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Mariner
Joined: 24 Apr 2009
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 Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:58 pm Post subject: I Should Have Brought It To Korea... |
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Lets say a company is shipping your stuff for you from the US.
If you could bring any HOUSEHOLD item you wanted to Korea, within reason, what would you have brought?
Espresso Machine? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:15 pm Post subject: Re: I Should Have Brought It To Korea... |
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| Mariner wrote: |
Lets say a company is shipping your stuff for you from the US.
If you could bring any HOUSEHOLD item you wanted to Korea, within reason, what would you have brought?
Espresso Machine? |
Nothing from the states. The cost of the power converter and the chance to destroy said item makes it not worth while.
Also, you can get a similar appliance or household item here (assuming you are in or near Seoul (or any other large city) or can read Korean well enough to use one of the on-line sites like g-market or auction.
The things to bring are spices that you like, personal toiletries if you have a brand preference, clothes if you are a larger size and a touch of home to get you over the homesick stage of your culture shock. |
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gelynch52
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:37 pm Post subject: A guide for cutting meat |
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| I would bring a truck load of meat cutter's guides & make all the butchers learn to properly cut meat instead of just chopping off pieces. Maybe I would also bring a (as yet not invented) machine that would make the horns on cars inoperable so guys would learn the proper function of the brake pedal & turn signals rather than just using the horn. I have gone years at a time only pushing the horn button to make sure it works before the state safety inspection in Pennsylvania. I think the horn is an almost useless device. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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There is basically nothing you can't find in Korea. The only thing that has absolutely stumped me is licorice. But my mum is sending some for easter.
If you are big or don't like Korean style, you might like to bring some clothes, but there are western style stores in the big cities. I like Korean clothes. My only gripes are, they are cheap but mostly only really last one season. And the arms are always to short.
It's not like the old days when basic stuff wasn't available. Most common western food items are available on gmarket. eg bacon, cheese, oatmeal, spices, deodorant etc. If you have some special item you couldn't go two weeks without, you should bring it. But eventually you will find everything you need here. Especially appliances. Don't bother bringing appliances. |
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Gibberish
Joined: 29 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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Bigger condoms  |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Gibberish wrote: |
| Bigger condoms |
Oh yea. I forgot this one. |
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b0101
Joined: 24 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Find out what size bed you will have and bring sheets. |
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AsiaESLbound
Joined: 07 Jan 2010
Location: Truck Stop Missouri
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 3:19 am Post subject: |
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| b0101 wrote: |
| Find out what size bed you will have and bring sheets. |
Right. And your favorite comforter and pillows. You might be unlucky to get a pink Princess comforter set or none at all, but you can be sure sheets are not available. I fight with the springy synthetic fabric pillows that just slip out from under my head numerous times. If you have household goods shipment provided, then bring all the trappings of your life from home; not just 2 check on bags. I find Korean things to look very Western, but the quality is often a downer more times than not. Great electronics, but everything else isn't worth the prices they ask nor what I specifically prefer. Electronics also seem crazy over priced so bring em' where a $500 laptop commands $900 to $1100 over here and that's without English Windows. Cameras are also more where a Sony cam might cost $380 in the states, but it's $700 in Korea. Shopping. Bah bah boo cry me a river. Well, I always expected many inconveniences to come with going to Asia, but the prices seem excessive. While American market goods are mostly produced in Asia, they are very difficult to find in Korea and command excessively high prices in Seoul where you are most likely to find them. I wonder if the same holds true for China?
If you like chocolate, you'll soon notice there aren't really big pieces of it, but a small selection of way over priced small chocolates. I mean big as in a standard Hershey bar size or larger. Honey is another biggie if you like it as it's crazy expensive and looks pale straw color instead of the deep rich amber color common in Western honey which indicates the Korean honey is not as dense, nutritious, and rich. Well, Korea is a natural resource poor land so don't expect lots of milk and honey although it's easily found every where.
Things you easily find at Walmart, Walgreen, and Boots seem to not be available over the counter as there aren't any OTC medicine departments in stores although there are small pharmacies with a very limited OTC selection of I don't know what exactly that stuff is. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| There is basically nothing you can't find in Korea. |
There are plenty of things you can't find in Korean stores and you may or may not be able to find them in black market stores. If it wasn't for Costco this list would be much longer.
