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The character of Korean cities

 
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Ilsanman



Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:27 am    Post subject: The character of Korean cities Reply with quote

Do you think each Korean city has a sort of character? Typical people you interact with every day. Do they have a sort of style? Are they very cosmopolitan?

Since the posters of this board live in so many different cities in Korea, we have a broad basis of knowledge.

I live in Bucheon, as my profile says. I see Bucheon as a split city, between new and old.

New: They are like Mini-Kangnam. Everything is the same, except in smaller amounts. They are also quite obsessed with education. There are many people who are well educated and worldly educated, but a majority of them are still frogs in the well, and probably got their money from family inheritance, or something like that.

Old: Old Bucheon is like the country's largest small town. A lot of country folk live here. They gossip and spread rumours, and still seem to think they're back in Jeolla-do. According to people I know, a lot of them come from Jeolla-do. Old Bucheon has a lot of drinking and whoring, even more than I see in other Korean cities. The people are also older than those in new/young Bucheon. I often see ajosshis and ajummas walking around, sitting on benches in front of supermarkets, drinking rice wine or something. People are not active here, as there aren't many places to exercise.
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jaganath69



Joined: 17 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The part of Bucheon I saw you in would have reminded me of a creepy old man if not for the fact that it was in a groovy wedding hall. I live in Cheongju, it feels like a big country town at time, probably the most Korean of cities since it has yet to get a major influx of big chains like Costco, Burger King and Starbucks (although the first is set to open soon).
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Julius



Joined: 27 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apparently the unique character of Korean cities is down to the unique dishes they produce.

Otherwise they're more-or-less similar.
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GoldMember



Joined: 24 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 5:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Character of Korean Cities. Judging from the architecture, I'd say, retro Stalinist meets Las Vegas.
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lishy



Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Location: Daegu

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 5:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try living in Daegu and then see if all Korean cities are more or less similar. Colorful Daegu, City of S**t.
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Treefarmer



Joined: 29 May 2007

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i think they do. from the 3 places i have lived ulsan is a world away from busan, geoyheon is almost a different country, but they are all less than 2 hors away from each other

of course it's all down to personal experience....

ulsan is very 'proletarian' the industrial working class seems to set the tone for the whole town. if it wasn't such an extreme capitalist country it would be full of monuments to workers (although there are a couple of sculptures which are clearly influenced by soviets)

busan is busan, a massive port with rich and poor of all races, it isn't Seoul, but it's the same deal in that it's so metropolitan there is no point in trying to write it down

geohyeonis an amazing town,but i can't be arsed to write about it Very HappyVery Happy
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djsmnc



Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aside from them all being a mass of monolithic apartment buildings constructed of reinforced military grade concrete, small run down brick buildings, and various aluminum structures with mildewed plastic banners for signs and addresses, I'd say they all have their own character to them! Laughing
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normalcyispasse



Joined: 27 Oct 2006
Location: Yeosu until the end of February WOOOOOOOO

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Julius wrote:
Apparently the unique character of Korean cities is down to the unique dishes they produce.

Otherwise they're more-or-less similar.


Yeah, because another tablespoon of gochujang in the bibimbap is what makes Jeonju famous. Wink
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ive never seen a country where all the cities' building look so much the same. blah. So boring.

On the other hand, the people in the cities seem to vary a little from place to place... in the North, where I'm at, I see more military and young soldier-aged people. Also, I actually feel like people are less hostile about waygookin here than they have been when I go further south... People here seem more like kind farmers or something.
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