Korean Job Discussion Forums

[msmadison]

Hi guys,

I got a job offer in Incheon and I need to give them a final decision very soon.

Can anyone who has lived or living in Incheon give me their perspective about living in Incheon?

My first choice was to be in Seoul, but the two benefits I can think of being in Incheon is that I'll be closer to the airport (since I plan to travel as much as I can) and the air quality I'm assuming is better because it's close to the water....

Thanks for any input!

[discostu333]

Where abouts in Incheon will you be? I've got a job lined up in Incheon starting Jan/Feb. I have a few friends there now in Seo-Gu and they really love it. Would be good to get some comments off others though.

[msmadison]

Per contract: Gwangsung plaza 9th floor, 631-11, Nonhyundong, Namdonggu, Inchon, Korea

Per Manager: Next to Songdo (a newly built city)

[pjmancktelow]

i lived in namdong gu for 15months. its a good place. seouls not the best place in the world. in fact when i lived there to get 'downtown' took me an hour. yet friends who actually lived in seoul could take longer due to changing trains etc. there is a rapid subway train from incheon to seoul which helps. lots of buses too.

but as for incheon, its a good place. lots of expats, lots of bars/restraunts, enough shops, cinemas, things to do. i liked it. i only moved due to a combination of factors with nothing to do with the city. but, i liked it there. also, youre more likely to have a better place in incheon as seoul is more expensive

[Crockpot2001]

[msmadison]

sounds like fun.

don't play instruments well, but would enjoy listening...I might be interested in singing!

thanks for the posts

[pjmancktelow]

i think my friend now lives in nohyundong, its a clean place, quite modern if im correct. its next to songdo like they said. its not a bad place. you can get buses to many places from there. nice location. and also good now the new bridge to the airport is built.

[msmadison]

Hey guys thanks for the feedback. I decided to accept the contract and sent it off with my documents yesterday! I'm excited but still pretty nervous!

My recruiter has been very nice and patient, probably a big part of my decision. I've talked to many other recruiters and you know how they can be. They don't listen, or don't understand, or communication is just off....

In the beginning I was not even interested or didn't think that I needed a recruiter. There were positions where I applied directly to the school, but I didn't get any calls back. So then I started replying to several recruiters and was disappointed and sometimes appalled with the service....don't they get paid for finding us a job? Anyway, I'm happy to have found the one i'm working with now.

Let me know if you need a recommendation for a recruiter.

As for Incheon, I think I can make a good time out of it. I moved from Southern California to Huntsville, AL two years ago...I survived and actually had a good time...so I should be able to have fun anywhere!

[dirving]

Check out the Russian-Uzbekistani, Chinese, and Pinoy restaurants near the Wolmido area of town. Go to Dong-Incheon Staion. There, cross the street and walk about 100 metres past the McDonald's restaurant. You'll see an enterance to a open-air market (Shijang) on the right. Walk past it and look for the second street on the right. Take it, and you'll be in the area of The Pinoy Restaurant, Ali Baba's Uzbeki-Russian Restaurant, and at least two genuine Chinese restaurants.

As a bonus, there is the Seaman's Club, where you can meet all sorts of people from around the world and pay a mere 1,500 won for a bottle of Korean beer that costs 6 or 7k elsewhere. The Phillipines beer called San Miguel costs only 3,500 won there. Lots of friendly and English-speaking Fillipinas and Russian chicks who are not prostitutes as well.

[Trinidad]

Back in '98 and '99 the Seaman's Club was a place to meet hookers.
I think it changed over to live Filipino singers. A fate worse than death.

In a nutshell:

Incheon is a shit-hole. It is in a culture shadow from Seoul and therefore
nothing is here. No Costco, no microbreweries, no live theatres. In the
entire city it is impossible to get a pint of draft ale. Closest place is
Rhythm and Booze in Bucheon. Incheon consistently has the worst test
scores for the national uni entrance exam. The parents of these students
are blue collar factory drones from sector 7G who have seen a real live
mighty whitey maybe once or twice in their lives. If you have to live
here, live near Bupyeong Station. That way you can get the Yongsan
Express train to Seoul and get a civilization fix.

[neil537]

[mayorgc]

On more than one occasion, I've read that Korean women returning home after dark have to run home from the bus stop/subway. If they don't, they'll get mugged or worse.

I don't know how true any of that stuff is, but if I ever meet a K lady from Incheon, I'll ask her.

But I'm surprised about the earlier comment regarding pollution. I thought Incheon was well known for it's dirty dirty air. I remember taking the subway on a bright summer afternoon into incheon and suddenly thinking to myself "where the heck did the sun go?".

[Captain Obvious]

The airport's nice.

[Trinidad]

[Easter Clark]

I live in Incheon. What do I think about it? I like it.