Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Snowkr]

Hi everyone.

I'm out of here in 8 weeks but as it's my first year in Korea, I'm just wondering from those of you who've been here longer... where is this stifling hot weather I keep hearing about?

The reason I ask is because some friends want to come over to visit but they can't handle the intense heat. I told them it would probably be fine in June but I don't want to say that now and then have them here miserable.

When does this supposed intense humidity and unbearable heat come? Oh, and I'm in Kangwon do... by the way.

[AbbeFaria]

Actually I'm kind of wondering that too. I spent awhile living in Phoenix, Arizona, which if any of you have been there, you know it's only about 6 feet up from hell and in the heat of summer you can smell the brimstone. Add that to my upbringing in Missouri which has really high humidity and summer temps in the high 30's (mid-90's to triple digits to us Imperial system folks), and I'm not to worried about it, but I do find it funny that everyone keeps warning me how bad it's going to be.

I'm really sort of looking forward to it. I have a fondness for high tempuratures.

�S�

[Tiger Beer]

July/August.

Its just humid and rains a lot. Sticky.

The weather this month (May) has been AWESOME! Most ideal time for being in Korea.. that and around late September/October.

[ajgeddes]

Well, the two best places to probably be during the summer would be Gangwon-do and Jeju-do. So, at least you have that going for you. It isn't the heat that kills you, it's the humidity and rain that comes with it. You just constantly sweat. I would gladly take 40+ weather with no humidity, than the summer weather here. Another big problem here, is for a lot of people, there isn't always a great place to cool off.

It's not like you can't go outside, it's just that when you do, you will be soaked with sweat.

[pet lover]

This is the best weather I can ever remember for May. It's positively lovely. That said, I look at the coming summer with horror. The heat is not so bad...don't think it ever hits 100. But I remember last summer when it would get to 98 or 99 with the exact SAME number to represent humidity. Now that was nasty.

[numazawa]

Listen, I was there in Kyeong-nam in '94 -- the Big One. You kids don't know nothin' about heat, let me tell you. Why, it was so hot, people stopped using electric fans 'cuz blowing air that hot would singe your eyebrows, even torch the skin right off of you... Didn't rain for a month straight... Galbi-jips went out of business left and right with people grilling their meat right on the street, which was kept squeaky clean 'cuz it was so hot even the dirt died.

I tell you, I was there. But it was so damned hot, I ain't all there any more.

[Hater Depot]

I've been through Korean summer and Miami summer. Korean summer is noticeably more humid.

[crystal]

any tips for dealing with the humidity and the perspiration? Any really good anti-perspirants available?? Heat and humidity kill me and seriously reduce my functioning capability so what do you guys do to cope?

[Demophobe]

Laminate yourself. Go to the stationary store and ask for 버디 코팅...it will last all summer.

This month is the deal man..cool nights and very bearable days. When the heat goes up...well, I'm not a big sweter, but what can you do? Sweat it out and hope if you are a sweater, you aren't a stinker.

[Hyeon Een]

[mole]

I think the seasons seem to be shifting toward later in the year.
Though the very short and bearable springs and falls are still short.
Late July and early August are usually the harshest, but be patient. It may come later.
I just purchased fans from Home Plus, the cheapest they had. I pray they last.
My first Korean summer without A/C since 1999. Get some spray/mist bottles,
strip down and fall in love with your fan and TV. Take subway rides or trips to a coffee
shop to truly cool down.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Sheesh I hate Korean Summers.

I suffered a few bouts of heat exhaustion and that fun stuff living in Allllabbbbama. So now everytime the needle dare rises up to anything approaching hot my interior sweat o meter goes beserk.

Last summer I went through three shirts a day. 1 to go to work, 1 at work, and another when I got home.

The best and only thing I can suggest:

Take a few quick cold showers a day
use deodarent
change your shirt if you sweat alot.

drink lots of water. Seriously.. the less water you drink the more rank your sweat will smell. The more water you drink the less noticable it will be.

Last don't get to worried about the smell because your students stank odor will normally mask anything you got going on. my students last year stunk so bad that i nearly puked on one of them, and that was on a tuesday, so no late night soju drunken follies the night before for me on that one.

another think remember what alcohol can do to you, and their is nothing like the sweet smell of what you drank last night to fill up a classroom. so if you want to avoid statements like, "You smell like my daddy." you may want to consider not getting wasted everynight.

another thing............... mother of god.... avoid the mid afternoon hot subway rush... the temperatures soar to near ungodly. Its like being in a old south style prison hot box. then you got half of korea jammed up next to you so your temper is getting frayed and you are pondering stabbing someone in the face with your gimbap roll. I am surprised someone has not gone totally nutbar on the subway during the summer, last august I nearly passed out and that I think was a thursday so I might have been still drunk hard to say I don't remember.

[mole]

Dan makes good suggestions. When I said take the subway to cool off,
I'm thinking Ansan, Suwon, etc. where whether you get a seat or not,
it's the coolest place you're going to be all day.