Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tracye · Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Location: Wynnewood, PA

As I've mentioned in other posts, I am fairly early in the process of planning my overseas teaching mini-career. I've tentatively chosen Korea because, as someone with only a B.A., I think I could probably earn more there than in other countries, and it affords the opportunity to travel in Asia, which is difficult to do while living in the U.S. (In contrast, someone living in the U.S. may find it reasonably affordable to visit Europe and Latin America.) I haven't started learning Korean yet (but will as soon as I'm sure that's where I'm going), and imagine it will take a very long time, which is why I intend to find a position in Seoul - surely the most English-speaker-friendly city in South Korea, because of its size.

What about you? What's your favorite Korean City, and why?

mount real · Joined: 07 Apr 2005

It might be more difficult to learn Korean in Seoul as most people speak some English...I lived in Gunsan and Jeonju (300,000 and 700,000 respectively) and greatly enjoyed both. Also liked Busan, Gwangju and Daejon.....I'd choose a smaller city if I were you...but then again I'm not!!!!!!

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

Whenever I visited Suwon I thought it might be a place I would enjoy being for a year. It's one of the largest cities in Korea. It's not Seoul but it's close enough to Seoul (you can get there in less than an hour). There are lots of foreigners there. I just got a good vibe from the place.

endo · Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul...my home

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

As far as I'm concerned you need a very good reason not to pick Seoul. There's no comparison in the choice of restaurants, nightlife, bars, shopping areas to hang out in, museums, etc.
Like Ian Brown said about Manchester- the only thing it's missing is a beach.

Ask anyone who lives in Daejon, Gyeongju, Incheon or wherever what's good about where they live and they'll tell you some stuff- but I guarantee one of them will be
"...plus it's only x hours away from Seoul"
You don't hear people in Seoul going
"...plus it's only x hours away from Chuncheon"

bluelake · Joined: 01 Dec 2005

Kyongju is my Korean hometown (I love the city and have lived in it for many, many years; it is also where my wife is from). It's a small city by Korean standards (I don't care much for big cities). And best of all, it's nowhere near Seoul.

T

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

IMHO Suwon is a great city to live in. Good nightlife, lots of amenities, close to Seoul, tons of ex-pats, easy to get around and somewhat cleaner than Seoul.

Gorgias · Joined: 27 Aug 2005

Looks like Suwon is a popular choice, it's my pick too. But I like it because it's "real," ie a bit seedy and gritty, (unless you live in Yongton). Also Pusan is not bad, on the coast, lots of villa-style apartments, nice views from anywhere higher up. And I liked Kwangju too, the city is not really that special, but being the center of the pro-democracy revolution, if you're into freedom, you must at least visit Kwangju and see the places where the massacres happened, sort of chilling. Also, the East-coast towns are real nice in the summer, might get a bit dull for permanent living however. And of course Seoul is an interesting place, but personally the crowds and traffic drive me nuts.

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Wonju.

Bucheon.

They rock.

well ok, not really. I just met the right person in Wonju. Bucheon isn't so bad, but if you can get the right job in seoul, might as well just go there.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I lived in the northern part of Suwon for a year, and the city didn't impress me too much. I have orange crosses burned into my retinas now. They say it's less than an hour away, but only if you want to go to the outskirts of Seoul to have fun, and everyone knows how awesome Sindorim and Sadang are.

I agree with Swiss James; the best measure of your quality of life in Korea is how far away from Seoul you are. My friends who live out of town come up to Seoul every Friday night and stay until late Sunday.

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Endo and others are absolutely correct. Koreans - pretty much across the board, including Korean English teachers - are just SH1TE at English. If Seoul is packed full of English-speakers, I sure as hell haven't met many. Aside from co-teachers and higher-fluency students, the random Koreans I've come across who were quite good at English wouldn't stand a chance of understanding two native speakers have a conversation. Rather obvious perhaps, but still. What ever you do, do not form the impression that Seoul is full of Koreans who speak even a bit of English, because it most certainly is not, although you do meet the odd one.

Busan, Korea's 2nd city, looks and sounds good to me...great seafood and a beach for Summer! Daegu is just Seoul-lite in my view, but, as others have said (reasonably), my experience of Daegu consists of a rather drunken weekend with an old mate.

Seoul's great in my view and it's difficult to see where could possibly be better, even if you don't like things like overcrowding and packed-out subways. However, Tracy, you seem very articulate and the fewer NETs we have in Seoul of that description, the better, because that state of affairs increases opportunities for me. Very selfish, I know, but I'm going to stop bigging-up Seoul because it's a threat to my cushy job and way of life. Tracy, Seoul sucks. And for God's sake don't go into public school because it's an absolute nightmare.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Is being around people who speak the same language as you really all you need to be happy?

peppermint · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:17 pm Post subject:

I find Seoul far too crowded to be pleasant, but thats just me.

Cheong ju was a good city- fairly centrally located, good for travelling. It's a college town so there's tons of bars, movie theatres and stuff to do there. Small enough (500,000) that you get a taste of what "real Korea" is like, but if you don't like it, it's easy enough to escape from too.

stumptown · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:28 pm Post subject:

Bucheon does it for me. In Jungdong its pretty cozy. There's a huge park in the middle of the hood. You'd be surprised but a lot of people here speak English. After they see you in the hood for awhile they get comfortable and talk to you. And its still close enough to Seoul that I can zip into 3 Alley Pub on the weekends for my ribeye fix.