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O! The Drama of it All

Who doesn’t love a drama? They’re just fun. Koreans TV dramas can be fun, too. But if you’re like a lot of the English speaking crowd here, you don’t understand Korean near well enough to warrant sitting down to watch any of them.  They’re not fun at all. I used to think it would be […]

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 […]

Pottery Classes in Dal Dong

A homemakers sense of beauty and style can be so homogenous because our options are limited. This means our cupboards are decorated with very similar dishes, cups and crockery. Sometimes I think that I fancy owning and decorating my kitchen with unique, original, valuable and meaningful ceramics. The ceramics which can be made ourselves, with […]

Atelier Haru: Minhwa Painting Classes in Ulsan

**UPDATE** Class Times: Tuesday 10 AM – 1 PM Wednesday 2-5 PM, 7-10 PM Thursday 10 AM – 1 PM, 2-5 PM, 7-10 PM Friday 7-10 PM Saturday 10 AM – 1 PM Prices: 150,000 won for a once-a-week course (5 times in one month) and 250,000 won for a twice-a-week course (10 times in […]

The Twelve Days of Love (reprinted from the Ulsan Pear)

Editor’s Note: This was originally published in the Ulsan Pear (the newspaper predecessor to UlsanOnline.com – you can check out the archives here) in February 2006. I’m republishing it here in celebration of White Day, which is tomorrow. By Mike Weber Every country and culture has its own unique courtship rituals. Sometimes, ideas and customs […]

Be Aware of Very Different Things

Coming to a new country and culture can be daunting. There are so many new things to learn, whether they are customs, manners, food, clothes and yes, even laws. For most things, the laws here in Korea are no different than laws in any other country.  No one needs to tell you that stealing is […]

New Year, Round 2

For those of you who had great aspirations of starting off 2012 right – you know, eat healthier, get fit, be nicer, get up before noon even if you start work at 3 – but have had trouble keeping your resolutions, you’re in luck! Here in Korea, you get two shots at a fresh start […]

Tomorrow is 11-11-11!

While the western world honours the fallen soldiers of World Wars I and II, and hold a moment of silence in memory of their sacrifice, an entirely different spirit prevails in Korea at 11:11 on 11/11. This is the moment when, apparently, if you exchange Pepero sticks with someone, your love will last forever. And […]

Cultural Differences – Getting Aquainted Part II

Korea is a strange place. Expats who have lived here for years still find themselves constantly surprised. The culture is inherently contradictory of itself, and while deeply rooted in centuries old customs, also changes and adapts faster than any other culture I’ve yet experienced. In the years I’ve lived here, I’ve seen some of the […]

The Ulsan Museum

A while ago I wrote an article for a national magazine on Ulsan and the comments that it received were far from nice. They said that Ulsan was “the most boring, polluted and dirty cities” that they’ve had the “displeasure” of living in. One commenter also mentioned that Ulsan has “zero in the way of […]

For our Korean Readers: Interacting with foreigners

“Are we really that different”? Interacting with foreigners while demonstrating a friendly atmosphere based on cultural understanding and communication. Korea is filled with an atmosphere of jovial spirits and good tidings, the language demonstrates a need for respecting elders, strangers (of Korean descent) and impressions of gratitude. “Wagukens” or “foreigners” coming to Korea are entertained […]

Please, Ma! Just 5 more minutes!

Julia is a bright 8-year-old grade-one student who, like most of her peers, attends an English hogwan after the state school is finished for the day. After English class, she has art class and piano class at other private academies. Once home, she does her homework for about an hour and a half before studying […]

Right Side Walking

Although Korea has been driving on the right side for a long time, they have walked on the left until recently. According to the Korea Times, The National Police has begun changing signs and encouraging citizens to walk on the right. There are new signs directing pedestrian traffic around Munsu Stadium. Therefore, Korea is in […]

Why North and South Korea Aren’t East and West Germany

With all the recent news regarding the 20th anniversary of the reunification of the two Germanys, many people have turned the focus on Korea and are wondering why these two countries are not working towards the same goal. The two sets of twins share many common traits. Both  countries were single entities before World War […]

Gender and Sexuality in Korea

There are gold nuggets sometimes to be found in strange places.  Perusing the comments section of a favorite site, I found an interesting white paper hosted on the Kinsey Institute (the sex psychologists) on the Sexuality of Koreans. Although originally written in 2001 and updated in 2003, things change fast. Not all of the the […]

Chuseok!

