Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Voyeur]

I'm planning to work in Seoul and am currently entertaining several offers.

In my first year in Korea I plan to accimatize and have a good time - within reason. Whatever the average amount saved is I'll probably only save 1/2 of that. I expect to stay in during the week but to go out to the clubs every weekend - usually both nites.

Since the major clubs seem to be in Itaewon I am wondering what areas offer a reasonable club hours commute to and from there and what areas either are too far away or have an awful commute.

[rapier]

Why not just get "free transport to nightclub, 2 nights a week" written into your contract?

[Son Deureo!]

Itaewon blows! Hongdae is much better if you're looking for nightlife, IMHO. Unless you like hanging around with GIs and hookers, of course.

It's not worth sacrificing anything in order to be close to Itaewon.

Having said that, as long as you're on the subway system, you'll be able to get to just about everyplace in Seoul, including Itaewon. When you talk to the other teachers that are working there, be sure to ask them how far they are from the subway, what subway station its closest to, and how far that subway station is from points of interest in Seoul.

Make sure you ask a teacher that's working there. Directors lie, or they may own a car and therefore have no concept of subway commute times. I was told that my school in Bucheon was 20 minutes from Seoul. As it turned out my apartment was a 20-minute walk from the subway station, and that subway station was 50 minutes or more from anything worth doing in Seoul. It was OK, but not at all what I expected before I came here.

Once you find out what subway station you're near, you can check here to find out how far it is from Itaewon, or anyplace else you might want to go: http://www.seoulsubway.co.kr/

[The Den]

I like Rapier's suggestion.

[Voyeur]

I only say Itaewon because it geographically sits at the centre of all the online maps of Seoul i find And I have friends about to go to Seoul on contracts who have positions which they all said are located near Itaewon (they aren't there yet so I can't ask them).

Hongdae seems pretty close to Itaewon so same differnce for my purposes.

But Subway speaking, how far out will a 20 minute ride take you?

[Mody Ba]

Rapier...your suggestion is hilarious...maybe the hakwon owner can provide a bicylce(well,hey a bike is transportation,right?) so Voyeur can boogy over to Itaewon every weekend.
The idea that someone would consider availabiltiy to itaewon as an important factor is hilarious...and also a little sad,to tell the truth.Like the other posters say,the subway system is excellent,voyuer can get over to itaewon without too much fuss,although there are much better places to go ...for clubs and everything else...although if you feel a sudden desperate neeed tfor "a genuiuine imitation Rolex" or a mink blanket
Itawon might be a good place to go...
Gott be close to Itaewon? Sad.....

[Mody Ba]

Yeah,I was laughing so hard at Rapier's suggestion that I could not even spell correctly...

[Trinny]

Voyeur,

Good luck saving up money for a law school. I can see you get stuck in Seoul for years down the road, specifically between Hongdae and Itaewon.

[rapier]

Hehe..why not get a better job here as a lawyer representing ripped off teachers?
As regards the nightclubs, just tell the itaewon girls you used to work at Merril Lynch and they'll be all over you.
No offence!!!!

[Son Deureo!]

[kangnam mafioso]

give the guy a break -- he wants to live near itaewon ... so what. actually, itawon area is centrally located -- you should try to live near there if you want to be close to the action.

so many teachers move to seoul and end up way out in the boonies. then they have to take a 1 hour subway to get anywhere.

it's easy to get to hongdae and kangnam from itaewon (7,000 taxi or so).

try to live in hannam-dong or haebangchang -- u don't won't to live right in itaewon.

good luck ... and i agree with the other poster -- hongdae is better for nightlife.

[hojucandy]

yu can live practically anywhere. everything is close - excellent buses, trains and taxis are cheap.

i live in ansan by choice. the cost of living out here is way cheaper. its quieter too. it is an hour on the train to seoul. unfortunately last train home leaves around 11.30pm so if i want to stay late i sleep at a friend's house, or in a bathhouse (very cheap and comfortable).

what i'm saying is - it really doesn't matter much where yu live. i do sometimes wish i was closer to seoul so i could go to midweek concerts, but the weekends are fine.

[rapier]

Actually to tell the truth, when I first came here, knowing nobody and not wanting to hang out with Koreans at the weekend, the subway line from Gimpo into Itaewon was a lifeline for me, to get my beer and english conversation fix. Took me about an hour and a half to get in. I'm more adapted now- in fact I'd rather hang out with koreans than waegooks nowadays- so it doesn't really matter where I live- never go to Itaewon anymore.
Voyeur, so long as you're near a subway stop you'll be fine.

[chronicpride]

I agree with Son Deureo's advice.

What if you are faced with a gig near Itaewon that is 35 hrs/week, pays 1.8, split shifts, crappy housing, unreasonable working conditions, a$$hole director and you also have a reputable school in Bundang that pays 2.1, 25 hours/week, block shifts, great housing, and director that has a good reputation with his teachers?

Remember, nightlife is great and all, but you still have to spend 25-30 hours a week teaching at a school that can be a nightmare scenario or very pleasant working environment, in addition to having adequate housing. Just look at all the threads from other teachers that get screwed. Put the school and the job above all else in your search.

Filter your job offers for quality working conditions first, then filter the ones that make that cut for location/adequate transportation.

[Voyeur]

Thanks for the advice.

Again, I harbour no illusions that Itaewon is ome kind of North American Night Life Mecca. I have three friends coming down who all have gotten themsleves contracts 6+ months ago. The locations of their schools and apartments all happen to cluster around Itaewon. When you throw in that this district seemed to sit in the middle of the map on the Seoul Metro City Web Site and that it does have some clubs and places that some people do like it seemed like a good arbitrary focus point. I had to pick one and I am no veteran here so no matter what I risked getting it "wrong" but better wrong and having made a decision than not making one at all.

Also, I probably do not want to live IN Itaewon - just near enough to it that I can see all of my friends fairly regularly.

And as for those making cracks about Law School I have decide to do 2 years in Seoul instead of one as from all the advice I have gotten the second year can sometimes be one's "pay-off year" in that you have official experience, a year in-country to organize a new gig, and a better idea of what to look for. The gap between pay rate and quality of schedule and school from 1st to 2nd seems to be larger than that of 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th etc.. Plus I just feel like waiting 2 years to go back to school. SO I have more time to make the damn money I need Thus a few nights out won't have me in 5 years sitting on the side of the road begging for change lightyears away from Law School.