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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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 Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:57 pm Post subject: Anyone from Chicago? |
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Having never been to Seoul and not sure which area to live in, I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the Lakeview, Bucktown, or Wicker Park areas of Chicago, and if there were similar neighborhoods in Seoul to look into.
I enjoy the quieter aspects of living in a metropolitan area, and don't need to be surrounded by tons of college bars to have fun. I prefer a more laid back eclectic type atmosphere.
Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks! |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:35 pm Post subject: Re: Anyone from Chicago? |
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| phobic wrote: |
Having never been to Seoul and not sure which area to live in, I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the Lakeview, Bucktown, or Wicker Park areas of Chicago, and if there were similar neighborhoods in Seoul to look into.
I enjoy the quieter aspects of living in a metropolitan area, and don't need to be surrounded by tons of college bars to have fun. I prefer a more laid back eclectic type atmosphere.
Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks! |
Lakeview's a bit different from Bucktown and Wicker Park.
although the latter 2 have undergone a fair degree of "gentrification", they're still nowhere close to Lakeview in terms of "yuppization".
Bucktown and Wicker Park remain residential neighborhoods. You're not going to find much of that in Seoul. Not enough space, too many people.
in terms of nightlife vibe, I haven't explored the Seoul scene so can't comment, but I'd bet Itaewon during the day with the cafes is an approximation, and at night, try Hongdae and Shincheon. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:03 am Post subject: |
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| There nothing here that compares to those neighborhoods. Hongdae is probably the closest you'll get to the North/Damen/Milwaukee area. Hyehwa resembles North/Halsted/Clybourn (a little). But all in all, it's just too dense here. Hongdae is probably your best bet, I think. |
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BS.Dos.
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| *edit* wrong info. |
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NoExplode
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:35 am Post subject: Re: Anyone from Chicago? |
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| phobic wrote: |
Having never been to Seoul and not sure which area to live in, I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the Lakeview, Bucktown, or Wicker Park areas of Chicago, and if there were similar neighborhoods in Seoul to look into.
I enjoy the quieter aspects of living in a metropolitan area, and don't need to be surrounded by tons of college bars to have fun. I prefer a more laid back eclectic type atmosphere.
Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks! |
You could stay in Chicago. This is Asia. Half way around the world. The people look different, think differently, speak differently, believe differently, and act differently.
Why would you want to go half way around the world anyway to seek out a neighborhood that is a clone of your hometown? |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:22 am Post subject: Re: Anyone from Chicago? |
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| NoExplode wrote: |
| phobic wrote: |
Having never been to Seoul and not sure which area to live in, I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the Lakeview, Bucktown, or Wicker Park areas of Chicago, and if there were similar neighborhoods in Seoul to look into.
I enjoy the quieter aspects of living in a metropolitan area, and don't need to be surrounded by tons of college bars to have fun. I prefer a more laid back eclectic type atmosphere.
Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks! |
You could stay in Chicago. This is Asia. Half way around the world. The people look different, think differently, speak differently, believe differently, and act differently.
Why would you want to go half way around the world anyway to seek out a neighborhood that is a clone of your hometown? |
i don't think he/she wants a clone. I think it's a "vibe" thing.
If you were from Chicago, you'd understand where the OP was coming from.
the only thing that took me by surprise is mentioning Lakeview and the word "eclectic" in the same sentence.
anyways the eclectic artsy fartsy vibe is probably restricted to the areas mentined. |
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NoExplode
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:26 am Post subject: Re: Anyone from Chicago? |
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| bogey666 wrote: |
i don't think he/she wants a clone. I think it's a "vibe" thing.
If you were from Chicago, you'd understand where the OP was coming from.
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I am from Chicago.
I do not understand where OP is coming from. This is freakin' Asia. |
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Join Me
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:59 am Post subject: Re: Anyone from Chicago? |
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| NoExplode wrote: |
| bogey666 wrote: |
i don't think he/she wants a clone. I think it's a "vibe" thing.
