Korean Job Discussion Forums

AdamH · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:38 pm Post subject: Incheon for dummies

It looks fairly set that I'm going to Incheon in a month or so.

Any advice for someone new to the area - I'm thinking in terms of things to do on evenings and at weekends, useful places to know, a decent bank to wire money home etc. Also maybe somewhere I can pick up a cheap guitar, as there's no way I want to burden myself with bringing mine with me but a whole year without one is like a drunk going without moonshine...

Any help would be greatly appreciated and worth a beer or two Smile

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

what part of incheon are you going to be in? It's a big city.

kylehawkins2000 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003

The place to go is Nakwon arcade. I'm going to try to post a map in here for you.

You can get there from either Jongro-3-ga or Anguk Subway stations.

kylehawkins2000 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003

PS. Nokwan arcade is the place to buy new and used guitars and other instruments (particularly stringed instruments).

It took me awhile to make that map and put it up there so if you ever run into me in a bar I'll take you up on the drink offer.

klaasb · Joined: 07 Sep 2004

On saturday or sunday night you can go to Wolmido......don't know if it's fun but a lot of people go there.
Downtown Incheon has a nice CGV (cinema) with something like 14 screens an arcade and a few fastfood restaurants. You can play pool there as well.

And there is the usual like pc-bangs, dvd bangs, no rae bangs, etc. etc.
and with the metro you will be in downtown Seoul within an hour.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

AdamH · Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 5:06 am Post subject:

Thanks guys.

I'll be living close to the Incheon metro station, towards the Wolmido end of town. From the map in my Lonely Planet guide it all looks pretty simple to get around and I'm told the hagwon is about 15 mins on the bus from my accommodation, but I'll reserve judgement until I actually get there. As I've spent days walking untold miles around a freezing NYC and backpacked around Australia for months, I'd consider myself pretty easy going when it comes to exploring strange neighbourhoods.

No doubt I'll post something up here when I arrive and go out in search of the sojubangs. Kylehawkins2000 (any relation to Andre3000?), keep your eyes open for a lost-looking Brit and I'll sort you out that beer. However, I didn't float down the river in the last canoe and If I turn up at GooseGoose and find there are twenty people all claiming to be kylehawkins just to get a free drink out of me, I'll get a bit suspicious... Laughing

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

I didn't spend much time in wolmido.There's a chinatown in the area. you might want to check out bupyeong.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

You're at the end of line. You'll be close to Shimpo-dong, Chayu park, Chinatown, and the delights of dong-Inchon. I know the area all too well (shudder). I used to teach across from dong-inchon station as well as the Naval training station on Wolmido.

Best of luck and say 'hi' to Lefty, No-thumbs, and Vlad at the Seaman's club for me.

Seriously, you're down by the docks, not the greatest part of town. Industrial and gritty are the words that spring to mind.

Maybe you'll read this and prepare yourself for the worst and be pleasantly surprised. Then again maybe not, but at least you are now forewarned; My recruiter really blew a whole lot of smoke up my ass about how wonderful that area is...

kylehawkins2000 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003

well Adam, I look a bit like the fellow in my avatar photo minus the hat and photoshop add-ons if that's any help.

Best of luck in Korea!

Kyle

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

You're definitely not going to be in the most central or beautiful part of Incheon by any means, but you're about 15-20 minutes by subway from Bupyeong, and you're very close to to Yeon An Bu Du, the ferry port to the Yellow Sea Islands. Bulsajo may not have liked it, but you could do a heck of a lot worse, IMHO.

Be sure to look for the Sam Hwa Express bus stop closest to you. That will probably cut about half an hour to an hour off your trip into downtown Seoul. Also, when you go into Seoul by subway, make sure you get off at Juan to catch the Yongsan Express. It cuts about half an hour off the subway trip to downtown Seoul.

I think you're in for a good year, especially with your attitude. Good luck!