Korean Job Discussion Forums

murphy · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Location: Korea

I'm about to come to Korea and am busy applying for jobs in Seoul and Busan, as I've been told that those are the fun places to be. Is that the case, or are some of the smaller places nice too? If so, which ones?

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

No, you have been misled. There are no fun or nice places here. Why don't you try Taiwan, or Japan? Apparently those aren't so bad.

ThePoet · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 6:43 am Post subject:

....wait for it.....

Why, Nice is in France!

Laughing

Sorry....I had to do it...I ust had to.

Poet

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

Nice...in addition to being in France Laughing

is what you make it. Some smaller places are great...some of the other big cities are great...and some aren't! A lot depends on your own attitude. Think about what YOU like...are you a "city person" who's happiest with a lot of people around...especially people like you? Or are you more of a "I make friends everywhere I go" kind of person, someone who wants to meet people NOT like yourself? I've lived in a big city, medium-sized city, and the country...and I've loved almost all of them!

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

If I was to come here for the first time again, I'd give Changwon or Jinhae a go.

canuckistan · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:05 am Post subject:

I usually advise people to come to Seoul or the bigger cities first where there's more English services/foreigner-oriented activites while they're getting used to Korean culture for the first year. The smaller towns there's very little of the sort.

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

canuckistan: Funny...I'd advise the opposite. Getting your feet wet as a teacher in a small town is a great way to really get to know about Korea. I think if I'd started out in Seoul instead of in a town of about 5,000 people, I'd have missed out on a lot! I didn't see or speak to another foreigner for a MONTH after I got to Korea...and the experience made me grow. And taking a bus filled with ajumas and their livestock (ok...chickens) and produce is an experience I'll never forget. Or walking down a country road...watching a woman harvest rice by hand and hearing the temple bells in the background. Or seeing a real "meeting of the centuries" when I saw a farmer with a bull accompanied by another man on a 3-wheeler...priceless!

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

ajuma is right in first asking yourself what it is you like, or need.

if you want to submerge yourself in korean language, food, culture and lifestyle...then small towns will suit.
how familiar are you with these things? have you any experience crapping in a hole on the floor of the bathroom? do you like hot pepper paste on every meal? can you live without a variety of entertainment? how would you deal with prejudice?

large cities like seoul and pusan are more fun, but also have drawbacks. horrendous noise, light, air, and water pollution. overcrowding. higher prices. depressing concrete ugliness in all directions. there is not much to be said about korean urban planning.

IMO, cities with 2-3million people offer the best of both worlds.
Daegu, Daejon, Ulsan...and maybe Ilsan.

Sage Monkey · Joined: 01 Nov 2004

Blind Willie · Joined: 05 May 2004

My suggestion:

If you're from a small town/city, head to Seoul. Small town Korea is like small town anywhere, just in a langage you can't speak.

If you're from a major city, then go small just for the experience of not having everything at your disposal.

gajackson1 · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 2:52 pm Post subject:

Here's an idea, Murphy: give us a general list of things important to you for where you want to live, in descending order. That wll help us help you narrow it down some. Think VERY carefully about this list, and what you put where in rank.

Mountains/beaches, nightlife, wide range of entertainment, dating opportunities, clean air, univerisities, transpo hub, seasonal sports, etc.

Also, a very pointed question: (because I see your location is South Africa): are you Black?

Regards from a vet,

Glen

(currently, I lean with the suburb-in-striking-distance or mid-sized city options. GO CH'ANG~WON SHI!!!!)

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I'm too new to be giving really expert advice, but Bucheon is nice, close to Seoul, and not quite as expensive.

Whether you find Korea nice will be up to your employer and co-workers, your housing situation, how you get on at the nearest ex-pat pub, and dumb luck. If things being busy and dirty and loud really bother you, no where in Korea will be nice. In my case it's just the noise, which I can tolerate most of the time.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I think the foreigners are tighter in a smaller place.

John Henry · Joined: 24 Sep 2004

I'm going with the "Job first, Place second" theory.

Getting a good job, I think, is more important than where you live. Go where the best job is.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

That's very true. A nice area and city doesn't mean squat, if you are spending 30 hours a week in a nightmare situation where you are losing your hair from stress.

If you are applying from overseas, the very best that you should be aiming for is thoroughly checking the background and references of your prospective employers first. Then, from the results that come back as being very positive, bring location into play. But don't let location sway your opinion on choosing a gig that you have mixed feelings about, over a gig that looks very strong. I'm not talking just about contract provisions, schedule, and whatnot. I'm more specifically talking of opinions of current and past teachers who have worked there.