Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kate020]

Hello everyone,
I have been offered a position in Jeju city and was wondering if anyone had any negative or positive feedback about life on the island.
I applied to jobs in Jeju because of my preference for a more laid-back, outdoorsy lifestyle. However, I was wondering if people found it too isolating. Is there enough to do, or do you wish you were on the mainland?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Kate

[pangaea]

If you are living in Jeju City then I don't think you will feel isolated. You will still be close to shopping, restaurants, etc. and you will have easy access to buses and taxis. If you are the outdoorsy type, then you should find plenty to do while the weather is decent. There is hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, hang gliding, scuba diving, and generally just sight-seeing on the island. If you make an effort you will find people who are into the same things here.

Winter, however, is another matter. I know winters here are supposed to be milder than the mainland, but "milder" is a relative term. It's still freezing and impossible to do anything outside. I found winter here deadly boring. Basically, the winter recreation here seems to be drinking, drinking, and drinking. There are groups who get together for poker, chess, etc, so you could probably join them if you were interested. Again, if you make an effort, you could probably find people who share some of your interests and you could organize dinners and activites, meet for coffee, etc.

Also, keep in mind that you would be on an island. You can only drive for about an hour in any direction. I personally go a little stir crazy if I don't get off the island every few months for some shopping, western food, and just some different things to do. Also, traveling out of the country is a pain because you first have to get to Busan or Seoul before flying out of the country. Maybe just a minor inconvenience, but something to consider if you like to travel a lot.

I don't really mean to sound so negative-Jeju is beautiful, the people seem to be friendly, there are BEACHES!!!, and the expat community here is pretty close-knit. I know people who have lived here for several years and seem to really enjoy it. I'm sure there are other people who will have a different view of Jeju from mine. I'm glad I came here, but I think if I come back to Korea I will go somewhere on the mainland.

Try checking out the Yahoo group rhymeswithjeju for more information. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.