Korean Job Discussion Forums

[eliross]

For those looking for other stuff to do.
I'm trying to form a list of recommendations, I'm consolidating information in this first post so people don't have to read through everyone's comments to pick out the details.

Please post links to internet resources if it's difficult to find information!

Hiking
Maps of Nationanal Parks in Korea
http://english.knps.or.kr/knps_eng/parks/parks_01.asp

Around Seoul I recommend Bukhansan, Gwanaksan, and Suraksan.
Seoraksan near Sokcho in Gangwon-do is the best hiking I've found in Korea.

I hear Chiaksan near Wonju has some great hiking and is less crowded than Seoraksan which is like an anthill during peak season.

http://www.meetup.com/Seoul-Hikers/
My friend enjoyed a hike with them. They usually have a fast and slow group on each hike.


Running Any stream around Seoul is likely to have a path. The Han river is nice or look for open tracks around any sports complex.

Hash House Harriers the "drinking club with a running problem"
http://www.seoulstyle.com/fitart_hash.htm

Biking (The Han river at night is nice. The amount of paved paths, although crowded, are amazing. I've biked from near Itaewon, to Dongdaemoon, to Seoul Land, and even down to Bundang(recommended) )

Scuba Diving
www.scubainkorea.com is a dive info directory for South Korea. Find a club or shop near you. If you have any useful info that is not on the site, send it to me and I'll post it.

Ice Hockey
www.hockeyinkorea.com for the DCIHL (Daejeon-Cheongju Ice Hockey League). We have pick up a couple of nights a week in Daejeon and in Cheongju (we are looking for goalies, we can provide gear). We also have a four team league, and a travel team, The Moose, that play games around Korea. Our site has links to some teams in other cities as well. It's as good a place to start as any.


Camping - The islands around Incheon (When I went to deokjeokdo it was a big beach party)
http://www.southtravels.com/asia/southkorea/traveltips/ferry.html
Seoraksan near Sokcho has a really nice camping spot and the hiking is the best I've found.

I was trying to keep this to actual recommendations but campsites are so hard to find information on. Here are the campsites I've found that are in Seoul or within a couple hours bus ride. Please if you have any further information fill me in.

Nanji Island -In the middle of Seoul built on what used to be a trash dump. Sounds good for a no effort, sit around and BBQ type of camping.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2889544

Taean Coast
http://main.knps.or.kr/PDS/knps_eng/taean.pdf



Organized activities (Great way to meet people!)
I went to the mudfest with worknplay. It was cheap and well organized. Many of my friends have done activities with adventure Korea and been happy with the service.
http://adventurekorea.com/
http://www.worknplay.co.kr/entertainment/main.php

http://www.couchsurfing.org/ -An online travelers community with over a million members. They have occasional events that are member organized. Feel free to organize your own! I've met some great people off of here.

http://www.meetup.com/
has large groups for
Dining Out, Travel, Wine Tasting, Swing Dance, Salsa Dance, Art, and Writing.


Theme Parks and sights
Seoul Land is OK. The zoo is a little depressing and the amusement park is nothing amazing but for 30,000 it can be a cheap day out
Children's Grand Park. It's free it's fun to walk around and stare at the bizarre Korean sculptures.

Bungee Jump, Yuldong Park, Bundang
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_2_4.jsp?gotoPage=&category=&areaCode=&recommCid=257370&cid=584811
It was 27,000 when I went. It's only 45m but it's a good cheap thrill. The parks OK too.

Casinos and Horse Races
Seven Luck Casino on Namsan and one near Coex too. It's on the backside of the COEX mall but separate. WARNING only foregners are allowed into casinos. You'll need your passport. The one by COEX is surprisingly quiet but drinks are free.

Seoul Racetrack Park
http://korearacing.wordpress.com/about/

[Sophomorik]

There is a writer's workshop that meets every first Sunday in Seoul.

[Underwaterbob]

Better yet, do all of these things, AND drink.

I hear Chiaksan near Wonju has some great hiking and is less crowded than Seoraksan which is like an anthill during peak season.

[AgDragon01]

[diver]

Scuba Diving

www.scubainkorea.com is a dive info directory for South Korea. Find a club or shop near you. If you have any useful info that is not on the site, send it to me and I'll post it.

Ice Hockey

www.hockeyinkorea.com for the DCIHL (Daejeon-Cheongju Ice Hockey League). We have pick up a couple of nights a week in Daejeon and in Cheongju (we are looking for goalies, we can provide gear). We also have a four team league, and a travel team, The Moose, that play games around Korea. Our site has links to some teams in other cities as well. It's as good a place to start as any.

[eliross]

Yeah, for me drinking is OK as long as it involves another activity.
Has anyone been scuba diving in Korea? I'm a dive master and I'd love to hear about different dive spots here.

Is there any contact information for the writing club?

There's also the book swap in Itaewon that is on this forum. Anyone have some feedback on that?

For hikers, and hiking information
http://www.meetup.com/Seoul-Hikers/
My friend enjoyed a hike with them. They usually have a fast and slow group on each hike.

Meetup.com has large groups for
hiking, dining out, travel, wine, swing dance, salsa dance, art, and writing.

[Adventurer]

[Ultimo Hombre]

I enjoy dodging Koreans. It's great exercise and keeps you on your toes.

[Ukon]

There is a variety of dancing (salsa, swing) places and courses, not to mention photography is pretty big here.

Yoga is also popular along with belly dancing...

Then there is Airsoft.

[Guerciotti]

[esetters21]

[Ultimo Hombre]

[Adventurer]

[esetters21]

oops dp ..stupid lag time on this site

[eliross]

For people who want to camp.

You can buy a tent, little gas stove, and other odds and ends cheap off of Gmarket.com. I believe you can register in English now. If not, get a Korean to help you register and you can pay by bank transfer.
For shopping I just type in the word in google translate and copy and paste the korean into the site. It's cheaper then buying the stuff at homeplus or emart.
Decent Tent - 20,000 (sure it might not hold up in a storm but it did fine in moderate rain.)
Stove - 12,000
Camping Pots and Pans -15,000
Head Lamp -10,000

The camp site at Seoraksan had showers and a little convenience store. We bought some samgupsal in town and cooked it at the camp site. It's not roughing it but it's fun. I went with friends, we caught a bus to Sokcho and then wandered around saying "Seoraksan" until someone pointed us to a local city bus. The campsite was on the way to the park.

To get to Deokjeokdo, check out the website link I posted to get to the port in Incheon. On Deokjeokdo, I just followed the foreigner crowd to a bus that dropped us off at a beach, set up my tent there with everyone else. There was plenty of drunken bonfire fun that night.

I'm sure I'll do a few camping trips this summer. I'm thinking of finding the closest camp site to Seoul (there's supposedly one right next to Seoul Grand Park) and having a camping meet up there. It's no grand adventure but it's easier than making the long trek to Gangwondo for a weekend. It'll post something here if anyone is interested.