Comments on: Things to Do in Jeonju in 24 Hours: The Love I let get away…

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:26:16 +0000

In reply to Carrie. @Carrie: Congrats. I'm excited for you, Jeonju was such a cute town. I just realized my slide photos are showing up, but you'll like it. Vegan bloggers: Check out Vegan around the Worldand Alien's Day out (she's got a list of vegan restaurants in Seoul) and there's expat Korea vegan groups on FB too. There are Korean foods that are veggie so you can ask your co-teacher. Some vegans order extra products online, Loving Hut is a chain of restaurants (which also sells frozen soy products) & if you stumble upon garbanzo beans and stuff, buy it. Aaand, if you're really starving, take the train to Seoul. You'll have a love affair with it. Good luck & fighting!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 22:57:03 +0000

Hey! I came across this blog post when I was researching Jeonju after being offered a job there. This post pretty much helped me decide to take the job and I’m looking forward to experiencing Jeonju!
Thanks for all of your information about Korea. I’ve been reading it all in my preparation to move there in a few weeks. I love it! I’m also a vegan right now and your articles gave me hope that I will be able to maintain at least a vegetarian lifestyle in Korea! yay!

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:42:04 +0000

In reply to Bonnie. @Bonnie: Hello! Yeah, the big city isn't for everyone. Smaller cities like Jeonju offer a more personal experience and quaint lifestyle. Jeonju is actually still pretty big from what I saw though. It seems to have a nice balance of things-- a bit of cosmopolitan, artsy and Korea. It's got a small flavor of Seoul without the fast pace and large crowds.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:29:54 +0000

Hi again-
I’m just not a big city person…I’ve spent a few summers in Seoul and was there for 6 months last year, and have been in Jeonju for 8 months now. There are neighborhoods I’m very fond of in Seoul but getting around and dealing with the crowds gives me a headache. It’s true that if I was going to be in Korea long term (like really long-term, 5-10 years) I’d probably want to be somewhere in Seoul or very near Seoul. But for the 2 years I’ll be in Jeonju the size and vibe are perfect. (Plus the 2.5 hours to Seoul by bus doesn’t bother me at all).

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:33:18 +0000

In reply to Bonnie.

@Bonnie: Thanks for dropping by & leaving a message. If I do re-sign for another year, I prob won’t choose Daegu. While it is centrally located and great for travel, the lifestyle doesn’t align w/ me comfortably. Yes, Jeonju definitely felt more laid-back and friendly but I think it’s interesting that you prefer Jeonju to Seoul, seeing as there’s so much to do in Seoul. How long have you been here? Will let you know if I drop by Jeonju again– would love to meet up! 😉 I know I’ll definitely be checking out Gwangju. I’m concerned it may be a bit big but I hear it’s an artsy city. It was actually my 3rd or 4th choice due to that impression.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:49:48 +0000

I’ve been reading your blog and really enjoy it…I live in Jeonju and like it a lot. I’ve lived in Seoul too and much prefer Jeonju, despite its small size. It’s not all roses, but in many ways it’s one of the more relaxed cities I’ve been in Korea while still having enough amenities to keep the foreigners in its midst happy. Did you sign on for another year in Daegu? If you stop by Jeonju or the area again let me know- I’ve met some good friends in Korea over time via blogs. If you get a chance check out Gwangju a little over an hour to the south in Jeollanamdo, as it’s bigger but has a similar mellow vibe in certain neighborhoods (including a cute Art Street).

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:42:59 +0000

The Jeollas have always been more liberal than the rest of the country. During the Korean War, the area was the last hold out of the communists, which is part of why they’re still liberal and part of why they’re largely neglected by the rest of Korea – they are somewhat seen as traitors.

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:02:35 +0000

In reply to Kelsey. @Kelsey: It was surprising how creative that area was given that yeah, the Jeollas are more rural. A part of me really finds fascination with that coast, though and it seems like the idyllic getaway into the countryside. It's actually what I thought Korea might be a little more like vs. developed. I'll definitely need to explore the Jeollas more and Jindo is still on my list!

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:25:51 +0000

I’m glad that you found Jeonju to be a fun place. I often feel like the Jeollas get a bad rap because they’re largely rural, but really, they can be great places. Though I hated my school, I loved my location in Jindo, and I felt that Jeollanamdo was considerably more liberal and creative than much of the rest of the country.

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:33:14 +0000

In reply to Eileen. @Eileen: Thanks for stumbling and welcome to Daegu! The best resources to familiarize yourself with are the bus, subway and train. Daegu has 4 bus stations, 2 train stations and a decent metro line- because of that, its fairly easy to do day trips and get around. One thing you will find frustration with is that there's little online assistance as to the Getting There part for some cities & finding the correct bus station is confusing. I have some transportation info in my itinerary section, which currently is a ongoing resource for myself & I try to document a bit of how I got there. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or are in need of a friend.