Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gorgias · Joined: 27 Aug 2005

I can get to these places by subway! I had no idea. Damn ignorant. Anyone been down to Songtan in particular? Looks like fun!

visitor q · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:05 am Post subject: Re: Songtan, Osan and Pyeongtaek!

The Chewbacca Defense · Joined: 29 May 2004 Location: The ROK and a hard place

I dunno....I will have to respectfully disagree with the above comment.

During the day Songtan is fine, sort of like little Itaewon. At night....there is a bar called Woodstock which is cool midweek, but on the weekends its full of.....well wankers really. Loud mouth braggerts that are looking for a bit of a scrap. I was a fan of Songtan for awhile, but of late I wouldn't get off there to take a dump.

Put it this way....if I had...and I mean HAD to choose between an night out in Itaewon or a night out in Songtan....bearing in mind that I live 3 stops up from Songtan....I would choose to go to Itaewon every time.

But I guess if you are with a group of mates, doesn't really matter where you are drinking.

But that is just me....go for yourself and see.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Songtan is a dirty scuzzy hole. Puffin's has some great food though.

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

Songtan is a nicer version of Itaewon. It's also a great place to find things like deodorant and other North American items you can't find elsewhere. Although it takes forever to get to from Seoul, especially if you use the subway.

If you want to get there quickly from Seoul, take the direct bus from Nambu Bus Terminal. I think there is a bus that leaves every 15 minutes or so. It takes 45 minutes and about 3,000 Won.

Otherwise be prepared to sit on the subway for a very long time.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Songtan is a kinder, gentler, cleaner Itaewon. Pretty much anything you can find in Itaewon you can find in Songtan...usually cheaper!

The merchants speak decent English and are quite friendly.

There are Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Philipino, Italian, Korean(of course), and Western restaurants.

When you enter Songtan its like stepping into small town USA. More Americans on the street than any other ethnicity, English is the most commonly spoken language and almost every sign is in English as well. Its sometimes nice to get away from Korea for an hour or two.

Itaewon=UN, heavily multicultural.
Songtan= smalltown USA with a strong Asian flavouring.

Taking a taxi from the train station or the the bus terminal is a quick 1500 won hop to the main gate(which is what you tell the taxi driver "main gate") and from there you are free to gawk like a Korean at all the freerange Americans wandering around Laughing

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

Gorgias · Joined: 27 Aug 2005

Small update:

Went to Pyeongtaek and found it quite pleasant. Interesting to find the RDL exactly where it ought to be and with all the dove's pictures in the windows. I guess that's "slave-country" down there. Nice little city really. Pretty good prices on lunch and so on.

Songtan seems to be a very poor place. The area around the gate was all I had hoped it would be. Would probably be even more fun when the weather warms up.

Ran out of time and didn't get into Osan.