Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gannawdm]

Hi,

I am debating whether to live in Seoul or Pusan. Since I have lived on the coast my whole life, it would make my stay here much less stressful if I lived by the beach. I also want to live in a big city with easily accessible movie theaters, parks, bars, shopping areas, restaurants, etc. I also wonder if one city is more expensive than the other. Also, are the attitudes of people in Seoul and Pusan very different (more or less conservative)?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in Seoul and Pusan. Which city would you recommend?

davidg

[Tiger Beer]

I lived in both cities.

Pusan has better weather, and the beach.

Seoul is significantly less conservative. Busan is about as conservative and as Korean as you can imagine.. meaning fierce nationalistic and regional pride to the extreme.

I prefer Seoul.

[khyber]

wow tb.

I've personally never found that.

I'd go for pusan
+
beach and really tight foreigner community.
(haven't experienced tb's Busan but....)
-
far from seoul


Seoul
+ can get virtually anything...considered the "culture capital" of Korea ( that HAS to stand for SOMETHING)
- sorry folks, can't STAND itaewon. Too many wackos, too much testosterone.

[BTM]

Lived in Busan for about 3 years. Sobered up for about 15 minutes of that. (well, not really, but you know what I'm sayin')

They both suck in some ways, rock in others. It's all about the job and the people you hang with though - if you make enough money and have enough freetime, anywhere is good.

[Tiger Beer]

My year in Busan was in Deokchongdong which has the largest dog market in Korea.. it was about 1km of all dogs butchered up and in cages.. and the market extended from the streets as well.. having split shifts, I either or walked or bussed through the 1 km in length dog market a minimum of 4 times a day.. (my hogwan and apartment were on opposite sides of the dog market)..

SO.. as you can imagine.. living and working in that neighorhood.. my day-to-day reality of BUSAN was REALLY weird!! That was the only 'normal' thing about that neighborhood and the people living there.

The only dogs I see in Seoul are on leashes being walked by over enthusiastic pet owners.. (although I've heard of a few other people spotting a caged dog randomly here and there in Seoul).. but nothing is like 1km of 100s of dogs for as far as the eye can see if you stand in the right spot..

(That was 1996-1997 in Busan).

Incidently, the Pusan people shove, push, stand in front of the exit of elevators and subways like a football lineup to break through the others waiting on the other side). Same event every single time everywhere in Busan.. almost never experience that anywhere near on the same level in Seoul.

[Harpeau]

Pusan is nice for a visit, but it is a large Korean city (though it does have the PIFF- true enough). Anyway, Seoul is much more multi-cultural with lots of things to do. That's why it is my drug of choice.

Harpeau

[whatthefunk]

Have you considered Pohang?

[just because]

Pusan is closer to Japan if you need to do a sudden exit or visa run

[weatherman]

interesting replies..... Have lived in Seoul for a year, 96' 97' and have visited Busan a couple of times, and now living in what everbody considers the backwater of Korea, I often think I should make a move to one of these cities, or it is explained to me that I should. The only reason to move would be, in my estimate, to have a larger expat circle and more international amenities, both of which I have grown so used to not having, I learnt to go it alone very well within the local surrounding, that when faced with fresh new English teacher faces to meet and international groceries to be bought, I don't do either. I think I am being that old weird English teacher that never wanted to leave the country and wont.

[justaskdan]

Why, Pohang of course.

[Austin]

Tiger Beer is right about the fierce regionalism and conservative bent in Pusan compared to Seoul. You can thank Park Jung Hee, his eighteen years as the supreme dictator of South Korea (as he came from that province), and the Saemuel Movement for the attitudes that persist to this day in Pusan.

The choice is yours, but Seoul offers a completely different political and social feel than Pusan. However, if you usually operate oblivious to many things that are happening around you and insulate yourself with other foriegners, like so many others here, the Korean people will probably have very little impact on your stay.

[Butterfly]

[khyber]

true butt...but EVERY time i visit my friends INSIST on taking me there. EVEN THOUGH they know i hate it.
They're starting to really piss me off!

[waggo]

Are you still here Butterfly.....dont tell me that your still in the English teaching game?...Not after your "Get out of it while you still can speech"
Nobody is that big a hippo are they?

[Cthulhu]