Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Vivian]

Hello all,

I am seriously considering coming to Seoul to teach for a year. However my only concern is the safely factor. I have read quite a few posts (just finished reading �Seoul, unsafe for women�) and am feeling somewhat apprehensive. I will be travelling alone and am fair skinned with red hair. I am aware that people tend to share negative experiences rather than �hey I walked home today and no-one attacked me� but still these stories have me second guessing my decision. I know that I could be harassed/attacked here at home but again I will be traveling alone.

I was wondering if you guys could give me a general idea on this issue. Ladies, do you (for the most part) feel safe?

Thanks.

[peppermint]

I've had some seriously wild experiences here, but I very rarely feel unsafe in Korea. When I do, it's usually a combination of my own paranoia and the fact that some Korean is walking too closely behind me up a dark street. There's no ill intent- they simply don't have the same concepts of personal space.

Take the usual precautions that you'd take at home, and you should be fine.

[Clutch Cargo]

[crazylemongirl]

[Bubbliee]

On the whole Seoul is not all that bad. Unsafe? Well a little, that is if the local ajossi population decide that you must be Russian. I've had some pretty scary experiences in that regard. I just started carrying pepper spray around with me. Thank God I never had to use it! It just made me feel a lot safer. Since your hair is red you might be safe from the Russian assumption.

[Crois]

No one is safe while I am in Korea!!!

[oneiros]

[jaebea]

I met this charming and very nice American woman teacher who was teaching in Kangnam for a postgrad university course of some sort.

She'd been in Korea for a few years and she had come through with some interesting experiences (to say the least) but none of them life threatening or dangerous.

She too was travelling alone, fair skinned and with reddish hair. Probably one of the nicest people I met on my trip. She wasn't very old either, mid twenties?

Of course, such situations are also dependent on the crowd you stick with. Your closest friends could turn out to be university rabble rousers with a penchant for starting anti-foreigner rallies which need to be broken up with riot police and healthy lashings of tear gas, but probably not.. :)

jae.

[kelly]

I've been here for two years and feel so much safer than I would at home. To me it seems pretty safe the only place I would think would be a bit more dangerous is Itaewon, but thats not even that bad. All in all its safe.

[Vivian]

Thanks for the feedback. I do really appreciate it.

[little mixed girl]

......

[ryleeys]

I had a rather angry ajumma say some things to me on Monday on the Seoul subway... I was wearing khaki shorts, Hawaiian shirt, and sandals (no socks of course)

She was upset about my leg hair or something... was babbling in Korean and looked unhappy.

[paperbag princess]

korea is safe. i'm also a fair-skinned redhead, but it doesn't matter here. the koreans dig the blonds. i always wear tall shoes so that i tower over the men and growl at them, this way they leave me alone.

however, korean men are in GENERAL incredibly SEXIST. (yes, this is a broad-sweeping generalisation, anyone who wants to get into this with me, just pm me instead, ok?)

[kangnamdragon]

[Seoultrader]