Korean Job Discussion Forums

[undermythumb]

Hello fellow E-2 visa holders,

I am moving to either Seoul or Daegu in late Feb. Since I can only read about both cities in books, I was wondering if someone could describe the pluses and minuses of living in either city.

Recreation
Nightlife
costs
attitude of the local residents

Thanks a million

[osangrl]

Go to Seoul. Daegu sucks.

Recreation: Well Daegu is closer to the cool stuff like kwanju and pusan and the sea. Seoul has a good bus system so u can get there anyway. Recreation in Seoul, has everything a big city has. Bukhanson for hiking, Suwon and surroundings for skiing, amusment parks, coex etc...

Nightlife: Daegu has nothing. Seoul has shinchon, hongdae, Kangnam, Apgujong, Itaewon, Jongro......rockin nightlife.

costs: same

attitude to local residents: same. and you'll probably get laid more in seoul too, lots more loose women to chose from.

[just because]

I think osangrl is a little rough on Daegu, it doesn't suck but it is a little boring. Very hot in summer and very cold in winter as it is inland and surrounded by mountains.
I would pick Seoul but after a while everything will look the same.

[buddy bradley]

I just got back from a trip to Daegu. I had a great time and met some really cool people.

Whatever you do, avoid Daejeon and Incheon. I'd choose Seoul or Daegu over those two heaps anyday.

[Howard Roark]

[Tiger Beer]

I'd go with Seoul.. (I also like Taejeon as well).

Busan and Daegu are in the extreme Korean and extreme conservative mode. I never lived in Daegu, but Busan could easily grind on your nerves in every sense of the word.

Seoul while not the greatest city in the world by any means, is definetely the best city in Korea in my opinion for living as a foreigner.

[Joe Thanks]

I disagree.

Daegu - I got a LOT more there than Seoul (where I got some, but most of the locals and expats there were arrogant sh@tbirds).

It's easier ot make friends in Daegu.

Nightlife - not so hot. Lots of places to check out and you can make friends there (unlike Ulsan -where nightlife is DEAD, save holidays), but it's VEYR low key.

Seoul - overrated and like a high school dance without chaperones. LOTS of foreigners on the hunt. You will get "less" vertical mambo in Seoul - and THAT is the Stone Cold truth. In Daegu I was easily mackin' - and belive me - I ain't no catch.



Seoul sucks.


Daegu is livable - and cheaper, and if you make local friends - hookin' up is easy.


Man, why am I in Ulsan?


Joe

[Tiger Beer]

There are pockets of Seoul where you could live just like being in one of those conservative cities. My neighborhood of "Sillim" is near Seoul National University. I never see any foreigners around here at nighttime on the prowl. Its pretty much totally open game and unexplored territory.

However, I find myself kind of bored in those places. Everything is TOO Korean.. its true that itaewon and hongdae and such everyone is 'on the hunt'.. but there are 12 million people or whatever.. well-over a dozen decent different neighborhoods each with a completely different vibe and feel..

People often just limit themselves as foreigners to a few well-known spots because they know those places routinely work.. and if they don't.. you'll run into a half-dozen or more friends all over the place and catch up and doing some socializing at the same time.

[Joe Thanks]

[Tiger Beer]

All I know, is when I taught adults at an adult hogwan the differences in Pusan thinking and Seoul thinking were immense.

My Pusan adult students:

Where to begin? Just everything. Saw a lot more men punching their wives in public there. Dog-meat was extremely common as well as dog markets. Students would tell me how Korea is special because it has 4 seasons. Women should always obey everything the man says at all times. Sisters will cook and clean for their older brothers. Everyone only wants a son, not a daughter. On and on. None of my students had a boyfriend or girlfriend but they'd all come to class and say how they wished they did. Most students, even 30-year-olds had to call home to their parents if they weren't coming home right after class, etc.