If you were from Chicago, you'd understand where the OP was coming from.
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I am from Chicago.
I do not understand where OP is coming from. This is freakin' Asia. |
I have to agree 100%. If you are looking for some cultural "vibe" that is comparable to a neighborhood in Chicago (I lived there), you are going to be sadly disappointed when you get to Korea. |
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venus envy
Joined: 25 Jul 2007
Location: chicago
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:07 am Post subject: |
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I recently moved here from Lakeview East, and I haven't found anything remotely like back home. As another poster said, it's very condensed with a ton of people trying to live in a small amount of space.
Just come with an open mind, don't expect Chicago and you should be fine.  |
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air76
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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| The only neighborhoods in Korea that resemble anything like what you'd find in any city in North America, Europe, Oceania, or anywhere at all in the civilized world, are in TV adverts. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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I think that the NE area of Hongdae (near the samgyeopsal street and north towards Sinchon) does in a lot of repsects resemble Wicker Park near the 6 way intersection. The architecture is lacking, but it has a ton of bougey cafes, restaurants and wine bars that look like Milwaukee between North and Division. Obviously Korea is not the US and Seoul is not Chicago, but if you're looking for a reasonable facsimile, again that's the closet you'll get.
I would have definitely made a push to live there knowing what I do now. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: Anyone from Chicago? |
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| NoExplode wrote: |
| bogey666 wrote: |
i don't think he/she wants a clone. I think it's a "vibe" thing.
If you were from Chicago, you'd understand where the OP was coming from.
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I am from Chicago.
I do not understand where OP is coming from. This is freakin' Asia. |
well I made it clear that residentially speaking, it's night and day, with Seoul having far more people in far less space.
I figured the OP kinda knew that already (perhaps not?)
so I tried to focus on the "social scene" for lack of a better word. The OP is seeking an "eclectic" scene, in his/her own words.
ergo, really the only possible facsimiles are Hongdae and Sincheon, right?
(even if they're not remotely close, they're as close as he/she'll get. ) |
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nosmallplans
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: noksapyeong
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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| i live in namyangju-si, specifically donon-dong which reminds me a lot of my girlfriend's neighborhood of rogers park. appropriately seedy in an interesting way. one stop over is guri, andersonville-ish. my favorite neighborhood in seoul is probably chunho-dong. i'd say that be my wicker park. |
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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| i live in namyangju-si, specifically donon-dong which reminds me a lot of my girlfriend's neighborhood of rogers park. appropriately seedy in an interesting way. one stop over is guri, andersonville-ish. my favorite neighborhood in seoul is probably chunho-dong. i'd say that be my wicker park. |
Thanks, that is what I was looking for, although in light of some of the other comments, I believe I came off the wrong way in my original post.
| Quote: |
You could stay in Chicago. This is Asia. Half way around the world. The people look different, think differently, speak differently, believe differently, and act differently.
Why would you want to go half way around the world anyway to seek out a neighborhood that is a clone of your hometown? |
You are absolutely right, and thank you, I did need that reality check. I definitely do not want a clone of my hometown, and reflecting back on the original post seems a bit ridiculous, especially considering that I have no frame of reference between areas in Seoul anyways.
In my defense, I guess I was just trying to get an idea of which areas people would recommend based loosely on neighborhoods that I am most familiar with here, to help acclimatize to the city, and to be sure not to place myself in an area that was unduly discomfortable. I have lived in areas that could be conidered an antiseptic yuppie wet dream, and also in an neighborhood where police were a constant presence due to gangs/prostitution/drugs etc. I prefer something closer to the middle I guess, not completely gentrified, but also not worrying about having the police knock on my neighbor's door every other night.
| Quote: |
| Just come with an open mind, don't expect Chicago and you should be fine. |
Well said, and thank you all for the replies!  |
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nosmallplans
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: noksapyeong
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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major issues:
1. no gene and judes
2. no maxwell's hot dogs
3. no italian beef |
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