Thanks to South Korean bloggers’ excellent hashtag skills which use an easy-to-follow system, Instagram makes tracking how locations look on a particular day and discovering new hashtags is surprisingly easy. Learn how right now! Before you begin, smartphone apps you will need In order to manage the language differences without knowing Korean (but still using pattern recognition skills), you will need the following apps on your smartphone. You will be copying Korean from the South of Seoul app, searching on Instagram, translating new information with Papago, and creating lists of terms in an app of your choosing. A summary of the smartphone applications you need are as follows: First, how do I know the current status of any famous location around Korea? Did you know there is a way to use Instagram to immediately know what the popular or famous muhly grass, fall colors, cherry blossoms, silver grass, green tea fields, tulip festivals, etc look like right now? Here is how it all works. To find out if something like pink muhly grass is in season at your local Instagram muhly grass ‘hotplace’ (the Korean term for a popular location) you can look at the tags on Instagram and then look at the most recent images. This way of searching Instagram gives you instant weather and bloom reports based on folks’ posts from that area. This is a far more accurate system than posting in random groups on Facebook hoping to know what things might look like. You get a first-hand report, in real-time, right on Instagram. You can use the South of Seoul app to make your Hangul Instagram search easier since you can copy the Korean name of each location and post it into Instagram with a #. Here is a little tutorial on how the South of Seoul app can help you check out the current conditions of locations around South Korea. Step 1: Search South of Seoul by either location name or key words by keywords You can search “Closest” or “Newest” locations added depending on what you are looking for. South of Seoul volunteers try to tag each location with keywords such as “Muhly grass” or “Pink Grass” or “Fall colors” so that you can more easily find places based on what they are famous for. Step 2: Copy the Hangul name of the location To do a solid search on Instagram you need the name written in Korean. Very limited information is available using English or romanized names. You can simply tap the Korean name in the South of Seoul app and it will copy. Step 3: Paste the Hangul name with a hashtag Step 4: Sort by ‘Recent’ posts on Instagram Step 5: Look a the recent posts Popular Korean Keywords Used Across the Country South of Seoul Volunteers are always adding to this list in the South of Seoul app in order to empower your searches for information around South Korea. Let us know what other phrases you might need in the comments. Using this list will help get you started on a big journey of discovery. You can copy and paste this list into an app on your phone so that you always have it with you. How to discover how things look in certain Locations. Now that you know how to search by keyword the next step is learning how to search by keywords and area. Since Korean Instagramers have a great tagging system, discovering what things are like around Korea is quite simple. You simply put the location and the keyword together with a hashtag. It looks something like this However, here are some terms like ‘가을풍경’ which means falk landscape. In this situation, if you want to know what fall colors look like in a certain are you need to use # + location + trip which might look like #아산여행. Second, how do I discover new keywords for my Korean life The above lists get you started on your Instagram searching journey and then you will want to discover more search terms for yourself. You can discover new, interesting searches using the following steps: Step 1: Put a city name into Instagram Search and tap on the # section. A long list of search terms for Pyeongtaek will come up on your screen and you will want to screenshot them. You will notice all the terms that come after Pyeongtaek (평택). Once you have a screenshot you can go learn what each of these tags means. Step 2: Take that screenshot and put it into Papapago translation app Papago will be far more accurate with these terms than Google Translate. It’s going to look like the image below. You can now isolate the keywords and see the translations. You can copy the Korean keyword from Papago. Step 3: Create a Hashtags List in Your Notes Don’t lose this work. Copy and paste both the Korean # and the English meaning into a Notes app on your phone. Make sure that you document all of this research for later. You can also share these hashtags lists with each other to make life in Korea easier to navigate. We all build this life together. Anything else you need help with? South of Seoul volunteers are always interested to learn what struggles English-speaking residents in South Korea face. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments and we can consider creating blogs to help support you in overcoming issues you may face. South of Seoul posts for inspiration on where to take your own Insta worthy photos Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAITLanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains. www.southofseoul.net

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The best Facebok groups in Pyeongtaek for different groups and interestest. Find the best Facebook Group for your needs or start your own!

