Spent my first night in the new home. But before I discuss any further, some background. I’ve spent over seven years in the Republic of Korea. In those seven years, I’ve managed quite successfully to avoid living in that den of inequity that otherwise functions as the nation’s capital (for now, anyway). Fuck, I spent a whole year in-country before I even visited Seoul. Now, don’t get me wrong — Seoul’s a nice enough city, and definitely the best functioning city of 10 million plus I’ve ever been to, but I’m a ch’on-nom at heart and Seoul just isn’t why I’ve chosen to live in Korea.
Anyway, I was lucky enough to be offered a position where I read (and translate) the news, which is kinda like what I do here on my blog, with the crucial difference being that I’ll actually get paid to do it. So the wife and I packed up what few worldly possessions we have and headed up Seoul. My wife was tasked the week before with finding a suitable place of abode, and being as she is somewhat Korean-illiterate, that pretty much limited her base of operations to the area outside the sprawling (and much talked-about) American military installation at Yongsan. She decided on a place near Noksap’yeong Station, which had the advantage of being near the home she used to live in when her father was stationed here as an official with MIAT (Mongolia’s national air carrier). On Tuesday, I finally got a look at my new home — it’s a nice enough place, and for the first time in my life, I live in a place that actually feels like it’s mine (the contract has my name on the bottom of it). But for a guy whose previous cities of residence reads Mungyeong, Namyangju, Yangju, and Kwangju, my new neighborhood is going to take a bit getting used to. This is, afterall, It’aeweon, and no one — and I no mean no one — should be forced to make the transition from Kwangju to It’aeweon without the help of some sort of halfway house or something. I mean, this place is just bizarre, and while it’s always been good for a weekend bender, I never imagined calling it my home. It’s bad enough having to adjust to to my new place of work — as soon as I get out of the subway station, I start staring all wide-eyed at the tall buildings and the general commotion going on near Kwanghwamun. Heck, the fact that I have to take a subway to work is a rather new experience. But then I’ve got to go back to a home that sits two floors up from a very active karaoke club and a neighborhood where I can actually here people speaking English — English! — outside my window. Granted, for some people, this might seem like a good thing, but to someone who just spent the last seven years of his life in the sticks, it’s the cultural equivalent of a bad acid trip — you just want to barricade yourself in the bathtub, shut off all the lights, and pray to God that the voices go away.
I should be fine in a couple of days.
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16 Comments
i have to say, i’m sad for you marmot. congrats on the job and all, but mark my words, on the nicest days of each respective season, you’ll miss mudeung-san more than you’ll ever know. you can take the nom out of the ch’on, but. . . .
oh, and be careful marmot…. itaewon - where boys are boys and girls might be too.
Damn! It’s great to hear that your new hole is here in Seoul. I have been a faithful reader for ages and live just down the hill from Itaewon, PoGwangDong. You of course have heard that PoGwangDong is home to several BoShingTang restaurants!!! Contact me and I will give you a tour of some of the better establishments in town, such as 3-Alley Pub where some conservative types like myself hang out.
Let’s have a beer sometime, eat some dogmeat soup, etc.
Marinelurp,
AKA Don Bell
I’m not a big-city person, either, but always somehow manage to end up in one. Good luck with the transition. Since you’re already more than fluent in Korean, I doubt it’s going to be that hard to get used to the quickened pace… and the noise.
And the pollution.
And the vomit splatters.
Oy.
Kevin
Don’t worry in just a few short years those English voices will be gone. I wouldn’t want to live in Itaewon either. I’m a small town Iowa boy and prefer the sticks to the big city too. Good luck with your new job. Your blog is the best.
Heh, living in LA is quite a trip as well. And I don’t exactly enjoy it because I am not too good with crowds and crowds of people but at the same time I need to be where life is. I guess I just have to attribute it to living in the San Fernando Valley which is a suburb of LA. There are no tall buildings but there are pretty of large ones. It’s crowded as well but nothing like LA where everyone seems to lose their minds, or even worse, become what I hate most in life, wannabes… Hollywood and Beverly Hills can do that to a person…
Seoul is more like San Francisco than LA.
marmot,
dude, you’ll grow to love seoul. i lived there for over 2 years and i loved it.
