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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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 Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Except for a few brights spots(shanghai)...I like korea much better than china when I visited...and beijing just plain sucks IMO....plenty of tourist stuff, but after that your left with an ugly, ultra polluted city filled with hicks. |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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| My favorite was getting scammed from a water company. They sold me "fake" water...it was probably just tap water. Grossest thing I've ever experienced. |
I bought a bottle in Korea, and when I got home I found out the cap had already been opened. So, I just boiled it to make sure. Who knows, they could be doing it here too, but it's harder to tell. |
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Old Gil
Joined: 26 Sep 2009
Location: Got out! olleh!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Ukon wrote: |
| Except for a few brights spots(shanghai)...I like korea much better than china when I visited...and beijing just plain sucks IMO....plenty of tourist stuff, but after that your left with an ugly, ultra polluted city filled with hicks. |
Beijing is way better looking than Seoul are you kidding me? Can you point to more than three major buildings in Seoul that are still standing from before 1900? |
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loyfriend
Joined: 03 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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Beijing is way better looking than Seoul are you kidding me? Can you point to more than three major buildings in Seoul that are still standing from before 1900?
That is not a fair to compare. Seoul fell itself 3x during the Korean war. A better place to state would be Busan. I am sure I could find quite a few buildings there. |
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Old Gil
Joined: 26 Sep 2009
Location: Got out! olleh!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| loyfriend wrote: |
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Beijing is way better looking than Seoul are you kidding me? Can you point to more than three major buildings in Seoul that are still standing from before 1900?
That is not a fair to compare. Seoul fell itself 3x during the Korean war. A better place to state would be Busan. I am sure I could find quite a few buildings there. |
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Better looking is better looking, regardless of why. |
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Hightop
Joined: 11 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Easter Clark wrote: |
China is Korea 30 years ago. If you fancy a trip back in time then by all means, go.
Unless you go to Shanghai.  |
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but this opinion is wrong. China = Korea 30 years ago, what a crock. Rural China is not as advanced as Seoul of course. But if you compare like for like Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou to Seoul then in some respects China is more advanced, and in others Seoul is more advanced. If you want to talk culturally or socially China is light years ahead of Korea. Korea is like a small Japanese village in the 1500's. Just take a look at Seven Samurai village life and tell me it does not bear a striking similarity to current Korean social life. |
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Easter Clark
Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Hightop wrote: |
| Easter Clark wrote: |
China is Korea 30 years ago. If you fancy a trip back in time then by all means, go.
Unless you go to Shanghai. |
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but this opinion is wrong. China = Korea 30 years ago, what a crock. Rural China is not as advanced as Seoul of course. But if you compare like for like Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou to Seoul then in some respects China is more advanced, and in others Seoul is more advanced. If you want to talk culturally or socially China is light years ahead of Korea. Korea is like a small Japanese village in the 1500's. Just take a look at Seven Samurai village life and tell me it does not bear a striking similarity to current Korean social life. |
Fair enough, I wasn't in Korea 30 years ago. I was trying to spark some discussion! |
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Cerberus
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| Hightop wrote: |
| Easter Clark wrote: |
China is Korea 30 years ago. If you fancy a trip back in time then by all means, go.
Unless you go to Shanghai. |
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but this opinion is wrong. China = Korea 30 years ago, what a crock. Rural China is not as advanced as Seoul of course. But if you compare like for like Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou to Seoul then in some respects China is more advanced, and in others Seoul is more advanced. If you want to talk culturally or socially China is light years ahead of Korea. Korea is like a small Japanese village in the 1500's. Just take a look at Seven Samurai village life and tell me it does not bear a striking similarity to current Korean social life. |
this is also my "suspicion", but I wanted to get supporting or contradicting opinions. I'm not interested in either rural China or rural Korea.
cultural and social advantages are something I'm seeking, as well as the practical benefits of learning a language and culture of China.