Just off the top of my head-
Twinkies
Ho-Ho's
Little Debbies
Tastykakes
Crystal Light
Ro-tel
Instant pudding mix
Instant Jell-o mix
Triscuits
Many sodas including: Cherry 7 Up, Diet Dr Pepper, Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper
Gatorade in any color other than pee yellow |
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climber159
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| There is basically nothing you can't find in Korea. |
There are plenty of things you can't find in Korean stores and you may or may not be able to find them in black market stores. If it wasn't for Costco this list would be much longer.
Just off the top of my head-
Twinkies
Ho-Ho's
Little Debbies
Tastykakes
Crystal Light
Ro-tel
Instant pudding mix
Instant Jell-o mix
Triscuits
Many sodas including: Cherry 7 Up, Diet Dr Pepper, Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper
Gatorade in any color other than pee yellow |
Many of these items can be found at the Namdaemun import markets and/or Hannam Market and/or the Foreign Market. |
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sheba
Joined: 16 May 2005
Location: Here there and everywhere!
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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You can buy just about anything here... sometimes theyre a litlte more pricey than back home, but it would probably work out the same (or cheaper) if youre going to pay shipping anyway.
I found electronics to be way cheaper here than back home. My camera cost $1300 back home but I got it for $800 here. You have to shop around a bit, internet shopping seems to be the cheapest (or the markets for other things).
I second the pillow and sheets... the pillows here are too high for me, and there are no sheets. They have mink blankets though which I love.
Food... bring food. if you do a lot of cooking, think about certain ingredients that you might need and find out if the sell them in korea. Anything youre 'addicted' to... certain kinds of candy, cookies etc. I found that I didnt know what food I wanted until I was already here and started missing it... random things that I didnt care about until I didnt have it anymore. Didnt realise that I even really liked cheese til I could only eat over-processed plastic slices...
... |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| There is basically nothing you can't find in Korea. |
There are plenty of things you can't find in Korean stores and you may or may not be able to find them in black market stores. If it wasn't for Costco this list would be much longer.
Just off the top of my head-
Twinkies
Ho-Ho's
Little Debbies
Tastykakes
Crystal Light
Ro-tel
Instant pudding mix
Instant Jell-o mix
Triscuits
Many sodas including: Cherry 7 Up, Diet Dr Pepper, Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper
Gatorade in any color other than pee yellow |
Maybe it's a good thing that stuff isn't available here? |
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ChilgokBlackHole
Joined: 21 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: I Should Have Brought It To Korea... |
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| Mariner wrote: |
| If you could bring any HOUSEHOLD item you wanted to Korea, within reason, what would you have brought? |
A "good" knife. Takes up very little space, and "good" knives can be really spendy here. |
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sesyeux
Joined: 20 Jul 2009
Location: king 'arrys
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: I Should Have Brought It To Korea... |
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| ChilgokBlackHole wrote: |
| Mariner wrote: |
| If you could bring any HOUSEHOLD item you wanted to Korea, within reason, what would you have brought? |
A "good" knife. Takes up very little space, and "good" knives can be really spendy here. |
a knife thats good for what? unless you want to chop up elk or bears, i'm sure the knives koreans make do with are fine |
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ChilgokBlackHole
Joined: 21 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: I Should Have Brought It To Korea... |
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| sesyeux wrote: |
| ChilgokBlackHole wrote: |
| Mariner wrote: |
| If you could bring any HOUSEHOLD item you wanted to Korea, within reason, what would you have brought? |
A "good" knife. Takes up very little space, and "good" knives can be really spendy here. |
a knife thats good for what? unless you want to chop up elk or bears, i'm sure the knives koreans make do with are fine |
Restaurants, yes. If you go to a major market to the kitchen supply area, you can pick up a knife that's legit for cooking. Housewives, no. They buy flimsy knives that make you actually have to saw through a tomato. If you're serious about cooking, you need a good knife. An 8" chef's knife shouldn't cost less than $40. |
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