Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Fermentator75]

A friend of mine has been fielding offers in each location and has asked my opinion about where I would go given the option. Without any first hand knowledge I turn to you, people of the board. Any opinions are appreciated.

[cruisemonkey]

I'll preface this by saying I've been to neither.

Sokcho:
- isolated;
- close to mountains;
- cold in winter;
- hot in summer;
- has a ferry service to Vladivostock;
- orangees don't grow here;
- the Ks think it's beautiful;
- will never be hit (directly) by a typhoon.

Jeju:
- isolated;
- is a mountain (volcano);
- temperate in winter;
- hot in summer;
- has a ferry service to several points on the mainland;
- orangees do grow here;
- the Ks think it's akin to Hawaii;
- looks at every forming typhoon and says "Come on... I dare ya."

[runthegauntlet]

Ooooh. I've been to both and really like them both.

Serouksan is right beside Sokcho and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful spots in Korea. Sokcho itself is quite a nice city as well with the sea and the mountains. Very pretty. However, it will get coooollllddd in Sokcho.

Jeju is really beautiful as well. It won't get as cold in Sokcho in the winter, but they do get snow from time to time. There's good hiking on the island and beaches as well, and if you're into cycling, you can have a fantastic time. It is an island, however, so any traveling in or out of the country will be that much more time consuming and costly. You'll also be missing out on the shows and festivals you'll find on the mainland as well, which can really be a highlight in a year here. Not sure how the social scenes and nightlife would compare between the two, but would probably be pretty similar (i.e. not too many western venues or a ton of other foreigners)

Ah, I don't know which I'd choose, but it's certainly not a bad choice to have to make.

[schwa]

Actually Sokcho is milder in winter & cooler in summer than many parts of Korea -- the moderating influence of the sea. I'd call its climate pleasant.

Interesting choice. When I was doing my initial research on Korea 10 years ago there wasnt a whole lot of info on the net about anywhere outside Seoul. I enjoy visiting big cities but wouldnt care to live in one.

I hail from a tourist town (Victoria BC) & always figured if a place is somewhere others want to visit, why not just live there. Sea close by, mountains on the horizon, parks. I also like islands & that "end of the road" feeling some places have. So after lots of winnowing I got my shortlist of destinations down to two: Sokcho & Seogwipo.

As fate would have it, the first viable offer I got was from Sokcho & I jumped at it. Not the most prime job available at that time but it put me where I wanted to be. Zero regrets. Still here.

I bet I could have been equally happy in Seogwipo (which I have yet to visit). Same size, similar menu of attractions. I've since been all over Korea & to lots of places that struck me as livable but if I had to start over again I think I'd still restrict myself to my original shortlist. I like to love the place I call home.

[Fermentator75]

Excellent thoughts people. I have been web searching myself to try and form a "what if" opinion for my friend and found it equally difficult to decide on one location over the other. island life v.s. mainland accessibility, hot to warm v.s. temperate to cold. Location wise it is almost a flip of a coin. It might boil down to contract specifics more than location. Thanks.

[highdials5]

Sokcho and Jeju are both up there with the best spots I've been to in Korea. I think I would opt for...actually I don't know. It's a nice choice to have!

[spanglish]

Question about both these spots - what's the weather like? I'm particularly interested in Sokcho, but it looks pretty foggy/cloudy in a lot of the pictures I've looked at. I like sun and don't want Seattle/Vancouver weather most of the year. Also, what's the swimming like there? Do people go in the ocean or is it super cold?

I have the same questions about Jeju. Thanks so much

[staticdelusion]

jeju

[McGenghis]

I live about 50 km south of Sokcho and I find the climate here pretty agreeable. There are some clouds that usually sit on top of the TaeBaek mountain range, and the weather might a bit more fickle than in Gyeonggi-do, but the cooler summers and possibility of actual snow in the winter more than make up for that.

Sokcho is also only a bus ride away from Seoul. Sure, upwards of three hours, but you can still hit up the big smoke for a weekend on occasion.

The swimming here is fantastic. I start usually in April and haven't finished yet. If you're not from Canada or the Orkneys your window might be a bit more modest however.

[VanIslander]