rocklee]

After the Pantip plaza, Sim Lim city and Akihabara, Yongsan is mostly boring with more people selling than buying. In addition, it isn't all that cheap. I'Mall isn't too bad but the other parts depresses me. Can't complain too much as it is all there is for electro-geeks.

[cubanlord]

I can definitely sympathize, but, yongsan isn't all that bad. I will tell you what I think about the place:

It's great for building medium range PC's and lower. It's great for finding normal digital recording devices. It's a great place if you want to buy peripherals or misc. things, it's great for PC games and programs (eh....the internet for me). It is a great place to go with friends and just piss around.

It is not great if you are building high-end PC's (like mine) because of price and availability. It is not great if you do not know much about computers. It is not great if you are not used to getting around on your own. It is not great if you do not like messing with crowds of people shoving and pushing around.

That's about it.

[zappadelta]

[bellum99]

Sometimes Techno-Mart is better for me. If you haven't gone there then I recommend it. Overall it has been a good place.

[cibomatto]

[Demophobe]

I would go to Yongsan. It's nothing more than it claims; there are good deals and bad. I have built many, many systems from high end to mainstrea there and don't really have a complaint. Some of the pricing is kind of wacky, but you get used to it and learn to think/build/buy around it. My beef is with the rather narrow choices of RAM.

While I wouldn't say it "sucks", I also would never think of it as a "mecca". It's a good place to shop when you have some Korean skills, people there you can trust and a thorough knowledge of what you want and how much you are willing to pay.

As for build or buy, I have and will never buy an assembled computer anywhere.

[cubanlord]