Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jamal0000]

Is it close to most seoul has to offer? does it have its own nightlife? is it clean? is the pollution bad? TYIA

[mithridates]

Here, have a walk around yourself:

http://dmaps.kr/9me

It's somewhat residential but close to everything, and you can't get much more convenient than Daechi-dong. COEX is within walking distance, lots of subway stations, etc. Nightlife I'm not sure. Pollution is better than most parts of the city largely thanks to this river park:

http://dmaps.kr/9mf

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better place to live in Korea.

[jamal0000]

[nukeday]

zero nightlife, but you're about a 6000 won cab ride from gangnam, which has plenty (although not the most exciting IMO). cost of living is higher than most areas, but it was OK i guess.

the river is nice, true.

[jamal0000]

[samd]

If the job sounds good, take it!

Daechi-dong is not party central, and is a residential area on the richer side, but as Mith pointed out it is well connected and a nice place to live. You could do much much worse.

[eamo]

I enjoyed my two years living in Daechi-dong......

One downside is if you're a car owner without a reserved space.....parking is pretty competitive around there.

Obviously, being Gangnam, eating and drinking out can be expensive......but there are reasonably priced alternatives.

Also, if you're living in one of the Daechi 'villa' neighborhoods, it's really just like living in any villa neighborhood in Seoul. There's nothing special which justifies the high rents except for the fact that you're in Gangnam........which is infinitely more meaningful to a Korean than to a foreigner.

[Ruthdes]

I've been living in Daechi for 3 years and I really like it here. Rent is more expensive, but if your job includes rent, that is irrelevant. I wouldn't say that things are more expensive otherwise (except for maybe drinks). You still have convenience stores, family run markets, fast food restaurants, cheap kimbap places, etc.

Depending on which part of Daechi you're in, you could be a little walk from the subway. I live in the same block as Dogok Elementary School, and I'm about a 15 minute walk from Seolleung Station (line 2) and Daechi Station (line 3). It's much closer to Hanti Station (the Bundang line), but I rarely need to use that. However, having said that, it is convenient being close to lines 2 and 3, plus there are heaps of buses once you get comfortable here.

As for partying, there are some reasonable, if slightly more expensive, bars in the area if you just want to hang out with your friends. If you wanna meet other foreigners, you'll have to head to Gangnam at the very least (Nukeday was right, though in my particular corner of Daechi, I'd say it rarely costs me more than 5000 won cab fare). Drink prices are a little steep in Gangnam (compared to other areas of the city), but it is a cool place to hang out.

Itaewon is a bit further away on the other side of the river. I usually leave an hour to get there on the bus (2 buses actually - the 420, then switch to the 421). There are many more foreigners there, plus foreign grocers, restaurants, etc. The drinks are also cheaper than Gangnam. Back from Itaewon in a cab is anything from 8,000-12,000 depending on the traffic and the route the taxi driver takes - make him go through Gangnam. For some reason that's almost always cheaper than using Olympic Expressway.

The main party area that's a pain to get to from Daechi-dong is Hongdae. It's way on the other side of the city (though still only takes an hour to get there by subway). Getting home is the problem though - an average of 20,000 won in the cab. I guess this is still cheap though when I compare it to what a similar cab ride would cost me in Australia. I would probably go to Hongdae more often if I lived closer.

Daechi-dong is a really rich area and you will see a lot of Mercs and BMWs. However most people, shop owners, etc are friendly. It gets busy in the evening around peak hagwon times, with lots of teenagers and younger kids roaming around.

If you want any more info, or have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help. PM me (or ask me to PM you if you can't yet).

[Hyeon Een]

I'd rather live in a small village in Jeolla-do than in Daechi-dong.

It's a bunch of grey towers, hagwans and spoilt people living on the wrong side of the river. Ugh.

[orosee]

I lived there for 2 1/2 years. Daechi-dong is really a large area, so there is no simple "rich area, boring area" statement possible. I lived in Daechi-4(sa)-dong, which is between Seoulleung and Hanti Station. These are 2 blocks of residential buildings (mostly villas, which is low-rise flats, not luxury houses) surrounded by a wall of commercial and office buildings. Another part of Daechi consists entirely of hi-rise apartment buildings (from Yeoksam to Seoulleung stations). I paid around 2 mil + 10% service charge per month for a 2 bedroom, but there must be cheaper places as well since there are now more English teachers than 2 years ago.

As mentioned, proximity to COEX and E-Mart is convenient. The river is too far to just stroll there, in my opinion. From Seoulleung to Gangnam station is only 2 stops, there are excellent bus connections to all directions, plenty of Green (Seoulleung park, Olympic park etc.), and a brilliant mix of active (the commercial front buildings) to quiet environments (I spent most of my Summer evenings in front of a particular Chicken Hof watching drunk mini-skirt girls fall down).

There are actually older threads discussing this area. I'd move there again (now I live in Hannam-dong). The disadvantage of not being in Itaewon or Hongdae is more than balanced by the advantage of not being in Itaewon or Hongdae.

My only advice: Make sure you get appropriate and fully paid accomodation. An officetel might be better than a villa but if you can, look around first. Closer to the subway is better of course, or try to get close to the 363 bus or the 730. COEX may seem cool first but the area is as good as dead at night. Seoulleung Station is pretty much in the Middle of it, Party Central in a Korean way. Taxi from Itaewon back to Daechi is around 8-10,000 Won on a Saturday or Sunday morning. The good news is that there is no problem getting a taxi going that way.

[Yaya]

Daechi-dong is also considered the most lucrative market in Korea for private tutoring since it's such a rich neighborhood.

[decolyon]

I hope the school you're interviewing with in Daechi isn't NYPie (New York Pie.) I've never seen a more arrogant owner and worse contract combination in my life.

[kimjoohui]

[geckosterrace]

You will have many foreign friends if you work there.
there are many language institutes.
so many foreign teachers walking on the i street.
and you can also go to the coex whenever you want. it's 24/7 open
it's so close to samsung coex

[laynamarya]

Like every neighborhood, there are good points and bad points. The good things are: lots of hagwons, so lots of potential native speaker friends, generally better pay, really clean, well-kept outdoor areas (it's close to Yangjae Stream, which is a lovely place to walk/bike/chill), decent public transportation (take the 420 bus to Gangnam, much cheaper than taxi-ing it all the time). Also, a lot of the kids have been English-educated from a very early age, so lot of them will be more fluent than in other areas, and this often makes grammar lessons a little easier.

The bad points are: it's a high-income neighborhood, so everything is more expensive. If you are hoping to save money/pay off debts, the extra 500-1000 won for every meal adds up fast. Also, since it is the most intense educational area in the city, parents are super-demanding, and as a result, your boss will most likely be super-demanding, and in some cases, break laws or make your life otherwise miserable. So, you know, that's not cool.

I had some good times living in Daechi-dong, but in the end I am much happier where I am now (Gwangjin-gu).

Good luck!