Wondering what all your students will be doing during the Chuseok holiday?  Pretty much the same things they do during the other big holiday, Lunar New Year.  Last winter, I wrote adescription of the ceremonies Korean conduct during these events. For westerners who’ve never seen one, its an eye-opener – especially the part about spooning […]

Get Your Qi On: Acupuncture

Here in Korea, it’s called “gi” and if you’re not sure what it is you may not know the joys you’ve been missing. Qi, or Gi, if you prefer, is the natural energy flow of the human body and is similar to “prana” in yoga. In traditional Korean medicine, the body has natural pathways of […]

Kimchi and Ginseng: The Korean Method of Health Maintenance

(Originally written for the Ulsan Pear in 2004, this article discusses the virus scare of that era – SARS. It’s interesting to note that since the Swine Flu pandemic, the same claims still have some legs. – Editor) Is there something that Koreans know that the World Health Organization should be told about? Is there […]

Korean Myths – Enhancing Your Mojo – Korea Style

An interview with a hospital administrator and health professional. Originally written for the Ulsan Pear by Keith Zufelt Mr. Park was approached in an attempt to get to the bottom of the whole man power” myth. The following are excerpts from a conversation I had with Mr. Park, written in the best Konglish that I […]

Korean Myths – Fan Death

  The quiet humming as it sits in the corner sends chills down my spine. On quiet nights I lie there awake, staring, fearing. I don’t want to become yet another statistic, I don’t want to die of fan death. Again.Fan Death. The rumours run like wildfire. Whispering  in the streets and alleys, mentions in […]

The New Village movement or The dictator who built Granny’s house.

Believe it or not, this is part 2 in my history of the development of Korea. “The New Village movement or What’s the name of the dictator that helped build Granny’s?” So gather ’round, because today, little children, I’m going to tell you the story of the Dictator and the village. During the Korean war, […]

New Year’s – Korean Style!

If you’ve been in Korea for more than a few weeks, you’ve been through two New Years holidays. The first and more minor of the two is January 1st. This is the New Years of the western world and is celebrated here in Korea but plays only a small part. On this holiday Koreans typically […]

Hanoks, Old Korean Houses

This is the first entry in my series about the development of one of the world’s most crowded countries. (Originally posted at www.urbanneighbourhood.wordpress.com) Unlike modern times, Korea’s population wasn’t always high, during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1920) it hung somewhere around 8 million. For a country (complete country) twice the size of Ireland, 8 million people […]

it’s a sauna, but not as you know it

When the fresh autumn winds come to Korea, they sweep away the incredibly hot days of summer and replace them with cooler, more manageable days. Days when the air con is off and you can walk to work without feeling you need a change of clothes. Summer activities and their accompanying summer clothes are packed […]

An interview with a Seaweed Farmer

We all eat it. It can be seen and purchased in stores and markets all over Asia and is one of the most commonly used food groups in this part of the world, yet it remains a relatively foreign concept in the west. Seaweed comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. Flavors between the different […]

Coming (Back) to Korea

Story by Martin Rehder Everyone who comes to live in Korea faces challenges. For some, it’s the language, others it’s the food and some struggle to find some semblance of western life. For certain individuals, however, the challenges of being ethnically Korean but culturally foreign present special problems the rest of us never have. Rachel […]

Difficult to Find Ingredients

Every week on the Ulsan Online Facebook group, we get requests for help locating specific, non-Korean ingredients or food that are not available in the neighbourhood marts, or even some larger grocery stores. Here is a list of places around Ulsan, or online, to check for those harder-to-find ingredients. Costco – While they still focus on […]

10 Tips for Vegetarians

I knew moving to Korea would prove a major challenge but never considered the challenge my vegetarian diet would create during my stay.  I didn’t know it then but in August 2011, I left behind many conveniences – delicious vegetarian friendly restaurants, inexpensive produce, and like-minded friends who loved to host brunches.  After my arrival, […]

Kimchi Power!

