Korean Job Discussion Forums

[stvwrd]

I've got a job offer I really want to take. It's a good opportunity, decent money, but no apartment is provided. I'll be working in the Bundang/southern Gangnam area.

I've done the Goshiwon thing before and found a nice one near Seoul NAtional University that was tolerable for a month or so, but I wouldn't want to be in something like that long term.

I was all set to call them tonight to accept the offer, but after doing some searches on here for info, the few threads that came up were downright scary (cheapest one was 800k per month, with 2mill key money). I don't have money for key money, and paying a mil in rent per month will be possible, but definately not desireable. I guess more important than size in my apartment/goshiwon search is cleanliness.

Anyone ever gone this route? Would you do it again? I think this job is worth making some sacrifices, but I still need to make ends meet and pay off some student loans.

[JongnoGuru]

Two options you might want to consider:

1. Share a 3-bedroom (or large 2-bedroom) apartment with someone and split the rent & utilities. Pool your money on the deposit if they haven't covered it. It will probably take some time to find the right place & right person, but it would be worth roughing it at a yogwan for a week or two until you do. Ask friends, post a thread on here and on other boards. There are probably other teachers out there right now who want out of their goshiwon or officetel, but can't swing rent on a big place by themselves.

2. Widen your housing search beyond Gangnam to cheaper areas if you haven't already, and just prepare to commute a bit further.

[cypher]

is it teaching? Are they paying you significantly more, to make up for the fact that they are providing housing?

[peppermint]

It shouldn't be a dealbreaker. Keep in mind this place is hardly the best place to get housing ideas.

[stvwrd]

It's not teaching, it's mostly writing, and it will be my first time in Korea on a professional basis (I've been there before as a student). I expect to make about 3-3.5 mil per month.

Considering I'm not there to negotiate in person, and the place seems quite flexible in terms of schedule, well, it doesn't seem bad at all to me.

Looking in neighboring areas is sound advice. I think I've pretty much decided to take the job, but I will call and ask what the housing options around there are. It sounds like I'll be going between Suseo-dong (Gangnam) and Seohyeon-dong (Bundang) quite a bit so maybe I can find something in between there, or along a bus route instead of subway or something.

[Zyzyfer]

1) Your employer isn't willing to provide key money? Most places in that general area that you could afford would want 10 million key money minimum, which isn't too terrible.

2) You can be in Seohyun in half an hour (barring traffic, which I'm not familiar with during the week) if you take a bus from Dankuk Uni. in Hannam-dong. There's also bus 402, which runs down to Suseo, but I don't know how long it would take. The 402 also runs by the upper end of Haebangchon, which is famous for low key money (2 million per month).

Just a couple of ideas.

[BigBlackEquus]

You should be able to find more reasonable places in between... in the Seongnam area. Still think you'll need to find somewhere farther away.

Try looking in the Jamsil/Gangbyeon area of Seoul. You can shoot across to Bundang on the Pink subway line within 40 mins, or get to Kangnam in under 20 on the Green line.

[stvwrd]

Thanks everyone!

Well, I accepted the job. NERVOUS!!! but it will be nice to be back. Tomorrow I put in my two weeks' notice at my current job. Hopefully that goes smoothly. They said they'd "help out" with finding an apartment. Whether that means help looking around at places, or loaning me key money or what, I'm not sure, but either way it's comforting.

It's been a big day and I'm totally exhausted and going to bed. Tomorrow I'll look at place tickets.

[paperbag princess]

live in itaewon like the everyone else!

get a realtor. they really help.

[ajgeddes]

Travel from Seohyeon-dong to Gangnam only take about 15-20 minutes depending on traffic if you take a bus. there are a lot of express buses that do that exact route meaning you could probably catch a bus every minute or two. Good luck finding a place to live.

[buymybook]

[Zyzyfer]

[celticjay]

I live in Bundang and it is very expensive. I recommend living in Seongnam. Now Bundang is a part of Seongnam, but other parts of Seongnam are extremely reasonable. Bundang is one of the wealthies suburbs, but it is surrounded by extremelly poor areas.
Good Luck

[stvwrd]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm in Korea now, got settled into a Goshiwon, and now starting the apartment search.

Here's my deal: In the mornings I'm near Irwon station, and in the afternoons, Seohyon. This seems to discount the Jamsil area unless I buy a car/scooter (which is a possibility), and for Itaewon area too.

Of course, I know NOTHING about the road/highway system except for taking buses down to Gwangju, so if there's speedy ways to zip around between these areas I'm all ears.

I guess I could buy my vehicle this month and just spring for another month at the Goshiwon and move next month... (but my job only goes until december as it is, and not sure if Ill stay after that... so that might complicate things).

Any thought?

I may just have to drag a Korean friend to a real estate agent's office here pretty soon.

[Bulsajo]

Then Celticjay's suggestion sounds perfect, it would put you right between Irwon and Seonhyun. Something around Namhansan would be nice, with a nice walk nearby, and you might even have a decent view.