Korean Job Discussion Forums

[greenie]

Hey guys,

I currently live in Gangwondo but am looking to change towns next year.
Obviously you can tell by the title that I am a beach girl
If you have any preference for these towns or any other I haven't mentioned tell me about it!

Having an Emart is a plus but not hugely important. Just looking for the best out of the bunch really.

[tfunk]

Sokcho has an E-Mart, I thought Samcheok did as well, but I'm not sure.

It's hard to compare the three, because they all have similar features (they are quite close to each other, right?).

What did you like and dislike about Gangneung?

Sokcho: Only 3 and a half hours to Seoul.

Sokcho: no regular foreigner drinking spot (I think Gangneung has one or two).

Sokcho: More of a beach-town feel than Gangneung. Gangneungs urban spread is larger (Gangneung has a McDonalds, and having a McDonalds is an indicator into the population density of a place).

[McGenghis]

Gangneung's sprawl is certainly larger, but it's not all all urban, and a good chunk of it crawls along the shore. I'm within the city limits, but it's still a 30 minute bus ride to get downtown. Gangneung does have a few foreigner haunts, Bumpin' being a very cozy one. It's also got some E-mart love.

Samcheok feels a little more isolated, but it certainly is pretty. It also takes quite a bit longer to get there from Seoul. Gangneung - Dong Seoul buses take about 2:30 on a regular day.

Yangyang also has some nice beaches and temples. It's between Sokcho and Gangneung.

[greenie]

Yeah I'm torn between Sokcho and Gangneung too.

At the moment I'm living in Chuncheon which is a beautiful city with friendly people and enough foreigners dotted around for the locals not to get too fazed.

I guess my ideal situation would be to find a small cosy rural school that I have to travel to get to (a few years ago my apartment was next door to my school so my 1000+ students always watched everything I did!) all the while living in a bustling city with options for eating and socialising.

Sokcho, Gangneung...hmm...maybe I'll flip a coin rather than leave it to sense

Thanks for you opinions you lovely people you!!

[tfunk]

Sokcho doesn't have a bustling city, except for a few months in Summer. However, you can get a bus to Gangneung for your city fix.

Chuncheon's population is three times that of Sokchos.

[roybetis1]

Donghae, between Gangneung and Samcheok has nice beaches, plus an emart. Bigger than Samcheok.
Samcheok has a homeplus, a nice beach and a lot of mountains. But really not much to do here. I'd go with Donghae.

[tfunk]

[skindleshanks]

Sokcho has way too many foreigners already--stay away!

Seriously, though, Sokcho beaches are family places--if you want to act crazy and not have the whole town (and your employers and coworkers) know what you did on the weekend, then go to Gangneung.

Just to keep the facts straight, we're less than 3 hours from Seoul's East Terminal, and one the new highways are completed in5 years or so, it will probably shave off another half hour.

[rpayvin]

Samcheok will be easier to get a position in, and is right by two beaches, isn't that far away from anything at all, has a big-ass homeplus, is close to big mountains, and kicks ass.

[gavinhudson]

If you like the beach and/or outdoor sports, Gangneung's your place! Gangneung has the famous Gyeongpo beach as well as less crowded Anmok and Sacheon beaches. There's SCUBA, kite surfing, windsurfing, and surfing (although there's good surfing near the 38th parallel by Sokcho too).

In the winter, free shuttle buses take you to Yongpyong ski resort (only 30 minutes). Other sports in Gangneung include archery, swimming at 2 quality pools, ice skating, rock climbing, horse back riding, hiking, hockey, soccer, and a load of others.

[schwa]

For the record, Sokcho does claim a foreigner hangout now. Started out for a year as a downtown hole in the wall & moved into nice new digs last weekend. Goes by any of three names: Eunbiryeong, Country Bar, or Min's Bar (after the proprietor). No sign yet but its on the 7th (top) floor of a building in the heart of downtown on the main street (side nearer the water), which is probably enough info to find it.

Awesome friendly mixed clientele.

[VanIslander]

Love this thread. As a beach boy myself I've contemplated moving to the Gangwondo coast a few times; though I prefer the warmer southern coast, a year up there is an appealing possibility.

[definitely maybe]

I'll be in Gangneung in a few weeks and was wondering if Bumpin' Bar, Warehouse, or any other bar popular with foreigners is still around? If so, I'd also love to know what section of town they're in. Always curious about what folks in smaller, more distant areas get up to while living in Korea.

[minos]

I lived near those places.


Gangneung 100% - Only city aside from Chuncheon I'd actually consider in Gangwon-do. Looks pretty nice

Samcheok is pretty dead and lacks virtually any nightlife.
Donghae much bigger, but nightlife is pretty bad. There are russians and ships that come into port along with a port nightlife area to accomodate them so if sailors are your thing...They aren't open unless a ship is in port.

[definitely maybe]