Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Paladin Brewer]

Hello!

So, it appears I am getting offered a job with GEPIK. They gave me a list of 27 cities/rural areas I can choose from. I have never been to Korea before, so I know nothing about these cities. I was hoping I could get some help I'm not completely sure what I am looking for...I would like to experience the culture as much as possible, I see no reason to go over there to hang around with other Americans and eat cheeseburgers. Though a cheeseburger every so often wouldn't be bad I'd like the amenities of living in a city type area, but I also want to get out in nature as much as I can, especially since I hear they have a lot of hiking. Someplace clean would be good too, I hope that one is obvious. Anyways here is the list of cities, I should probably reply soon since it is first come first serve, so any help would be appreciated.

Seungnam City
Suwon City
Goyang City
Bucheon City
Yongin City
Gwacheon City
Gapyeong County
Yeoncheon County
Ansan City
Anyang City
Namyangju City
Siheung City
Gunpo City
Yangju City
Icheon City
Uiwang City
Hwasung City
Pyeongteak City
Gwangmyeong City
Gwangju City
Guri City
Yangpyeong County
Hanam City
Dongducheon CIty
Uijeongbu City
Pocheon City
Gimpo City
Anseong City
Paju City
Osan City
Yeoju County

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[Paladin Brewer]

Anyone? I've tried looking up pictures for the last couple of days. I thought Seongnam looked nice. Any individual inputs on just specific cities on the list would be helpful. I should probably try to give them my choices by tomorrow.

[Summer Wine]

Try Anyang City - it is sandwiched between 2 mountains, suri-san and kwanak-san (?)

It is close to some main lines if you want to go into seoul

A little old and dirty, but where isn't

Foriegners seemed to have a place to meet, the last time I was there.

[jsis]

Seongnam is good, I love Bundang. You can get cheeseburgers anywhere in Gyeonggido really..

[Paladin Brewer]

[jmuns]

anyang is not dirty. its a fine place to live. also, korea is not very big so you can always find somewhere to go hiking thats within an hour away.

[Paladin Brewer]

Well I went ahead and chose:

Anyang
Seongnam
Incheon

as my 3 choices. Let's see how that turns out. I got confused with Incheon, I guess there is a city near Seoul, and then another area to the south east with the same name :/

[seonsengnimble]

Anyang is pretty cool. The area around Anyang station is a little old and dirty, but if you're in pyeongchon, it's pretty new and clean. Bucheon is also a decent city. There isn't a lot of hiking, but it's pretty dense and I found that it was the easiest place as far as stores went. Goyang, Gwacheon, Uiwang, Suwon and Gunpo are all decent. Suwon takes a bit longer to get into Seoul than many other Gyeonggi cities, but it's a decent city. I would avoid Siehung. It's way out there, and there's not much going for it.

[ThingsComeAround]

Bucheon - damn near center of Seoul. 45 min to 1 hr to get to Gangnam, Jongno, or if you want to go to Incheon, there too (in the other direction)
Dirty city, but convenient.

Goyang - 10th largest city. Costco. Sizable foreigner population. You may get to Jongno (downtown Seoul) in 1 hour.
Clean(ish) city, many smart kids. You may find your time spent in WesternDom and LaFesta

Suwon, Bundang, Yongin, Paju: all nice areas. I know a little about them but what I hear is good.

[Juregen]

Guri I can tell you about.

It has none of the big city advantages but all of the big city disadvantages.

[proustme]

I'd shy away from Incheon. I've heard there's not much of a downtown or anything to do.

[Bucky]

Location-wise, Bucheon would be my choice because it's sandwiched between Incheon and Seoul, two big cities, without being actually in either of them.

[toonchoon]

this is what Id recommend. I've lived in Seoul for 2 years now, and I think Seoul is rocking. If you could live anywere near to Seoul, it will make your life more fun, and your Korea experience better. This is all one concrete jungle, and more or less all looks the same whereever you go, so location is key, and by location, I mean close to where s#it's happening.

I recommend:

Bucheon
Gwacheon
Anyang (no more south than Anyang - don't do this to yourself)

North of Seoul might suck as it's FAR to get to cool/fun/party places in Seoul. Basically, pick a city that has a subway line going to it and/or is connected to Seoul and if your place or work could be close to a subway station, it'll make your life easier.

Don't listen to peeps that tell you that living in Yongin or other place far away from Seoul is cool. It's cool if you're anti-social, don't like to party, or if you like long travel times to cool places in the city.

And learn Hangeul (Korean writing system). It's basically like the English alphabet, with a few more characters / pronounciations. It'll help you so much to be able to read the signs, even if you don't know what the mean.

Good luck!

[prairiegirl81]

As far as I know Incheon isn't covered by GEPIK but runs it's own show. So the city you probably applied to is Icheon. I don't live in Icheon, but have been there numerous times and while it is better than where I am stationed, it's not too great. You've got your typical Korean walking street, a tiny movie theatre, and a few Korean-Western restaurants. If you like ceramics however - this is the place for you!

But don't fret if you do get placed here - it's only a quick $4, one hour bus trip to Seoul...

[ueo119]