Korean Job Discussion Forums

[maxxx_power]

Any advice for a newbie? Try to think back to the stuff you wished you had brought but forgot.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Someone told me to bring deodorant so I got that covered, anything else?

What types of clothing should I pack, I'll be in Inchon?

[Dan]

some clothes for all seasons. something that will keep you entertained (for me that was a laptop)

other than that, nothing that you can't get in korea in one form or another.

oh wait, bring cheese. lol

[maxxx_power]

I'll bring some pre-sliced ultra processed American cheese

[shawner88]

Bring:

your unbridled enthusiasm

your unyielding desire for drinking

your appetite for the new and exotic

your huddled masses

your smurf collection (a must have here, smurfs are hard to find)

[jsmac]

Do a search on this topic, it has been covered extensively.

[paulzerzan]

I always tell people to bring pillows. When I first came to Korea in 1989 only Korean pillows (large, hard, log-shaped things) were available. Perhaps this is no longer true but that experience so impacted me (and the shape of my neck) that I still pass the advice on.

Ship yourself a bunch of books. Book rate is cheap and will only take 2 months (tops) to arrive. You will have something to look forward to for two months, and some good reading after that.

If you eat oatmeal, bring some. It is often impossible to find.

When you get here don't ever blow your nose in a restaurant (you shouldn't do that anywhere but ESPECIALLY in Korea). Also, don't give a Korean any used item as it is regarded as a big insult.

[schwa]

Bring nothing & redefine your needs.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Things I had a hell of a time finding in Korea:


Tums or Roll-Aids!

Also, decafe coffee (they have it, but it's instant).

Maple syrup for pancakes

Good sugar-free gum (it exists, but I don't like the taste)

Lasagna noodles

[weatherman]

[chi-chi]

Aspirin, vitamin C, flu medicine, cough medicine, other types of vitamins (A, B) if you take them...

[eamo]

This should belong on the pet peeve thread but it might be apt here as well. Pants (trousers where I come from) are not sold in various leg-lengths. Only super-long. Perfect for all those 6' 5". One is supposed to buy super-long, then, go to a sewing-person/tailor and have them cut and hemmed to order. It's a pain and it doesn't work well because the pants lose their shape and look terrible when worn.

So.... The point is, I recommend any one coming to bring a lot of pants and don't bother with a lot of shoes, coats, sweaters and shirts/t-shirts which are nice 'n cheap here.

[OiGirl]

I like the part about "redefine your needs."

Maple syrup, even artificially-flavored stuff, is difficult to find. (Does it still come in little packets in the hotcake mix bag? I prefer French toast...)

I take some corn syrup, heat it on the stove, maybe thicken it with dark brown sugar, add cinnamon, nutmeg (from any good baking shop) and have my own syrup. I find that I don't particularly like maple syrup much when I go home.

Can anyone else share how they have "made do" in Korea? Not adopting Korean things (I've done a lot of that, too!) but improvising neither home nor Korean solutions to your desires?