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Get to know a few of Pyeongtaek-si’s most popular neighborhoods. Perfect for those relocating to work for the US Military for either Osan Air Force Base or Camp Humphreys. Additional Articles To Help you Understand Pyeongtaek-si Pyeongtaek Subway Stops How to Use the Subway and Where to Go New to Pyeongtaek? Important information for living your best life Do you realize how big Pyeongtaek is? It is more than a city, it is an administrative district that includes the sea and the mountains to the west. We have many different, unique towns and cities that come together to make Pyeongtaek-si. Keep in mind that this post does not constitute an extensive list of every neighborhood in Pyeongtaek-si. It is simply a highlight of commonly visited areas. Let’s take a closer look: 1. Pyeongtaek-dong, Pyeongtaek-si Pyeongtaek-dong, Pyeongtaek-si is the neighborhood we call Pyeongtaek City. This is the area around Pyeongtaek Station (AK Plaza). It is where you can catch express and inter-city buses, as well as trains going north and south—including the subway. It is both a travel and shopping hub. READ MORE about Pyeongtaek-Dong 2. Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si is the town that bumps up against Camp Humphreys Army Base. It’s a rather large, rural area with beautiful open spaces and access to the river biking path. Anjeong-ri, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si is the area outside Camp Humphreys where you can find English speaking businesses and a plethora of international residents and restaurants. It is a culinary hotspot in Korea with restaurants moving from Seoul to be a part of the Renaissance. 3. Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek-si Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek-si is also known to foreigners as “Songtan”. Many local residents will only know it as Sinjang-dong (also spelled Shinjang-dong). It is the neighborhood that bumps up against the east side of Osan Air Force Base. This is the center of Pyeongtaek-si nightlife with dance clubs, bars, and restaurants. Since this neighborhood is accessible via Songtan Subway Station, it is a popular tourist spot. There are a variety of international restaurants as well. READ MORE about Sinjang-dong. 4. Seojeong-dong, Paengseong Seojeong-dong, Paengseong is also sometimes referred to as “Songtan” by some, which can cause confusion. This area is another great place to go out at night. It is filled with local bars, Korean BBQ, and late night coffee shops. This is also the location of Immigration, North Pyeongtaek City Hall, North Pyeongtaek Arts Center, and more. It is accessible by Seonjeongri Subway Station and hosts one of Pyeongtaek’s best local markets. Jisan-dong, Pyeongtaek-si across the train tracks east from Shinjang-dong (Songtan) is an important area called Jisan-dong. It is accessible by Songtan Subway Station and the Songtan Bus Terminal. Jisan-dong does not have a nightlife. It is primarily a residential and business area. It’s a convenient and comfortable place to live. 5. Jinwi-myeon, Pyeongtaek-si Jinwi-myeon, Pyeongtaek-si is an important but often overlooked area. It holds two of Pyeongtaek’s outdoor pools, hiking, historical sites, and the local youth camp center. It also has beautiful mountains, cute cafes, a river walk, rail bikes, and more. It is sparsely populated and accessible by Jinwi Subway Station. It is near the northern border of Pyeontaek-si. READ MORE about Jinwi-myeong! 6. Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek-si Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek-si is a large area that consists of both Old Bijeon-dong and New Bijeon-dong which is known across the city as Sosabeol. Sosabeol is the place to be for a night out. It is brand new and packed with restaurants, activities, bars, movie theaters, shopping, mini-parks, and cafes. It is fun and fancy. Old Bijeon-dong is more classic and traditional in feel. It is the location of Pyeongtaek City Hall, Pyeongtaek Art Center and many delicious Korean restaurants. READ MORE about Seosabeol/Bijeon-dong 7. Seo-Pyeongtaek Seo-Pyeongtaek is the term used for the more rural areas of west Pyeongtaek. It has hiking, a lake, access to the sea for fishing (no beaches), Pyeongtaek Port, Korean spas, saunas, bike paths, and cafes. It is rural and beautiful to explore. There are many hidden wonders you can discover with the help of South of Se South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

