Korean Job Discussion Forums

prsman · Joined: 21 Nov 2007

Hi all,

First post here, I tried a search option but didn't come up with much at all. I have been offered a job in the Pyung Chon area, and was wondering if anyone had advice on the area. I'd like to be as close to Seoul as possible and so far this is the closest that I have come across for a first timer. I have read conflicting things about the time it takes to get into Seoul. I have read things that it is a 20 minute subway ride, and as long as 40. Is it somewhere in between? Also, how is life around this area? Is it generally a quite area or is it fairly noisy? Anything good going on at night, or is it best to wait for the weekends and head into the city? Thanks in advance!!!

Jay

Octavius Hite · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:03 pm Post subject:

It is a fairly bumping area. As long as you are near the subway stop you will have all the important things: fast food, gyms, movie theatres, shopping malls and Starbucks. Its about 30-35 minutes from Itaewon by train.

prsman · Joined: 21 Nov 2007

Pardon my newbie-ness but where is Itaewon?

Octavius Hite · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:10 am Post subject:

Its the "foreigner" district that serves the US Military base in downtown seoul. It is where the party is at, along with the foreign foods, hookers and homos.

This is, for most of us, the center of English Korea.

StAxX SOuL · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: London

Anyang is quite a cool area, my K-girl lived very nearby with her family so we used to hang out around Beomgye and Pyeongchon every now and again... you do have everything you need there from department stores to supermarkets and all kinds of shops but I�m not sure I would live there as a first-timer... its like a new city, built as an overflow of Seoul given the burgeoning population so you end up in a real family orientated environs... there are a number of ESL schools in the area though so there should be a good expat community, not that I ever saw many expats in the area...

It�s a bit of a journey from Seoul... you�re on the Light Blue line (Line 4) so your first major port of call in Seoul is Sadang... from what I can recall that�s a 25 minute journey away but you�re not going to do a great deal in Sadang that you couldn�t do in Anyang... if you stay on the line a few more stops then you start getting into downtown � so City Hall, Dongdaemun and so forth which are some interesting areas... as a whole, bus access is decent and generally pretty efficient too...

georgewallas · Joined: 26 Nov 2007

There's news to me. I thought the only Onyang in Korea was the one next to Asan.
In case this discussion is referring to said town, I've lived there, and escaped because of the difficulty of getting to Seoul [a minimum of 1 hour plus in any mode of transit, not including the endless transfers], and the lack of ameneties.

The_Eyeball_Kid · Joined: 20 Jun 2007

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

prsman · Joined: 21 Nov 2007

So, just to make it clear is Anyang the same as pyeonchon? I would be teaching for a new Avalon in pyeonchon. Sorry for all the questions, just want to be clear about it!

StAxX SOuL · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: London

Anyang is the city...

Pyeongchon is a district within that city...

Don Gately · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:11 am Post subject:

Pyeongchon is a good place for newbies, IMHO.

jaderedux2 · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Location: lurking just lurking

The_Eyeball_Kid · Joined: 20 Jun 2007

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Pyeongchon is an alright area. Its got everything and in Anyang everything is in walking distance.

Everyone says there are loads of foreigners in the area though, but I don't find thats the case. I hardly ever see any.

Anyway, where exactly are they putting your apartment? Hope they stick you in Anyang or by the Art University in Uiwang if you're working in pyeongchon. I got dumped about a 30 minute bus ride away from my school in some dingy villa hole out in bumf*ck Uiwang.

Flash Ipanema · Joined: 29 Sep 2006 Location: Seoul

You might have better luck with the search function if you're using the proper spellings. Search (separately) for Pyeongchon, Anyang, or Beomgye.

Pyeongchon station is 20 minutes to Sadang and 30 minutes to Samgakji (where you would then transfer for either Hongdae or Itaewon). The important thing with timing subway trips though, it adding on the time to get to the subway (which entails waiting for the bus, plus the travel time of the bus) then waiting for the train, then waiting again for any transfers. It rarely takes me less than an hour to get in central Seoul. I live near the lovely Art school Incognito mentioned.