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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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 Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject: Things I like about living in Korea |
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Lest I be slated as a prophet of doom for my racism-related public transport post, I want to share with you all the things I like about living here. Despite the fact that I absolutely abhore the nasty side of the insular, xenophobic Korean national psyche, there are alot of things I actually enjoy, so here the are in no particular order.....
1. The 24 hour society.......You can get most things at the most inconvenient hours here. For example, I can indulge in one of my favourite foods, Kamjatang, whenever I please. Likewise, never a concern about the liquor store being closed, beer is available 24-7.
2. My job. For the first time in my life I am being paid good money to do something I enjoy. Add to this I work a maximum of 30 hours a week and I am in wage-slave heaven.
3. The kids, .........not just the ones I teach, but Korean kids everywhere, they are cute and lots of fun. I love it even more when one comes up to me in the supermarket to practice his or her 5 year old hagwon english.
4. Korean Friends. The few that I do have take really good care of me and always show me a good time. Its also very hard to pay for something when I am with them, although I do try.
5. Seoul on a weekend......Getting out and exploring a colossal city that does have alot to offer if you scratch beneath the surface. Simply wandering around Nadaemun markets on a weekend makes me feel great, for some strange reason.
6. The triumph of capitalism...... I think its great that this country has become a prosperous, stable democracy through export-oriented development policies and sheer hard graft. This is the practical example of why liberal-capitalist-democracy is the worst of all systems, except for all the others!
There are more I will think of in time, but please add your own.
Cheers
Jaga |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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| 7.Cheap and reliable countrywide public transportation....living in a provincial city i can't believe how frequent, cheap and reliable(even if the drivers are a little erratic) the public transportation system is here. I can cacth a bus to one of over a 100 destinations and i can be anywhere in Korea by the end of the day for a super good price. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:41 pm Post subject: Re: Things I like about living in Korea |
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| jaganath69 wrote: |
6. The triumph of capitalism...... I think its great that this country has become a prosperous, stable democracy through export-oriented development policies and sheer hard graft. This is the practical example of why liberal-capitalist-democracy is the worst of all systems, except for all the others!
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Hate to be negative, but this 'triumph of capitalism' is currently in recession. Unemployment is rising and just how many more cheap cars, TVs etc can this country spit out? How many factories, offices etc. can be built in this tiny country? Like you, I admire korea's "sheer hard graft" as you put it... But I really worry for this countries future, especially after re unification (if it ever happens) with all the economic strain that will cause. |
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Swiss James
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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getting back on track...
 The food. It frigging rocks and anyone who denies that needs to brush their tongue. Kalbi, sam gyeop sal, chamchi chigae, dolsot bibimbap- the list goes on and on
9) DVD bangs, the best place to watch a film bar none
10) the Seoul subway. 700 won to travel for an hour and half across town is a bargain, it goes everywhere, is clean and safe. I wish it was open past midnight, but you can't have everything
11) soju- just the right strength, cheap as chips, makes you do stupid things.
12) hangeul- simple to learn but knowing how to read it impresses the hell out of anyone who's just off the plane |
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Toby
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Wedded Bliss
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:11 am Post subject: |
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| 13. Feeling safe and welcome in a foreign country. |
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indytrucks
Joined: 09 Apr 2003
Location: The Shelf
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:16 am Post subject: |
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| 14. The countryside and the National Parks. Top drawer hiking to be had everywhere, not to mention the tourist villages at the entrance to the parks where you can chow down on dalkdoritang and soju after a day's hike. Simply awesome. |
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Swiss James
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:17 am Post subject: |
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| 14. Nightclubs and bars that stay open for far longer than is sensible |
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Toby
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Wedded Bliss
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:19 am Post subject: |
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| Swiss James wrote: |
| 14. Nightclubs and bars that stay open for far longer than is sensible |
But the clubs you have to pay through the nose for. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:37 am Post subject: |
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15. Most of the people are warm and friendly most of the time.
16. The marinated meat dishes are super!
17. Spring and fall are very long compared to my home.
18. The lifestyle allows me to live well in most respects and still save bundles of money. |
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wylde
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:55 am Post subject: |
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http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=14579&highlight=korea+best
i did the same thing a few months ago... there are some beauties on that.
7000 won bottles of vodka
11000 won bottles of bourbon
2 buck packets of smokes
i used to love smoking on the train - now i love smoking in the train toilet.
drinking on the train.
korean women
room salons
12c AUD video games
1 AUD new release videos
beautiful mountains everywhere
+ much, much, much more |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:59 am Post subject: |
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I know you're not in Seoul, but where are you getting these deals? The cheapest I've seen is at Costco, which is 19,000 for a bottle of Absolut. |
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wylde
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:13 am Post subject: |
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| dogbert wrote: |
I know you're not in Seoul, but where are you getting these deals? The cheapest I've seen is at Costco, which is 19,000 for a bottle of Absolut. |
in gwang ju - emart
mokpo - hyundai (i think)
suncheon - carrefour
it is commander vodka.. tastes fine to me
& 'kentucky' bourbon.
absolut is nice but theres hardly anything in the taste difference.. the main taste difference is the 10,000 won + per bottle. any difference in taste is compensated by that |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:16 am Post subject: |
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| wylde wrote: |
| dogbert wrote: |
I know you're not in Seoul, but where are you getting these deals? The cheapest I've seen is at Costco, which is 19,000 for a bottle of Absolut. |
in gwang ju - emart
mokpo - hyundai (i think)
suncheon - carrefour
it is commander vodka.. tastes fine to me
& 'kentucky' bourbon.
absolut is nice but theres hardly anything in the taste difference.. the main taste difference is the 10,000 won + per bottle. any difference in taste is compensated by that |
Thanks...I shall hie me to a discount emporium posthaste. I ran through the stuff I brought back from Russia ages ago.
I'm not a vodka snob at all. That extra 10k will taste mighty fine in my pocket. |
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wylde
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:36 am Post subject: |
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| usually all specialist alcohol shops have it for 10,000 or less |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 3:47 am Post subject: Re: Things I like about living in Korea |
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| Mashimaro wrote: |
| jaganath69 wrote: |
6. The triumph of capitalism...... I think its great that this country has become a prosperous, stable democracy through export-oriented development policies and sheer hard graft. This is the practical example of why liberal-capitalist-democracy is the worst of all systems, except for all the others!
|
Hate to be negative, but this 'triumph of capitalism' is currently in recession. Unemployment is rising and just how many more cheap cars, TVs etc can this country spit out? How many factories, offices etc. can be built in this tiny country? Like you, I admire korea's "sheer hard graft" as you put it... But I really worry for this countries future, especially after re unification (if it ever happens) with all the economic strain that will cause. |
I did, of course mean comparatively. Fifty years ago, this country was a backward peice of dirt with nothing much going for it. Today it is a thriving market economy with low unemployment by comparison to the rest of the developed world. When you look at other Asian nations, the so called "tigers", only Taiwan and Singapore have acheived this level of income and lifestyle. At the end of the day, I would rather be South Korean than North Korean, Chinese, Mongolian, Vietnamese, Philippino, Lao, Viet or Cambodian.
Cheers
Jaga |
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