Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Minshin]

deleted

[jlb]

I can only speak for Cheonan...

1.Not much to do. Movies, some bars, etc but most people head to Seoul for the serious entertainment.

2. Cheonan is booming. I left for about 3 months and then came back for a visit and was astounded at the new growth.

3. Not much in the way of Western Style restaurants. Again, usually headed to Seoul for this.

4. Cheaper housing, who cares? You'll probably get it free anyway if you teach ESL.

Overall, a pretty decent place to live. Some entertainment, enough foreigners to make life interesing, not that polluted and close enough to Seoul to go every weekend if you're so inclined.

[Zyzyfer]

I don't know a lot about Cheongju, but I spent two years in Cheonan. I'm sure some others will chime in.

1. There's a few Western bars and a zillion Korean bars downtown, a nice, big, constantly packed movie theater downtown, and martial arts gyms and normal gyms and stuff. There are plenty of supermarkets and such. There's also a stadium in the northwestern part of town where you can play soccer or whatever sports. There aren't really any parks or anything like that in the central part of the city, though. It's kind of boring, but it's possibly more exciting than Cheongju, I guess.

2. I would say that Cheonan's growing more, since business has really picked up in the last few years there. The city's been expanding a lot, especially in the northwest, near Seungjeongdong. Then again, I don't know about Cheongju.

3. Cheonan's got Outback and a Subway sandwich shop and a few places to get expensive and weird steaks. There's a place called Cucina or something hidden somewhere in the city that has very expensive but very nice food.

4. No idea. Probably Cheongju.

Cons about Cheonan: Horrendous traffic downtown and the air is pretty dirty for a city in the boonies. Nothing's really centralized. Nobody speaks English (not necessarily a bad thing).

[Minshin]

Hey... thanks for the quick responses... it's good to see that people care =). I'm just wondering... is the subway line #1 far away from the Place that has Lots of Hagwons, if there is such a place... Cause I noticed that a lot of hagwons are usually cluttered in one area.. Thanks. Anyone working/living in cheongju?

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Population:
1992 1997 2002
Cheonan (Ch'ŏnan) CCN 294,446 373,392 445,485

< Cheongju (Ch'ŏngju) CCB 471,624 545,069 606,305

Cheonan is closer to Seoul, on the 1 highway and the southern terminus of the Seoul Subway system.

Cheongju is a fair bit larger and has more universities (I think) but is further from Seoul and not even remotely connected to the Seoul subway system. So........I dunno. I've never been to Cheongju, I think it's much harder to get between there and Seoul, but I can't really recommend Cheonan all that much. I have the feeling that Cheongju is more of a "city" with a downtown, Cheonan's rapid growth is really just urban sprawl from Seoul. It's a dullsville bedroom community. It is however, close to the most beautiful little city on earth: Gongju.

Coin toss.

[Minshin]

[mithridates]

This might help:

http://www.cheonan.blogspot.com/

[ajuma]

Yeah, Cheonan has a lot against it...but it also has a lot going FOR it. All of the western-style places (well, execpt for Subway Sandwich shop) are right near the downtown bus terminal...TGI's, Outback, Pizza Hut, BK and MCD's as well as a multi-plex movie theater.

Cheonan is a "transportation hub". You've got buses, trains, and subways that will take you anywhere you want to go. Down-side is the pollution and the traffic!!! It DOES have a pretty great "foreigner community" from what I've been told!

I've been to Cheong Ju...seems like a nice, laid back kind of place...but it's not as easy to get around...no subway...no train...but the air is a lot cleaner!!

[Zyzyfer]

[Minshin]

It's in Bul Dang Dong, I have no ideas where that is and how close it is to the subway station.. Does anyone know?

[mithridates]

Seems to be right by the station. Here's a school in Buldang-dong in Cheonan. That blue building right next to it on the far left of the map is Cheonan-Asan Station which is the one you take to get to anywhere in the country.
I'm not 100% sure but it looks like it's right in the centre.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[waggo]

Ok I lived in Cheongju for my first year. I think its a great city for a first timer to Korea.Not too ,big but enough going on to keep you occupied for a year at least.It does have a nice downtown and generally a nice feel to it.

Erm I think it takes about an hour on the bus to Seoul....not sure.

Peppermint usually does a good write up about Cheongju....PM her!

[Minshin]

del

[UncleAlex]

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either place; both their names start with a C.