THE ulsan Pear Vol. III Issue V www.ulsanpear.biz November 2006 Being Active Singing Rooms Ulsan Grand Park Rock Climbing Games and more! Check out our Website! lots of back-issues everything you ever needed to know about living in Ulsan Cover photo by Deirdre Madden FREE A Guide to Living in Korea’s Industrial Capital 무료 2 THE ulsan Pear Hello Pear Readers, Coming to a new culture is never easy, and it always helps to have something to take your mind off any trouble you might have. Emergency Contact Numbers This month we’re looking at things you can do to keep active and busy. There are places to explore, places to exercise, and places just to have fun. We’ve also included information about weekly events and speak very slowly, and clearly. clubs here in Ulsan. Do not panic, ask for English. Hopefully this issue can help you have fun, and make some new friends in the process. Ambulance 구급(Gu-Guep) 119 화재 Fire (Hwa-Jay) One of the more important things to keep in mind is where all these clubs and groups came from. In years past, other Police 경찰 (Gyeong-Chal) foreigners have gotten involved, and by you taking part, you 112 can continue on the tradition of making life a little easier for those who come after you. 1366 Women Emergency CAll On a final (shameless plug) note, if you’re looking for something exciting, fun and interesting, there’s a certain news magazine here in Ulsan that’s always looking for volunteers. 00799 International Operator Until next time, Kevin Forman Editor-in-Chief 1330 Tourist Information [email protected] H Ulsan Hospital Emergency 052-259-5000 Law Korean Legal Aid 052-257-4676 ™ THE ULSAN PEAR Tax Office 052-259-0200 Labour Board 052-272-0009 ESTABLISHED 2004 For more articles on what you CREATOR: JOEL BURSLEM need to know about Ulsan, check out our website at The EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: KEVIN FORMAN EDITORIAL BOARD/ STAFF WRITERS: DEIRDRE MADDEN www.ulsanpear. biz Ulsan Pear FIN MADDEN JIM SAUNDERS JASON TEALE is looking CONTRIBUTORS: MICHELLE AITCHISON for MARK BROWN PEADAR CALLAGHAN ADAMO DE FAZIO a graphic SHAWN HINES CHRIS LINTON designer KATY LOCKWOOD MATTHEW MURRAY JASON PRATT layout KRISTI RACZ JEFF YOUNG KEITH ZUFELT writers VOLUNTEER: CLEO-RA KIM photogra- COPY EDITORS: DEIRDRE MADDEN phers PHOTO EDITOR: JASON TEALE LAYOUT/DESIGN: KEVIN FORMAN energetic JIM SAUNDERS workers ADVERTISING SALES: KEVIN FORMAN 011.9528.1934 email [email protected] info@ulsan- VISIT OUR HOMEPAGE FOR BACK ISSUES pear.biz web: www.ulsanpear.biz for info. email: [email protected] THE ulsan Pear 3 Singing Rooms Will Take Your Breath Away Chris Linton the song room maiden to deliver The Ulsan Pear any beverages you might order. Barring your order, she will not It is an anticipated Friday night enter without a knock and a and you find yourself in a common pause. hof, seated around a table nibbling sweet and dry snacks, drinking All song rooms offer a selection non-descript draft beer and of juices and hot or cold coffee. thinking, “This is not right. This It is customary to order cans of is not what I need.” juice and cola for each other but it is not mandatory in any way. Sometimes on a Friday night, one Most singing rooms offer beer is looking for a little trouble. Not too. There are a few which do “Trouble”, but some get up-and- not, but good luck finding them. go trouble: a little bit of shouting, Then, there are the singing rooms a little bit of jumping, a little bit which offer soju and bottles of of the old out-of-the-chair. Sitting whiskey. These singing rooms down is for old folks but it is the inevitably have a side dish menu way to drink in Korea, with one but a side dish is not mandatory. exception. These singing rooms offer a great deal more too. Photo By Kate Montgomery The norae-bang (song room) is where the chairs are a mere One ought to be aware that many ranges from 30 to 40,000 won won’t let kids in but you have to There is a period between 6am suggestion and the flashing lights of these singing rooms deal in plus the cost of a singing room look find them. and 8am where they seem to are for merriment. The song room, women too. The singing room and you will be expected to order I had the experience of taking some close. Some don’t open till noon or singing room, is where you, hostess is a lady of the morning, side dishes and alcohol. She also exceptional students to a singing or later on