Korean Job Discussion Forums

[stellarsky627]

So, I hear interesting things about both of these cities. I like the fact that Daegu has a subway system, but I wonder if that makes it any better than Ulsan...

Ulsan also has a beach, which has to be nice? I'm concerned about the heat in Daegu, and I assume Ulsan is cooler. But I'm concerned about the public transportation in Ulsan and that it wouldn't be as good as Daegu?

I also wonder about the night life. I know the bigger the city usually means more to do...

What does everyone think? Any light would be awesome. I'm in a bit of a predicament and need to figure out which city is better. Thanks!!

[ulsanchris]

I don't live in Daegu but it is infamous for its heat and humidity duringthe summer. Ulsan is bad enough for that. I would hate to be anywhere worse.

[Pyxis]

Unless you're really heat intolerant, I wouldn't make Daegu's weather your prime concern. Yes, Daegu is hot in the summer, but so is the rest of Korea. It is only a matter of degrees. I survived a Daegu summer without an AC last year and plan to do the same this year. I've lived in humid places (US Southeast) before and it wasn't noticeably different to me.

I'd advise you to take your interests into higher account. Ulsan does have the beach, is that something you'd want to enjoy often? If you're like me and would probably only go once or twice a year, Daegu is still in easy transportation of the beach.

Daegu does have a decent nightlife and has a pretty active foreign community. I've never been to Ulsan so I can't compare for you.

I'm just throwing my vote in for Daegu because I've been pretty happy here. Don't let the weather stop you. Besides, what is a negative in summer in a postive trait in winter--it rarely snows or gets particularly cold in Daegu)

--Edit: I'll throw out another quick plus for Daegu. It is more centrally located as well as being on the KTX. I've found it makes for traveling around Korea easier.

[mcviking]

I have never been to Daegu but I live in Ulsan now and it is quite boring. The only highlight is that it is close to Busan. But I hear Daegu is the same distance away. I also hear that its night life is comparable to Busan. Getting around sucks and the drink prices aren't cheap. If you end up in a neighborhood with no foreigners good luck making friends, I find the foreigners to be quite cliquey and the bars to generally suck. And Ilsan beach is pretty lame, might as well take the hour train ride and go to Haeundae or Gwangali. I say Daegu, unless you don't care for night life. But then again, Korea gets pretty boring without it in my honest opinion.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

I'd pick neither and go to Busan, but between the two, I'd say Daegu. As another poster said, three degrees hotter is not a big difference -- and as I'm in the west of Daegu where the elevation is slightly higher, it's probably less than that.

Choose Daegu because Ulsan air is dirty, because Daegu is on a KTX link to Busan's beaches and Seoul's shopping, and because there's a subway.

[Strike]

I'd be interested to know a bit about Daegu too, as I am due to start teaching there in 2 weeks time. I've never been to anywhere in South Korea and have no idea what to expect.
So any information on the nightlife, ex pat scene etc in Daegu would be a great help.

Cheers.

[Jane]

I lived in Ulsan years ago and have taken a few trips to Daegu.

My opinion is Ulsan is quite a quiet place, but it could be worse. You have a few beaches nearby--Jeonja beach is nicer than Ulsan beach--and the air quality depends on where you are in the city. If you are in Namgu or the University area, than the air isn't that bad. If you are in Bangeojin, than the air gets more stinky down by the factories. There really isn't much of a nightlife, although I'm still friends with some people I met there today. Getting around Ulsan is easy in a taxi, considering the city is that big. You can get mostly anywhere for under 5,000won ($5). Plus, being on an hour by train from Pusan was nice.

Daegu has a better nightlife and there are some interesting things to do, if the reputation of being the hottest and coldest place in Korea doesn't bother. Must be something to do with it being in a valley, I think. I found the people not as nice as in Ulsan--although most of Ulsanites are not born there but are from all over the country. Workers flock to Ulsan to work in the big companies there.

So, if you want more of a traditional, quieter experience, go to Ulsan. If you want a bit more excitement, go to Daegu.

[revelation2221]

I've spent quite a while in Daegu, and none in Busan, but living in Gimhae, I'm pretty sure either one, both being multiple times the size of Gimhae, will have more than enough to keep you entertained. What I've found is Korea is that no matter where you go, there's plenty to do, and a foreign crowd, as long as you know how to find them.

On a good note, wherever you go, all the foreigners here know what it's like to be here for the first time knowing absolutely about Korea, Korean culture, or Korean language, so you can pretty much ask any foreigner you see on the street and they'll usually be pretty willing to help you out.

I know from the times I've been in Daegu, if you go to any of the major shopping areas, you're bound to run into foreigners, especially Friday or Saturday nights.

One last note: learn some Korean. Even knowing very basic things like asking directions or ordering food, or how to take a taxi will make your life a whole lot easier, and you'll adjust to life here much faster.

[ACT III]

Do the gu. The apples make the girls hot.

[nfld_chingu]

I've lived in Daegu for the past two years and I love it here. Of course, like any place, it does have its pros and cons. The heat actually doesn't really bother me that much. I don't have much new to add besides what has already been said, but I will throw in my 2 cents anyway.
What I like about Daegu: It is a fairly big city but it doesn't feel like one. I feel relatively safe here and it's easy to get around from one place to another. I'm from a really small town, so Seoul is too big for me, although I spend a lot of time there because that's where my boyfriend lives. There's lots to do and the nightlife is pretty good. There's lots of foreigners here which makes things easy at times. Cost of living is fairly cheap. The shopping is decent.
What I don't like about Daegu: The foreign community is pretty tight/cliquey. Sometimes I get tired of seeing the same people everywhere I go and a lot of the foreigners I meet here are really stuck-up for some reason, I have no idea why. I feel that I meet a lot nicer/friendlier people in other cities.
That being said, I have met some really excellent people here and I love this city.

[thegreg52]

I've been living in Daegu for about three months now.

It does get ungodly hot, and I'm told it's not even that bad yet. It's not the heat, but the humidity. Daegu is surrounded by mountains so the moisture just sits over the city like it's in a bowl. Fortunately, a new part of the EPIK contract for teachers in Daegu is a required airconditioner in our apartments, since it is the hottest city in the country. All other places only get one if they are lucky and it was there when they moved in.

It is a big city, but it's easy to get anywhere. The subway line is simple. I'm able to see my friends in all corners of the city easily. I don't think that can be said for cities like Busan and Seoul without terribly long travel times. Unfortunately, the subway stops at 11:30pm.

The foreign community is a bit on the poor side. There are three huge US army bases here so GIs rum rampant in the city and can tend to be aggressive and mean when they are drunk. It's easy to tell the difference between other teachers and GIs though, so just stay away and you'll be fine.

Otherwise, I really enjoy the nightlife here. Good foreigner bars if you want that but also good hole-in-the-wall Korean places where the old men and women running them will treat you like kings. I live in the outskirts of the city so a taxi to get me home will run me about W13,000, which is pricey, but I can usually split it with someone.

I've heard from native Daegu residents that people from Daegu get a negative reputation outside of the city for being cold-hearted and never smiling, but I don't see that within the city. The Koreans here have been extremely friendly and welcoming to me.

I've never been to Ulsan, but a few of my friends went up there for a weekend and said it was nice.

Hope this helps.

[DrugstoreCowgirl]

Daegu is big and the subway only runs east to west. There's no subway up near me, and it takes about 40 mins to get downtown.

[stellarsky627]

Thanks so much for the info everyone!

It's awesome to have people here on Dave's to give the newbies the low down! It's been a huge help!