I don't mind if my internet is a little slower
other than the big monetary disparacy (it's nice to be able to save something and enjoy vacations in SE Asia) the other things that concern me are food (never been a fan of Asian cuisine) and small time practical everyday things that mean a lot to me - such as closeby appt, as I despise commuting and a closeby decent gym I can use. |
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beercanman
Joined: 16 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:16 am Post subject: |
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It's not that slow, but lots of sites are blocked, seemingly randomly at times, for reasons no one knows... youtube has been blocked for almost a year I think.
Mr Pink is right about the pollution. It really is bad in quite a few cities. You can smell it and grime settles on everything. It's filthy. Some days are better than others.
I like the food, but reading and speaking this language with any skill is still beyond me, not that I make much effort.
I don't find it really different than Korea in many ways. It's still the far east with the mono-cultural aspects, the great unfamiliarity with anyone different in many places, and all that jazz. But the bigger cities in China may have more going on and at least a little diversity of people, restaurants and other things. Some locations in both countries, though, ugh, just dull and sameness throughout and you're an alien from Mars all the damn time. |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:37 am Post subject: |
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| Old Gil wrote: |
| Ukon wrote: |
| Except for a few brights spots(shanghai)...I like korea much better than china when I visited...and beijing just plain sucks IMO....plenty of tourist stuff, but after that your left with an ugly, ultra polluted city filled with hicks. |
Beijing is way better looking than Seoul are you kidding me? Can you point to more than three major buildings in Seoul that are still standing from before 1900? |
You must be blind....beijing's a dumpy third world city. Not to mention it's a pain in the ass to get around...If you thought American cities were unwalkable, you ain't seen nothing yet....
Not saying china doesn't have some nice tourist places to see...when it's not blocked by smog.
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| If you want to talk culturally or socially China is light years ahead of Korea. |
lol, if you mean culturally ahead by spitting everywhere, dressing like slobs, letting their children crap on side walks, and fat guys removing their shirts for whatever reason....then yes...China is far ahead of Korea culturally and socially....I thought I stepped into an asian version of the Beverly hill billies where I visited China. |
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dirving
Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:31 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
What exactly are you looking for in regards to your comparison?
Salary? It seems if you can get 15000RMB a month the salaries are comparable. IMO Korea is better if you have some experience or an MA and can teach at a university in Korea.
Quality of life issues: Korea is far better. The pollution in China is just amazing. It is the reason I will be leaving once my contract is done. Medical care in Korea is better.
Fun Factor: Beijing and Shanghai have more things to do I guess, well Beijing definitely does. But what happens when you've done everything, or you get tired of eating all the various foods that Beijing has to offer? Then it turns out just being another big city like Seoul.
I typically don't go out too much due to working a lot. I was out last night and reminded that when it comes to the stare factor, China is the same as Korea. Hell, sometimes it is worse.
The one area where China is vastly different than Korea is the working culture. People don't bust their butts and work 14-16hrs a day. It is more 9-5ish like America is. People seem more laid back compared to Korea. The typical Chinese person isn't as uptight.
Also, you will notice a lot more scamming going on in China than Korea. My favorite was getting scammed from a water company. They sold me "fake" water...it was probably just tap water. Grossest thing I've ever experienced. |
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dirving
Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:36 am Post subject: |
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| Ukon wrote: |
| Old Gil wrote: |
| Ukon wrote: |
| Except for a few brights spots(shanghai)...I like korea much better than china when I visited...and beijing just plain sucks IMO....plenty of tourist stuff, but after that your left with an ugly, ultra polluted city filled with hicks. |
Beijing is way better looking than Seoul are you kidding me? Can you point to more than three major buildings in Seoul that are still standing from before 1900? |
You must be blind....beijing's a dumpy third world city. Not to mention it's a pain in the ass to get around...If you thought American cities were unwalkable, you ain't seen nothing yet....
Not saying china doesn't have some nice tourist places to see...when it's not blocked by smog.
| Quote: |
| If you want to talk culturally or socially China is light years ahead of Korea. |
lol, if you mean culturally ahead by spitting everywhere, dressing like slobs, letting their children crap on side walks, and fat guys removing their shirts for whatever reason....then yes...China is far ahead of Korea culturally and socially....I thought I stepped into an asian version of the Beverly hill billies where I visited China. |
Tsingdao City is pretty cool, but Jinan, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are not nearly as nice as any city in South Korea.
