Korean Job Discussion Forums

BigLarry · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Location: Anywhere there is wine.

Hi guys,

I'm moving to Yongin in a few weeks and working around Gugal-dong, almost next door to Kangnam Uni.

I'd appreciate it if any of you in the area can recommend some good bars and places to eat at etc. Though the location of a good art supplier and a lab that can process 120 film are essentials for me.

Oh yeah and if anyone there is desperate for things from the UK then feel free to ask.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

dude, sorry to say, but you are in the middle of nothing!
Gugal is not even a town! its just a place in between towns..
there is NOTHING there..
ohh there are some marts, kimbab places to eat and some stores.. dont worry about that.
but you had better consider bundang as your place to go after work..

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

Yea, have to agree with Itaewon guy. I can walk to Kangnam Univ in 15 mins. Nothing here. Where I am, by Giheung Gu Office (2 bus stops away) you can't even get a hamburger (unless it's from 7-11). Even the Lotteria near Singal is closed now. No E-marts close by (walking distance), just the stuff available everywhere else in Korea (bibimbop, chicken and pig feet, ice cream, bakeries, bookstores with nothing a foreigner would buy and the odd foreigner passing you by).
Kangnam Univ area has a Popeyes and a not too disgusting kinda Italian place 2 doors-down. Been to both once.
But you'll have quick access to Seoul. Just a few stops, and you are in Singal on the expressway. Once on there, it can be as short as 20 mins to Kangnam, about 40 to downtown Seoul.

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

BigLarry · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Location: Anywhere there is wine.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

BigLarry · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Location: Anywhere there is wine.

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

There is a fairly new restaurant called 'The Burger Saloon' which has good burgers, fish and chips, and other things. More and more is coming here every week it seems.[/quote]

Do tell where this is. Couldn't come up with a search on Yahoo and I've never seen it. Open to any gems that might be in this area. I'm guessing its around Kangnam Dae? Pretty sure it isn't around my neighborhood around the Gu office as there is no place around it for a burger. Used to be, but the foul stench outside was so bad, I couldn't go in. I guess few others could either. It was closed after living here a month. A 7-11 is there now and the stench is gone.
My son loves burgers and we've got to go to downtown Yongin or Suji for the closest McD's, which is a 40 min treck rarely made.
As for Bundang, all I've gone there to do is to go to Homeplus and Daily Kings. Go through there a lot, but never saw much to lure me off the bus (so I really don't know). I have searched a lot on the Internet, but not much that interested me. Supposed to be an "I Love Cookie" foreign goods store, but I've not seen it in the area where it says it is. Also supposed to be some Indian and a Brazilian place in the area, but haven't seen it. I have seen the TGI Fridays, but they're always a let down so I don't go. Not into nightlife (which is mostly what I come up with in Bundang searches), so not sure what there is to do on that front. There are quite a few more shopping things past Bundang around Yatap Station in Seungnam (spelling? New Core, Kim's Club, Homeplus surrounded by more shopping places, McD's, various restaurants), but for that trip, it is quicker to go to Seoul for me.
Working all week, and always striking out around here, I just go to Seoul, where I used to live and where there's so much more to offer. Sometimes I go to Songtan, outside the Osan base. A lot to do there, but well over an hour to go to Suwon then take the train.
As for Korean Italian, there's one by my house. I think quite typical. Noodles with some tomato sauce spiced up with hotdogs or clams in it. Not bad, but you could do better at home for much less money. But I've never found good Alfredo/Carbonera here. Just bland. But you can get some instant packages from Italy sold in Kim's Club that are far better than what's in most Korean-run Italian restaurants here.

nobbyken · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Location: Yongin ^^

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

Holyjoe · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: Away for a cuppa

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

There are lots of nice things here, but things the local population wants. So there's nothing lacking for a Korean, but nothing foreign really around the Gu office. But nothing that makes it stand out from what's everywhere in Korea.
Construction continues on both subway stops on both sides of the Gu.

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

Went to the Burger Saloon. Fish and Chips on the menu but told they didn't have it. All they could offer was a burger and chips. 30 mins for the chips which were good. Burger wasn't much for the price.
Disappointing.

BigLarry · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Location: Anywhere there is wine.

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

I assume so. I've only had foreign versions of UK chips. Big wedges of potatoes. They had a bit of flavor on them too more than just salt. I also see them for sale in the frozen section of Homeplus imported from the UK.
Talking to the lady at Burger Saloon, they were just doing burgers the day I was there. Other things on the menu looked good, but unavailable.
I got there at 6 PM on a Saturday night and they were just opening.
Burgers aren't real bad, just there's something mixed with the meat. When I make a burger, it's all ground beef in the patty. Maybe it was more like Duk Galbi on a bun.
Reading the sign, every other Sunday they are closed. I think weekdays are the only times for lunch.
She wanted me to come back with friends to have a drinking night and she's give some freebies. It seems her plan was to have a hangout for foreigners to drink and spend. But I was the only person there.
I'll try the Italian place the poster above mentioned as I saw that as well.