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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World
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 Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| samcheokguy wrote: |
Itaewon has too many black people...
...FIRST IN WITH THE RACISM
Win!  |
Those are our US Army soldier brothers. I too served with mostly black people just like those in Itaewon. When the US Army pulls out, then Itaewon will become more Korean once again. It understand it used to Japanese before the Americans came.
I feel they need to beautify the area and make the back alley a cobble stone pedestrian zone where arts and culture can flourish. It's seedy and pales in comparison to other tourist zones in the world, but so is most of every where else in Korean cities I've been visiting.
I wouldn't say I dislike Itaewon, but I'd say it gets a bad rap for being associated with vices like drinking and prostitution. I understand it's cleaned up quite considerably compared to 20 to 40 years ago. I like Itaewon for it's offering of restaurants, western bars, shopping, and people to chat with. Met some of the coolest open minded intellegent young English speaking Koreans. I'm visiting again this weekend. |
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michaelambling
Joined: 31 Dec 2008
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Robot_Teacher wrote: |
| samcheokguy wrote: |
Itaewon has too many black people...
...FIRST IN WITH THE RACISM
Win! |
Those are our US Army soldier brothers. I too served with mostly black people just like those in Itaewon. When the US Army pulls out, then Itaewon will become more Korean once again. It understand it used to Japanese before the Americans came.
I feel they need to beautify the area and make the back alley a cobble stone pedestrian zone where arts and culture can flourish. It's seedy and pales in comparison to other tourist zones in the world, but so is most of every where else in Korean cities I've been visiting.
I wouldn't say I dislike Itaewon, but I'd say it gets a bad rap for being associated with vices like drinking and prostitution. I understand it's cleaned up quite considerably compared to 20 to 40 years ago. I like Itaewon for it's offering of restaurants, western bars, shopping, and people to chat with. Met some of the coolest open minded intellegent young English speaking Koreans. I'm visiting again this weekend. |
If you want to meet for a drink, PM me. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| roadwork wrote: |
| Albuquerque. |
I went there on business once. My GPS got lost, they delayed my luggage at customs, the customer decided to completely redesign the project, even though I was only there for a single day to implement what I thought was the final plan, I just about died from blood loss trying to use the crap disposable razor they gave me. The internet didn't work in the hotel room, and a few other things I'm still trying to repress..
it was the shortest worst trip I'd ever been on. |
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roadwork
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Location: Goin' up the country
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| crossmr wrote: |
| roadwork wrote: |
| Albuquerque. |
I went there on business once. My GPS got lost, they delayed my luggage at customs, the customer decided to completely redesign the project, even though I was only there for a single day to implement what I thought was the final plan, I just about died from blood loss trying to use the crap disposable razor they gave me. The internet didn't work in the hotel room, and a few other things I'm still trying to repress..
it was the shortest worst trip I'd ever been on. |
That's Albuquerque for you. Imagine living there for 7 years. When I moved out west to Oregon, I thought I found paradise. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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| roadwork wrote: |
That's Albuquerque for you. Imagine living there for 7 years. When I moved out west to Oregon, I thought I found paradise. |
The GPS was the worst. I punched in the address to the hotel (hertz neverlost) and I'm driving along. Its the best western express or business exec or something near the airport. I'm in the middle of the highway and it just says "You've arrived"
wtf?
I can't see a best western anywhere.
I pull off the highway on to a side street and into a parking lot. I punch in the address again, same location. I decide to pull up the yellow pages and start searching for the hotel. I find it, same address listed. For fun I select it. Completely different location.
Another mile up the road. |
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Goku
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| michaelambling wrote: |
...have you ever been to New York?! Your image of it sounds like it's from bad 80s movies...seriously, do people eat road kill in your home town? |
Sounds like you went to New York, went to times square, had a hot dog, bought a statue of liberty key chain and called it a day.
East New York is not your "New York, New York" nor is the Bronx (mostly south because of the projects), queensbridge, or brownsville. I've heard harlem, even though has been "cleaned up", is still not safe but I've never been so I can't say.
New York is far from glitter glitter. Some parts are yes, but even the clubs in times square go to the bathrooms and you'll find people snorting up lines. |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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After 5 years of living in Seoul, I finally got over myself and moved down the street from Itaewon (Kyungnidan) for a number of reasons, the main ones being that it's dead smack in the middle of the city, and I was able to get a nice 3 BR villa for an insane price, with easy access to public transportation, great food, and easily available western goods.
Most of the people I've met in the month that I've lived there seem to have been able to just that...gotten over themselves and learned to enjoy one of the only diverse neighborhoods in the country.
In terms of nightlife, I avoid about 95% of the neighborhood and branch out into the city as often as I can. However, there are a few gems to be found with genuinely good people from all walks of life, and I spend a considerable amount of my social time there with good friends.
Yeah, there are young, drunk GIs, shady Africans, staring middle easterners, etc. You can find reasons not to go to ANY neighborhood in Seoul.
Gangnam/Apgu/Cheongdam: overpriced, full of snobs living off their parents
Jongno: puddles of vomit and aggressive old men
Daehangno: ghost town by 1 AM
Hongdae : full of young wannabe punks
Sometimes, I just happen to choose a neighborhood that has non-Korean reasons not to hang out.
