Korean Job Discussion Forums

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Hi there,

I've been here for only two days and - whilst the positives (great apartment, nice colleagues) outweight the negatives - I'm, like Margarat Thatcher, having one or two minor problems.

Firstly, I live in Eungam. It's nice enough, but there are NO foreigners here and nobody speaks a word of English - not a word. I find Korean impossibly difficult (even saying 'thank you' and 'hello' in Korean's 5-syllable versions cause me problems!) I need to communicate with someone - socialize, have a beer (or ten), eat Korean food etc. If anyone lives near me, please get in touch.

Secondly, I'm truly hopeless at ordering Korean food because I don't understand the script. If someone can write down what they themselves feel are useful phrases related to food, gimme 'em - preferably including pronunciation.

Third, just how the fork do I get to the centre (if there is 'a centre') of Seoul? The subway map is a dog's breakfast to me, I'm afraid. I live near line 6 (stop 610) and ingeniously made my own may to Itaewon this evening (where I met up with some Americans who were nice enough) - any cool subway tips? What name corresponds with "slap bang in the centre of Seoul" on the subway (City Hall?)?

Cheers.

P.S. What sleep-inducing substances are available over the counter at Seoul chemists? Obviously I don't expect Morphine to be handed out willy-nilly, but what about valium or Tamazapam (sp?)? I'm not a druggie...it's just that my body clock sleeps at 1pm and is wide-awake at 4am because of the time difference and jet-lag. Alcohol helps, but it's not enough.

komtengi · Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Location: Slummin it up in Haebangchon

my girlfriends family lives there... it aint so bad. best bet on the weekend get on the subway, get off at sangsu, head out by the Far East Broadcasting centre and hit the bars and clubs on hongdae.

buddy bradley · Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: The Beyond

Couldn't you ask your colleagues this? If they're so nice, why aren't they helping you?

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

Take a deep breath. It's okay to be a little freaked out for a few days. Ask for an English version of the subway map at the ticket booth. You'll get the hang of it. If you're taking taxis, the easiest thing to tell the driver is the nearest subway station to where you want to go. For instance, if you want to go to Itaewon, just say ... Itaewon "yak," yak meaning station in Korean. The same for Kangnam or Hongdae-Shinchon or Jongno or Gwangwhamun. Itaewon is pretty centrally located. Jongno or Gwangwamun would be considered downtown area. I'm not sure what they call City Hall ... better off getting dropped off at Seoul "yak" or Euljiro.
Food ... most of the smaller places serve tchigae (stew) and kimbap (seaweed rice roll) or ramyon. Any items to be grilled in front of you require two people minimum. Go to the convenience shops for snacks.

Sedatives ... Unfortunately, a few years ago, Korea started requiring a doctors script for any psychotropic medication. So ... soju w/ orange juice might have to do the trick unless you visit a doctor's office. My doctor wrote a script for Xanax for me ... it was only 5,000 won for 30 .5 MG and 10,000 for the doctor's visit (with insurance).

good luck.

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

Take a deep breath. It's okay to be a little freaked out for a few days. Ask for an English version of the subway map at the ticket booth. You'll get the hang of it. If you're taking taxis, the easiest thing to tell the driver is the nearest subway station to where you want to go. For instance, if you want to go to Itaewon, just say ... Itaewon "yak," yak meaning station in Korean. The same for Kangnam or Hongdae-Shinchon or Jongno or Gwangwhamun. Itaewon is pretty centrally located. Jongno or Gwangwamun would be considered downtown area. I'm not sure what they call City Hall ... better off getting dropped off at Seoul "yak" or Euljiro.
Food ... most of the smaller places serve tchigae (stew) and kimbap (seaweed rice roll) or ramyon. Any items to be grilled in front of you require two people minimum. Go to the convenience shops for snacks.

Sedatives ... Unfortunately, a few years ago, Korea started requiring a doctors script for any psychotropic medication. So ... soju w/ orange juice might have to do the trick unless you visit a doctor's office. My doctor wrote a script for Xanax for me ... it was only 5,000 won for 30 .5 MG and 10,000 for the doctor's visit (with insurance).

good luck.

fidel · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: North Shore NZ

If memory serves me correct Eungam Station is on the Itaewon line so just hop and get off at Itaewon no problems there. Check out this link for the subway map.
http://english.seoul.go.kr/residents/transport/trans_04sub_01.html#

Eungam dong is pretty much like the rest of Seoul and has the same % of English speakers as elsewhere.

