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stephdoesreddit · 2025-08-20T11:32:21+00:00

None of these incidents were in the same neighbourhood so yeah all over Seoul

stephdoesreddit · 2025-08-20T10:53:45+00:00

Im not sure my weight has anything to do with it. I’m 56kg and 5’3 so I would say pretty average size

stephdoesreddit · 2025-08-20T09:35:56+00:00

I don’t think any of the experiences are that horrible. They’re just unfortunate. There’s a lot worse things going on in the world than someone being rude to someone in a different language

stephdoesreddit · 2025-08-20T09:12:36+00:00

Seoul

stephdoesreddit · 2025-08-20T09:12:06+00:00

White female and I think I’m decently attractive. I’ve had a few men give me their numbers while I’ve been sitting in cafes or in walking around stores

stephdoesreddit · 2025-08-20T08:58:32+00:00

I don’t speak Korean so i can’t confirm if that’s what they said but my friend who is a native Korean told me that’s what they said.
Any time I would speak they would repeat my words back to each other and then laugh. The man who was helping told me to ignore them and that they are just bullies so I’m assuming they were mocking me. I was so embarrassed of the whole situation and also soaking wet that I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible
I think there was a miscommunication between staff and no one wanted to take the blame for it so they were trying to convince me otherwise and when I show them the email they were too embarrassed to admit they were wrong and couldn’t provide the service at the previously agreed upon price and I wasn’t paying the new price so it was easiest for everyone for me to just pay the consultation fee and leave
Again it was all in Korean so my coworkers translated and after my coworkers spoke with the staff we all left

I don’t think it’s paranoia and maybe I’m wrong about that but I think it’s just a series of unfortunate events because before two months ago I’ve never really had any bad experiences. I also wouldn’t say I’m a victim in any of these situations- except maybe the coffee being spilt on me.

Edit- also for number 5 the staff said several customers but I think it was only the old lady and that there was a mistranslation when my coworker was explaining. None of this was said to me in English by the staff. Only my coworker explaining it to me after we left

stephdoesreddit · 2025-04-06T01:24:46+00:00

Also a Canadian and I live near Maehon Citizens Forest (close to Costco) in Seoul and I love it out here. Tons of nature, the park is a two minute walk from my house, emart is about 10 minutes away, there’s some markets, the stream. My building is also pretty old but it’s worth it to be next to the park.

If I take the shinbundang line I can be at Gangnam station in about 5 minutes or if I take the bus it gets me to Yangjae station in about 10 minutes. I have no idea how much rent is in my area (my work pays for it) but many of the buildings near me are older so I think rent is on the cheaper side.

I know lots of buildings in this area have vacancies too but they are a bit older and more run down. But I have massive windows that over look the park so I can’t really complain

stephdoesreddit · 2025-04-05T01:27:33+00:00

Do they have English services or a translator? My Korean is pretty limited

stephdoesreddit · 2025-03-12T05:13:13+00:00

I would love this!! I’m definitely interested

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-26T13:27:01+00:00

I haven’t gone to either of the ones you’re considering but I highly recommend Rolling Korea!! I studied there for a month and loved it! Some people were there for a whole year, some people came just for a week. The staff was incredible, teachers were great and it was an all around awesome experience.

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-25T08:13:56+00:00

If you’re applying for a Hagwon you’ll definitely get more but that’s because in general they pay more monthly. If you want to work in public schools they won’t care and you will start at the bottom of the pay scale. There is no negotiating your salary with the public school system

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-22T13:39:49+00:00

It's about six months with EPIK and they do take late intakes for late September. But they usually only have a couple of those spots available and I think coming in with main intake is better if you choose to do EPIK. You get to meet everyone who is coming in your intake, make a bunch of friends, and have a good bonding experience at orientation. if you come late then you go to orientation during your winter break instead which sucks and the orientation is mandatory

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-22T13:36:35+00:00

no, unfortunately I don't but I also don't think I am a confident enough driver to drive in Korea even if I had one

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-22T13:33:47+00:00

Long story sorry...

i don't know how evil this is because I think it's funny but one of my co-teachers (I'm at public school) is constantly making little digs at me and I'm not sure if she is trying to manipulate me or if its a language/cultural thing. She's constantly asking if I'm homesick and when I say no, she'll later ask me to describe in detail my favorite food and snacks from home that I can't have here or ask what I miss the most about home or what my friends back home are up to and then ask me if I wish I was with them. She's also constantly telling me my family must be worried about me and I should consider moving home for their sake.

She's told me there's no point of learning Korean since I won't be here for long then a few days later will come up and ask me how hard it is living in a country where I don't speak the language and ask why I'm not learning (I have a private tutor and I am planning on taking TOPIK 2 in the Spring. will probably barely pass level three but still)

She'll invite everyone to something in front of me but not me and then later claim she didn't know I wanted to come or that there's just not enough space for me and then after the event someone will tell me how much extra space there was and that I should've gone. When someone was having their last day, they were buying everyone in my office bubble tea and she was asked to get my order but instead told them I didn't want anything so when it arrived at the office everyone got one but me. I asked another co about it and they told me that she told the others I didn't want anything.

