How To...
Speak Korean in Ulsan
If you've ever gotten into a cab and announced your destination with all the confidence and aplumb of a renowned world traveller only to be given the Korean "Ung??" of complete ignorance of what you said, then this page is for you.Full Story
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 [...] full story
Are you being insulted?
By Mi Sun Kim 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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
Free Korean Language Classes
Beginning on September 7th, the Ulsan Global Center in Ulsan’s City Hall will be holding free Korean Language classes. Vice Director of the Global Center, Kim SukMyung (김석명) says that the goal of the center will focus on the acquirement of language ability Classes will be held every Tuesday from 10:00am to 12:00pm in the [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
Martial Arts
Whether you are just starting out or coming from a history of martial arts, there are a lot of places to choose from here in Korea. This guide will help you make the right choice for your time in Korea. Full Story
How to get a Bike
There are many theories about the legality of riding bikes here. Take it from somebody who has been wedged under, bounced off, or landed on most models from the local Hyundai plant; being legal is a must. Here is the down and dirty of how to get a license, register, and insure your bike.
Full StoryGo 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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
Enjoy the Bath House
Getting naked in a room full of Koreans? Here's how to do it without causing more staring than you would ordinarily get.
Full StoryLetting 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?” [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
Korean Food
So you're new in town and you're hungry. But the only "Korean" food you've eaten before is rice, and you have no idea what you want, or how to order it. Before you give it all up and become best friends with the Pizza Palm's delivery guy, check this out. And remember that your mother was right ? You should try it. You might like it. Full Story
Street Food in Korea
Street stall food is a fun part of the Korean experience, so don't be afraid to try some out. And the variety and availability change often; keep your eye out for new and exciting taste experiences. Full Story
Eating Etiquette
If you've been invited out for dinner by your boss or colleagues there are some basic etiquette rules you may want to follow so as not to accidentally offend your hosts. Good manners are universal, but the actual details of good Korean manners are sometimes complicated and different from the rules passed to us by Ms. Manners or Mom. Full Story
Drinking Etiquette
The drinking rules are almost as complicated as the eating rules in Korea, Don't be a social oaf. Learn what it takes to drink in style with Koreans. Full Story
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, [...] full story
Kimchi Power!
reprinted from the Ulsan Pear, Vol.III, Issue III, 2006 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. [...] full story
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, [...] full story
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, [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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. [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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. full story
Work in Korea
This article is written from the Korean point of view, giving hints and tips to foreigners working in Ulsan. Full Story
Work with Foreigners
This article is written from the Foreigner's point of view and is a corollary to the Korean viewpoint of working in Korea. Full Story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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. full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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. [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 the [...] full story
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. Credits: Yakety Sax by James Q. “Spider” Rich Bicycle Race by Queen Photos and video by Martin Rehder and Deirdre Madden full story
Welcome Newbies – Getting Aquainted I
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, [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 [...] full story
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 a description of the ceremonies Korean conduct during these events. For westerners who’ve never seen one, its an eye-opener – especially the part about [...] full story