Korean Job Discussion Forums

[RobLeeTeach]

I have lots of bulky items that I'm wondering if I should bring/ship from the US or just buy in Korea:

-Snowboard(s), Boots
-Lacrosse Equipment (Sticks, balls, shoulder pads, cleats, helmet)
-Basketball
-Football
-Tennis Racket
-Hockey Skates
-Razor Scooter
-Skateboard(s)

-NTSC Region 1 DVD Player
-Nintendo Wii (US)
-Playstation 2 (US)
-Computer Speakers
-Scanner
-Printer
-Alarm Clock

-Office/Teaching Supplies (pens, pencils, markers, scissors, scotch tape, 3-hole punch, blank CD/DVDs, etc...)

-Winter Clothes
-Extra Shoes, Sneakers
-Jeans, Khakis
-Suits

-Toothpaste
-Soap, Shampoo, Hair Products
-Multi-Vitamins, other Supplements
-Candy, Protein Bars, Gum
-Coffee Beans
-Cigarettes
-Liquor

[orangepostit]

For many of these items, it depends on you. Can you live without them for a year? How often do you use them? Do you really want to spend tons of money shipping them? ect

This you should *for sure* buy in Korea include an alarm clock and office/teaching supplies

I'm not entirely sure that you can ship alcohol or cigs, besides Korea has both of those in abundance. You might not be able to find exactly what you want, but you'll find them (and cigs are cheap here)

-Toothpaste - I brought mine but I also use special toothpaste

-Soap, Shampoo, Hair Products - just bring enough to last you for the first little bit

-Multi-Vitamins, other Supplements - might want to bring these (?)

-Candy, Protein Bars, Gum - Korea has plenty of candy and gum, only ship it if you're sure it doesn't exist in Korea and are really going to miss it

-Coffee Beans - not sure, but I think you can find a place to buy these (though it might be pricey)


As for clothes - are you east asian or larger than your typical east asian? If so I'd rec bringing more than you need.

It sounds like you're worrying a bit too much. Korean is very westernized, and unless you came over here to live 100% like a westerner, you should be fine (esp in a large city).

[samcheokguy]

I brought...books. Summer clothes, had no winter clothes. And an electric piano. Most people don't need the piano.

[chris_J2]

Something not on your list but should be, are bedsheets, & possibly large towels.

If only to protect the mattress, in your officetel or apartment.

Travel as light as possible. I got slugged $175 for excess weight over the 30 kg economy flight limit. ($25 per additional kilo).

[OnTheOtherSide]

There is no need to bring all those sporting goods, just buy them in Korea.

[RobLeeTeach]

I should clarify that I'm not heading out to Korea just for a year. I'm moving there for an indefinite length. I'm giving up my apartment in the states. Anything I can't carry with me, I'll be selling or giving away here.

I'm sure I can purchase all these items in a major city but I'm thinking about quality, variety and price (I'm on a 2.0 mil/month salary).

As for the sporting goods, I don't know if those are considered expensive import items and what kind of quality/variety is offered especially for the lacrosse gear, hockey skates, snowboard, skateboard. (i.e. sure, I bet they carry Burton snowboards, but do I have the option of choosing from every single model?)

I don't plan on living 100% Western, but if it's more economical to bring things over, then I want to try.

Anybody ship anything to Korea using a shipping service other than the US Postal Service?

[E_athlete]

[RobLeeTeach]

[coralreefer_1]

-Snowboard(s), Boots
-Lacrosse Equipment (Sticks, balls, shoulder pads, cleats, helmet)
-Basketball
-Football
-Tennis Racket
-Hockey Skates
-Razor Scooter
-Skateboard(s)


As far as the above, I would advise to consider how much you will actually use those things, against how much space it will take up in your apartment, which will not likely be very big. As far as the basketball/football/tennis racket..I suggest sending for it later or buying it here.


-NTSC Region 1 DVD Player
-Nintendo Wii (US)
-Playstation 2 (US)
-Computer Speakers
-Scanner
-Printer
-Alarm Clock

Leave the alarm clock and use the morning call feature on your phone. I would bring the PS2 games but leave the console and download an emulation program once you get here (assuming you will have a PC), and convert the games to ISO. I'm not sure that will work with Wii. I would bring the speakers if they are a nice set of surround sound speakers, otherwise leave them. Since you did not mention a pc in your post, I am assuming you will buy one here, and in that case you will get free speakers with it, though not surround sound. For the scanner/printer..I would just leave that back home. You can buy a decent scanner/printer/photocopier new quite easily and starting around 70,000, and since bought here you wont likely have trouble finding ink/service for it.

-Office/Teaching Supplies (pens, pencils, markers, scissors, scotch tape, 3-hole punch, blank CD/DVDs, etc...)

It wont hurt to bring these since they are light and wont take up too much space, but such things are pretty cheap here.

-Winter Clothes
-Extra Shoes, Sneakers
-Jeans, Khakis
-Suits

In this case I would bring a good selection of each, and send for the rest later.

-Toothpaste - If you like Fluoride..bring it.

-Soap, Shampoo, Hair Products - A small bit wouldn't hurt, but easily available here. However, high end products will set you back quite a bit more

-Multi-Vitamins, other Supplements - Yes, expensive as hell here, but beware of customs. Whether bringing in luggage or sending over later, I strongly advise you to check with the customs regulations, as depending on what they are they may fall into the category that customoms considers "controlled substances"

-Candy, Protein Bars, Gum -I would only bring Reece's Peanut Butter Cups!!! If you bring over a load extra, I'd be more than happy to buy some of it off you..hehe

-Coffee Beans - Well..this depends on how much money you are willing to blow buying a real coffeepot, grinder, and filters here in Korea. If you plan to drink good coffee and get good use of a coffeepot..bring them. I would also mention that if you like certain creamers, bring some of that or have it sent over. I was a fan of the "Irish Creme" creamer made by coffeemate back home, but I have only seen the unflavored variety here.

-Cigarettes - Depends on what you like and how picky you are. Cigs are widely available here, though the only American cigs I have ever seen in most stores are Marlboro and Salem, and many of the other smokers on this board can tell you they often don't taste the same as back home. Since you are only allowed to bring a certain amount of cigs into the country ..you will either quit smoking or be left to buy what is available in Korea after a period of time anyway.


-Liquor - Depends on what it is. For example, I've never seen a high quality tequila in Korea. If you have expensive tastes, you might want to bring some over. Otherwise Homeplus has a decent selection and there are quite a few stores that sell only liquor and wines that have higher quality liquors and a larger selection.

[blackjack]

[polonius]

[ESLTeacher09]

What sort of housing will you have? If you must have the sporting goods, they'll be expensive here, but the typical studio apartment offers limited storage space.

As for shipping, the postal system limits both dimensions and weight of packages. If your equipment falls within their accepted limits, shipping costs on regular air mail parcels run nearly $5 a pound. Depending on the value of the items, you may also have to pay duties upon receipt in Korea.

We opted to ship a partial ocean freight container of household goods and were able to send 7 1/2 cubic meters door to door for just under $2,000. Total transit time was about five weeks. The Korean government allows a one-time duty-free importation of household goods (under $10,000) within your first six months of residence in Korea, but only if you are contractually bound to work in Korea for at least two years.

[blackjack]

[marlow]

Is it possible to store the non-essentials somewhere until you decide if Korea is the country for you?

[RobLeeTeach]