Touted as one of the world’s five healthiest foods, kimchi is low in fat, and believed by some to prevent SARS, cancer, AIDS and cure avian flu. But there’s also a strong correlation between heavy kimchi consumption and the high rate of stomach cancer among Koreans. So what’s the truth behind Korea’s national dish of […]

Sick of Hite? Brew your own!

By Derrick Langeneckert Are you sick of drinking Hite, Cass or OB?  Do you spend the 12,000W on a six pack of Heineken?  Are you tired of seeing your friends on Facebook drinking real beer at bars back in the US or Canada?  Has it been 3 years since you had your favorite IPA, Stout, […]

Beyond Ramyeon: Soups

As Autumn rolls in with clear blue skies and cooler temperatures, it’s a good time to explore the different soups on the menu. Many Korean main dishes are one-pot meals, much like the soups and stews we’re familiar with from home. The main difference here is that meat on the bone is considered the tastiest, […]

Beyond Ramyeon – Noodles

A beginner’s guide to noodles. In the first food article, I gave an overview of some popular dishes. For the remainder of the articles, I will focus on different types of food. In the last article it was rice dishes. This time, let’s look at noodles. Noodles are known as guksu (국수), from the Hangul […]

Beyond Ramyeon: Rice dishes

In the previous article, you were introduced to some of the basics of Korean food: kimchi, bulgogi, jiggae, etc. In this article, we’ll venture a little further into the vast realm of culinary experiences available in The Land of the Morning Calm. Rice (bap 밥) is to Koreans as baguette is to the French. It’s […]

Beyond Ramyeon: A Beginner’s Guide to Korean Food

When moving to a new culture, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by how different everything is from home. One of our biggest comforts is turning to food, and it can be unsettling when the food is nothing like what Mom used to make. Some people struggle with this when they go to a university half […]

Ulsan Places to Eat and Drink

Have you ever been out and around town and wonder where you want to eat or drink? Forgotten all the choices there are?  While it may be possible  to find a PC and surf over to UlsanOnline.com and check out the restaurant or nightlife section, it’s not usually convenient once you’re away from your computer.  […]

MiYuk Season

It’s Miyuk season in Korea. And Seafood to Koreans means more than just fish or shellfish. Anything that comes out of the ocean is seafood including Miyuk, a large aquatic plant. On May 7th/8th we went to my mother’s house for “Parent’s Day.” Usually, we just hang around the house, but since it was harvest […]

Korean Cooking

You may not have noticed, but a new link showed up recently on our small-ish link page. I added Easy Korea Food and it’s well worth a visit, especially if you like Korean food and cooking. All English, this site should give you enough ideas to eat well in your own home this year.

Bibimbap – The Food of Kings

In Korea, as well as Japan and China, the words for ‘rice’ and ‘food’ are often interchangeable. After the Korean War, when food was scarce “Have you eaten?” (밥 먹었어요?) was a common greeting. In this instance the word for rice (밥) means ‘food’ or ‘a meal’ and so highlights the importance of rice as […]

Going to the Doctor

Going to the doctor can be a worrying trip no matter where you are, but when you’re in a foreign culture, where everyone speaks a different language, it can be even more frightening. Here are a few of the hospitals that have better service for English speakers, and some tips on how the medical culture may […]

Adventures in Korean Medical Malpractice

What follows is  one woman’s story of medical malpractice. Specifically, the medical procedure is Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis or what is commonly known as LASIK – the correction of nearsighted vision by laser surgery. We are not publishing this story to warn people away from LASIK, nor are we attacking the Korean medical system. Most […]

How To Get Your Health Check

  **Update 2021** Scroll down to the end of this article for an updated list of the accepted hospitals that will do the E2 Visa Health Check If you are renewing your job, just getting one or perhaps needing a health check for whatever reason, there seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding where […]

