Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zenbone]

As i mentally go through what i need to bring and what i use from day to day i keep trying to find the items i take for granted. I realize it is a fine line between luxury and necessity in most cases and weight is always a factor when packing. What are some of the things you did or didn't bring that you wish you wouldn't have bothered with?

[nikki15]

I wish I hadn't brought shampoo, body wash, face wash, so much make up, etc because you can get western brands over here.

I wish I had brought MORE clothes. Especially warmer clothes for the winter and cooler clothes for the summer.

I wish I had brought a bag of dill pickle chips, because I miss them dearly.

I'm glad I brought so much deoderant with me because it really is impossible to find/way to expensive over here.

[comm]

I wish I'd brought a year's supply of ranch dressing.

I wish I'd brought less formal clothing (6 months in and exactly 1 occasion to wear a tie).

I wish I could have brought my cat, but she's too old to be traveling :- (

Everything else is easy enough to find, even down here in Gwangju.

[zenbone]

so i am guessing 1 suit will be fine then?

[rumdiary]

I wish I hadn't brought and DVD's and wish I had brought more clothes and shoes.

[Died By Bear]

If it's your first time, bring a lot of NYQUIL night/day and Alieve Gelcaps for those achypainful nights/days when you've got your first dose of the asian flu. Any cold meds you can get your hands on. Alieve D is the best.

[nomad-ish]

shoes!

i'm a 9/9.5 and i can usually find shoes here, but when i'm looking for something specific -- forget it.

shoe shopping: that's what i'll be doing when i go home next.

[Carla]

[hapigokelli]

-my boots (not like hiking boots)
-blue cheese dressing
-more sweaters
-tylenol, nyquil, dayquil, chloraseptic, tums
-candy corn

[eamo]

I'd always bring good quality shoes and work-suitable trousers in my leg-length.

Shoe shopping in Korea is pretty miserable.....either cheap rubbish in supermarkets or overpriced mediocrity in dept stores.

All trousers sold in Korea are all one length.....super-long.....which means you have to then take them to someone for alterations. Annoying. I get my work trousers in the UK where they actually have a choice of leg-lengths on the rack (c'mon Korea! Get that sorted!!!).

[take a rest]

That Axe body wash stuff... I hate the ads and I don't know what's in it, but wow does it ever wake me up in the mornings.

Also, if any newbies are reading this, definitely bring deodorant... like, a lot. That's the main one, I think.

I've never had any problems with clothes or shoes or anything wearable in Korea... for the most part, you can get nicer, more comfortable stuff for a lot less money here... in terms of casual wear, anyway. It's sort of disposable clothing, though..

I'm starting to think it would have been a good idea to take just my computer, my electronics, and a suitcase full of body wash and deodorant, with a one or two sets of clothes in my carry on... and also sunflower seeds.

Definitely you will not need to bring sweaters or winter jackets or anything like that... it's super cheap here.

[ippy]

I wish to god i didnt ship so much stuff over. Its like an albatross around my neck if im honest. I mean i may have to move at the end of this contract (im kinda reaching my limit of quiet rural placement and want to be near somewhere more snowboardy), then im either going to have to figure out how to shift it, or simply chuck it all. Not including snobo gear, i reckon i have about 80-100kgs of stuff here. My british airways baggage limit isnt really going to let me get away with that.

My advice, DONT pack so much crap. You will accrue heaps of stuff here, and when it comes time to leave you end up with some problematic decisions.

[ATM SPIDERTAO]

i brought all my hardcore asian gangster clothes of the vancouver east side lifestyle. basically what you'd see on jersey shore

tons of gel and male jewelry

turns out they think only super old men wear that kinda crap so after the first few weeks, i've just worn the most casual stuff i have and the ladies like it much more

why is the douchebag look only liked by specific areas?

i'm so sad.

but i still wear muscle shirts EVERYWHERE!!!

[Kurtz]

All forms of clothing. It's a little uncomfortable going shopping here, the store clerks never approach me, and I usually get a "sizuh no" meaning they don't have my size, even though I've seen way bigger Korean guys than myself.

Everything else I want seems to be available here, but when you're living abroad, there isn't too much need to collect stuff unless you're putting your roots down here.

[DeMayonnaise]