Korean Job Discussion Forums

[heavymetalpancakes]

I'm referring to the area called 원곡동 where all the foreign labourers from South East Asia, China and other places gather.

I've been in Ansan for a year and my adult students have been warning me about it for the entire time. I've been there a half dozen times and never do I feel threatened or uncomfortable. On the contrary, there is lots of good food and interesting things to do there. It's also clean.

Some of my students have been living in Ansan for decades and outright refuse to go there. They think it's a violent hell hole in the same way Americans see Detroit but never seem to have any evidence or personal experience to back up their claims.

I can think of a dozen places in Korea that are far crappier and probably more dangerous.

Is it just because older Koreans don't like the brown people from SE Asia or what?

Also, if you want some Thai/Vietnamese/Uzbek/Russian/Indonesian/Bangladeshi/Indian or Chinese food or if you want a cheap, throwaway "card phone" or imported goods from any of these places, the place is loaded!

[Hugo85]

Please so not convince them otherwise. That area is the only area with excellent foreign food at reasnable price.

[lemak]

[orosee]

It must be like the Itaewon of the past; a place that both scares and fascinates Koreans.

For Itaewon, the game's over.

Pray there won't be a popular song about Ansan like "Itaewon Freedom"!

[Weigookin74]

Where is this place? Is it just outside the Ansan station? Is it the same one the KTX goes through? Can you buy lots of foriegn items and get good deals on food?

[nora]

[spencer23]

I was looking at getting an apartment near Jungang/Hanyang Uni/Gojang and I asked the real estate agent to show me some near Ansan Station. He flat-out refused showing me because he said that there were too many "Chinese and others" and that my wife wouldn't be safe near Ansan Station.

When I went there it seemed safe to me.

[Chalmers]

Nice thread. I don't live too far from there. I think I'll check it out during the holiday.

[cj1976]

I met an Ethopian fella from Ansan and he said the place is a complete dump. According to this guy, there are ongoing disputes between the South East Asian residents and fights often break out late at night when people are drunk. Nice food though.

[fosterman]

[chickenpie]

Been living near to Ansan station for about 6 years now, I really enjoy the atmosphere there, doesn't feel like Korean at all. I've only been to Iteawon a hand full of times and never really enjoyed the atmosphere or the people there. Loud westerners and plastic Koreans. At lest in Ansan you get real people who are just working and want to have fun at the weekends. Iteawon always feels so fake and plastic like.

I've introduced lots of Koreans to the fantastic restaurants there. I even get free beer at one of the Indians because I've introduced so many people to the owners restaurant

[JustinC]

Sounds like my kind of place, too. I love a bit of character in the streets - either gorgeous architecture, parks or run-down dumps; they're much more interesting than the sterile, identical high streets you see everywhere with the same chain of clothes 'boutiques', the same fast food chains, the same convenience stores with the same packs of plastic masquerading as nutrition.

And I loves me some good, authentic Indian and Chinese food.

Really, who the heck is going to be afraid of east Asians? I might watch a bit closer if surrounded by Russians and/or west Asians (well, just Turks actually).