Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Justine]

Hey,

I realise this is a hard choice as its really down to personal preference. My boyfriend and I are heading to South Korea this year and we are trying to decide whether to go to Seoul or Busan.
We like nature and live bands, films and good food. A couple nice bars but we arnt into 'clubbing.' My boyfriend surfs and skimboards and we are both super excited to snow board.

Busan-this looks much prettier, its closer to Japan but further away from the international airport of Incheon. Also, is it much quieter? Not much going on?

Seoul-lots going on but noisy and busy?

I would really appreciate your feedback.

Thanks

[edwardcatflap]

Apart from the stuff you can do on the beach, Seoul is better in every regard. As for looks they're both pretty hideous by day and lit up like a Christmas tree by night.

[Solarian]

Compared to what? Only the nice parts of Paris?
It really pisses me off how much shit people on this forum talk about this country. Seoul is a beautiful city, and I'll wager that it's a much better place to live then wherever your bitter ass came from.

[edwardcatflap]

[ajuma]

Been to Seoul, been to Busan...never lived in either. My feelings about each city: Seoul: big, crowded, noisy, good transportation, close to Incheon (well an hour or so), lots of expats and a variety of food.
Busan: big, somehow doesn't seem so crowded, good transportation, airport is close to the city (flight to Seoul less than 1 hour), close to the sea, lots of beaches up and down the coast, lots of expats and a variety of food.

I LOVE Busan and REALLY don't like Seoul. Busan has a whole different feeling about it than Seoul does. Getting to the ocean from Seoul is tough. Getting to the ocean from Busan is a bus/subway ride away!

[PatrickGHBusan]

Lived in Busan 11 years so my vote goes to that city over Seoul.

As for these cities being ugly vs other cities, that is subjective as one person may like Seoul or Busan while another may hate it.

Personally I find the Paris comment made earlier to be a tad ignorant of the reality of tha French capital. Most of Paris is nice?

I lived there for a couple of years in my late teens and have visited again many times. Most of Paris is not nice...some is amazingly beautiful, but a lot of it is shanty towns by the track of such abject poverty you think you are in the poorest part of some poor famine affected African region. Take the train into Paris and as you slow down into the Paris Nord train station, look out the bloody window.

Each city has its issues....Paris while stunning in certain areas is flawed and in numerous places is pretty darn dirty.

Busan has its building-block areas with older appartment towers that are less than attractive but Haeundae, Centum City and other areas are very nice. Somyeon has its busy shops appeal and at night looks pretty cool. New Haeundae as well as other more recent neighberhoods are nicely designed as well.

Take the subway for example...it is mostly new, super clean and efficient. Beats the dingy, urine-smelling subway of Paris (to its defence, that subway system is old).

Just my take.

[sesyeux]

without the major sights, paris would not be on the tourist map. sure, theres a few nice buildings, but the filthiness of the city detracts any charm they might have. my opinion.

[Yahowho]

"without the major sights, paris would not be on the tourist map."

That's a strange statement. Take away the major sights in every city/country and there wouldn't be a tourist map! Paris happens to have more than most.

"sure, theres a few nice buildings, but the filthiness of the city detracts any charm they might have. my opinion."

The way you say "there are a few nice buildings" makes it obvious that you aren't into the whole city architecture thing. Paris is 'littered' with some of the most amazing architectural structures of any city in the world!

In saying this, I don't like Paris either

[Kurtz]

Drop the Paris shite! jeez, this was derailed quickly.

Never lived in Seoul, but on the odd occasion I go there, I think wow, this is cool, fast, people seem more with it, many good bars but then I hear of the traffic jams getting out of the place, think about the teeming masses of humanity there, hot humid summers, freezing winters and I think no way!

Busan is OK but hardly a world class city. There are some beaches of dubious quality (I'm Australian so my standards are very high), I find it quite a dirty city in general, and the new and clean parts are just weird. They seem like a movie set, devoid of any character. It's funny going into a concrete block, and the interior is fake wood panels and then you look outside and it's concrete everywhere.

There are some goodish Western restaurants, albeit expensive ones, some lively night areas, a film festival, next to nothing in the live music scene, opportunities to go windsurfing (surf scene here is a joke, the lifeguards are on a power trip and they close the beach down when the swell is too big) decent hiking in the area, I used to mountain bike a lot here which I've quit as I'm over getting up at daybreak to miss the hikers on the trails.

Japan is reachable by ferry but I've never used it. Vacation times are usually in monsoon season where you might get stuck in Japan as the ferry won't run (Japan is very hot in this time, not good for sight seeing) and in winter I'd rather get a tan than freeze in Japan.

If you get bored, jump on the KTX to Seoul for the weekend.

[edwardcatflap]

[PatrickGHBusan]

oh my take was entirely subjective!

It was my opinion of these various cities. It actually proves the point I was making. Some people view certain cities differently.

If you for example think shanty towns are not ugly, no worries. I thought and think they are an eye sore in a developed country. I think they speak volumes about how the poorest are treated. Paris however, is not the only big city with this problem.

You can think Seoul is hideous. No worries. Thats your view of it. Many others love that city and find the palaces, markets and other areas beautiful and attractive.

To each his or her own eh?

[Dr. Whom]

Remember "Cohiba's Rule" (Now better than ever!):

Think twice before you live outside of Seoul. "In Seoul" and
"outside of Seoul" are like two different countries. Seoul
is an interesting place with variety and venues for most
tastes. Outside of Seoul you will find a homogeneous Korean
culture. I don't mean this in a bad way, but you will never
find things like: French, Greek, Indian or any other ethnic
foods. Markets that sell sherry, pate, pastrami, ricotta cheese.
Specialty shops that sell Cuban cigars, European pies, cold
cuts or rye breads. Just to name a few things. Also clubs such
as photography, drama, public speaking, sailing are 99% in
the capital city. If you want to experiment with a very Korean
culture, which unfortunately means "closed", then choose the
countryside. If you want to make money and have the lifestyle
choices similar to a western country, then there is no other
choice than Seoul.

The FFF RULE: FFF=Fun For Foreigners.

If FFF in Seoul = 100, then FFF decreases at
1/distance. So 2km from Seoul FFF=1/2(100)=50;
10km from Seoul FFF=1/10(100)=10. This rule is
a rule for nightlife, food and foreign products only.
Nature etc. is on a different scale altogether.

This means you will be wasting a lot of time commuting
to Seoul. This is especially a drag if you have been
boozing on a Friday night and there are no buses or
trains.

I, unfortunately, live near Seoul where the FFF factor
is almost in the negative range. I know!

[oskinny1]

[VanIslander]

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

I've visted Seoul many times and have a good friend there but Busan is better. Haeundae, Somyeon, Gwali (yes I bungled it), Nampo Dong (it lost the English book store though).