Korean Job Discussion Forums

sarahbeara_413 · Joined: 24 Jun 2008

I've been pondering posting this question for a while but finally decided that it can't hurt:
How hard/easy is it to make friends as a newbie in Seoul?

Assuming everything with my paperwork goes smoothly, i'm due to arrive in Seoul by the end of next month. My job is in Wolgok, and I haven't really been able to get much information about that specific area other than it's near Itaweon. I'm as prepared as I can be for the move, and i've lived in another country before but I was studying abroad and it was ridiculously easy to make friends. I feel like this move is going to be a lot different, and i'm starting to have a lot of anxiety about being alone for the next year.
How have some of you managed to get out there and make friends during your first year in Korea?

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Good luck. Depends on you and your situation. Near Itaewon? Well, should be possible to meet people there. Any co-workers to help ya out at first?

PBRstreetgang21 · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject:

Depends on who you are and what you are looking for.

I am a pretty introverted person but I made a lot of friends both Foreign and Korean by the end of my first year.

Foreigners are easy. Your co-workers, bars, and any sort of activity you are in to. Church, Mediatation circles, writers circles, various sports, hiking clubs, photo clubs. There are lots of opportunities to go find people. Look online for meetings of various organizations, check out the local foreigner bars, and if your co-workers are sane (roll of the dice) make nice and have them show you the ropes.

Koreans are trickier. My advice for Koreans are 1) Internet, language exchange websites, made a few really good friends that way 2) go buy a Korean study book, plop down at a cafe for an hour and study and at some point ask for help. Koreans LOVE to help people learn Korean and they are usually pretty outgoing.

Some Korean friends I met just out drunk with foreigners and some guys said "Hey we dont know you but wanna drink with us?"

I remember the first day I got to Incheon. I about crapped my pants in fear. I was like wait-- I know NO ONE here. After that year though I have made some of the best friends both foreign and Korean that Ive ever had.

sarahbeara_413 · Joined: 24 Jun 2008

PBR- Your post is refreshing to read. I'm not too much of an introverted person, I'm fairly pro-active when it comes to getting out there and making friends. I studied abroad in France for a semester and came out of that experience with some really great friends, one of which is teaching in Busan and convinced me to look into teaching in Korea.

I've been looking online for some ex-pat communities and organizations and have found a few, so i'll probably sign up for those when I get there and get settled in to my job and apartment. Hopefully a few of my co-workers will be sane and willing to show me the ropes.

PBRstreetgang21 · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject:

If you like traveling about Korea try http://www.adventurekorea.com they set up trips with groups of foreigners and Koreans all over the country. Sometime hiking in a national park, sometimes jeju-do, or maybe just everland or the DMZ. I know lost of people who went on a couple trips with them and had a great time and made some friends.

ernie · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Location: asdfghjk

note: koreans love 'helping' you learn korean, but they generally know NOTHING about korean grammar and have a REALLY hard time understanding anything but perfect pronunciation. it's better to study korean on your own or from a qualified teacher, then talk to koreans to practice.

p.s. does anyone know what the ending ~지 means? like "____보지". to me, it sounds like some kind of command, like 'look'. my friend disagreed but could not explain what it means. i hear this EVERYWHERE.

Ukon · Joined: 29 Jan 2008

Hit up a "wa" bar that is popular and hang out for a bit.

excitinghead · Joined: 18 Jul 2005

sarahbeara_413 · Joined: 24 Jun 2008

PBRstreetgang21 · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject:

WA bar is chain of bars popular throughout Korea. There is another one called Ho bar but they arent as widespread as WA bar.

They call it a "western ice bar" whatever that means, Ive never seen a bar like WA bar in the States or Canada. Anyway, its bar that has a HUGE selection of beers from all over the world. Of course some WA bars have more than others. Like in Seoul some have Sam Adams but some don't.

Most of the bar is a hof, ie a bar that is set up like a restaurant with tables and chairs and you order drinks and snacks from a menu. Unlike most hofs though WA bar will usually let you just order drinks and not make you order any snacks. Also, in most hofs typically you dont mingle with other patrons, you stay at your table, and at a hof you always go WITH people never alone.

However at WA bar there is a typically a large vat of ice in the center of the bar with all sorts of beers in it and a bar that circles it. You can just walk up to the vat all by your lonesome, take a seat and pull out a drink. Kind of like those conveyor belt sushi places, except instead of a conveyor belt its a giant tub of ice and instead of sushi its beer. Sit around the table looking lonely for five minutes and some Koreans will start talking to you. Its about a close to a real Bar as you will get in korea outside of a foreigner bar.

long story short

PBRstreetgang21 · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject:

Also what Ernie said about Koreans not being the best teachers of Korean is generally speaking, unfortunetly true. However, the whole study and ask for help thing is less for getting good grammar and more finding cool folks.

Although you can hit a diamond in the rough. Prior to taking a semester at Korea University my co-worker at the hagwon was REALLY good with grammar, but she was the only one. All my other Korean friends meant well but--- werent so great.

But we still had fun anyway.

MissSeoul · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere in America

ciccone_youth · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Location: Japan

i met some good Korean friends at the gym actually, and some great (foreigner) girls through this forum.

ernie · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Location: asdfghjk

i think excitinghead is right, because i think 'should' is ~라

맞아지?

ucbhanna · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

If you're teaching at a hakwon or school, you'll easily make friends with your co-workers right off the bat.

And yea, let us know whereabouts your apt is at when you get settled in. You'll prob need to buy stuff to furnish your place and this is a great site to look for cheap stuff.

Also, if you've got hobbies... like sports, photography, cycling, etc. put up a posting and you'll find a lot of ex-pats reach out and welcome you.