Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Peter Jackson]

Hi all,

I've taken a job in Gwangju. I have done lots of searching on google and, from what I have read, Gwangju seems like an interesting place to live. There seems to be a good number of westerners there and some good western restaurants and shopping centers. It also seems a bit cheeper than Seoul which sounds nice.

I would like to hear from anyone who currently is or has been in Gwangju (the one in Jeollanamdo). What were/have been your experiences?

Thanks for any information!

[Saram]

Personally, I think Gwangju's great. It may not be for everyone though. We got a good bunch of foreigners and a good nightlife.
The Korean food is great here, but the western is lacking. We got TGIF, Outback and VIPS as chains. There's also Italian and French restaurants around. An import store just opened this year where you can get anything from cheese to cheerios.
Also, if you have any sort of eye-foot coordinaton, you're more than welcome to come down and play footy on the weekend with the foreigner team! Always looking for new members.

[Len8]

They have the Gwangju International center which is a Saturday meeting with a well organized discussion and presentation.

[lulu144]

personally, I hated it, and felt major isolation and discrimination from gwangjuers and my school alike. To me, most of the foreigners seemed a little crazy as well. So I decided, why should I be miserable while overseas.... so I quit. Now I'm living the sweet life in seoul.
It's so much more modern here, in gwangju I was kicked off of buses and not allowed in clubs for being a foreigner. All the koreans at my school treated me like I wasn't a real person. It was not my idea of a good time.
I'm so much more happier now.

[Len8]

Most Koreans in the other big cities consider Gwangju a big country town.

[Paddycakes]

I lived in the Gwang for about 2.5 years.

I never experienced any racial attacks or being kicked off buses.

I would pick Seoul over Gwangju any day.

Gwangju has a run-down, delapitated feel to it... it feels and looks like a real 2nd world city.

Seoul feels much more international and cosmopolitan by contrast.

Gwangju/Cholla do girls though are said to be the nicest in Korea... less vain and superficial than the Seoul girls...

[PeteJB]

[weatherman]

Gwangju is nice. I lived there for six years. Have good memories of the place. But Gwangju is a hard place to get your head around. I have found the metro Seoul area very refreshing after some serious time down south. I would go back, though. It isn't the arm pit of Korea by any means.

[OiGirl]

I think you have to have a personality or characteristics similar to those of native Gwangju/Jeolla people to really take to Gwangju.

Something like a country bumpkin with the soul of a revolutionary.

It suits me just fine.

[indytrucks]

[lulu144]

uhhhh horse shit?? right. Because you were there with me and everything. Let me guess, you live in Seoul. You have no idea.

How about the time when the cab driver decided to pick up someone else with me in cab drive them totally out of the way, collect a fare, then eventually take me to my destination, and want the total fare again from me. After raging to my co teacher about this, she simply said it's the law. uhhhh right? to take advantage of foreigners?

Gwangju. Happy place. Very accomodating for foreigners.

[The Lemon]

[fusionbarnone]

Taxi drivers try that pick and charge stuff often. Don't let them pick someone else up or get another cab. Those taxi drivers are aggressive c @#$ts. Don't let em push you around and argue when you have to.
A Korean girl was held up at knifepoint and fainted she left for Seoul after that.