Ulsan Language Exchange Table’s 2nd Meeting

Turnabout is Fair Play Forty people – a healthy mix of foreigners and Koreans, including people from America, Canada, and England, sat around a number of tables at Mellocup across from the University.  Organized by a tall, handsome go-getter 22-year-old of a Korean studying at Ulsan University, the Ulsan Language Exchange Table had its second […]

How to Succeed in Korean Without Really Trying

Basic Korean words, Landmarks, Taxis, and Restaurants Learning Korean is hard. It’s one of the most difficult languages for English-speakers to learn, along with Chinese and Japanese. The only reason those are harder is the Korean alphabet is simple and phonetic. But you’re here, and while English is becoming more common, it’s not pervasive, and […]

Are you being insulted?

This is in case you want to know about Korean bad words…if you teach Korean students, you especially need to know. Some bad students will say them to test you….or, for example, on the street some kids said bad words behind my husband but he knew so he turned around and asked, “What did you […]

Civil Documents: Explained

The fine folks The fine folks over at Ulsan Global center in Ulsan City Hall have a new publication out that could be very useful for foreigners in Korea.  I recently was at their offices and picked up a copy of the “Waygookin Paperwork and Civil Petition Translations.”   The book is a hefty thing, as […]

Reading Hangul: A Beginner’s Guide

(This is a reprint of an earlier article, with the “How To read Hangeul” part separated out.) Something that will make your life here easier is to learn to read Hangul (written Korean). It’s surprisingly easy to learn, as it’s phonetically based, unlike Chinese, in which you have to memorize everything. Each letter in Hangul […]

Free Korean Language Classes

This fall the Ulsan Global Center in Ulsan’s City Hall will be holding free Korean Language classes. *Registration Period for Fall- 2020*: Free Korean Classes – Ulsan Global Center (Term 2/2020 ) □ Korean Language Program ● Period: Sep 7 ~ Dec 17. 2020 ● Place: Ulsan Global Center (6F, a municipal assembly hall), Ulsan […]

The 18th TOPIK Exam

This past Sunday marked the 18th Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) exam held all across the world. I was one of the few hundred or so students taking the test held at the prestigious Busan National University, actually next to it as I later found out. As I talked about this topik… er topic […]

TOPIK: Korean Language Testing

What can I say about my Korean language ability, as a long time resident of Korea? I usually say “I speak a little…” and I think that is what most people can say as well. The big question is, could I put that on a resume? No, probably not. With the time that some of […]

Online Korean Classes

Studying Korean in Ulsan is difficult. I used to live in Seoul (where everything is perfect!) where you can take Korean classes at a time, place and price of your choosing. Sadly (and happily) Ulsan isn’t Seoul. Though our dirty old town is great in many ways, when it comes to learning the language, it […]

Travel Vaccines in Ulsan

We tend to get many requests about travel vaccinations from people heading out from Ulsan on various short or long term adventures. Thanks to Jenn Levy for this helpful information. “For travel vaccinations we went to Dr June in Nam Gu. He’s at the Asian-Pacific Medical Center, which is on the 3rd floor of the […]

Munsu Stadium Sports Complex

Built for the 2002 World Cup, the Munsu Stadium overlooks a vast park and sporting complex that offers the residents of Ulsan many opportunities to enjoy a variety of recreational activities. The biggest feature of the complex is obviously the Stadium itself – home to the Hyundai Tigers K-League soccer team, and sometimes host of […]

Letting the Korean out

In my last post, I mentioned MySoju’s place where English-speaking folks can get their drama addiction fix in Korean style. This time, I want to offer some tips on getting Korean out of your movies and TV shows.We’re going to be putting Korean subtitles on our favorite video. “Why would I want to do that?” […]

Ulsan City Tour

Ulsan City Tour For all of us that are new in town and even for those of you who aren’t so new, the Ulsan City Tour is a great way to spend a day during the weekend sightseeing.  Unfortunately, the majority of the tour is in Korean but at all the stops, the signs are […]

O! The Drama of it All

Who doesn’t love a drama? They’re just fun. Koreans TV dramas can be fun, too. But if you’re like a lot of the English speaking crowd here, you don’t understand Korean near well enough to warrant sitting down to watch any of them.  They’re not fun at all. I used to think it would be […]