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Pyeongtaek-si (평택시) is made up of many different, unique little neighborhoods. Over the last 2 years Pyeongtaek neighborhoods have been reorganized, a new address system created, and – often – completely new names assigned. Combine this with the constantly changing English Speaking population that rotates through each year, and life becomes like a big game of Telephone as half information turns into mythical information. That’s where South of Seoul comes in. We are on the ground and updating the South of Seoul app each time we are alerted to a change or inconsistency. We also let folks know of why things are weird and the tricks to getting around these inconsistencies so life becomes smoother. Which means…. always let us know if a business is closed, a new one has opened, or something isn’t working right! We make those changes and keep things running smoothly. Now let’s learn about a local neighborhood: Introducing Shinjang-dong (신장동) Many of you visit Shinjang-dong (신장동) every day but still have never heard it’s actual name. It’s the neighborhood in Songtan that’s around the Osan Air Base Main Gate. Instead, you have heard Osan Main Gate, Osan SED, Songtan SED, Osan shopping area, Songtan Shopping Street, Osan Ville, Songtan Ville, etc. It’s called something different by just about everyone that goes there. It can be extremely confusing. So let’s get into this more and talk about what all of these names mean. Here are the basic facts to know: For Koreans, Songtan is a large area that includes Shinjang-dong, Seojeong-dong, Jisan-dong, and a bit more out east they call Songtan IC. They call the area near Osan AF Base Shingang-dong. For US Soldiers, the name Shinjang doesn’t exist. They call it Songtan or one of the many names listed above. Expats and immigrants, call the area either Songtan or Shinjang depending on how long they have lived in the area and how much Korean they speak. Shinjang-dong can also be spelled Sinjang-dong in English.  (신장동) The strip of shopping that is straight out of the Osan Air Force main gate is called the SED (Songtan Entertainment District), Osan Ville, Songtan Ville, or in Korean it’s called Songtan Shopping Street. Probably a few other names out there as well. Osan Air Force Base is NOT located in Osan. Osan is north of Pyeongtaek and about 20 minutes from the base. Osan Air Force Base is ALSO called K55 Base by the military and Koreans. Shinjang and Songtan are located in Pyeongtaek-si.  Ok, so that wasn’t confusing at all right? Don’t worry, you will eventually get the hang of it and learn to clarify exactly what people mean when they say, “Let’s go to Osan.” You will say, “Airforce base or city?” If they say, “Let’s hang out in the ville tonight.” You can ask, “Osan AFB ville or Camp Humphreys ville?”  Life will get much less confusing after that. Until then, just hang in there. Now that we have talked about the confusing issue of what to call Shingjang and it’s parts, let’s talk more about what the place is like. The Songtan SED area in Shinjang-dong is right straight out of the Osan AFB and it’s quite lively. One of the noisier and rowdier parts of Pyeongtaek-si, it exists in its own, self-contained universe. Here you will meet many people who haven’t visited any other part of town. They have their community and their spots and live it up like rock stars. The reason this is possible is that the area hosts a variety of foreigner-focused restaurants, stores, cafes,  and a butt-load of western-themed bars and clubs. In this tiny little area, you can live easily without ever speaking Korean. However, the area is a bit stagnet right now while other areas of Pyeongtaek are booming. Lately, Shinjang-dong is being gentrified and many of the old haunts are being plowed under. In the next 2 years, nearly the entire area will be demolished and rebuilt as it becomes a sort of annex of the new Godeok city that is being built a few minutes south/southwest of Songtan. The area is going to end up being new and fancy and they aren’t looking back. Samsung is pumping over a billion USD into factories there and development is following that money. What this means to Shinjang-dong is that it’s very hard for new businesses to move into the area. Rents on what is available are crazy high and the spaces that are available aren’t in good locations for doing business. Korean businesses aren’t opening here because there isn’t enough local traffic since Godeok isn’t open yet, and foreign businesses aren’t opening because their aren’t enough foriengers clients to justify the rent prices. This means that more businesses are being lost than are being added.  