tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89635282024-03-13T16:17:18.877-04:00Ramble On<br> <br>
wandering seoulUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-70375216860138221722012-04-23T19:28:00.001-04:002012-04-23T19:31:19.026-04:00Top 10 Korean Mafia Movies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f9gB-XcTX1U/T5XkM2ZNP9I/AAAAAAAAAdM/CsR6HD4oceQ/s1600/131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="286" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f9gB-XcTX1U/T5XkM2ZNP9I/AAAAAAAAAdM/CsR6HD4oceQ/s400/131.jpg" /></a></div>
A side of Korean culture I prefer to learn about only from movies, Korean gangsters. This film genre is just as popular in 대한민국 as it is in the USA.
I liked 'Friend' the best, it is well directed and deals not only with gangsters themselves but regular people who are effected by the actions of 깡패. It is not as off the wall or cheesy as some Korean movies tend to be. 'The City of Violence', on the other hand, is kind of cheesy but is still action packed and moves along quickly.
Which one do you like the most? Check out this list of <a href="http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-lists/10-best-korean-gangster-movies/">10 Best Korean Gangster Movies</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-38981121596494032012-04-09T11:38:00.001-04:002012-04-24T13:26:54.166-04:00Best Bars in Seoul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8liXmF5sChQ/T4MOskn05rI/AAAAAAAAAdA/sfNPeAiSoNI/s1600/hongdae01.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8liXmF5sChQ/T4MOskn05rI/AAAAAAAAAdA/sfNPeAiSoNI/s400/hongdae01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As some of you may well know, the drinking culture is huge in Korea. I've always enjoyed going to the cheaper traditional Korean places to drink, as opposed to Gangnam / Itaewon / Hongdae ad nauseam. But there are plenty of cool bars all over to try out, with lots of character. Try this list of <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/drink/staff-picks-best-bars-seoul-304327" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">best bars in Seoul</a>. I'd recommend Bar Da in Hongdae and The Timber House at the Park Hyatt. Tired of the Itaewon scene? Just looking for a reason to wander around the city? Check out the list! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-37347746643175641022012-04-08T10:45:00.000-04:002012-04-08T10:45:49.550-04:00TuneIn iPhone appI've been listening to more and more Korean radio. My 듣기실력 really need some improvement! I was using MBC mini and SBS 고릴라 apps but the <a href="http://tunein.com/mobile/ios/">TuneIn</a> app is much better in my opinion. Much more reliable, loads up quickly, and a good variety of stations to listen to. 한국 라디오 고고씽! My favorite station is TBS 95.1 FM.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-9709896542410545162011-01-09T08:20:00.001-05:002011-01-09T08:20:27.373-05:00Ridin SoloWhen I first moved to Seoul, I had a hard time finding a place to live. There are so many 부동산 / real estate offices everywhere. Some years I would visit 10 different offices just to see about 20 places in the area I wanted to live. 부동산s share lots of information with each other, and share the commission. But it is important to note that often they keep the best apartments to themselves. For this reason, it is important to check around.<br />
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If you need to study Korean more and don't feel comfortable going to a 부동산 on your own, there are a couple sites you can check out. <a href="http://nearsubway.com/">nearsubway.com</a> is good for places all over Seoul, especially the Gangnam area. He is expensive but extremely friendly and helpful. <br />
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If you are looking around Itaewon, <a href="http://edenrealty.co.kr/">edenrealty.co.kr</a> is a good site to check. Plenty of cheap places with low deposits. Call him up, his office is by Noksapyeong Station.<br />
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If you can read Korean well I would recommend a Naver cafe like Peter Pan. It would be easier to pay the same rents the Koreans pay using this site, and sometimes you can get a contract for less than a year.<br />
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Happy apartment hunting!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-3523363567073553302010-12-30T10:14:00.002-05:002011-01-02T17:49:27.297-05:00My All Time Favorite ShoesCheck <a href="http://airmax90fr.com/air-max-2003-c-8.html">these</a> out. The Nike Air Max 2003 SS. The best shoes I've ever bought. Really light, comfortable, and I think they look cool too.<br />
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So I want another pair. Looks like they are really tough to find. Champs Sports in the US doesn't have them in their whole system, I got an employee to look on their company computer. When he was checking them out he told me how nice they were.<br />
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You can get them in Asia, at least. I got mine in Itaewon, in one of the shoe stores on the Hamilton Hotel side out exit one.<br />
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I have the black ones with red. Those seem readily available online now. I have size US12, CM 30 which, needless to say, are harder to find in Asia. If anyone knows where to find US12 (many sites list this as size 300) 에어 멕스 2003 SS shoes in different colors, please leave a comment! <br />