Your Rights When Being Stopped By The Police

What if this happened to you? Police Officer: Hello, could you please stop? I need you ask you some questions. Subject: (startled) What? Okay, what? Police Officer: Please show me your ID. There’s a protest scheduled nearby, and you’re suspicious. Subject: What? No, I’m late for work already, I can’t stop and answer questions. Police Officer: In […]

Counseling Resources

As many people already know, counseling resources can be hard to come by in Korea. Mental health issues, which have a large stigma attached to them in Western cultures, are even less discussed here than at home. But this is starting to change, slowly, and more counseling resources are becoming available to those who need […]

How to Beat the Heat and Humidity

Summer in Ulsan can be hard to handle, as the temperatures rise above 30*C (that’s 86*Fahrenheit for those that are metrically challenged) and humidity soars into the 70%-90% range. Hear are some methods for dealing with the heat for those of you who may not come from similar climates. 1. Koreans swear by eating hot […]

What you should know about BAPS (Busan Abandoned Pet Sanctuary)

This article was written by Leo, one of the two people who run the Busan Abandoned Pet Sanctuary. It’s pretty much the only no-kill dog shelter in the Busan-Ulsan area. The article was written in response to some negative comments, and posted on their Facebook page. With Leo’s permission, I’m sharing it here, because I think […]

What to do with a Stray Animal

Regularly we get posts on the Ulsan Online Facebook group from kind-hearted people who have found a stray cat or dog (or sometimes even rabbit) on the streets, and want to help the creature out. Here is a post from BAPS explaining the best procedure you can follow should you find yourself in that situation. […]

Going to the Doctor

Going to the doctor can be a worrying trip no matter where you are, but when you’re in a foreign culture, where everyone speaks a different language, it can be even more frightening. Here are a few of the hospitals that have better service for English speakers, and some tips on how the medical culture may […]

Giving Birth in Ulsan

By Adele Vitale Having a baby can be wonderful, scary, exciting, frustrating, thrilling, exhausting, exhilarating, and intense, all at the same time. Whether a pregnancy was planned or not, expectant parents may find themselves confused, worried and generally overwhelmed, especially if they live in a foreign country, the language of which they do not necessarily speak. […]

How-To: Ulsan buses

Hi there! You’ve made it to Ulsan – congratulations! After getting unpacked you’re going to want to explore and the bus system here is great for that! And even if you’re not a Newbie, understanding how the buses work could save you a lot in taxi fares! So, here are some answers to the questions most […]

New Address System in Effect

As of January 1, 2014, Korea has officially moved away from the old, very confusing addresses, which were based on things like land lots, and what order buildings were constructed in on a block, to a new, streamlined system based on street name and building number. This is meant to help with general navigation, as […]

My LASIK Adventure

Many expats choose to have laser eye surgery while they’re in Korea, as it is much cheaper than in many of our home countries. As such, I thought I’d share my recent experiences for anyone considering the operation. My background research mostly consisted of talking to numerous friends who have had undergone the procedure, of […]

Tragic Child Abuse Case in Guyeong-li

Today at lunch, my friend recounted to me a story she’d heard in the news. An 8-year old girl in Guyeong-li (a suburb of Ulsan, just outside of Mugeodong) had been beaten to death by her step-mother. Apparently the girl was about to go on her first school outing and had asked for some kimbap […]

Translation for Ko Bus Ap

Thanks to Kim Hyeong Yeong for the translation work here: This is to make reservations on the KoBus ap “전국고속연합” (Jeon Guk Ko Son Yeon Hab), though there may be difficulties regarding your ID number (foreign IDs are one number different from Korean IDs, which can play havoc with online bookings). Also, a basic knowledge […]

Munsu Dog Park

Tucked away behind the Munsu Archery Centre, across the road from the Munsu Stadium complex, lies the Munsu Dog Park. As far as I’m aware, it’s the only dedicated dog park in the city. Just past the sign, there’s a little spot where you pay the entry fee, and then it’s play time! [Namgu Residents […]