Hopefully this works itself out in the next few years, but for now, it means there are actually fewer foreign restaurants in the area than one would expect. It’s still worth going here though, there are some real gems here that you will become addicted to and it’s a unique cultural experience to see the mixing of cultures in Pyeongtaek-si. What is there to do in Shinjang? If you are in the area near Osan Air Force Base you will be sad to find that there is actually less to do here than other areas of Pyeongtaek like Pyeongtaek-dong, Seojeong-dong, or Sosabeol. Especially for families or people with hobbies. In 2018 a Bowling Alley finally opened and a few arcades opened on the main strip in 2017. Apart from that though, you are limited to shaking that booty and drinking those drinks. Shinjang-dong the number one spot in all of Pyeontaek for clubs. If you like clubbing and dancing though, this is your spot. Grab those friends and go bust-a-move. What’s the transportation like? Subway: Get off at Songtan Station and Shinjang-dong is about a 10-15 minute walk. Super easy. City Buses: There are a few buses that go here, but most folks go by subway. Parking: We’ve entered the parking areas into the Songtan/Shinjang Food +Fun directories so you can find them easily. The directories all sort by distance so the garage that comes up first on the list will be the one closest to you. Or you can pick the one closest to the restaurant or club you are headed to. Intercity/Express Buses: Songtan terminal is actually located in Jisan-dong about a 30-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride away. South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

The post Neighborhood Intro: Shinjang-dong (Part of Songtan) appeared first on South of Seoul.

Pyeongtaek (평택) is made up of many different, unique little neighborhoods. Over the last 2 years Pyeongtaek neighborhoods have been reorganized, a new address system created, and – often – completely new names assigned. Combine this with the constantly changing English Speaking population that rotates through each year, and life becomes like a big game of Telephone as half information turns into mythical information. That’s where South of Seoul comes in. We are on the ground and updating the South of Seoul app each time we are alerted to a change or inconsistency. We also let folks know of why things are weird and the tricks to getting around these inconsistencies so life becomes smoother. Which means…. always let us know if a business is closed, a new one has opened, or something isn’t working right! We make those changes and keep things running smoothly. Now let’s learn about a local neighborhood: Introducing Pyeongtaek City (팽택동)  Just like there is a New York, New York there is a Pyeongtaek-dong (평택동), Pyeongtaek-si (팽택시). This is the area surrounding the transportation hub and department store AK Plaza at Pyeongtaek Station. The area used to be the center of Pyeongteak society. One of the only places people went out. It was hopping with anyone who was anyone and all the best, new businesses wanted to be here. Since it was located near the biggest transportation hub in a working-class city, it also had a captive audience. However, things have changed. Sadly, Google hasn’t caught up with this fact. Instead of giving current blog results, it still feeds blogs from years ago for places that are gone or simply outdated which makes Pyeongtaek seem more stuck in the past than it is. It also makes Pyeongtaek-dong seem like it’s still the center of Pyeongtaek life when it just isn’t. The truth is that since 2015 Pyeongtaek-si has rapidly expanded and the glamor of Pyeongtaek-dong has faded. The area is no longer the hip stop. Instead, for Koreans, it’s the teenager hangout. Those with big bank accounts or status have headed to Sosabeol to party. However, don’t discount it. This remains one of our favorite places to hang out. Let’s take a look at why that is. What makes the area stand out? Funny as it might sound, Pyeongtaek-dongs fading popularity isn’t bad news for everyone. Especially for the foreign population. It has opened up space for more mom and pop foreign restaurants to open their doors. These days the area has started to evolve into something completely different and exciting, a mini-international district that’s picking up speed. Most of these foreign restaurants and businesses are located in the direction of the traditional market and are easily missed if you aren’t looking. If you are looking though, on some streets, you will see more Chinese