Just wait, though. As they continue to spruce up the place, four or five years from now you'll be hearing people on Dave's talking about how they used to hang in Itaewon "back when it was cool" 
In fact, people are already doing that now.
Bottom line, stay out, or just get over yourself and come have a few drinks with those of us who happen to be comfortable and confident enough to enjoy it for what it is. |
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samcheokguy
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Location: Samcheok G-do
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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| seoulsucker wrote: |
After 5 years of living in Seoul, I finally got over myself and moved down the street from Itaewon (Kyungnidan) for a number of reasons, the main ones being that it's dead smack in the middle of the city, and I was able to get a nice 3 BR villa for an insane price, with easy access to public transportation, great food, and easily available western goods.
Most of the people I've met in the month that I've lived there seem to have been able to just that...gotten over themselves and learned to enjoy one of the only diverse neighborhoods in the country.
In terms of nightlife, I avoid about 95% of the neighborhood and branch out into the city as often as I can. However, there are a few gems to be found with genuinely good people from all walks of life, and I spend a considerable amount of my social time there with good friends.
Yeah, there are young, drunk GIs, shady Africans, staring middle easterners, etc. You can find reasons not to go to ANY neighborhood in Seoul.
Gangnam/Apgu/Cheongdam: overpriced, full of snobs living off their parents
Jongno: puddles of vomit and aggressive old men
Daehangno: ghost town by 1 AM
Hongdae : full of young wannabe punks
Sometimes, I just happen to choose a neighborhood that has non-Korean reasons not to hang out.
Just wait, though. As they continue to spruce up the place, four or five years from now you'll be hearing people on Dave's talking about how they used to hang in Itaewon "back when it was cool"
In fact, people are already doing that now.
Bottom line, stay out, or just get over yourself and come have a few drinks with those of us who happen to be comfortable and confident enough to enjoy it for what it is. |
I dislike Itaewon because it is in my least favorite city in the world...Seoul. |
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michaelambling
Joined: 31 Dec 2008
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Goku wrote: |
| New York is far from glitter glitter. Some parts are yes, but even the clubs in times square go to the bathrooms and you'll find people snorting up lines. |
I think we just have different ethical standards. I don't care if other people do coke--or anything else for that matter--as long as they leave me alone. |
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eIn07912
Joined: 06 Dec 2008
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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i dig the itae...
i like getting persian and arab food. ok french and thai food. i like going to a bar and having a less than normal chance at fighting with a nationalist korean that doesnt like foreigners.
i like going with a korean girl and getting fewer than normal crazy looks.
its the only place i can buy clothes and i get so many taylored these days for the amount of use i get out them, the price is worth it.
i like being able to buy tourist stuff every now and then.
i like having a bank and a travel agent in the same town that speak near fluent english.
i like getting good mexican food (chili chili rox my sox)
i like meeting new people from all over the world
...i'm from a state in the southern united states. thats as specific as im gonna get.
i like "what the book" and if u dont, u can suck it.
i like having two foreign food marts within a few minutes of each other. so i can buy oatmeal, good curry mix, and other foreign/western foods i miss from time to time. |
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Goku
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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| michaelambling wrote: |
| Goku wrote: |
| New York is far from glitter glitter. Some parts are yes, but even the clubs in times square go to the bathrooms and you'll find people snorting up lines. |
I think we just have different ethical standards. I don't care if other people do coke--or anything else for that matter--as long as they leave me alone. |
Coke is not ethically wrong,
But an area with coke usually means there is a large illegal underground network, such as gangs, or mafia to traffic the goods. |
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MA_TESOL
Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: Depends |
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| I think it depends on what side of the street you are on. The Seoul Pub side is more of a shithole than the Hamilton Hotel side |
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LURKER
Joined: 26 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I dislike Itaewon because it is in my least favorite city in the world...Seoul. |
Seoul's OK. Only thing I really don't like about the place is the pollution! |
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michaelambling
Joined: 31 Dec 2008
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Goku wrote: |
| michaelambling wrote: |
| Goku wrote: |
| New York is far from glitter glitter. Some parts are yes, but even the clubs in times square go to the bathrooms and you'll find people snorting up lines. |
I think we just have different ethical standards. I don't care if other people do coke--or anything else for that matter--as long as they leave me alone. |
Coke is not ethically wrong,
But an area with coke usually means there is a large illegal underground network, such as gangs, or mafia to traffic the goods. |
I work in Mokpo, which has the biggest mafia network in Korea (or so I have been told by many, many people, including locals). So, Itaewon loses on that front, too. Plus, the air seems cleaner in Seoul than Mokpo, and Itaewon is much cleaner than many parts of this city or any part of my university (I constantly dodge trash and cigarette butts in the hallways, classrooms, and public spaces--not a problem in Itaewon). |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Dude coke is everywhere. Some guy doing a line at a party in Midtown does not mean that the mafia has overrun New York. There's people and other people know how to get a hold of those people--this does not an infestation make. |
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