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A product ID : 314977-100. I hope to get my hands on another pair of these!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-2467750648735127352010-12-28T11:49:00.000-05:002010-12-28T11:49:54.266-05:00Oh, Na-naAnyone got their iPhone working in a 현대 Genesis to play mp3s? I thought it would be simple, just plugged it in but it said it was invalid.<br />
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I lost my short 아이폰 usb cable that I bought in 용산 for under $2USD! Doh! I go to apple.com and how much do they want for a replacement cable? $20! 얘라이Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-86211062653175026302010-12-22T08:32:00.000-05:002010-12-22T08:32:28.353-05:00If you come to Japan, everything will be fine.That is the subject of the most recent email I got from Japanesepod101.com. I bet everything would be fine, I've been over to Japan 4 or 5 times and thought it was quite fine indeed.<br />
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I loved the sushi there of course. 2nd for quality sushi would be Korea then a distant 3rd, the US. It is fresher as expected. I've been told they put maybe a bit of vinegar in the rice and somehow get it fluffier. Whatever they do, it's good!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-54912047046225482222010-12-20T08:42:00.000-05:002010-12-21T17:06:32.102-05:00내가 쓰는 아이폰 어플I got my iPhone 4 in the US, and much to my chagrin I had to wait 90 days before I could use it in South Korea. It is AT&T policy.<br />
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For messaging, I use <a href="http://www.kakao.com/en">KakaoTalk</a> 카카오톡. It is so simple and easy to use, and plenty of Koreans with iPhones have it so they should be able to add you easily.<br />
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The msn app for messaging is horrible. 네이트온 UC is ok.<br />
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Don't pay for your 문자!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-30373296843871688252010-12-19T04:35:00.000-05:002010-12-19T18:35:57.201-05:00추운 겨울에도 스타일 위너!My buddy is <a href="http://coreadelsur.weebly.com/">exporting</a> laptops from Korea to Argentina. Check out the <a href="http://coreadelsur.weebly.com/">MSI CR 720</a> he is offering.<br />
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Yongsan is a great place to get your electronics in Korea. Now you can take advantage of their prices even if you don't live in Seoul!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-31665635179642262392010-12-17T13:05:00.001-05:002010-12-19T13:12:47.368-05:00(What's the Story)I signed a contract for an LG phone years ago, with a deposit of W40,000. My SKY phone was great.<br />
Because I was on an E2 visa, they wouldn't like me sign up unless a Korean co-signed.<br />
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I signed a new contract with <a href="http://www.sktelecom.com/eng/">SK</a> and I could do it myself, but they took W200k for the deposit. They just required my ARC. I've been really pleased with their 서비스 (service). Free phone too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-29078743038312176772010-12-16T08:58:00.000-05:002010-12-19T13:12:20.311-05:00Airplanes, Part II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J6msoKeqlsk/TQy_e1TjgvI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/mlD7DIcd-eQ/s1600/seoul%2B019.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J6msoKeqlsk/TQy_e1TjgvI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/mlD7DIcd-eQ/s200/seoul%2B019.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552022977067057906" /></a><br />
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The view from my place by Gangnam Station where I stayed when I visited. The building is really currrrrrrrrrvy. <br />
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So I couldn't pass the FSOT ( Foreign Service Officer Test ). And I've moved back to the USA but have been back to Seoul to visit already. Immigration took my ARC ( Alien Resident Card ) when I left but they let me back in to visit with no problems.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-66320621846595341532010-12-13T18:36:00.000-05:002010-12-19T18:41:12.151-05:00Let it beI had to request my medical records for my right knee and have them sent to the US. The hospital couldn't figure out who I was at first because my name is entered in Korean for my insurance there. It cost W70k.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-69525341529059604282010-11-09T17:13:00.000-05:002010-12-21T17:14:24.984-05:00Call Me When You're SoberI was wondering if the Facecreeper app on Facebook is real. It is supposed to tell you who checks out your profile the most on FB... i.e. e-stalking. Anyone know if Facecreeper really works?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-60972962669701220732009-03-31T17:12:00.001-04:002010-12-19T13:18:23.388-05:00Hi, Korea.Extending Your E2 Visa in Korea.<br />
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Please note everyone's situation is different and regulations are changing all the time. Just thought I'd put this stuff up here because there's confusion about it amongst my coworkers and friends that teach here. Hope this can help out a bit.<br />
