Korean Job Discussion Forums

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

I doubt many of the people on this board were here before 1988, but maybe some have.

I understand that Beijing is launching many campaigns to clean up the city of garbage and slum areas. They have also asked their people to refrain from spitting and other undesireable forms of behavior.

My friends have speculated that Beijing may launch a huge crackdown on the fake designer goods market since The United States has been asking for it. On the other hand, they may not because it's big business.

I've been to Beijing this year and was surprised to see how clean the city is. There really wasn't much litter on the streets. I'd say they were even cleaner than the average North American city.

I was wondering what if anything in Korea (particularly Seoul) had changed before its Olympics? The only things I heard changed were 1) They put up Korean / English street signs, and 2) They moved all of the dog meat restaurants from the main streets to the backstreets.

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

If you can believe it, the drivers are better and taxi drivers take alot less risks. From what I hear...

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

There was also a lot less freedom and democracy (not that I was there).

Letiz7 · Joined: 29 Jan 2007

Excellent thread! Will be interesting to hear from the old hands.

Incidentally, I took a taxi ride this morning so terrifying I nearly pooed.

cwemory · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Location: Gunpo, Korea

Hey Dev! What time is it?

MissSeoul · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere in America

Neil · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: Tokyo

A Korean friend once mentioned that pickpocketing used to be a big problem on the subway and as soon as the olympics happened the problem literally disapeared overnight.

Chicoloco · Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Location: In the ring.

Bangnangja posted some great photos a while back.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=81345&highlight=

that guy · Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Location: long gone

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Was there any civil disobedience during the Olymics, or did everyone suddenly switch to good patriotic citizen like during the World Cup?

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

In 1976, there was midnight curfew.
Gangs of police patrolled the streets.
There were machine guns at all railroads crossing and bridges.

The Soju was way stronger.
OB and Crown were the domestic brews.
They sold a domestic champagne called Oscar that was terrible.
Portaju would rip your mind apart.

The dollar was worth 500 won.

The only foriegners you ever saw were GI and Contractors.

Helicopters were shot down and Helicopters crashed.
MPs were hacked to death at panmunjon the "tree day war".

The road side drainage system was, well, bad.

They used honeycarts to clean the septic systems and fertilize the fields.

The taxi cabs were all blue hyundai ponies or the daewoo variant.

The bus drivers were just as bad, the roads were worse and the buses much more crowded, showers were less frequent.

Poverty was pretty bad maybe not completely destitude, beggars prevailed.

The bongo truck had 3 wheels.

The women were thinner and more beautiful.

cbc

Ozabout7or8 · Joined: 04 May 2007 Location: NZ

It was a Military Dictatorship, if that counts for anything...

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 12:21 am Post subject:

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

People tell me that pissing and crapping in the streets were the norm.