Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Join Me]

If anyone is looking for smoke detectors in Seoul you can get them near Seoul City Hall for around W12,000. That was what the first place I walked into sold them to me for, so maybe you can get them cheaper if you shop around a bit (the guy that sold me mine seemed pretty cool though). I couldn�t find them at either of the two E-Marts I stopped into so I just went to the area in Seoul where they sell fire extinguishers and stuff.

If you walk along the Cheonggyecheon Stream from the Seoul City Hall end and go towards Dongdaemun Market, (this is the direction the stream flows) the shops where they sell fire extinguishers and smoke detectors are on the left side of the stream. The shops begin about four or five city blocks from where the stream begins. The best time to go is probably the weekend as they close fairly early in the evening I think.

If you are familiar with Jongno Gu, you can also just walk from Topgal park over to the Cheonggyecheon Stream and take a left. Walk about one or two city blocks towards Dongdaemun Market, the shops where they sell fire extinguishers and smoke detectors are on the left side of the stream.

You should be able to see the smoke detectors being displayed. If you can't, you can try this�화재감지기smoke detector, 화재경보기 smoke detector, 화재연기감지기fire smoke detector. Not sure which is exactly correct but they will get the idea. Just look it over and make sure they are not selling you a heat detector or something that is intended to set off a sprinkler system (they look a bit like smoke detectors).

Not all of the smoke detectors run on batteries, so make sure you ask them if it has a battery. Maybe just try pointing and saying �battery issoy yo?� (does it have a battery?). Battery is battery in Korean so they should get the drift. I would also just pull it apart and confirm that it does run on a battery. The one I bought can be wired or run on a battery. So, don�t assume you are being given the wrong item if it looks like it can be wired. Just pull it apart and confirm it takes a battery also before you walk off with it.

The brand I bought is made in Korea and they seemed to have different models at different stores.

[CeleryMan]

Smoke detectors are useless when fire exits are locked. Korea's fascination with locking doors from the inside is mind-bloggling. Alternatively, imagine 1000 people fleeing a deadly fire through one door? Tramp or being trampled, or pass out from smoke inhalation.

[ED209]

So buy the smoke detector and a pair of bolt cutters. Then all you have to contend with are the half dozen boxes pinned against the outside of the door.

[JMO]

I live on the second floor of the teachers building..on campus at the university I teach in. We have smoke detectors that don;t work and also I'm not sure what my exit route would be, I'm at the end of the corridor.

Is this a ridiculous plan?

Step 1: Buy a smoke detector.(obviously this is not ridiculous)

Step 2: Buy some sturdy rope, Make a rope ladder. It only need to go down the 2 floors and it could be attached to the inside bar on my window.

[Join Me]

Ridiculous? Hell no. I have seen buildings that have rope ladders installed in them for just that reason.

[GoldMember]

Went down the fire exit of a building the other day. Was trapped, I could'nt get out. Why? It was loked from the outside.
Someone from outside the building could get in, but someone from inside could'nt get out.
Me thinks, the logic behind this went something like this.

If there's a fire out in the steet, then the street should be evacuated. Where's the safest place to go? Well of course the fire escape in a building.

Other examples include:

Oooo there's lightning, let's stand in the middle of a golf course we'll be safe there!

Aaagh Earthquake! quick, run inside.

Oh no! Flood, quick, let's go to the basement, we'll be safe there.

[CeleryMan]

This lack of adherence or indifference(?) to global fire standards truly boggles me? BTW, to those who party in Shinchon, Hongdae or any old school Kangbuk establishment, those underground (as in beneath the ground surface) joints are death traps. Single exit, no windows, lots of electrical cords ... yikes.

[Join Me]

According to the poll on Dave's about fire detectors almost 80% of apartments don't have them installed.

[inthewild]

What is the closest subway station on line four to this place? Dongdaemun Station?

And just head for the stream?

Thanks.

[bassexpander]

If you live near Seongnam City (near Bundang), there is a place selling fire detectors, extinguishers, etc., as well.

We saw it yesterday on the way to Tomato bank. You have to exit out of Sinheung station in Seongnam City and head towards the Tomato bank. It's just before the bank. You can see them for sale in the window.

[bassexpander]

[agoodmouse]

I bought one on gmarket for 30,000ish. I searched E-mart and Homever, and both of those stores don't care to carry them. It's funny, I think Wal-mart wouldn't stock them here if they had stores in Korea.

[spliff]

I friend of mines parents sent him two from the UK and he gave me one. Nice "western" one that works well. It went off last Sunday during my Sunday Sungyupsaa bake,

[bassexpander]

Here is a map. Mine cost 13,000 won here:

[inthewild]

Great, thanks for the info.