Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nolegirl]

Ok, so I am organizing my closet and I took out all of my winter gear that I have bought recently. I am going to go shopping this weekend for gloves, hats, scarves, thermal underwear and ear muffs. So if I go out to a bar say between Nov-Feb what do I wear. Is it better to buy jeans b/c they are heavier b/c my pants are really thin, so what do I wear as pants?? And what do I wear at a bar, I don't really see coat checks anywhere so I just have to carry around my big coat or put on the back of my chair. Do I need specific shoes for walking on ice or anything.

Should I put away my tank tops or will I use them for layering???? Do I need a space heater or a heated blanket????
thks

[Ukon]

Dress Smexy

[Kiwi Tart]

Layering worked for me. If you wanna dress sexy, then invest in a thick coat so you wont spend half of your time getting in and out of 35 sweaters just to show off a great dress.

Also, toughen up and learn to deal with cold weather... Korean girls wear the tiniest booty shorts all though winter. I really think the girls wear LESS clothig in winter than in summer.

[ciccone_youth]

I've seen coat checks or lockers at many places...

but yes, keep your tank tops for layering. i don't go to bars much, but if i do i usually wear nice jeans, a tank or nice top and a cover up (long cardigan, bigger sweater).

Layering will also keep you warm in the winter, and you'll definitely make good use of that big coat.

For shoes, I don't know, I haven't experienced a full Korean winter, but in Canada I wear winter boots/uggs/whatever keeps my feet warm, I don't care about the style so much. Sneakers would do or nice leather boots.

Just don't wear heels in the snow/ice like most girls prob. do here

[R-Seoul]

Wear a coffin.

[Pooty]

Passion, not fashion!

[nobbyken]

You'll see more ice on the bar than on the ground.

One of the strangest things about winter here, is the lack of ice.
Even if the temp is less than -10C, the air is so dry that there is little moisture to freeze. You get a little spillage here and there which freezes though.

If snow which falls isn't shovelled up soon after falling, it'll turn to ice and stay put for days.

[thatwhitegirl]

Layers are good. Tanktop, long sleeved shirt, sweater/cardigan, coat/jacket. In the deep winter (which is still not really super cold), I'll wear 2 long sleeved shirts/long underwear tops, plus sweater and jacket.
I wear long underwear legs all winter, varying between just nylons/tights to a pair of rather thick ones I got when living in north east China. Long underwear really does the trick. Highly recommend getting a few pairs. Or thick tights. Whatever.

And a hat. Keep your head covered, and you'll be fine. Although Koreans don't like messing up their hair with a hat. In China, even in the dead of winter (I'm talking like absolutely fking freezing, wind chill, snow and icicles, you'd still see them HATLESS. They would tell me that only ugly people wear hats. Hahaha. SO if you wear a hat, you're just automatically ugly.

[ciccone_youth]

Meh, coming from a cold place like Montreal I don't mind looking "ugly" or un-stylish! I'll wear huge winter boots, a hat, mittens and scarf, and tights under my pants... as long as I'm warm! I don't care if it messes up my hair... that doesn't scare me

[nolegirl]

Ok, thanks everyone. What I am wondering is I have some dresses that are wintery looking but are short sleeved so would I look stupid going out in a big coat with the dress and tights underneath. The reason I am asking is I am going to space bag all of my summer clothes and I am not sure what to space bag.

[nobbyken]

Keep some summer clothes out.
T-shirts are my base here all year round. If I wear a thicker jumper, I don't wear a jacket. Something to cover your neck and hands are pretty essential.

I like to be able to take of a layer to just have a T-shirt.
Most public transport and dept. stores will be crazy hot for shopping with full winter clothes.
While you need winter clothes waiting for the bus or subway, you won't need winter clothes when on them. Summer clothes are perfect for travelling in, bit of a pain taking your backpack of in the bus or subway, just so you can take your jacket off.

Pretty soon you'll see thermal underwear for sale everywhere.
They are called NeBoks and are pretty much the dogs whatsits.

Last year I was in a public elementary where they turned of the heating in all classrooms (not the staffroom) in the afternoon, and the underwear probably saved me from pneumonia!

[ciccone_youth]

Yes, when I arrived here in February I taught in my winter coat and mittens!! No kidding.

[zpeanut]

Have a few warm jackets and overcoats.

I have one thick down jacket, a faux fur-lined jacket and two overcoats. You can survive fine wearing jeans, skirts and t-shirts under them... or depending on the occasion, dress shirts, party dresses etc. I don't mind the cold tho.. infact I quite like it

close toed shoes, any kind, will be ok. Maybe thicker stockings?

Really, the amount of time you actually spend out in the cold is not much. All places are heated, even trains. Infact you might get a bit hot in the train.

Just make sure you don't spend more than 30 min outside in the cold tho, cos your toes might freeze off. THAT kind of cold is suffering. I waited 30 minutes for a friend at Kangnam interchange, OMG.. if the ajumma from the small underground bookshop hadn't let me warm my feet I think they'd have really fallen off.

[PeteJB]

Damn I could never survive in a jumper. I often managed to wear a single t-shirt last winter here in Korea, with a jacket ofcourse (only the best quality). Rarely had any problems. For me it's always the hands. They freeze to purple.