Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jackiebear]

Is it a good place to live? What is it like? Thanks.

[ChilgokBlackHole]

[seoulsucker]

Incheon is one of the largest port cities in Korea, and is also a major center for heavy industry. So yeah...sailors and construction workers. Party time.

Most people I know who work in Incheon spend 80% of their free time making the relatively short trip to Seoul.

I would avoid it if I were you. There are much better places to live in Korea.

[Lorilou]

I'm in Seoul, but have friends in Incheon who like it just fine. The cost of living is much less expensive, Seoul is an easy subway trip away, Bupyeoung has a good bar area and when I go out drinking with them I spend way less money than I do drinking in Seoul. I like Seoul, but think I would have been happy had I ended up in Incheon. Like anything, it depends on what area you're in. If your closer to the water, it'll be further into seoul. Most of my friends live close to Bucheon, so they're only about an hour away.

[aussieb]

Any town or city is as good as you want to make it.
The expats I know in Incheon are quite comfortable and settled there.
They are obviously a different group to Seoulsucker's friends. They generally don't visit Seoul all that often.
If you want to travel to Seoul, Juan Station to Yongsan Station is about 45 mins and the cabfare from there to Itaewon is 3,500 won.

[Globutron]

[SL8R]

I lived in DongChunDong down near Songdo for a year back in 2003. In 12 months I only spent 3 weekends there. Every other weekend was spent in Seoul with either my wife's or best friend's family.

In saying that DongChunDong and southern Incheon was very clean and nice and there is a nice park and shopping mall around the World Cup stadium. Also a good market at Bupyeong and it's not really too much trouble to get into Seoul if you get the Bupyeong-Yongsan express subway service.

[rickpidero]

I live in Incheon right now. I love it so far. Although, I went through EPIK and have a strong social circle. But, there are also lots of Hagwon teachers I know that have adjusted nicely too.

The subway is connected to Seoul, so yes, you can get back and forth relatively easily. But, if you have a chance to move to Seoul, and that's what you really want to do, you should just do that. But, some places in Incheon are actually closer to the "fun" areas of Seoul than parts of actual Seoul (if that makes sense).

Best places in Incheon IMHO: Bupyeong, Juan and Art Center/Bus Terminal. Really, just make sure you live by a subway stop, like within walking distance. I don't and waste an exorbitant amount of money on cabs (I hate buses). Bupyeong would be the ideal place to live in Incheon, it splits both subway lines and is on the rapid stop to get to Seoul.

I hope this sort of helps, good luck, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

[onlyinkorea87]

[NYC_Gal]

I like Incheon. It's like Brooklyn. It's got a gritty, industrial vibe, but it's really close to the big city. I'd much rather have a nicer apartment and take a train to Seoul on Saturday to get some real bread at the bakery in Itaewon, go to a jimjilbang overnight, then, after breakfast with friends, heading home.

Bupyeong, Juan, and Art Center (Gueldong if you are telling a taxi driver) are pretty great, and there are quite a few places catering to foreigners, if you need to socialize with NETs.

[Stalin84]

JackieBear, did you live in Beomgye recently? If so, then I know you.

Anyway, most cities in the Greater Seoul Area or nearby it are the same. There are a lot of cool spots in Incheon and a lot of bad spots. No one can brush the whole city off as "good" or "bad" as it offers a lot more than a mid/small sized city in Korea would. It just comes down to luck!

[espoir]

As everyone else has basically stated the only places in Incheon that are worthwhile (for the bar/social scene) are Bupyeong, Guwol Dong(arts center) and Juan. And in that order.

Best places to meet foreigners:

Bupyeong: N's, goose goose, new woodstock
Guwol Dong: Rios
Juan: no idea only went to On the Map but heard its closed.

Pray that your in Bupyeong or at least ask for housing there, as it makes everything soooo much easier! The most markets, restaurants, bars and foreigners in incheon

[NYC_Gal]

On The Map was closed because it was just too cold to keep such a big place warm with Korean insulation during a time when business is so slow. It's a great place, and the girls running the place are amazing.

[newken]

I moved from Buchon to Inchon three weeks ago. Inchon has the largest land area among all the metropolitan cities in South Korea.

There are several "new towns" in Inchon: Geom Dan, Airport Town, Song Do, Cheong La... Those new towns in Inchon are much like Bundang of Seongnam Si and Beomgye of Anyang Si. The old towns include places like Donginchon (literally meaning "east Inchon" though it's geographically placed directly west of central Inchon), Juan, Bupyong, Songnae, and so on. Inchon Express Terminal and Inchon Metropolitan City office are located around Guwoldong. That's the place in Inchon with the heaviest concentration of new large apartment complexes and industrial production sites.

Inchon has one of the best and largest airports in Asia. Inchon has over two million population. Just like any of the traditional big cities in the world experiencing decades of rapid industrial expansion, the city has both old and dirty and new and shiny elements. If you are talking about dirty and slum-like places, it is Seoul that has more such places than any other city in South Korea. Especially during the last 20 years, both Seoul and Inchon have made titanic efforts to transform streets and houses designed and built during the early 20th century into 21st century new towns that fit South Korean realities (meaning higher apartment price "premiums", more people packed into smaller available land areas, more efficient energy usage, higher living standard, a little improved education, reorganized districts lined along newly planned subway lines, and so on.)

[idontlikeyou]

in case you people haven't noticed yet... every neighborhood in every district in every city in this country is exactly the same. the same pc rooms; the same bars; the same lackluster food; the same hooker joints; the same singing rooms; the same "bakeries"; the same people. act like you "know" all you want, but you're not in a better place because you're in seoul. you're in the same place wherever you are.
i don't like you.