Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JasperTeach]

I'm moving to Seoul soon and I don't want to be hanging around too many mainstream people -- i.e. fraternity or sorority types, abercrombie or american eagle, jack johnson and lady gaga, american idol and gossip girl, essentially... Will it be easy to locate "indie" or "alternative" people to hang out with? People who like indie art & music? People who identify with electro or hippie lifestyles?

Music like: Arctic Monkeys, Feist, Peter Bjorn & John, Justice, Daft Punk, MSTRKRFT;
Movies and books with fantastical or subversive themes by the likes of Michel Gondry or Chuck Palahniuk.

I've been told these types are hard to locate in Korea... so do they actually exist in Korea/Seoul?

[Brooksmatic]

There are plenty of hipsters in Seoul. You'll be alright little buddy.

[whiteshoes]

I've found you're much more likely to find a hipster than a "jock." Not too many "jock" types leave everything they've ever known to move around the globe. At least among the noobs, like me.

[jessie-b]

If you're in a smaller city, your own identification with the "indie" brand may fall away. When there's less people to talk to you'll get desperate enough to see past the fact that they're wearing abercrombie and actually see them as a human being. OR you'll make friends with Koreans who may introduce you to different kinds of music.

By definition, people here aren't too mainstream. Most people don't move thousands of miles from home to work, live, and learn in another culture.

But yes, there are indie music fans. And I'm sure some of them have been in fraternity and sororities. There's a punk scene in Hongdae. Go to koreagigguide.com for a listing of live shows if you want to meet fellow live music fans.

[Gardimus]

Club FF plays indie music. Go there. Bands are hit and miss, but I have been blown away by a few.

[Ukon]

You sound like a tool of Epic proportions....this is the real world, not high school....hang out with whoever is cool.

To answer your question yes...many of which are koreans!

[Rusty Shackleford]

Classic. The so called "alternative" material you quoted is about 1 degree away from "mainstream".

[toadhjo]

[JasperTeach]

Thanks for the responses, great to hear that I won't be alone.

Oh and Ukon - Outside of high school I like to hang out with people of common interests, I'm sorry if you settle for douches who give you the time of day because they're willing to tolerate you and your lack of interests

[samcheokguy]

[ekul]

[samcheokguy]

this thread must be a joke. How the heck can people be on a record label anyway? Music I get, but INDIE PEOPLE? No I want the canned over produced people.

[alphakennyone]

You'll learn to lower your standards. You probably won't live near Hongdae, which means you will get to hear "your music" once a week, tops. Maybe once a month. And even then it won't be exactly what you're into. Better start getting used to poundin' Cass to the hot beats of K-pop.

If you want interesting people to talk to about life and the world, then you might find a good crowd.

[JasperTeach]

[Silence Dogood]

Classification of people are useless. Find the connection of unity that binds us all.