Getting Aquainted – Pets

Often when people arrive here, they feel a little lonely without their family and friends close by. For some of us, coming to Korea is our first time living alone, after years of sharing rooms and apartments through university and those first years after school when student loans overshadow all other expenses. What better way […]

Making Ulsan Connections through Facebook

It’s rare these days to come across someone who isn’t on Facebook. The Social Media site has taken on a huge role in many of our lives, as an easy way to keep in touch with friends and family back home (even if it’s just passively checking statuses or flipping through photo albums) while we’re […]

How to Get a Pension Refund

Here are  the basics on how to get your pension payments (and the matching sum made by your employer) refunded. **The information, rules and locations are subject to change. Please be aware that if you are reading this article the guidelines are up to date as of the year 2019** Citizens of countries that have […]

Packing Unpacked

One of the challenges we all face when moving to Korea for a year (or potentially longer) is figuring out what we need to bring with us. A year is both a really long time to be away from home, and at the same time, a short time to relocate your life. Making the decisions […]

Canadians Applying for a Korean Driver’s License

Editor’s note: Thanks to Ryan for compiling this info for us. There is some general information on replacing a license and for getting a license if your home country doesn’t have a reciprocal license agreement with Korea. There’s also a more generalized answer in The Official Word, and some info on getting a motorbike license (necessary […]

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair Removal at NB Clinic (Natural Beauty Clinic) Laser hair Removal is a common procedure in South Korea. Why Laser Hair Removal? Why not? Laser Hair Removal is great! It means that you don’t have to worry about shaving when you are on vacation. Laser hair removal is not permanent, but it is as […]

Being Prepared for Crisis

Updated July 2014 to include the new National Emergency Preparedness App for Foreigners by the Korean government agency NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency). This advice is also useful for natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes (both of which are highly unlikely in Ulsan, but can happen). **** As you may or may not have […]

A few interesting statistics

The South Korean economy is weathering the on-going global recession better than many countries, and as its reputation and international standing grows, so does its foreign population. Here are some recent stats, given to UlsanOnline.com by the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency. In the past 5 years, Ulsan’s foreign population has been steadily rising, from about […]

Duty charges for shopping online

Many expats turn to sites like Amazon.com to find products that they can’t easily come by in Korea, or to save themselves the expensive trip to Seoul to go shopping. Here’s some guidelines to help you decide if it’s worth it: (Thanks to Jason Teale for digging this up) The Korea Customs and Tarriff Handbook […]

Adventures in Korean Medical Malpractice

What follows is  one woman’s story of medical malpractice. Specifically, the medical procedure is Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis or what is commonly known as LASIK – the correction of nearsighted vision by laser surgery. We are not publishing this story to warn people away from LASIK, nor are we attacking the Korean medical system. Most […]

Humidity and Mould: How to Survive the Korean Rainy Season

Summer in Ulsan is no laughing matter. The months of July and August get extremely hot and humid. It is also about the time that “changma” or the rainy season arrives and gives way to typhoon season in August. It is at this time, you will start to feel that annoying hot and sticky feeling […]

Knowing your legal rights.

A Korean man threatened to hit a foreigner with a chair, and when he was physically removed from the situation, called the police on the foreigners involved, which ended up in several days of legal hassle until he decided to drop it. A foreign man was surrounded and threatened by a large group of men, […]

New to Ulsan? Start here!

Over the past few weeks, our Facebook group has been averaging about 15 new members per week, which is pretty awesome. Welcome to Ulsan to all of the newbies kickin’ around town.  For those of you just joining us, I’d like to take a few moments to introduce you to this little site of ours. […]

Surviving Yellow Dust Season

It’s that time of year again. The temperature is nosing its way above 10 degrees, tentative buds are poking out of the tree branches, and any day now, the flowers and blossoms will begin to show themselves; Spring is coming! Unfortunately, during March and April in Korea, the trade winds shift from the cold Siberian […]

Surviving the Holidays Away from Home

For a lot of expat English teachers, the year you come to Korea is the first time you’ve spent your holidays away from your friends and  family. Even if you haven’t lived at home in years, odds are you’ve made the trek home for Christmas (or Hannukah, or <insert December holiday here>). This first year […]

Feeling sick? Too bad! Get to work, lazy!