restaurants than meat restaurants. In addition to traditional Chinese food, you can find a variety of foreign restaurants such as Indian, Japanese, Nepali, Mongolian, Vietnamese, Thai and more. Highly worth wandering around and exploring this area of the city. South of Seoul has included many of these foreign restaurants in our Pyeogntaek Food + Fun directory. Leave your reviews and let us know which are your favorite. Tell us about new, delicious places you find so we can share them with the community. What is there to do in Pyeongtaek City? Since there are so many high school kids that hang out near AK Plaza, it’s kind of a bonus because it means there are plenty of affordable, fun things like clothing boutiques, make-up stores, roller skating, archery, escape room, PC bangs, nori bangs, movie theater, and more. You can take 10,000 to Pyeongtaek City and still find something fun to do even if it’s play Fortnight with your friends for a few hours. Heck, that’s like free AC in summer and heat in winter! You can find many of our favorite experiences and places (except for the shopping) listed in the Pyeongtaek Food + Fun directory in the South of Seoul app. All of the listings automatically sort by what is closest to you. This means the first parking that pops up is the parking close to you. The first restaurant is the restaurant most close to you. Etc. Since many new arrivals aren’t fully oriented to location, this can make things much easier. What are some of the area highlights? AK Plaza: This was Pyeongtaek’s first fancy place and it still holds up. It’s expensive and filled with all kinds of delights: movie theater, food courts, restaurants, rooftop viewing area, bookstore, etc. Movie Theaters: There are two movie theaters in the area. CGV and Mega Box. Tong Bok Market: The biggest traditional market in Pyeongtaek, is open 7 days a week. If you are on a budget and want to eat fresh fruits and veg – shop at the open markets. WAY cheaper than Emart or Home Plus. (Technically located in Tong Bok dong) Foreign Food Marts: This brings us to a very important aspect of the area. Pyeongtaek-dong and Tong-bok dong have numerous foreign food groceries where you can pick up what you need for Thai, Filipino, Vietnamese, Indian, or Russian cooking.  (Technically located in Tong Bok dong) Tong Bok Youth Forest: Tucked in the back of the traditional market is a magic little wonderland of restaurants and businesses owned by young owners. The perfect place to hang out with friends and stuff your face with delicious things. (Technically located in Tong Bok dong) AK Plaza: This was Pyeongtaek’s first fancy place and it still holds up. It’s expensive and filled with all kinds of delights: movie theater, food courts, restaurants, rooftop viewing area, bookstore, etc. Movie Theaters: There are two movie theaters in the area. CGV and Mega Box. Lotte Inverns: Popular housing tower where many expats choose to live due to it’s proximity to Pyeongtaek Station. What is the nightlife like? This is where we like to go out at night, however, it doesn’t have a club scene per say. Instead, it’s still a very Korean experience with places you can spend all night talking, eating and laughing with friends. We have often lost track of time going from one hangout spot to another and suddenly realized it was 4am or 6am. The scene isn’t hype. It’s chilled out and entraining with bottle bars (pubs where you help yourself to beers from a wall of fridges and then pay for the bottles on the way out), nori bangs, and late night chicken joints. What is transportation like? Parking: There is a plethora of affordable public parking lots which have been entered into the South of Seoul app. City Bus: Almost all buses end up at Pyeongtaek Station for transfer to other parts of the area so it’s very easy to get to. Use either Google Maps via the South of Seoul app or Naver to find the right bus for you. If you are coming from Camp Humphreys just jump on the 20 bus. Sig Flips The Table made an awesome blog about this in 2017. Express Bus: There are two bus stations in this area. These are listed in the South of Seoul Transportation Hubs along with schedules. Local Trains: The majority of trains leave from Pyeongtaek Dong. However, there is no KTX or SRT that stop at this station. KTX leaves from Cheonan or Suwon and the SRT leaves from Jijae one stop north of Pyeongtaek Station. Subway: Line one stops at Pyeongtaek station. It goes South to Asan and north to Seoul South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

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