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Hey guys. Quick post here..booked my flight to Seoul last week. I'll be traveling from Chicago-Tokyo-Seoul and getting in at about 9:30PM on 8/15.
I have a few questions for those of you who have been to Korea:
1. I've started to make a packing list, shown here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x6OKDnGiIEYte78NZx4yYqK_xb2Cod84I5ZkRYOltYA/edit
Can anyone recommend things I should take that are not on the list? I will be studying at Korea University for four months. The permissions for the document allow anyone to comment on it.
2. I've found a few hotel prices for one night/one person and they seem to be a bit pricy. Can anyone show me better options (that aren't particularly sketchy).
3. I'll also have to figure out my cell phone once I'm there. With a Samsung i777, it isn't a world phone..and I won't be able to just use my SIM card. I'm planning to use Google Voice for calls if I need them but the WiFi apparently requires something called an Alien Registration Card (ARC). Anyone dealt with this as a foreigner?
Thanks in advance! I'll be traveling from Seoul to Busan on 8/16 too and am planning to take KTX-II, which I feel is the best option.
Thanks guys!
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Bring a good supply of deodorant. It's hard to find in Korea (Korean sweat doesn't smell due to genetics) and very pricey.
If you enjoy electric razors, bring your own. Also hard to find.
You'll get an ARC card (your Korean ID card) probably within 2-3 weeks of landing in Korea (you need it, not optional). You'll probably be korean phoneless until you get yours.
Do you need to stay in hotels for an extended period of time? If not, you can always stay in hostels or in Korean spas (jjimjilbang). Most korean spas are 8-10 thousand won (think 7-9 dollars), but you only get a small locker to lock your things (not big enough for luggage).
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Thanks, yeah I need to store my massive suitcase I'll be bringing for that one night. I'll be traveling to Busan the next day for a week and then coming back to Seoul to start my semester.
I'll bring a good supply of deodorant.  thanks! I assume there's some sort of place to go get this card..easy to find?
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If your staying for a night or too, and want some comfort for your first night, motels go for 50-100k and usually are pimping with a big screen, pc and the like.
Agree with the deodorant....I'd say if your a tall/big lad, bring plenty oif clothes as its difficult to buy bigger sizes in Korea. I have a real problem with shoes, I'm a UK 12-13 US and its impossible to get shoes to fit. Korean shoes usually go to 275cm which is like a 9 I think....which sucks so if you have big feet, bring a few spare shoes
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Don't stay in a hotel, it's not worth it.
If you go to a website like hostelworld then you can easily find a guesthouse or hostel for 15-25k a night, and if you pick one with a good user rating then you shouldn't have any problems. I've stayed with several guesthouses in Seoul and they've all been friendly and helpful. If you find one close to your school then you can stay there for a few days while you sort out long-term accommodation.
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On July 23 2012 16:14 FuRong wrote:
Don't stay in a hotel, it's not worth it.
If you go to a website like hostelworld then you can easily find a guesthouse or hostel for 15-25k a night, and if you pick one with a good user rating then you shouldn't have any problems. I've stayed with several guesthouses in Seoul and they've all been friendly and helpful. If you find one close to your school then you can stay there for a few days while you sort out long-term accommodation.
I was in Hotels which cost about 30-40k... Big Flatscreen, decent PC with internet... Worth it? You decide... But i never was at a place that was over 40k/night and most of them were really decent/ok.
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Also, you might have more luck finding bargain deals if you expand your searches to 'motels'. There's some 'love motels' that are really cheap in the more scuzzy areas (seongnam, for example), but still are really nice. They're probably not the hotels you find easily online, but they should be cheaper. Motels really aren't expensive in Korea. PC/DVD bangs, as mentioned above, are also a possibility, especially since you can sleep on the KTX.
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On July 23 2012 15:01 OptimusYale wrote:
If your staying for a night or too, and want some comfort for your first night, motels go for 50-100k and usually are pimping with a big screen, pc and the like.
Agree with the deodorant....I'd say if your a tall/big lad, bring plenty oif clothes as its difficult to buy bigger sizes in Korea. I have a real problem with shoes, I'm a UK 12-13 US and its impossible to get shoes to fit. Korean shoes usually go to 275cm which is like a 9 I think....which sucks so if you have big feet, bring a few spare shoes
I'll only be staying for one night, my permanent accomodations in Seoul will be a dorm at KU. I never thought about the shoes...I wear an 11-12US so I guess I'd have problems finding them. Thanks for letting me know!
On July 23 2012 16:14 FuRong wrote:
If you go to a website like hostelworld then you can easily find a guesthouse or hostel for 15-25k a night, and if you pick one with a good user rating then you shouldn't have any problems. I've stayed with several guesthouses in Seoul and they've all been friendly and helpful. If you find one close to your school then you can stay there for a few days while you sort out long-term accommodation.
Good to know thanks. I'll take a look and probably post again if I have any more questions.
PC bang could also be another option...but basically my flight itinerary goes like this:
Leave at 13:35 CST (03:35 KST) and reach Tokyo at 02:20 CST (16:20KST)
Leave Tokyo at 04:40 CST (18:40 KST) and reach Seoul at 07:15 CST (21:15 KST)
So I'm naturally going to try to stay awake...but no promises. Any tips on sleeping during this time?
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If you're staying for one day, go find a guesthouse. I stayed in one in hongdae called bibim house(not sure if this will be far from where you need to go the next day , but you can get there by taking the subway at the airport with no transfers) , and they will pick you up from the train station. Highly recommend, awesome owners. A dorm room would cost you like 15k won.
http://bibimguesthouse.com/
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On July 24 2012 00:18 krndandaman wrote:
^ are you planning on adjusting to the time zone right away?
if so, do your best to not sleep on the plane at all and you will crash the moment you lay down on a bed in korea lol (since you're arriving at night)
works for me all the time
I can make an attempt but I know it'll take a few days
On July 24 2012 00:18 sigh wrote:If you're staying for one day, go find a guesthouse. I stayed in one in hongdae called bibim house(not sure if this will be far from where you need to go the next day , but you can get there by taking the subway at the airport with no transfers) , and they will pick you up from the train station. Highly recommend, awesome owners. A dorm room would cost you like 15k won. http://bibimguesthouse.com/
I may check this out! Sounds awesome Thanks!!
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EPT