One of the most difficult cultural differences for many Westerners to accept in Korea is how sickness is dealt with in the professional environment. At home, if you’re sick, you’re usually encouraged by your boss to go home, stop spreading your germs around the work environment, and rest up. You’ll be more productive with a […]

Is this your first real winter?

Every winter, as I loudly proclaim how much I hate the cold, people inevitably say, “But you’re Canadian!” as though that somehow makes me naturally invulnerable to sub-zero temperatures. While the nature part is not necessarily true, there are some things I learned that helped me deal with growing up in a country that can […]

Handling your daily business – Getting Aquainted III

At home, it was so easy. If you had a question, you just asked someone and they could either tell you, or tell you whom to ask. Here, it’s a little more difficult, mostly due to the language barrier. My second year here, I promised my students that I would bring them in some nachos […]

Cultural Differences – Getting Aquainted Part II

Korea is a strange place. Expats who have lived here for years still find themselves constantly surprised. The culture is inherently contradictory of itself, and while deeply rooted in centuries old customs, also changes and adapts faster than any other culture I’ve yet experienced. In the years I’ve lived here, I’ve seen some of the […]

Ulsan Orientation and Awareness Night

  Saturday night I had the pleasure of speaking at the Ulsan Culture and Awareness Night at Benchwarmers Bar in Shinae. This evening of information is becoming yet another Ulsan tradition. My partner this time was not the legendary Troy MacDonald, but one of the trio of owners that now own Benchwarmers, Chris Mazeroll. During […]

How to Drive and Ride in Korea

Another article in our ongoing series of getting acquainted with Korea. This article will focus on how to follow the rules of Korean driving. Be careful out there…it’s a jungle. <object “=”” id=”kaltura_player_4fa59f1e2195a4e2c6527f8d3287e24c” name=”kaltura_player_4fa59f1e2195a4e2c6527f8d3287e24c” data=”http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/_709072/uiconf_id/535/entry_id/0_oncsbzkh” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash”> Video Player by Kaltura Credits: Yakety Sax by James Q. “Spider” Rich Bicycle Race by Queen Photos and video […]

Getting Aquainted – City Layout

There are a ton of new EPIC teachers arriving in our midst, so I thought I’d write up a handy summary of info for everyone to help you get acquainted with our city. Most of the information is available on the site in more detail, so read through the older posts by people like Marty, […]

English Language Medical Services at Insan

Add fine weather, friends, roast pig and wine to a sun-soaked patio bar. Mix well. Serve chilled. Now you’ve got a recipe for a fun afternoon. The Ulsan Wine Club is always a great event to meet people and enjoy some fine wines.  Insan Hospital hosted this month’s Wine Club event with a “wine and swine party” at Cima […]

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 […]

Safety in a Land at War

We’ve had another reminder this week that we are living in a country still at war with it’s nearest neighbour (and brother). North Korea has been accused of starting the skirmish by launching missiles at the South Korean island of Yeonpeong. South Korea then retaliated by firing missiles back. Two South Korean marines were killed […]

Buying a Cell Phone in Ulsan

Munsu Stadium Sports Complex

Built for the 2002 World Cup, the Munsu Stadium overlooks a vast park and sporting complex that offers the residents of Ulsan many opportunities to enjoy a variety of recreational activities. The biggest feature of the complex is obviously the Stadium itself – home to the Hyundai Tigers K-League soccer team, and sometimes host of […]

Kyeongju Bomun Live-Ammo Target Range

Kyeongju Bomun Live-ammo Target range – 경주보문 실탄사격장 The Verdict: Good for a stop by, but hardly a day at the range.  It’s more expensive than a lot of places, but where else can you fire live ammo in Korea? The target range in Kyeongju has 17 different pistols to borrow in 3 or 4 […]