Hong Kong and Macau and Xiamen are decent.
Tomwaits is yer guy for the inside scoop about the other major urban centres. I'd P.M. him if I were you. |
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Easter Clark
Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Another thing about China is that you can plan to be sick for long periods of time. People talk about how unclean Korea is. There's a reason SARS was rampant in China a few years back.
As for stares, you'll get more of them and in increasing severity--I'll never forget the time a father called his son over to look at the "laowai" (weigukin), pointing and laughing the whole time.
And if you don't mind the government encroaching on every area of peoples' lives, then you might do ok there. Avatar was just banned from being played in theaters there and was instead replaced with a biopic on Confucius. The censors thought it could incite feelings of anti-nationalism. That's just one example. On the other hand people have no respect for intellectual property there (you thought "cunning" was bad? lol).
Food safety standards are dodgy at best and dangerous at worst. Ever seen dog doo-doo in a restaurant in Korea? And the poster who mentioned kids crapping in the street--spot on. Why do you think they have holes in the back of their pants? Easy access!
I'm glad I experienced China BEFORE Korea. Makes me appreciate how good things are here in Seoul. Not perfect by any means, but in terms of quality of life, far ahead of anything in "the Motherland." But I lived in Beijing and not Shanghai. Experiences may vary.  |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Home sweet home
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Also, keep in mind that you will see history change before your eyes.
I was there during SARS. there was MASS panic. HOspitals were thrown up in days, hundreds of thousands of people were quarantineed. Your temperature was taken in front of malls, and shopping centres, if you had a fever, bye, off to quarantin in the hospital. Have you been to normal Chinese hospitals? Yikes. YOu had to stay there for about 15 days.
Then.
It stopped. The govt decided one day that China had conquered SARS. And the whole world was standing in awe of their organisation and of China. And people believed it. Double yikes. |
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Hightop
Joined: 11 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Easter Clark wrote: |
1. People talk about how unclean Korea is. There's a reason SARS was rampant in China a few years back.
2. As for stares, you'll get more of them and in increasing severity--I'll never forget the time a father called his son over to look at the "laowai" (weigukin), pointing and laughing the whole time.
3. On the other hand people have no respect for intellectual property there (you thought "cunning" was bad? lol).
4. Food safety standards are dodgy at best and dangerous at worst. Ever seen dog doo-doo in a restaurant in Korea?
5. And the poster who mentioned kids crapping in the street--spot on. Why do you think they have holes in the back of their pants? Easy access!
6. But I lived in Beijing and not Shanghai. Experiences may vary. |
1. China SARS, Korea H1N1. I was also in China during SARS and Beijing was on lockdown. They learnt a good lesson and you will notice H1N1 was not nearly as rampant there. I was in Korea during H1N1. They quarantined some waygooks and closed some schools but the kids kept going to hagwons and Korea was one of the worst affected countries for H1N1.
2. I never saw a 'chat with beauties' type of show in China nor did I see any stupid 'lets go to NYC and ask the locals if they know about kimchi and laugh at their replies' type show either. Korea has instuitilized laughing at foreigners, just put a picture of a black man or woman up in class and see what your students do.
3. Hwang Woo Seop. Hey look at me I cloned a dog. Oh actually I lied. 88 Olympics Roy Jones Jnr, white envelopes, Gold medal Korea. Korea Number 1.
4. Dodgy at best??? No way. There are world class restaurants in Beijing. If you are eating at your local hutong noodle joint then things can get dodgy but not different to eating some overzealous kimchi. No doggy doo do in restaurants but plenty of dogs.
5. Yes a lot of Chinese babies have slits in their pants for easy access. They are babies they have an excuse. Korean men letting it out in the gutter and throwing up on the pavement have no excuses. Korea needs pigeons to clean that mess up.
6. True, experiences vary. |
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