Korean Job Discussion Forums

[caniff]

[mindmetoo]

Busan was odd in that it was the Korea I know, ie Seoul, without quite the large teeming crowds.

[cdninkorea]

I like Busan too- been there twice now for vacation and enjoyed both visits. Here is my take on it:

Pros:
- nice beaches
- friendlier people (esp. the women, which would be a plus for a young guy like myself)
- nice sights, such as Democracy Park, UN Memorial Cemetary, Busan Museum, etcetera
- close to Japan, making long weekend trips easy and affordable

Cons:
- dirtier downtown (flyers everywhere on the streets)
- seedier nightlife (prostitution is more blatent, even smack in the middle of Seomyeon)
- more stares for being a foreigner (smiles from hot women, as mentioned above, is good, but stares from anyone is an annoyance).

[IconsFanatic]

I lived in Busan for a year. Like everywhere in Korea, it has its pros and cons.

Coming from Vancouver, I chose Busan because it was a decent-sized city, yet not too big (i.e. Seoul)... as well as for the mountains, ocean, being fairly laid-back, etc. Songjung Beach is one of the best-kept secrets of Busan - fabulous! Haeundae, both the beach and the overall area, are fairly boring. There are much more interesting areas in Busan, but we don't tell the tourists.

There's some staring from the locals, but it's not too bad. And yes, the people could be a bit more cosmopolitan, but at least they're not arrogant sobs like many Seoulites are.

I found Busanites to be friendly and have more quality-of-life concerns, whereas Seoulites are a bit obsessed with money, social status, etc. Think California vs. New York. Or Vancouver vs. Toronto. Or Melbourne vs. Sydney. I know where I'd rather be.

And like any country, the national capital (in this case, Seoul) is the least reflective of the "true" nature of a country. Or, put another way: if you've only lived in Seoul, you haven't lived in Korea.

Have to admit that Busan's urban planning is piss poor, but I like having the quaint little traditional houses, alleys with nooks and crannies, etc in a city of four million. My fiance's would-be brother-in-law lives in New Haeundae, one of the newer and supposedly better planned areas of Busan, and it feels rather plastic to me. Not very green. Kind of a half-way mark between traditional Korea and what modern planning should be. Soulless, perhaps?

Mind you, if I ever go back to Korea, I'd probably go for a smaller place for Namhae, or perhaps Jinju as a half-way between Namhae and Busan.

I would never, ever live in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. Just not my cup of tea. A cracking choice of footie clubs, though.

[Hollywoodaction]

[Benicio]

Well, most people in Seoul are not from there.
They all move there from their little country towns and join the soulless rat race of Seoul. They become "new money" & all of a sudden they are hot sh*t & full of themselves.
It is dog eat dog as they do not have the same "jeong" with the people around them as they would if they were in their hometowns.
Yes, they are ambitious to make the cash and be a big town success story. In the big city, you don't have to care who you step on to get to the top.
Most Busan people are from here, so there is more of a community spirit.
Yes, Busanites have a reputation for being gruff, but it sure beats the callous "I don't give a f*** about you, I'm gonna get mine" ethic of Seoul. Foreign community included in this.

[yingwenlaoshi]

It's pretty funny what you guys are fighting over.

[nateium]

[caniff]

I suspect Bennie is a christian holy-roller who has joined a church in his area. It would explain his weird defense of his local congregation that allows him only one song on Sunday while they sing and dance and laugh at him as he pretends to be zapped by God with the holy spirit.

I mean, c'mon. I may live in Seoul, but I was and am open to the idea that it sucks. Bennie is bent because I said his holy land sucks more (which it does), which I actually know because I have been there several times and I have seen the un-glory.

Bennie, thou art f'ed up. You should re-baptise yourself in the dirty waters until you can save a bird being choked by a plastic bag.

This will be your penance. And also never go back to your mother's basement. Jesus hates that shit.

[Snowmeow]

To me they are pretty similar except for the big event opportunities e.g. major sporting events, American bands performing in Korea and so on. Seoul has that no contest with some rare exceptions. Of course for those rare events you can take a train but it's not the same as living there. For instance the World Championships in my sport are happening Fall 2009 in Seoul metro area and it's a 10 day event. Living there would make attending a lot easier.

[yingwenlaoshi]

"Busan is GREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!! Can't you see me having an orgasm? GREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT, I tell ya!!!!!"

[caniff]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[caniff]

I never knew it could be so.........ready-to-serve. Well done.

I just wish Bennie could be here so he could also share in the bounty which you have brought forth.

Oh well. Good night, St. Ying Potato Bastage.

[Benicio]