Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jamiekarin]

My girlfriend and I are in Bucheon outside of seoul and on the only english channel we get, like "AFN" or something they have all this propaghanda on their commercials. One of them has white people running and says, respect the culture. I really enjoy running and was hoping to see a lot of the city doing that, but now i'm kinda affraid to. Plus I haven't seen 1 Korean person run the whole time i've been here. Also anyone know if they workout in gyms or anything like that, I haven't seen any of those yet either.

[oneofthesarahs]

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I'm not an avid runner, but I get the sudden urge to go for a run once a week or so. Every time I do run, people look at me like I'm crazy. Maybe they think someone is chasing after me, I don't know. I guess Korean people would rather run (or casually stroll) on a treadmill in front of a plate glass window with pop/dance music blaring.

Just run off the beaten path, down side streets and whatnot. Also, if you run in the evenings there are less people milling around to gawk at your white self.

[Buff]

There are tons of runners here in Pohang. Thing is, they're up and at 'em early in the morning or later in the evening when it's cooler.

Maybe they're not looking at you like you're crazy. Maybe they're just looking at you like you're white

[kimchi story]

There's a park halfway between Songnae Stn and Emart (the one by the Buddy, not the Bucheon Stn Emart) with a decent sized running track around the perimeter. There are a few gyms around - Hurest (sp) in the Hyundai Mall (spendy) is the newest I've seen. I go to one next to GS plaza and the owner speaks English. It's 40k a month, which is about average. They are almost always on upper floors, so look up as you're walking around - usually the treadmills are lined up against the windows.

[oldfatfarang]

I ran a lot in a large rural city in Korea. I used to see a few K's (always men) running too. I got lots of stares (shocked to hostile) and a lot of "Hi's" (especially from the old Adjumas in the fish processing plants by the sea). However, wearing wrap-around shades/sunglasses, and skimpy running shorts and top sure got some stares. And running in the summer with no top (bare chest) made the K women embarrassed and they 'looked the other way'.

Nowadays, I see K men running on running/walking tracks in Seoul. I can't run in Seoul, the pollution here just kills my throat every time I try. Good luck.

[teachergirltoo]

There are several running groups here too. The groups are usually in the early morning and evenings, but there are tons of runners throughout the day here in the parks.

[pdx]

Running can't be THAT odd. I run down by the river 3-4 times a week and it's completely normal there. In fact, on a couple of occasions we've run into some sort of official race with hundreds of Koreans running.

It's probably just because you're not on a really official "work out" space or something. I think they're big on that here. you know-- you work out and run and bike in what seems like designated areas.. not just down the normal streets.

[own_king]

Koreans run all the time and everywhere - through subway stations, across cross walks, to catch a bus, etc. I was beginning to wonder if Koreans ever walked anywhere.

[fizban]

There's also RU Fitness atop the Toona Building next to Song Nae Station