weekdays but in Ulsan, you and a friend, or you and 10 noon and night in Ulsan. Her accepts tips. The singing room room once. We went at 6pm and a city where blue collar never friends can go to scream ‘murder,’ services at a singing room usually lady is “illegal” but until someone the singing room was stinky and sleeps, they are potentially losing all night long. It is a room which is range from being a lovely looker informs the law of this you need natty but the kids didn’t take any business. Away from Ilsan beach furnished with chairs and a table, who dances with you, sings a few not try to be covert about it. You notice of it. We had a great time, they will close earlier and not open disco lights, a wall of TV screens songs and feeds you grapes to a can walk up to the front desk, drank juice and sang. At 8pm, till afternoon or early evening. and a karaoke machine equipped lovely looker who does all the wink and ask straight out for a just when we were leaving, all the Without any accroutrements de with two microphones and as above and can be paid to take off lady friend TV screens immediately switched l’amour they cost, between 12 and many tambourines. Its purpose her clothes and/or perform other to soft-core porn and made me a 20,000 won an hour. is to give you a private venue to ‘services’. The singing room can be seedy teacher of ill-repute. Though it is sing to vapid, familiar pop songs but not in all cases. It is an activity 100% acceptable for kids to attend [email protected] and dance and act foolishly. Once This is a whole other article, but which Koreans do from infancy to singing rooms, even unsupervised, that door closes, the only one one ought be aware of this service senility. It is for everyone. There one ought to be aware that some that is going to come through is and know that a song room mama are some singing rooms which are adult oriented. 4 THE ulsan Pear Exploring Ulsan Grand Park New Sportsplex Shawn Hines The Ulsan Grand Park main to see the entire park on your first Deirdre Madden badminton, volleyball, or that Contributor gate is located in Okdong, with a trip without tiring yourself out. The Ulsan Pear kick-volleyball game the ajushis second gate located near Gongup- Of course, rollerblades, snake play in the parks. The outer ring At the end of the week the tap Rotary close to Samsandong. boards and old fashioned shoes are Getting out and active in Ulsan of this is also a track, used mostly sightseeing itch strikes and many There are two other gates located just as good to get around as well. just got easier. The Ulsan College for inline or roller skating. have to venture out to the rest of at the rear of the park and one A trolley that will take you from in Bangeojin recently added Korea. However, as the month at the extreme far side from the one side of the park to the other a community oriented sports Beyond this is a pond in a wooded progresses and money becomes Samsandong entrance. is also available for a small price. complex to it’s grounds, as part area with a walking path around tight, Ulsan has much to offer with Be ready to pack yourself in, it’s a of an outreach initiative. Located it. At intervals, small wooden little or no cost. The Ulsan Grand This park boasts an indoor tight fit! just inside the main gates, the “lookouts” have been built, which Park is a great starting point when swimming complex, complete community sports fields are free are perfect for picnics, and at both the pocketbook is a bit short. with a lane pool, kiddie pool Taking those leisurely walks is to use, and offer a variety of ends there are sheltered benches. a great stress reliever, as well. choices for sports buffs. There happens to be a nice path There are even frogs in the pond, that will help your body become The lower field is an artificial- though with the interest that they healthier through pressure-points turf soccer pitch, complete with spark in young boys, we’ll see how on your feet. This sounds nice, stands and a walking/jogging long they last. It’s a peaceful place but in practice it can be rather track around the outside. While to go for a stroll and unwind. painful. That’s Korean traditional this can be crowded with toweled medicine for you. and visored ajummas during peak As with many places in Korea, hours, it’s relatively empty early in there are a fair number of other For those who have children, this the day.