There are other foreigners in the area, if you are really desperate hang around outside the main gates of Shinjin High School at around 4:30pm, there are three foreigners working there.

Shop at E-Mart for food.

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

Hey spinoza- sheesh you really takes me back, I used to feel just the same about the subway, 5 syllable words etc. and I'm from the UK too.

City Hall is not the center, I got the subway there and to seoul station and was totally baffled when it was just full of tramps. The thing about Seoul is that there isn't really a center as such- most of the big skycrapers are on Yeouido- but it's more of a place where people work rather than hang out.

If you're looking for a shopping 'High Street' like Oxford Street in London, then the closest is Myeong Dong- but it's a confusing area and you might get kind of lost.

A better alternative is Jong-no, it's a massive street that goes from an english book store at the top (subway station Gwanghwamun) to a fashion/far too busy shopping area at the bottom (subway station Dongdaemun Stadium).

To get your bearings I would recommend getting the subway to Gwanghwamun station (change lines to the purple line 5 at Gongdeok), getting out at the Kyobo book store exit (subway stations always have a map showing you which exit goes to which place- it really pays to check this)- buying a couple of books from the english section- basic korean, korean culture, maybe a couple of novels, then getting up to street level and walking towards this weird looking building

That's the top of Jong-no. The street is dead big so they label it Jong-no-1-ga, Jong-no-2-ga, etc. down to 5 or 6.
There are places to eat and shop all the way down that street, and lots of cool stuff to see- mad neon lights everywhere, an old belfry, street side snack stalls.

Eungam isn't the middle of nowhere either- as someone said you're on the line to Itaewon there, and also if you get off at World Cup stadium station (just a couple of stops from you) there's a big E-Mart supermarket where you can buy (dead good, already cooked) pizza, baked beans, cans of guinness, all your waegookin needs.

One last tip- for every station on the subway, allow about 2 minutes- changing lines can be anything between 1 minute (e.g. Gongdeok) to 10 minutes (e.g. Jong-no-3-ga)

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

Eating here was a chore when I got here but then I found Hon Sot, the korean fast food franchise. People often dis them but I love the place. It has a picture menu and the prices are low.

Good luck!

Freezer Burn · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Location: Busan

The problem with meeting foreigners is they will most likely have the same hours as you, and will do there own thing during the week, you stand a better chance of meeting people on the weekends, check out your local gyms, or shopping places like supermarket.
It took me a few weeks before I saw anyone, and after that you start to get a circle of friends that you hang with on the weekend, or you can go to itaewon which is full of foreigners.

Good luck

p.s food wise, you can try dol-sot bibim-bop say it like it sounds it basically rice with vegetables in a hot pot and side dishes, its a staple for foreigners and its easy to say, or just bibim-bop which is the same meal but not in a hot pot.

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Thanks for all that, guys. Quite a lot to take in, but I've made quite a bit of progress since posting. Itaewon is pi55-easy to get to (although I hate Itaewon, on first impressions. Full of foreigners? The bars are utterly empty - why?) I also had a bad experience with a woman there this evening - ripping-off wh0re! I should've asked her if she can get any sleep-inducing, diarrhea-suppressing narcotics on the black market!! Very Happy

I can also get the 702 bus from outside my apartment straight to downtown.

Good progress. Thanks to all who've helped.

buddy bradley · Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: The Beyond

Have you travelled much? Jeez man, it'll take about a month before you feel comfortable with your neighbourhood and know what's what - you'll have to hold your own hand until then, son, like everyone else who came here alone.

shortskirt_longjacket · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 11:53 am Post subject: Re: I'm in Eungam, Seoul - help!

maestro74 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003

I lived in Eungam for 2 1/2 years and really liked it there. While I have been back home for a year now there was a killer chicken place right across from the subway station called chicken.com that was really good. I certainly met other foreign teachers in the area, just go to the e-mart and you should find somebody. If you want a bar scene the closest place is Yongsinae. The bike and walking path by the stream was also very nice in the spring and fall, it goes all the way to world cup stadium. I liked Eungam because it was pretty quit there, no riots or demonstrations. I think you will like it more as you get used to Korea, and if you ever see Boston Campus or Angel Yuchiwon, those were my schools.