Seoul adult students:

My students were hooking up left and right with each other. Most students had ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends and talked openly about them. They'd date each other. Heard that living together is better than marriage (I often heard this FROM women in Seoul). No one ever told me that Korea was special because it had 4 seasons. Never saw a dog market up here. Women would spend the night with their boyfriends. No one calls home to let mom and dad know they are going to be late after class. On the contrary, they'll drink and smoke all night long in the bars until sunset and hook up with someone just so they don't have to bother going all the way home - if they live in a far away pocket of Seoul, etc.


ahh.. anyhow.. the differences are astonishing.. granted I never lived in Daegu.. but the Daegu people I've met and experienced.. feel MUCH like the Busan people.

Even better is the mass majority of Seoul people don't push and shove to get in and out of buses, elevators, subways, etc like their Pusan counterparts do at every opportunity. That was so annoying.

Also, Pusan people would always cut in line when they saw me. I had to develop a stance to deflect that stuff. Seoul, it never happens. If it does, I look at them like what are you doing and they step behind me. Or I ask them if they are a Pusan person in Korean. But fortunately I seldom ever have to do that - ever. At least in Seoul.

I don't know if my Pusan experiences apply to Daegu.. but I've often felt similar conversations coming on when I talk to a Daegu person.. much like those old Pusan conversations with Pusan-ites.

[ThreeDogNight]

This depends on your personality or interests. Are you a party person, or somewhat conservative yourself? Are you into nature or are you a city person?

Daegu offers both, as most of Korea does. But I found it to have better infrastructure, more environmental awareness, and some major Western stores, like WalMart and Homeplus. I'm not into night life anymore. Plus there are two bases in Daegu and the people aren't open to all that liberal, anti-American polital crap going on in Seoul these days.

The chicks are also supposed to be some of the prettiest in Korea in Daegu. As for air quality, Seoul is far worse.

[Rookie77]

My experience with Seoul is limited to the 35 000 won hotel I spent on my first night in Korea when I missed my flight to Daegu. The owner was extremely helpful and polite as were the koreans that helped me at the airport just as I discovered that the next flight to Daegu was not till 730 am the next day. I didn't have any change for the phone to contact my director, nor any clue how to use it. A ROK soldier gave me change and then took me to the info desk where an wonderful english speaking lady took care of me. You can imagine my gratitude. Everything else I've heard about Seoul is second hand as I have yet to return. I plan to, though.

Daegu is great. I feel safer here than I do at home. I find that alot of koreans here go out of their way to help people, are very honest, and polite. Not to say that I haven't experienced being butted in front of, or being stared at, but hey, there's rude people everywhere. The taxi drivers are really cool for the most part. Most of them are quite curious about where you come from and throw in a korean lesson for free. A handful speak amazing english.

The nightlife here is limited mostly to downtown. My friends and I have established a sort of routine. We'll head to either Rock and Roll or The Commune, and then dance at Gypsy Rock till close, followed by Bubble Bar since it's open after everything else closes. Nothing ends off a night like street meat and udang at the fountain. You can't beat a great snack for 1500 won.

Cost in Daegu is soooo low. Just went shopping at Home Plus and spent 50000 won on what would have cost at least 100 bucks back home.

It's supposedly winter now, and yet it's not. I kinda miss snow, but not the 20 below zero norm of Canada. I hear it gets extremely hot in the summer, not really looking forward to that but, it's part of the deal.

My school rocks. The Director is great. She speaks excellent english, helps you out if need be whether monatarily or if you need a korean note for whatever. The assistant director took me to the doctor, who spoke english anyway.

Daegu is surrounded by mountains, it's so picturesque. Anything you need is within walking distance.

I'm lovin it.

If you have any other questions, just ask.

[nolin nae]

[Seatangle]

Last year I lived near Daegu, and spent many a weekend there. Now I live sort of on the outskirts of Seoul.

Last year I was a lot more isolated, and often bored (hence the excursions to Daegu), I pretty much had no foreign friends, but I did have two or three Korean friends. I also travelled around the region a lot since it is in such a great central location. My opinion of Daegu in general is it has everything Seoul does, just a lot less of it.

This year I have several foreign friends, and my life is generally easier and more interesting, but I don't have any Korean friends here (yet) and I kind of miss the comparative cultural richness of my first experience.

So I can't give you a definitive answer, but those are some things to think about at least.

[Cedar]

DAEGU