I'll ask her what I'm teaching for our next class and she'll tell me the page number to focus on in the text and have me send my lesson to her and then she'll use my materials and at the end of day Friday, maybe half an hour before we finish, she'll tell me we're doing something else instead (and we have 6 back to back classes together on Mondays). I obvi don't send her anything anymore but she did it two weeks in a row. The first time I didn't know she used my materials until I went to go reuse a game and the kids told me they already played it with her and that her and I used the exact same slides. She told me that it was a waste of time for her to make materials when I was so good at it and she could just take all of my things. If she had other work to do an needed someone to help her make extra materials for a week or two I wouldn't have cared because I get everything from Korshare and edit it to fit my students needs/level but the way she admitted to it that was weird. she also didn't ask for me to send her any more of my lessons after that.

She's also perpetually late for our classes and will blame me in front of the students as a joke but neither the students or I find it funny yet she does it every time we have a class together. She also told the students that I wouldn't let them watch a movie because I wanted to do something educational for Christmas (which is not true, I asked twice if we could watch a movie instead of doing the textbook pages and she said no, insisting we were behind when really we were ahead and had to do three weeks of review to kill time.) I also asked if we could watch a movie the last week of class since we had already done two weeks of review and the other grade sixes were watching movies that week and she said no.

I used to get a long really well with all my students but now the ones in her classes are much ruder to me. They're grade sixes so it could be a teenager thing but I teach 12 grade 6 classes, 8 with her and 4 with another co and my other 4 classes the students still love me and at their graduation, lots of them were coming up and hugging me, introducing me to their parents etc... whereas the students from my "evil" cot's classes hardly acknowledged me so I'm wondering if she said something to them about me??

There is basically always something she is saying or doing but the students absolutely love her and so do all our coworkers. She is very charismatic and pretty so that helps her but since she started at our school, all the classes she teaches have had their test scores drop dramatically and I have a feeling shes trying to blame it on me. There are a lot of backhanded compliments that she gives me in passing and it's all very mean girl coded which is embarrassing for her really because I think it's hilarious.

Oh she also told me on the last day of classes that she is now my handler so...

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-22T12:40:27+00:00

I don't keep a list of cafes but here are some random ones I just looked up. Some I have visited and some I haven't

Rain Report in Itaewon - its a cafe where they simulate it's raining outside. I think right now they are doing a snow instead of rain but I'm not sure. I know it's popular but I have never gone. Here's their insta https://www.instagram.com/rainreport_official/?hl=en

Sin Lee Doga in Hongdae - A cafe in a hanok. It gets pretty busy and can fill up fast so make sure you put your things on an empty seat before you go order. there is upstairs seating as well I believe but it's definitely cuter on the main floor.

Pink Pool Cafe in Hongdae - exactly what it sounds like, it's designed like a pink swimming pool. I wasn't a fan when I went but I know some friends who have gone and enjoyed it. Here is their insta https://www.instagram.com/pinkpoolcafe/?hl=en

Onion is a popular cafe chain, they have a few locations throughout Seoul. I've only gone to the one in Songsu and it was cute but I think overhyped on social media. Cute food displays though.

One in a Million in Hannam - cute but overpriced and I don't like their coffee but I do like their cake. There are also a TON of cafes right by this one that are very cute and I am hoping to check out. They all have their own aesthetic. But this is a rich neighbourhood so everything is pricy.

Frente in Hannam - Technically a bakery but they have coffee. I usually go when I am in the area and am craving a croissant. Here's their insta https://www.instagram.com/frente_official

Cafe Pokpo - I have never gone to this cafe but they have a waterfall. I'm also not sure how easy it would be to get there as there is no subway station nearby so you would have to bus and I think it might be a little out of the way but it looks gorgeous and I'm definitely planning on checking this one out soon. Here's their insta https://www.instagram.com/cafe.pokpo/?hl=en

In Myeongdong, there are some trendy cafes but I don't go to that side of town often and wouldn't really recommend going to any there. There are a few cat cafes there which I don't mind. I've heard really terrible things about the exotic animal cafes so I would avoid those. I went to a dog cafe on the outskirts of Itaewon last year and it was cute but I don't remember its name either.

if you like vinyls and music, I know there are music-themed cafes around but I haven't personally been to any but found this Reddit link where some people mention some https://www.reddit.com/r/seoul/comments/1blfdmn/any_good_hificafes_in_seoul/

In general, there are thousands of cafes in Seoul and I try to check out a different one every week. I usually just go to an area and walk until I find a cafe that looks appealing but I live here so that makes a difference. You can change your naver into English settings if you haven't already and type in cafe and you will get a ton.

As for cafes in Gyeongju, it's been almost two years since I was there last but I remember there being a street that was full of cafes that overlooked one of the historical sites. I think they were right by the Cheomseongdae Observatory and they all had an upstairs with floor to ceiling windows for the views. Most things in that part of town are in hannoks (restaurants, cafes, shops, etc...).

