Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gem]

I haven't been here long but still had to dig deep:

convenient and cheap public transportation
biking around the city
free time to pursue my hobbies and interests
the school lunches
meeting other foreigners

Mr. Blackcat, thanks for the advice. I will try to keep what you said in mind as I endure the rest of this year.

[JMO]

I like

1 Infrastructure. Roads, trains, buses, taxis...lots of them, go everywhere.
2 internet is very, very fast.
3 I like the weather except for winter. Even the summer.
4 Ubiquity of coffee shops is good as in Ireland they aren't everywhere and I like being able to kill an hour handily.
5 outside drinking
6 not a lot of fighting outside pubs and bars and not a lot of aggro.
7 police are lax..which i like
8 no hoards of cider drinking teenagers ready to jump you on the way home from the bar.

There are more, that I can't think of.. if Korea had some foodstuffs I miss on general sale (quark cheese, cottage cheese, red pesto, greek yoghurt, different breads), I would pronounce this country my favorite in the world.

[Steelrails]

Being not in the Korean Circle I get to avoid a lot of nanny-state stuff.

I can drink till 6AM and smoke. I can choose to not wear a seatbelt or a helmet. I can run a red light if no one else is at the crossroads. I can park wherever and hop in and out. I can say hi to my students and talk to them and not have someone call the Diddler Squad on me. I can drink outside. I can take a leak in an alley if I'm in a bind.

Yeah, a lot of these behaviors are semi-obnoxious and are best avoided, but its nice to know I won't get hauled off for a few nights in the clink, $2000 in fines and court costs, a year's probation, 15 AA meetings, Alcohol camp, and a 3-month tether for taking a whizz while under the influence.

Ideally there would be a balance, but if I have to choose between Singapore and Korea, give me Korea any day.

I like nightlife. I like fashion here. I like some of the food. I like transportation convenience. I like low service costs. I like quick shipping. I like quick internet. I like the relative lack of drug related crime. I like the Jazz and K-Indie scene. I like being able to avoid the yapping at sports, yet experiencing the joys of catching a live MLB feed or live NCAA March Madness stream. Makes sports seem more special.

I like the spirit of optimism that is here. People still sorta buy into their system and think the future is up. Back home its "Woe are we".

I don't like the bread and lack of cheese and cold cuts. I don't like the pollution. I don't like the lack of public waste baskets. I don't like having difficulty in joining civic groups or hobby groups. I don't like how I can't own guns, even antique style firearms (although I like the lack of gun crime). I don't like how difficult it is to find horseback riding. I don't like the prostitution. I don't like the lack of a K-Country/Bluegrass scene.

[Weigookin74]

[stevieg4ever]

***Disclaimer: this isn't an ego trip***

I keep passing this beautiful girl on the way to work in the mornings but she is heading in the opposite direction.

Today I am heading back into the center after work and we bump into each other on the platform. I get talking with her (in Korean, but not before making a douche bag of myself ofcourse) and end up with her number: will it go anywhere?? maybe, maybe not (probably not lol) but hey it does wonders for one's confidence....

Now if I did this in the UK I would most likely get a police summons or court order for sexual harrasment but not before the poisoned look of death. That is if I didn't faint or pass out on finding anything worth a second look in England which rarely happens.

[cyui]

The farms and rice villiages..reminds me of the homeland.

[psully]

decent quality of life as a reasonably cheap price!! Things are really fast and convenient in Korea!!

[UknowsI]

Transportation - Fast, convenient, cheap
Food - Good and cheap Korean and Japanese food and western fast food
People - It's much easier to meet a lot of people from many countries and backgrounds
Convenience - Anything can get delivered, I live next to a river for exercising, there are convenience stores everywhere, 5 minutes walk to school
Weather - I really like the weather here except the summer (have in mind that my home town has horrible weather)
Challenges - It's easy to step out of your comfort zone in Korea, especially with the language barrier. I like the challenge.

[beech9]

The nightlife here is great. Lots of great bars and clubs. Check out Seoul Pub Crawl for some fun on a Saturday.

[southernman]

I agree with pretty much with what everyone else has said, although I think that some Korean food is pretty unhealthy due to the incredibly high levels of salt that they put on/into things.

Another thing I really like is how much I can save here. There is no way on earth I could have my bank balance and make two overseas trips a year, back home. Unless I was making a lot more money, off course

I really appreciate the tax rates, medical expenses, transportation, friendly students, available nightlife and just the ease and convienience of day to day living (where I'm living anyway).

As an older, reasonably well travelled, ex Government worker, I can say that it's all the little things about living here that make it a very worthwhile stopover.

[vDroop]

Lots that I dislike, but that's another thread..

Things I like about Korea (Seoul):

1. Lack of street / gang / drug related senseless violence or hate crime.
2. Pretty women. Low obesity rate.
3. No tipping required for taxis, restaurants, delivery.
4. Effective, inexpensive public transportation system.
5. Price tags include tax already.
6. Social eating/drinking culture.
7. Cheap utility bills.
8. Fast Internet.

Can't think of much else off the top of my head.

[yeti08]

I like that I have a fairly easy job and am able to save money. Unlike America. Thanks Korea, dislike a lot of your "nuisances", but I'll deal with them.

[PastorYoon]

I love to be STARED at. This is the best place for that. Privacy invasion OK!

[Draz]

Low taxes
Cheap and good public transportation
Cheap rent
Convenience stores EVERYWHERE
The prices in the convenience stores
Five months paid vacation

[carleverson]

The girls!