Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cedar · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 6:38 pm Post subject: Exploring Korea -

Hey folks. I'm giving a presentation about exploring Korea with helpful advice for newbies this week, and I might have forgotten something important. So would you mind telling me what I definitely need to make sure I've covered? Obvious things like the housing options when you go away from where you live and how to buy train tickets I've got, plus of course recommendations to some awesome places to go and festivals to see and well, a lot of details already. But... your useful website suggestions, your must include destinations, and any trivial information you wish you'd known earlier, please let me know. I want this to be the most useful presentation possible and my perspective is only mine... The audience will be new EPIK teachers, many of them living far from Seoul, so I'd esp. like good advice for people outside Seoul

Thank you!

Summer Wine · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River

when you get off the bus or train - dont head to the nearest restaurant for a feed.

Branch out a little. Look a little further away.

Some of the worst tasting food and worst service has been in the nearest restaurants to the transport hubs.

You might need to walk a couple of blocks, but you will find it better the further you are away from them.

Also most hotels and businesses in small towns surrounding the transport hubs seem to be the red light district. If you want a more cleaner hotel, then branch out a little, be a little more aware of other places.

Oh, if the ferry company wants your phone number its best to provide it. My one needed to change sailing times and by the fact they had my number and I continued to struggle to understand them, I saved myself an extra night on the island I was visiting them.

Schedules can change.

Also some small towns, the bus does seem to come once in a blue moon. So if you miss the bus, then be patient and wait for the next one or be prepared to seek accommodation.

le-paul · Joined: 07 Apr 2009 Location: dans la chambre

my advice (helped me a lot).

Use the tourist information - they have information about events and maps of the area/city etc. you will be living in - this will help you a lot when you get orientated. They also have information on local, national buses and trains.
They also have websites that have weekly tours to temples, events etc. for around 10-15,000 (at least you can do that in daegu anyway).

Learn where you live - so you can get home again (sounds obvious but...)

join a 'couch surfing' group - then you can go to a new city, meet new people and learn about their city and get a free tour (usually).

You said youre giving them a list of websites like 'explore korea' and magazine websites that have information about travel? good idea.
you could also encourage them to use facebook/private groups to find local info. on music, restaurants, art etc. (this would include using daves as a resource).
Alot of facebook groups organise trips to places like seoraksanm the F1 and the mud festival (to name a few) (eg daegu pockets/daegu freindship page).

Use love motels when youre travelling if you want a bit of luxury rather than hotels - otherwise, you can sleep in jim-chil bangs for around 7,000 a night. You can buy toiletries in bangs and usually get them free in motels.

tell them about usual stuff like DVD bangs (the greatest invention ever i thought when i arrived), norae bangs.

Banking - sending money home.

cost/convienience of taxis vs buses/subway.

Teaching resource websites (eg genki english - that kind of thing).

But the thing that did me the biggest favour was - get out there and explore! Ive found some amazing places off the beaten track.

Cedar · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 1:00 am Post subject:

thank you, both of you. Good advice. More like this would be great! And feel free to recommend any less obvious/well known website you personally know of -- the focus is to help them enjoy exploring Korea- so absolutely anything that helped you all would be great (plus others on Dave's can read it!)

Jane · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Use the Korea Tourism Org. 24-hour English tourism service. I think it is 1330. But you might have to add a local area code if you are out of Seoul.

You can ask any question or information about tourism, and they will give you the answers you need, in my experience.

Buying train tickets on the Korean version of the site is sometimes cheaper than the English version, because they don't do specials on the English page.