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I got my visa for another year here. <a href="http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/main_en.pt">Seoul Immigration</a> required a photocopy of my contract with my school, a health check, criminal background check, my passport, W80,000, two types of academy business registration, a reference letter, and my Alien Residence card. <br />
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I got the health check done at <a href="http://www.cmcsungmo.or.kr/global/eng/front">Saint Mary's.</a> Lots of running around all over the place there but it was much cheaper than the other places I looked into. <br />
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I got a state criminal background check but had to go to the <a href="http://seoul.usembassy.gov/uploads/images/uTaNZIVGBb98htMTFbY61w/wwwgemap.gif">US Embassy</a> and have them vouch for me about having no criminal record.<br />
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W50,000 was for multiple entry and W30,000 was for the new visa itself. You'll have to go downstairs to buy stamps for it.<br />
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Your school should help you along a bit but it's a bit complicated. <br />
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Make an appointment at the <a href="http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/main_en.pt">Seoul Immigration</a> website if you're short for time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-52093889547600770472009-03-31T07:04:00.003-04:002009-03-31T07:08:12.852-04:00Here's Your Future<a href="http://englishspectrum.net">English Spectrum</a> and <a href="http://www.worknplay.co.kr/">WorknPlay</a> are the best sites I've found for finding part and full time jobs teaching in Korea. Worknplay used to have a ton more but then the economy got worse and they started charging a bunch for employers to post ads on there.<br /><br />Anyways I've spent some time on these sites cuz I'm now officially back on the trading block ie lookin for a new job.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-63609119825037426662009-02-23T10:09:00.002-05:002009-02-23T10:10:55.476-05:00아이온아이온 is fun if you're into that kind of thing... mmorpg. The 위치 찾기 option makes it easy to figure out what you should do next.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-11360691480790254142009-02-18T20:04:00.002-05:002009-02-18T20:10:26.182-05:00ThrowedI've met more than a few people here who have downtime between classes/shifts, and use that time to lift. Protein powder and other supplements aren't too easy to find around here, and GNC is wildly overpriced in Korea. Try these:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.speedns.com/">SpeedNS</a><br /><br /><a href="http://mass119.com/">Mass119</a><br /><br /><a href="http://maxpowershop.com/">MaxPowerShop</a><br /><br />I used Mass119 with no problems.<br /><br />If you can't navigate those sites in Firefox, use IE. If you can't navigate those sites because it's in Korean, please... <a href="http://korean.sogang.ac.kr/">learn some.</a>^^Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-31221858401898923912008-12-23T08:13:00.004-05:002008-12-23T08:28:26.361-05:00Waiting RoomLost my wallet last weekend so I had to go in to Immigration to reissue my Alien Registration Card (ARC). No sweat, cuz I <a href="http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/main_en.pt">made a reservation</a>. Just register and click on Reserve Visit. That place can get packed sometimes and it's not really centrally located so make sure you don't waste time goin out there only to find that you need to wait in line behind half of your fellow expats. I was in and out of there in 15 minutes.<br /><br />Oh ya and when I extended my E2 visa for a second year I lost my multiple reentry so I got a new one there, W50,000. Bring cash and you'll be directed to go downstairs to buy stamps for however much you need.<br /><br />I was reminded last night that goin to a club and 80s music aren't really my things, but Fugazi's Waiting Room rocks. Better than the waiting room at immigration, even.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-45283693448994500292008-11-30T01:53:00.003-05:002008-11-30T01:56:37.830-05:00NBA International League PassIt's tough to keep up with sports back home here, espn.com can only take me so far...<br />I got the <a href="http://ilp.nba.com/">NBA International League Pass</a> and got to see the Knicks put up 82 in one half. Quality is almost like TV and there's no buffering or lag problems that I've had so far. The exchange rate to the dollar is a bit hard to swallow though.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-515424135756458792008-11-16T04:36:00.003-05:002008-11-16T04:44:48.612-05:00Like ThisStill can't run but been biking alot and gotten my quad a lot stronger. So it's feeling good and so far the surgery is lookin like a success. I'm surprised it's taking so long for the nerves around the surgery site to recover full feeling though. <br /><br />I think I was having so much pain before because my leg muscles wasted away so much while I was on crutches, so the joint was put under too much pressure. More than four months have passed now, and I can bike at a moderate speed with no pain. As the doc's instructions I've been doing leg extensions, light squats only 45 degrees deep and balance work. Along with theraband work to work up the muscles in my ankle and toes.