Korean Job Discussion Forums

njp6 · Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Location: Gangnam, South Korea

I've received a job offer in Daejeon and I'm wondering how other teachers like this city. Would you choose Seoul over Daejeon? Any info helps. Thanks.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Hi,

I lived in Taejon (one of several alternate spellings) for four years and Seoul for one. Both are decent, but if I were considering living in one of them again, I'd go for Taejon.

1. I prefer the smaller size...and Taejon is about 1 1/2 million...so pretty big by most city standards, but it doesn't have the crowds that Seoul has. I felt any ordinary Tuesday was like shopping the day before Christmas. Sometimes it bothered me.

2. It has the foreign department stores for shopping and foreign restaurants for eating when that becomes a necessity.

3. The northern part of the city is new and has lots of grass and trees. Relatively speaking that is. Fresh air. A lot less traffic.

4. It is centrally located so it's easier to get to any part of the country in a shorter time. One of the things I didn't like about Seoul was that it took forever just to get out of the city. It's only an hour out of Seoul by KTX.

mithridates · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject:

Is it starting right away? The subway is scheduled to open there the beginning of 2006. In 2003 there was no KTX and Daejeon was pretty far, plus there was no Starbucks. Now there's the KTX, at least two Starbucks' and with the subway I think I might recommend it. It's a fine place.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Mith...a starbucks does not make a city...while it has some not bad coffee there are plenty coffee places around that make a better one than starbucks...

mithridates · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:46 pm Post subject:

Really? I thought that 'Starbucks makes a city' appeared somewhere in the gospels.

Seriously though, Starbucks is good not just because of the coffee. I meet people there all the time, most have wireless access, that sort of thing. Plus it's non-smoking. I'm also aware that the op might not be a fan of the store or even coffee itself, but what I mean by having Starbucks is a plus is that the city is sufficiently developed that they've decided to open a few locations there too.

Chillin' Villain · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Location: Goo Row

Subway opens this March, according to the taxi driver I talked to while I was there last weekend. Just one line with 20-something stops, but I'm sure it hits most of the essential places.

I really like Daejeon for the most part. It'd be pretty tough for me to leave the Seoul area now, as I just have too many connections/ties to friends and my gf and all, but I wouldn't mind giving Daejeon a go for a year someday.

Watermelon Sugar (�� ) in Eunhaeng-dong (��ൿ) has gotta be one of my favorite drinkin' places in Korea. I know some people would be very inclined to disagree with me, though!

Oh yeah, they've also got a pretty decent ice rink in that main sports facility, etc, etc...

Babayaga · Joined: 28 May 2005

I lived in Daejeon for 2 years and really liked it. It's big enough to feel free and unenuncumbered, yet not too big to be crowded. It's not as polluted as some other Korean cities. It has nice mountain parks, shopping centers, movie theaters, hotels, museums, etc. It has a CIC church if you need expat company. and it's only 1hr.40 min. from Seoul, which makes it easy to go there every weekend.

chipotle · Joined: 30 May 2005 Location: brooklyn

I vote for Daejeon- even if there isn't a subway, taxis really know how to get around and they're cheaper than Seoul for the most part. Also, it's nice to walk around and not see foreigners EVERYWHERE you go, like you often do in Seoul. Yep, less crowded, really nice parks around, stores with all of your foreigner needs (Costco carries practically everything). From what I've noticed, if you're into the night life, there's a much greater community feeling when you go out to the popular foreign bars, as opposed to Seoul where it's just crowded with random unfamiliar faces. Don't get me wrong though, there's still plenty of opportunity to meet new people. Also, you can't beat being in the "center" of the country, so weekend trips are extremely easy to take.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

I live in Daejeon. Although my husband wants to move to Seoul.

I prefer Daejeon. The air is cleaner, it's less crowded, it's smaller and easier to get around.

diablo3 · Joined: 11 Sep 2004

I lived in Daejeon for over 2 years now.
There is nothing wrong with Daejeon.
It has everything you want and need.
The people are kind also.

canukteacher · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul, Korea

I spent 2 years right in Seoul, one year in the 'burbs', and I have been in Daejeon since September. My vote goes to Daejeon. Everything is here, minus the crowds of Seoul. Taxi's are cheap, and once the subway is open it will that much easier and cheaper to get around.

I like Daejeon!

CT

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003