Welcome to Seoul, I’ve been here for 7 years and love it - but I only go to Itaewon once a year to buy shoes.
It’ll grow on you, and if you feel daring you can take a bus to kwanghamun from noksapyoung…
Welcome to the Ghetto, Marmot!
Actually, I lived in exactly the same neighbourhood for a year and I loved it! The only multi-cultural place in Korea! Indian food!
Too bad Phillies Dave is gone, though. After I left his profits went in the toilet.
I lived on the hill up above Noksapyong for several years. Random advice:
-Backlink to Seeing Eye Blogger Mike Ferrin’s columns for some great restaurant tips (among other advice), including the new Taco stand out on the main road toward #3 tunnel. As Kimcheepig says, the area is riddled with decent Indian restaurants and a few Turkish ones.
-For Mrs Marmot’s mutton needs, the halal grocer caddy corner across from the 3 Alleys Pub sells Australian lamb at low prices. It also has tonnes of legumes and spices for curry.
-The young American and Canadian lads in the Kunyang Band rock with an eclectic cover set list at the Big Electric Cat in the back alley behind the Hamilton. I think they play Friday nights.
-Kim’s Club down by the kimchee pots at Heibangchon is cheap for beer and many groceries. There is a big Carrefour accessible from the #6 subway line at the World Cup stadium station, maybe 20 mins from Noksapyong.
-Although you’ve taken a big fresh air hit moving to Seoul, there are plenty of decent day hike-able mountains rimming Seoul. Even Namsan, walkable from your new hole, makes a nice morning walk.
Wow, I made that exact same transition a few years ago (the Gwangju-to-Itaewon part… not the other countryside abodes). This was back when Gwangju didn’t even have a Burger King, so the switch was much more a shock to the system. But I couldn’t imagine going back now… just too many conveniences and energy in the big city. Even Seoul.
Remember, if Itaewon gets you down, you can always move north (Pyeongchan-dong) or south (Gwanak)… both are much easier on the system. Or, if you like the city, western Seoul (Shinchon, Hongdae, etc.), I find to be much more pleasant.
I agree with about 99% of what you think of Itaewon. Good place for a foreigner to meet other foreigners when you first arrive in Seoul, but after a few weeks, time to move on. Haha. Best of luck living there. Keep up the great writing.
Ah, Robert, how much I don’t envy you
I spent a year in Pogwangdong, in a remote enough back street, and it was, well, an experience that I could endure only because I was under 30 then (and the lack of metro, already? still? under construction, didn’t help…). I only go to It’aewon now to eat French or Italian food, or for a (not so quick) burger at Nashville (souvenirs, souvenirs) or Gecko’s with Oranckay. Since It’aewon is on my way home>office, I don’t have to get out of my way to go there…
And the best Indian food in Seoul is definitely not there…
Welcome to the center of Seoul. Been in the global village for over five years.
The best thing about Itaewon in my opinion is the central location.
And I beg to differ with the previous post, but the best Indian food I’ve found in Seoul is Shankranthi, whose owners just opened up New Delhi across the streeton the hill above Noksapyong.
Sorry to hear it. I’m a country boy, always have been, always will be. I had to live and work in Seoul for 18 months and it was pure hell on earth. Pollution, people, traffic, pollution, noise, crowds, high rent, and oh, did I mention the pollution?
Seeing Seoul in my rearview mirror was one of the best days of my life.
Best Indian food is at Dal, inside Art Sonjae center, across the ???????????흹?쨈?? near ?짼쩍?쨀??쨋?…
Marmot, two words, Ex-pat ghetto.
It is nice if you have base access. You can have a nice cheap meal on post that won’t break the bank. I agree with other bloggers when they recommend Western Seoul. The new hole is indeed just that, a hole! Welcome to Gotham.