Korean Job Discussion Forums

[korea.teacher]

One thing short-term and long term teachers have found working in South Korea are unexpected bargains.

When I first came to Korea, I thought I was going to stock up on electronics, but quickly noticed prices were much cheaper at home.

But I did find unexpected bargains in transportation, clothes, food, etc. Some of the items on my bargain list: free "side dishes" with your meal, prescription sunglasses, "reforming" clothes, taxi fares, pc bangs, budget motels w/monthly rates, local "open markets," "gimbap" restaurants, EMart 10 p.m. discount produce, the "Beautiful Stores" used shops, and of course, teachers' on-line classifieds (like here at eslcafe).

What's on your list?

[Stan Rogers]

Most saunas are very reasonably priced.

[mike in brasil]

장어양염구이 for 5000원 in 부산.

[le-paul]

designer socks (gucci etc) chon won.
north face t shirts, 5 quid.
public transport
mog yeok tangs
the cinema
cigarettes (so cheep you cant justify not smoking)

i think everything else is either a rip off here (in terms of being a consumer) or else its cheap and the quality is shite (for example motorbike parts, gmarket etc.)

[lemak]

Vets are cheap. Often you'll get billed the same as human doctor rates back home to see a vet. In Korea they usually just seemed to bill for the equipment or medicine they give. Usually throw in free crap, trim the dog's nails etc. gratis.
Obviously booze. Nice for the wallet (but horrid for the liver) to be able to get trashed for a buck fiddy!
Also the drunken related side industries. The rent a driver.....Deri Onjen (no hanguel on the comp) were very good value. Only ends up costing 30% or so more than a taxi to have someone drive you and your car home for the night. No sympathy for anyone who gets busted drink driving in Korea.
Places like Kims Club often have great deals on imported products. Massive packs of Cheetos for 900won, as does Lotte for beers and Emart for cheeses.
Dominos has 40% off on Tuesdays. Full price pizzas in Korea are a major rip off, but that kind of discount makes them a good deal. Likewise the 5,000won pizza chains. Essentially junk, but for single dudes living alone they're a life saver.
Cable packages. 100meg internet plus 100 or so channels (10 in Engurishee) for 30 bucks a month.
etc.

[happiness]

transportation is still decent (used to be much cheaper)
and the small but FREE accomodation for alot of e2s
makes every other thing decent.

but i remember taxis being:

about 1400 won
bus 700
like 1000 beers

oh well

its still great here.

[Squire]

Soju. If they sold soju in the UK for the same price as it is here it would be huge.

[orosee]

Short-term goods (such as food, public transport or fake brands) are often very well priced.

Export-type goods such as consumer electronics, not so much.

For example, how much would you have to save by bus rides and fake Gucci socks to compensate for a 50% markup over the US price for the new 84" Samsung TV (you'll have to make up for around 8 million Won to break even)?

The problem is that within Korea, you can end up paying twice the amount for the same goods, depending on how or where you buy. That makes a comparison tricky. For example, apples in the supermarket are often 50% more expensive than those bought from the Bongo truck on the street. Electronics bought through an internet shop save you easily up to 30% on the price you've seen in a department store.

There's a brand of club soda that sells for 500 Won in one particular supermarket, but costs 850 Won in almost every other shop. That's a difference of 70% so for someone who drinks a lot of this stuff (people who burp a lot, I guess) this could make a difference.

What really counts and is comparable however, are differences in taxation and other deductions from salaries. Korea doesn't fare too bad on those.

On the negative side are rents. Compared to central Bangkok, I'm paying four times the rent (Itaewon) if compared by square meter, and in BK I had a free pool and gym thrown in.

Now that I think of it, there should also be a huge difference in experience for someone in the early 20s compared to someone in the mid-40s. From that perspective, I have to say that in the balance, Korea is not a cheap place.

[wishfullthinkng]

my observations:

prescription and over-the-counter medications are much cheaper here.

as are some very select and strange electronics. the 27' 2560x1440 monitors used in imacs produced by lg are re-branded here and much much cheaper than any 27' monitor at that resolution that can be found in the states.

edit: oh can't forget telco services. my cellphone and internet plans offer so much more than american plans for a fraction of the price. win.

[atwood]

[johnny_russian]

on the subject of bargains, could anyone please recommend some good places in Seoul to get good clothes on a bargain? I've heard Dongdaemun market area is pretty good?

[atwood]

[Mw182006]

Trying to decide whether to put some kitchen items in storage, or bring them with me. Will a juicer and a crockpot cost me an arm and a leg over there?

[atwood]