Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Changwon Charlie]

Just moved here a couple of months ago from Jeollanamdo.

My wifes hometown is Changwon and loved visiting here as it is very green and lots of parks and space, especially compared to other Korean cities.

However for living:

Not much is happening here.
Barwise:
I went to O Briens and while the head guy there Austin is a decent sort of person to talk to it is very very smokey in there if someone lights up. they need to do something about the ventolation. Food is grand though.
I went to IPs and got quoted 3 different prices for the same drink so am not sure what is going on there.

Restaurantwise:
Bombay - not bad but really not that good either. Been there 4 times now. Sufficient but knock the price down a good 3 or 4 000 per dish. It isn't Ganga in Busan.....
Korean - same as anywhere.....

Socialwise:
-Not much of a drinker so if you don't drink it appears you are out of luck. Bit of a young folks town.

Good things:
Bikelanes: Everywhere and very good grade. Great way to keep my pot belly in shape.
Mountains: Some great hiking.
Bus Terminal :Very efficient and new and very easy to get to Busan (or anywhere really) to keep company with somebody more like myself.

So all in all not bad but not really much going on either.

[roadwork]

That sounds pretty nice actually. I wouldn't mind a change of pace from my present countryside location. I got all of the nightclubbing/partying out of my system 7 years ago when I first got here and spent the first couple of years in Incheon and Seoul. My present burg here has bike trails but they seem to sporadically begin and end randomly.

[Changwon Charlie]

Yeah the bikelanes are great....I have rode bikes for many years and done a few trips between Jeonnamdo and Seoul and Busan/Changwon along the country roads.
Fantastic way to see the country and drivers here are surpringly courteous to people on bikes.


Changwon, it is OK...just wondering what else there is to do here besides the bar scene???

[Changwon Charlie]

I see nobody else from Changwon lives here then.

Recommendation for another restaurant:

*Ginos near City Hall - not too bad as far as Korea goes for lasagne.
*Mexico (technically masan) - been there twice. Both times very good and delicious. Price is good and easy to get to.

[BigBuds]

If you want to find out what else is going on, you can ask Austin at OB's and you can check out the noticce board there which often has things about book clubs, movie nights, Korean classes, poker, the local soccer team and going to watch the Korean soccer and basketball games, etc.

You just have to ask some of the foreigners around what's happening if you want to find out. It is there, it's just not always easy to find. A lot of the stuff i've heard about is from being apart of the right conversation at the right time.

[BigBuds]

By the way, we're not all young anymore. There's plenty of long termers with families and children in Changwon, that's also why you don't see us as often, family committments.

Changwon has a very high number of longer termers. Been here 8 years myself and know of many others who've been here 5 or more years. I admit if you go to OB's on a Friday or Saturday night you will see a lot of the younger crowd but us old timers are here just not at the bars that often anymore.

[Changwon Charlie]

Football (soccer as you north Americans know it) isn't really my thing but I do like basketball. I used to follow it when I lived in Yeosu but the team moved to Busan about 5 years ago.

I met an Australia (I think) lad in the bar about 2 weeks ago on a Thursday night who said lots of foreigners go to the games and he even bought a season ticket with a couple of his friends so that sounds like a lot of fun.

Also he mentioned about the cycle racing and said it can be a good way to pass the afternoon. Has anyone been before? I have been to the horse racing here (in busan) and it was pretty dull compared to the west. My Korean is very good (have been here since 1994) but just wonder what the atmosphere is like?

[BigBuds]

I know exactly who you are talking about, he's my best mate. If you met him, there's a good chance we've met, too. I'm also an Aussie. If you want to go to the basketball, he's the one to arange it with as he goes almost religiously even to out of town games.

The cycling can be great sometimes and complete crap others. 50/50 really. When it's good it's worth going and fun to have a bit of a gamble, and the Korean gamblers can be interesting characters to watch. I've never heard so much swearing in Korean in one place, lol.

[Changwon Charlie]

No, it was just him on a quieter Thursday night.....

Will give the cycles a twirl.

[joyfulgirl]

Where is the Mexican restaurant in Masan, and how do I get there?

[Changwon Charlie]

[Changwon Charlie]

Looks like Changwon got a Kraze Burger.
Was walking around Sangnamdong today and stumbled over it.
Bit expensive but better than MCDonald's I suppose.

[shifter2009]

[Changwon Charlie]

Ran into another Indian (and Nepalese restaurant) in Changwon near EMart.

It is near Mr Pizza, walk up the lane a little towards the lake and it is on the 3rd floor.

Prices are HALF the price of Bombay for curries but to be honest they were not quite as good or big but still tasty.

Naan and samosas were great (they had potato naan - delicious) and the biryani rice was decent as well.

Basmati rice is only 2000 won...cheap.

4 of us went in a group and only spent 50 000 won between us all (not including beers). Last time i went to Bombay it was 95 000 won for terrible service (the head waiter was rude and screwed our order - not the first time as well).

Best part is the lunch specials...6500 won for a naan and curry. Great deal.

Bit far away from my part of town (I live out near the train station) but it is worth a trip.

[shifter2009]