Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sistersarah]

I want to get back into studying korean again. i was doing quite well on my own for a while, but then started slacking off. problem is, i can't study in my house. just too comfortable, too much to do, ie computers, other books, TV, anything.

where do you study?

can you recommend any quiet places to sit and study for a couple hours in the evening, preferably affordable? the coffee shops would just get too expensive at almost $5 a coffee every evening. i work in hongdae, so i'm looking for something around there.
thanks!

[Captain Corea]

I too am looking for a nice quiet place to read in and around the city center.


Anyone have any good corners?

[animalbirdfish]

What about libraries?

There's one in almost every neighborhood. Or ride the subway from end to end.

[billybrobby]

how bout my place, honey

[Zed]

[The evil penguin]

whats with these damn double posts???

[The evil penguin]

[Ya-ta Boy]

I've had good luck finding quiet bars where the beer is relatively cheap and anju is not required. Studying is fine as long as you sip. Kind of like smoking without inhaling.

There used to be a nice place behind the Chinese restaurant a block behind the main drag in Hongdae, a block or so down from Outback.

[morituri]

This may not be what you are looking for, but Steff Houlberg in Hongdae is clean, well-lit, and quiet. Standing with your back to Hongdae main gate, turn right and walk about a hundred yards or so, past the trendy sandwich place (Jenny's?), but before the bus stop by the Chinese restaurant (�¸���: Victory Garden, Seungriwon) and the dry cleaners. The owner seems to be friendly and it is not crowded in the evenings. The place opens out into the street, but it is quiet because he doesn't usually play any K-pop music. Only about four tables though, and not bustling with people, TV with sound at low levels in an upper corner.

[mithridates]

If you can think of anything you are doing right now that costs a few thousand won a day you could stop that and then get a regular latte every day without worrying about spending too much. Not sure if you saw my post about the yogurt maker but I save 1500W a day with that.

[dogbert]

Many college campus buildings have study rooms filled with carrels you can use free of charge.

[morituri]

went past (the hot dog place) Steff Houlberg's: it is called Steff Hotdog, and it was empty at around 9 pm.

I found that if you look for somewhere very cheap in which to study, you end up not studying because of the distractions: other people, oglers, the noise from people talking or background music. On the other hand if the place is like Tombstone Arizona, that is equally offputting. The lights are too bright at the fast food places in the evening, and you concentrate better when there are some people and there is some noise to tune out. But I find K-pop very hard to tune out and cannot understand why the Kigger variety can be called singing.

Bakeries if they are big are OK, if the piped music is not too loud. The nearest thing to a reading cafe may be the cafe chain called Mindulae Yeongto (domain of the dandelion), which serves food and drink, and does not have loud music, and also bookable cells. The food is idiosyncratic (fusion: African + Inuit), drinks refill style in paper cups. The cells are for 2+ people. They have branches at Myongdong next to the YWCA, Chongno next to the YMCA, two in Hyehwadong, one in Bundang, and about six in the Shinchon area. The Hongdae one can be found by crossing the road from Hongdae main gate, going past the park, past the Thai restaurant Khaosai and straight past the crossroads to the road ahead whch curves to the left. It is just after the little police station Seogyo Pachulseo.

[sistersarah]