Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bossface]

So like everyone and their brother, I'm planning on getting out of Seoul over the upcoming three day weekends, and my first trip will be to Gwangju and environs.

I plan to take a late bus out Friday night if possible, spend Saturday hanging out in Gwangju and maybe catching a baseball game, then probably going to Wolchulsan Sunday before moving on to Mokpo, where I'll catch a KTX home on Monday.

Are there any must-sees in Gwangju? I know about the May 18 cemetery and plan to go there. Also, can anyone recommend any decent bars? Or any dirt cheap love motels near said bars?

As for Wolchulsan, does anybody know the logistics in getting there? I've searched the forums but haven't found anything, and LP isn't much help either. I am not much of a hiker, and I could well have a bit of a hangover when I'm there, so I'm looking for the closest entrance and the easiest trail to the Cloud Bridge. I've been wanting to walk across that thing for over a year now.

Oh yeah, and is it worth it to go to Mokpo just for the sake of going there, or should I just spend another day in Gwangju?

Thanks.

[weatherman]

Hike up yudal sun ( the mountian (hill) in the city center) Great views of the city, plus Mokpo has, near the harbor and backed up against yudal mountian..... I think, (could be wrong) some interesting colonial history. But you will have to know your history, I think for it to be worth while.

[SarcasmKills]

I'm doing a similar trip... I've got the Thursday and Friday off as well and I'm taking the KTX down to Mokpo Thursday morning..

Don't have any idea what I'm going to do yet, but I'll probably end up in Gwangju to get the KTX back to Seoul...

Could anyone tell me if Jindo is worth going to as well?

[Smee]

They're having the Jindo Moses Miracle Festival that first three-day weekend of May. Also having a bamboo festival in Damyang (outside of Gwangju) that weekend, too.

In Gwangju, the most popular foreigner bars are Wa Bar, Speakeasy, and Soul Train. Go to Galbijim.com to get directions to them, but they're all in the same general area. The closest subway stop is Culture Complex (haha, 문화전당). I prefer Soul Train best, but most foreigners hang out at Speakeasy.

You can find quite a few love motels just outside of that downtown bar area. Avoid the Pharoah Motel, though, b/c there are cameras in the rooms. The Windmill is popular with foreigners and runs about 35,000 or 40,000 a night. If being near the bars isn't a priority, you can find a string of motels behind the bus terminal and you can find blocks and blocks and blocks of them in Sangmu, across from the 5.18 Park.

As for getting to Wolchulsan, take a bus from Gwangju to Yeongam, and from Yeongam you can get a cab for a few thousand won. Buses run there, too. Most of the hiking courses hit the peak and the cloud bridge. http://100.naver.com/mountain/detail.php?codestr=60_2_0_0_0_2 You can find more detailed information if you run a Naver search for 월출산 and I'll bet you can get stuff by doing a google search on "Wolchulsan blogspot" or some variation, since everyone in the area always goes there.

Sorry, no time to dig up information on Mokpo right now. Yudalsan is all right, but nothing special. There are a few museums all in a row.

[crazy tigger]

Do you have any more information on how to get to the Jindo festival?

[SarcasmKills]

I just got to Jindo about an hour ago (made a quick run to a PC room to catch the end of the Red Wings game).. and yeah, as of now I have no idea where I'm going.. hopefully there is a tourist info booth around here or I'm just going to have to ask locals how to get to Moses road

[crazy tigger]

If you find out can you let me know, I'm going to try and head there tomorrow...

[bossface]

Yea! I'm heading to Gwangju tomorrow morning. I don't know why, but I've had a Gwangju trip in the back of my mind the whole time time I've been in Korea, and I'm more excited about this trip than any other domestic trip I've taken. I even got myself a sweet Kia Tigers hat.

Thanks to those who responded to my post. I'll be sure to hit up Soul Train and Speakeasy tomorrow night.

[VanIslander]

I climbed Wolchulsan in August of 2003: too damn hot!

Save it for a cloudy day, though there may still be a small creek down next to the staircases (at least there was post-Monsoon season).

Don't forget your camera.