Welcome New EPIK Teachers!

With the end of summer, this marks the first day of work for many new teachers that arrived in Ulsan less than a week ago. Ulsan Online would like to welcome all of the teachers to Ulsan and to give you a quick tour of our site and our city.

Ulsan Online

We are by far the best resource in Ulsan aside from certain lifers lurking around the city. There is so much information here that we’d like to show you a few of the key features to this site that will help you get settled and get around. The tabs at the top of the page will give you pretty much every thing you need to know about living in Ulsan, here is a brief overview.

Transportation

This an important aspect of Korea and one of the major complaints about Ulsan. Lack of a subway system means that residents rely heavily on grounded transportation or personal vehicles unlike other cities in Korea. Thus, the need for  English bus schedules and route information is needed. Fear not, Ulsan Online went through the painstaking process just for you!

Ulsan Bus Routes

Ulsan Train Routes

Mybi Cards, these are Korea’s version of the bus pass. They are sold at major stations in the little white shacks and also many convenience stores.  The words are in konglish so you do not need to speak Korean to get them. They work on a charge system, so you just have to put money on them and swipe them upon entering the bus. Buses are cheap and cost about 1,000 or 3,100 for the 5000 series (new red busses) which do runs out to the KTX station. Mybi cards can also be used in subways, taxis and parking lots but check first to see if your card will work outside of Ulsan.

The train stations have been separated for some time now. Be aware, that Ulsan Station is located out of town near Eon-yang and is only a KTX station, that is the high-speed rail system in Korea. Thus, it does not service all cities in Korea, just the major ones. Taehwagang Station, is the old station and it runs the regular trains that service the rest of the country. These are the cheaper trains and you can get to places like Haeudae beach for about 3,000 won.

Taxis are efficient and can be found on mass throughout the city. Fares start at 2,200 won and increase after 12 am. You will find that for the most part, the drivers are friendly and helpful but be aware that they may be crusty and grumpy some days too. Be patient and they will take you where you want to go for cheap.

Many now accept card payments. If you are wanting to pay by a credit card, ask first as some may not be equipped or simply don’t want to use their machine. So, it is better to ask or to let them know what you want to pay with.

Shopping and Night Life

There are several great places to shop for things that fit a westerner’s need while living in a foreign country. After a while you will need some things from home, like home food, deodorant, bacon, etc. Again, Ulsan Online has taken the steps to make it easier for you. First, lets look at the Where to Buy… feature located under the leisure and culture tab. Simply type the product that you are looking for in the search field and the answers will come instantly.

Costco has many of the foods and items you may miss from home. You will have to purchase a membership but after that you can enjoy many bulk items that are hard to find in others stores.

Shopping Locations around Ulsan.

Big box stores like Lotte Mart, Emart and Home Plus are where most people shop on a regular basis. Be aware that these stores have to close on certain days of the month. To find these days check the event calendar on this site.  Other stores to look at are places like Foreigner Town, which has a wide variety of hard to find imported items.

As for other shopping areas, Mugeo Dong (university district), Seongnam Dong (old downtown) and Samsan Dong (new downtown) are all good places to shop. Mugeo Dong is the university area so expect a lot of cafes, cheap food and cheap fashion for younger people.

Seongnamdong is the old downtown but offers two theaters, many restaurants and decent cafes. There are also great dollar shops like Diaso for people looking to pick up things for their new apartment on the cheap side.

Samsandong is the trendy area for both young Koreans and foreigners alike. Sporting two high end department stores, a shopping mall with an IMAX theater, several western restaurants and numerous bars. This is becoming the place to be in Ulsan. With the new face lift the area received in the last few years, it is finally looking like something more than a rundown side street.

For more information about Ulsan’s thriving nightlife, check out Ulsan Online’s Nightlife Guide

Also check out the extensive restaurant reviews for any place worth eating in Ulsan.

Lastly,  please remember that information and places change frequently in Ulsan. So please keep in mind that articles from 5 years ago might not be 100% accurate. This also includes bus routes and restaurants. We do our best to keep things up to date but as the city grows, we do not catch everything. We appreciate your understanding.

I would like to wish all the best in your new life in Ulsan and I hope that Ulsan Online and the information that we’ve provided will help you to have the best time here in this great city.

If you have any questions, please join our facebook group and consider signing up for our monthly newsletter.