Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

What is so wonderful about Kangnam? Is it worth the costs?
Aren't many of the apartments just concrete boxes?

Is it true that some apartments in Kangnam cost around 6,000,000,000 won (C$6,522,851 or US$5,018,822)?

The property taxes will increase next year.
Starting next year, property taxes on apartments in Seoul's Kangnam area will more than double with some apartments facing a jump of as much as seven times their current tax rate. Additionally, with the exception of apartments over 60~70 pyong (1 pyong = 3.3058 m�), the property tax in the Seoul Kangbuk, Inchon, Kyeongi Province and other metropolitan areas will rise approximately 20 percent.
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2003120469038

The total value of apartments in Kangnam, southern Seoul, surpassed the market capitalization of Samsung Electronics.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200310/kt2003100217114111890.htm

People living in the Kangnam area who make more than five million won a month spent more than 1.72 million won per month for their children's out-of-school education while those with a comparable income but living in other parts of Seoul spent less than 550,000 won.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200311/kt2003110918530511980.htm

[jajdude]

I have no idea what is so great about Kangnam. Well the area apparently offers good educational prospects, right? But why live there at such expensive costs? Isn't it better to just commute there from an area much cheaper, if possible? Korea, especially Seoul, is so full of people everywhere all the time that I guess the sky-high prices are sort of understandable though.

[simulated stereo]

There used to be a Tower Records store there a while back. But it has long since shut down. So there's absolutely nothing good about Kangnam now. The place is a toilet.

[Mr. Pink]

The highschool/hawgwons are why parents want to live there.

Kangnam Highschool produces some top students.

There are more "good" hawgwons available for parents than anywhere else in Seoul.

The market on housing costs is way too inflated...sucks to pay so much for an apartment.

Also the people who make 5mil won a month pay about 50% of that in tax FYI.

[Bulsajo]

Kangnam-gu is rather large, but most people seem to think it consists only of the area around Kangnam station. I loved living in Irwon-dong- it was perfect for me, but then my school was a good one and it provided me with a great apartment. Those were certainly key factors contributing to my overall enjoyment but the creek, the mountains just up the street, the easy access to just about everywhere I wanted to go or anything I wanted to buy didn't hurt either. Don't want to live in Kangnam, or can't afford to? That's fine, but don't knock it until you've tried it or it just comes off sounding like sour grapes.

[Hotel Cheonan]

It's where the new money is. It's also true about the schools, that's why the famillies like it there. Koreans like to hang out there so they can flaunt it.

[kangnamdragon]

I live right at Kangnam Station. There are beautiful young people everywhere. Everything I need is here. I can walk to work in 10 minutes. If I want to leave the city, I can get to the highway in less than 10 minutes in my car. So, Tower Records in gone. There are plenty of places to buy music. There is expensive western food and inexpensive Korean food at Kangnam Station and the outside stalls. I can catch a bus or subway easily to anywhere in Seoul as Kangnam Station is centrally located. Also, the new Kyobo bookstore is very good.

[tokki]

Kangnam is a good place, one of the best in Seoul. Whats good? If you are a Korean parent, the schools are the best in the country and thats importnant for parents. The area itself is very nice. You have great parks, the roads are wide and clean. You have Jamsil and Coex. There are 2 bus terminals at your disposal (Nambu and Express). I always liked going to the place because it is so open and big and clean compared to other places in Seoul.

[gyopoboy]

my dad recently sold his 64 pyoung apartment near apkujeong station for about $US 4 million..... with that he's buying a 9 bedroom riverside villa in brisbane, australia... heh..

but yeh, gangnam is great... love it... grew up there, will aways live there!

plus, that's where the money is for english teachers... makin 320 a month for 6 hours a day ain't bad... i know a guy that is making aroud 500 a month teaching SAT material in apkujeong...

[crazylemongirl]

People paying top dollar in property to get into good schools? That happens in the west.

A house in the 'grammar school zone' in auckland will go for far more than one across the street. My brother snuck into one of those schools as my father has a workshop in the school's geographic zone. I'd be surprised if that doesn't happen in other places as well.

CLG

[kylehawkins2000]

Commuting to Kangnam? No Thanks!

Have you ever tried to get into or out of Kangnam during rush hour? What a head ache. The subways are jammed so tight you can practically lift your feet off the ground without falling over and the traffic on the roads is horrible.

Lots of people commute to kangnam, no one enjoys it though....

[weatherman]

[kylehawkins2000]

520 a month? 320 a month? what are we talking about here? Kilos of Kimchee? Dollars? Won? hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

[kangnamdragon]

I think he is talking about man wons. 320 is 3,200,000 won or 320 man won.

[Gwangjuboy]