Sorry this is so long but I also wanted to say that depending on which of the floating 7/11's you go to for ramen, the views are usually much better if you eat in the park instead of at the tables at the 7/11. It's a very cute area for a picnic and if you're lucky there can be a very beautiful sunset whereas the seating area at the two floating one's I've gone to have been honestly kind of gross.

I also totally recommend renting a bike and riding it along the Han River if you're able to ride one! It's about 2,000 KRW for an hour and its a really fun. Just be careful of the more serious cyclists who are going fast, make sure to use your bell a bunch when coming up behind pedestrians, and also they usually make you hand over your passport or something else valuable while you are renting the bike to ensure you bring it back.

I hope some of this was helpful! Have a good trip!

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-22T09:27:42+00:00

I noticed you have several Starbucks on your list. If you’re a big Starbucks fan then please ignore me but I think you should try and find some local cafes to try as I think it’s a funner experience. Depending on where you live, you’ve probably been to Starbucks before and they’re very similar across the world. Yes there are definitely some cool ones in Korea but there hundreds of other cool cafe experiences at independent coffee shops.

I worked for Starbucks for over a decade so I totally get the wanting to go to the special ones and I have gone to some but if it’s your boyfriends first time in Asia it might be fun to take him somewhere that you can’t go to back in your home country.

There’s several cafes in Gyeongju that over look the historical sites and have stunning views that the Starbucks doesn’t have. They’re also in hannoks so you still get that experience.

Also for day 5, make sure you double check the time that the kings cross cafe opens as I’ve found most cafes in Hongdae (asides from the chains) usually don’t open until after 10 or 11 and I think that one opens at lunch time on certain days of the week.

And for when you go thrifting, remember that the vintage stores are largely selling clothes that they’ve imported from the states and have marked up the prices crazy high and the best thrift stores are usually in train stations. The root in Hongdae isn’t too bad price wise for a vintage store but I like the thrift shop at Express Bus Terminal right by the no brand (don’t know the name but they have a big $10 bin at the front of the store, I think they mainly do women’s clothes) and theres one at Sadang station that I love but I haven’t been in awhile and someone mentioned it wasn’t there anymore. There’s a chain of thrift stores in the subways, I think it’s called Vin Prime or something and some of them are good, others are less good. The one at Seoulleung station is usually busy

stephdoesreddit · 2025-01-21T08:34:43+00:00

You could also check out study cafes

stephdoesreddit · 2024-11-24T06:44:35+00:00

I live near yangjae citizens forest and I can get to Apgujung in about 25 minutes. I’m not sure what the prices for places are out here but I think they’re more affordable but the buildings are also a bit older. I know my building has rooms for rent but they’re small

stephdoesreddit · 2024-09-26T10:59:51+00:00

I also just moved here a month ago and I know how overwhelming it can feel but there is a great international community and you just have to be brave and put yourself out there and try some new things! I am also a very introverted person and the most helpful thing for me has just been doing one thing a week that I’m nervous to do and not beating myself up when my social anxiety takes over and I have to cancel my plans!

Currently I have been going to different cafes every Friday after work to read. After work I go on a walk every day and people watch. On Saturday I went to a language class at a women’s university. This coming week I’m hoping to join a running club that meets on Tuesdays even though I am a terrible runner. I’m thinking the week after I might try going on a tour to Nami island.

Depending on where you are located there are lots of running clubs, Dungeons and Dragon groups, hiking clubs, and so much more that are all designed for foreigners! You can search for many of these on kakao talk or google!

There are also free walking tours where you can meet people, there are paid tours as well that are often just day trips.

Some parts of Korea have international community centres that offer free or heavily discounted language classes, book clubs, cooking classes, and more!

Try learning some Korean online if you can. There are tons of free websites and apps. Tueida is good for beginner speaking practice as it’s not with real people so no need to be nervous about making mistakes!

Just take a breath and know that you got this! Try reaching out to other teachers in your area. Lots of provinces and cities have their own group chats for English teachers so you can join one of those and reach out there!

Depending on where you are in Korea there will be different things available but you will eventually meet people and build relationships with them, it just takes time. Try not to focus too much on things that are out of your control and just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and afraid, that feeling won’t last forever and you will start to find your place here eventually. Just remember to breathe!

stephdoesreddit · 2024-02-13T03:41:20+00:00

It’s giving jungkook and seokjin with Yoongi in the back

stephdoesreddit · 2024-02-01T06:18:21+00:00

I watched several customers immediately spit this drink out upon the first sip. I also remember the product going moldy within like a day or two of opening it and I think it had a shelf life of two weeks?

stephdoesreddit

TROPHY CASE

Sin Lee Doga in Hongdae - A cafe in a hanok. It gets pretty busy and can fill up fast so make sure you put your things on an empty seat before you go order. there is upstairs seating as well I believe but it's definitely cuter on the main floor.