<br /><br />If you came here after searching about knee surgeries in Korea and have more questions, feel free to email me. People have been asking about it...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-52412000924307103082008-09-21T11:55:00.003-04:002008-09-21T12:03:44.931-04:00YellowThings I'll miss<br /><br />Raw Tuna<br />Friends<br />Cheap Taxis and the friendly people that drive them in the daytime<br />Butter Waffles<br />Kimchi (sometimes)<br />5 dollar doctor visits<br />Itaewon<br />Box Hunting<br /><br />Things I won't<br /><br />Taxi Drivers who want to rip me off at night<br />Dirty streets<br />Dirty air<br />Traffic<br />Stares<br />Overpriced, horrible imitation Western food<br />Princesses<br />GangnamUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-88999655725384055842008-09-14T07:17:00.002-04:002008-09-14T07:25:43.228-04:00Whatever You LikeSo I had to <a href="http://www.operationsports.com/forums/ncaa-football-rosters/">get my rosters for NCAA 09</a> and now I am set. Spiller has got wheels and Herbstreit even points out that he runs track for Clemson in the off-season.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-46950200061014917242008-07-22T09:08:00.003-04:002008-07-22T09:30:12.161-04:00Play Your Part (Pt.2)So the next step, rehab, is in some ways more important than the surgery itself. Been about 3 weeks since the surgery and I got another 3 weeks left on crutches. Still a bit swollen but the stitches were taken out last week. Almost no pain! Just a weird feeling when I raise it straight out a little below the kneecap. Like someone taking tape off my skin, only on the inside.<br /><br />I had my meniscus repaired on both the medial and lateral sides. And also cartilage debridement. So I got to go in for rehab 3 times for 2 weeks then 5 days a week for 4 weeks. <br /><br />The therapist checks general knee flexibility. Then it's iced for a bit and I do the arm bike (don't know the official term for it) for 15 minutes. Stretch to warm up then it's about 90 minutes of stuff all focused on the muscles around my knee.<br /><br />Weighted leg raises lying down in all four directions. Pushing out with a band around the knees. Pressing in with a ball between the knees. Pressing down with a ball under the knee. Some other stuff and time flies by. Ice it again after. It feels better after I do all the rehab than before, actually.<br /><br />The therapists don't speak English that great but they can use body language and I'm following along with a bunch of pro and college atheletes, mostly soccer players. It's a great environment, everyone motivated and working together to get back out there... Feels great cuz I think I made the right choice getting my knee fixed up at this place. Drop me a line if you need details for the place.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-21355599614642291842008-07-14T20:03:00.000-04:002008-07-14T20:03:01.011-04:00I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)Not being able to walk yet gives me time to write about something I said I would a while ago. Knee is still a bit swollen but the nerves down there are getting a little better every day so I can feel pain more! Yea!<br /><br />The Foreign Service Officer Test is taken by people who know they have a 5% chance of actually becoming a FSO. When I took it in Yongsan, Seoul the test takers came from a bunch of different backgrounds and age groups as one might expect. Had a little trouble finding the test location but a nice Korean Army guy pointed me in the right direction.<br /><br />I would've done better to have brushed up on high school social studies stuff and all the hot topics in the news these days. I took it on the computer and everything was smooth. <br /><br />The test moderator said if it were up to him, he'd hire me on the spot simply because I was on time, organized and friendly. Too bad, I didn't pass the test and will have to try next year if I'm still looking for direction in my life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963528.post-61814377961944443862008-07-13T07:41:00.005-04:002008-07-13T20:01:31.677-04:00Money MakerI need some new clothes that fit and aren't too tight (ie not small Korean style) so I got to turn to the internet. <br /><br />I got a couple shirts from <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/">cafepress</a> with no problems, I'm a bigger guy and it's tough to find even tshirts here that fit decently. I got <a href="http://t-shirts.cafepress.com/item/california-republic-organic-cotton-tee/27215598">this one</a> cuz I'm thinkin about moving there and needed to be banging in my white tee.<br /><br />I don't know when or why one has to pay import tax on stuff sent to here from out of the country but my cafepress order was under $60 and I wasn't taxed.<br /><br />I'm tryin <a href="http://www.footlocker.com">Foot Locker</a> next. There's a base $50 fee to ship but again it's a matter of finding something I like. And stuff in the Adidas and Nike stores here are more expensive than back home anyway so payin the fifty bucks is something I can handle.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abercrombie.com">Abercrombie</a> finally got cargo shorts for sale again on their website and they ship to Korea too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0