Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mindmetoo]

Arirang TV refers to Jeju island as being "visited by the world". Uhhh. Because when you think of resort islands visited by the world it goes:

1) Fiji
2) Maldives
3) Jeju Island

Right?

The world in Korea really does consist of "Koreans + dribbles of white ESL teachers and some Japanese tourists."

[PeterDragon]

I've met more Koreans who have been to Hawaii than have been to Jeju. I can't speak to the tastes of all non-Koreans though.

[diver]

[whatever]

Yes, that's the case...over a year, I might add...because a sprinkling of people from various parts of the world do make it to Jeju. People from the countries you mentioned have interests in adventurous things like diving, so I'm not surprised that you encountered them. And yes, most such visitors were participating in conferences.

But I'm willing to bet heavily that they did not specifically travel to Korea from their home country with the primary purpose of visiting Korea, let alone Jeju. Most tourists I met from the countries you listed were travelling in the region or hopping around from one place to another. A typical situation would be something like...

"Yeah, I'm travelling for 3-4 months and just came from Japan where I was visiting my relative who lives there and I'm on my way to Thailand/India/Hong Kong, but I have a few days to kill and to save money my next leg departs from Seoul, so here I am."

In the year that I lived in Jeju, virtually all visitors aside from Koreans and foreigners already living in Korea were Japanese men. They were there to play golf, gamble, drink, *beep* and otherwise act like douchebags. Tenacious travel directors and casinos were able to coax a small number of Chinese businessmen. All in all, it was really, really tacky.

There are some great upsides to Jeju, but none that make it anywhere close to a premier or really even second-tier destination. Going to live and work there for a year is actually the best and most rewarding way to experience it. And if you visit, the first thing you should do is get as far away from Jeju City as you possibly can.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

If by 'world' they mean 'Planet Korea', then yes, they're absolutely spot-on.

It's interesting how my grade 2 HS students always come back from their annual trip to Jeju-do completely unimpressed. Come on girls, don't you know it's the most beautiful island in the world!

[safeblad]

[pest2]

Jeju is OK, but its got quite a bit of a tourist-trap feel to it. Like alot of things in Korea, it's over publicized, over-advertised, over-rated, over-priced, and under-quality. They have all these museums there... miniature land, teddy bear museum, chocolate museum, green tea museum, buttcheek museum, etc etc... but none of em are really any more exotic than taking a trip to a shopping mall in a western country.

The scenery is, in my opinion, only really great in 3 or 4 places... otherwise, its mediocre to slightly better than average.

Its more likely the weather will be bad than it will be good if you go there.

The island, despite being advertised as an international place, is just another place in Korea for Koreans. Same food, same shops, same design, same attractions to cater specifically to Koreans as every other place in Korea.... all that, with the added bonus of ruder taxi drivers and even more xenophobia than the rest of Korea.

I would NOT recommend the place to anyone coming to Asia to visit unless maybe someone was paying their way there...

[Newbie]

Come on.

Kichi is "world" famous
Jeju is "world" famous
Bi is "world" famous
Hanbok are "world" famous
________ is "world famous

Do you notice a pattern of being off? What can you do but laugh at them. (them= those select Koreans foolish enough to believe)

[butlerian]