Ice Skating in Ulsan

There is a skating rink at Ulsan College, near Ilsan Beach in Dong-gu. From the College main gate, walk up towards the soccer fields. The Arena is on your right. Thanks to Marty Martinez for this photo of the rink hours. It costs 5,000 won. Weekends and Holidays: 10:10-12:30, 1-3:20, 3:50-5:50 Tuesday and Friday: 1-3:20, […]

Go Karting in Gyeongju

Looking to do something a bit different this weekend? Round up some friends and try the go-kart track in Gyeongju. Each race costs 12,000 won and lasts for ten minutes. They allow only about ten people on the track at a time, which means there’s plenty of space, and the mix of turns and straight-aways […]

Cycling Ulsan

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where my bike is. Ulsan has been putting a lot of work into the recreational trail system in the last year, and I feel alone out there. We’ve got something like 75 km of paved cycling trails in the city. Combine this with multi-use trails, the […]

Horseback riding

Eonyang, west of Ulsan, where the highway runs through, has never been a stopping off point. There’s just not much to draw you there. Sure, you might pass through, buy some gas, but do something? in Eonyang? never. Then we found out about horseback riding. Having some background in horses, I was quite concerned that […]

Unfair Firings: One Teacher’s Story, and What You Can Do if it Happens to You.

This piece was requested by UlsanOnline.com after a recent unfair firing in which the teachers actually stuck around to take the process through the Labor Board. Too often, for various reasons, people who are fired late in their contract, often for suspicious reasons, decide to leave Korea rather than fight for their rights, which unfortunately leads the […]

If Your Boss Stops Paying You

Recently, a number of hogwans (private academies) around Ulsan have stopped paying their teachers, often in the 10th or 11th month of their contract. Sometimes, it’s because the school isn’t doing well, and money is tight. Other times, the director is just a greedy bastard who doesn’t want to pay. Regardless of the reason, all […]

Getting The Shot

Often when I see new articles on Ulsan Online, I see articles with great colour and style but the photos seem more like an afterthought. I know that may sound harsh but the reality of it is that the photos will draw the interest of your audience and make for a great looking article. With […]

New Immigration Office Location (May 2012)

Finally, after years of having to trek out to the ends of the Earth (or Jangsangpo, which is kind of the same thing), the Ulsan immigration office has moved out of the portlands and into the heart of the city. The new location is in Daldong (City Hall/KBS Hall neighbourhood). Here is the post from […]

Civil Documents: Explained

The fine folks over at Ulsan Global center in Ulsan City Hall have a new publication out that could be very useful for foreigners in Korea.  I recently was at their offices and picked up a copy of the “Waygookin Paperwork and Civil Petition Translations.”   The book is a hefty thing, as they have painstakingly […]

Latest info on MOE changes

Rumours have been swirling for the past few weeks about the Ministry of Education requiring its own set of documents for all teachers. Scott Rotzoll from Go East Recruiting has talked to Ministry officials today, and this is the current standing. Please note that as with anything coming from a bureaucratic agency, it could change […]

Employer Disputes? Some Resources

I was sent this little tidbit from the US Embassy.  They linked to Korea4Expats.com and an article on disputes with employers. So, without further ado….check this out.  Worthy information for all expats in Korea.

Classroom Management Android Application

Have trouble remembering all your students names? Would pictures help? Is it hard to tell the difference between Kim Ji Eun and Kim Ji OOn? Would you like an easy way to keep track of your lessons, student comments and behaviours? Is CYA important to you? We at Ulsan Online are proud to present Teacher’s […]

New E-2 Visa Rules to Take Effect (Jan 1, 2011)

The Korean Government has modified (go to “Notice” and “Conversation E-2″) its rules on obtaining an E-2 visa. The biggest change is that a criminal background check is only required once, even if you leave Korea, provided that you are gone less than three months. However, a local background check will no longer be sufficient […]

ATEK: Legal Counsel Insurance Program Available

This news come from Greg Dolezal, President of ATEK (Association of Teachers of English in Korea). I have some very useful information for you.   Kangnam Labor Law Firm, which has been handling many of our cases for that last year, has decided that, due to the volume of ATEK members they help, they would create […]