Korean Job Discussion Forums

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Anyone who has lived here for awhile knows that there are many things Korea has that simply don't exist in most other countries. Things such as family parks that don't get vandalized/destroyed or turn violent after dark, PC Bangs where everyone can have computer access for next to nothing, Noraebangs where people can sing Karaoke as a large or small group in privacy, as well as various other things.

After being here awhile and spending many nights with friends playing Starcraft, Sudden Attack, and just hanging out, I began to wonder why Canada doesn't have PC Bangs (or other Western countries for that matter). I know that Koreans value collective and social activities more than the West, where people like to do things like that in privacy of their own homes; but I think that there is a growing market for such things, with both gaming computers and consoles getting extremely expensive ($4000 for a decent computer and $600 for the average gaming console, plus $50 a game). PC Bangs could potentially offer social gaming possibilities in such a way where people don't have to shell out the dough to keep up.

I just wonder how it would be implemented (obviously different than in Korea). Maybe something with more privacy, more security, and more diversity (Macs, PCs and consoles, plus some sort of stationary/print section).

Considering the gaming industry is bigger than Hollywood, PC Bangs could make a mint in the States/Canada.

Thoughts?

newton kabiddles · Joined: 31 Mar 2007

Gord did it ..I don't have the link, someone does..

jessiaka · Joined: 07 Jan 2006

browneyedgirl · Joined: 17 Jul 2007

Alyallen · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:17 pm Post subject:

There is at least one in the Bronx...Never been though...

peppermint · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject:

There's a couple of places along those lines in Toronto, near U of T and Ryerson

crusher_of_heads · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:24 pm Post subject:

normalcyispasse · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject:

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

I think it's a great idea . . . I don't think online gaming is as big back home as it is here, but I think there's a market for cheap internet access. Try finding a place to go online in public in an American city . . . your best bet is the public library, and even some of those allow you to only browse the card catalog. I remember wandering around downtown Pittsburgh, wondering hypothetically where I would go if I needed to get online here and didn't have a computer at home. I'd've been out of luck. And I remember staying in New York City a few years ago . . . I had to use some Eurotrash internet cafe that cost $15 an hour. Around college campuses there'd be a market, too, as many times the only computer labs are inside the dormitories, which are off-limits to people who don't live in them.

Korea is cheaper, faster, and better connected, and this is one of several areas where the US is embarassingly far behind. The cost of setting up a bunch of PC cafe back home would be prohibitive to charging $1 or less.

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

We have 'em next to very major uni in NZ, in some of them you can buy ramen and mini-packs of kimchi, and those hot coffee cans (lets be mild!Coffee! Ya know the ones...) Almost all KR owned . No smoking tho'

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Every American city that has Koreans, has PC-Bangs. They usually cost US$1.50-$2/hour.

I've been to them in Las Vegas, San Diego, New York City, and Los Angeles, and they have 99% Koreans there and the occassional white/black guy who can read the Korean signs out front or figures it out. They never write PC-Bang in English in those places, and they are always surrouded by countless other sings in Korean.

The funny thing is the computers used in U.S. PC-Bangs are the same as in Korea. The drop-down menus and everything else is often in Korean. They must just import them by bulk directly from Korea as well.

------

Videobangs/DVD-bangs are another great idea ONLY IN Korea. They'd never work in North America. They'd become junky shoot-up places, hooker bring-back places, etc. Would be a mess.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Newbie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

They're working quite well in my country.
As are noraebongs.

I'd like to see more saunas back home.

Dome Vans · Guest

I think in England PC bangs would be PC gones very soon. Just another hideout for 'hoodies' were drugs would be rife. Or the bangs might be real bangs.

Karaoke in England is only sung by drunk girls and gays. Or newly divorced women singing 'I will survive'. I went to Hungary in March and was amazed by the amount of beefy, muscle top wearing blokes who were happily singing more than one song.

Sauna's, my favourite part of the gym. BUt in England few and fair between and probably quite expensive.

xtchr · Joined: 23 Nov 2004