Warning : I’m French. Married to a Korean woman. We live in France in a small town near Paris. We only spend vacations in Busan, Korea, not real living. Don’t know about Seoul thought.
You might want to look a this Price comparison between Busan and Paris.
This is a way to engage in a discussion with my French and Korean readers.
Here is my theoretical/biased/undocumented/partial point of view of why Korea is a better place to live for a Frenchman.
Security
Better :
- You have a much much higher chance to be attacked in the French subway than taking a bomb from North Korea
- Streets feel safer
- More respect between people
Worst :
- I you watch too much TV you might get influenced about Pyongyang’s actions
Transports
Better :
- Taxi is much cheaper and frequent
- Oil price is lower
- More alcohol controls at night
- Better roads and lights are on !
- Better subway, cleaner, no strikes
- More bus, better time estimation
Worst :
- Same traffic jams
- Don’t drive : you’ll die.
- Few people really wear seatbelt
City
Better :
- More larger streets
- Clearer indications
- No dog sh..
Worst :
- Too much billboards
- Some small streets smell really bad
- No historical places or old interesting places in Busan
- Less parks, but many mountains
Technology
Better :
- One of the fastest Internet infrastructure on earth
- 4G-3G everywhere. Phone always able to catch network.
- Edge-2G ? What’s that ?
- Phone plan cheaper and less blocking
Worst :
- Too much technology ?
Services
Better :
- Your are a king.
- Employees smiles. For real. Impressive. Never saw that before.
- Anything can be delivered anywhere, cheaply, real fast
- Postman does everything in his power to give you your parcel. Don’t have to go to post office 48h after he came.
Worst :
- Hard life for people working in services
- It makes you impatient and demanding sometimes
Shops
Better :
- Always find some place open
- Supermarket still open at 11pm !
- Incredible service
- Everywhere
Worst :
- Loud music and advertising in some streets
- Some article are much more expensive
Restaurants
Better :
- 50% cheaper
- Healthier
- Faster
- Better service (see my previous article on the subject)
Worst :
- More and more junk food. But, hey, you have the choice not to go !
- Wine is so expensive !
Accommodation
Better :
- More shops and commodities around
- No bedbugs (personal note after a year of suffering)
- Cheaper
- Larger
Worst :
- More appartement than house
- Less protection when renting
- 2 years in advance to rent sometimes
Health
Better :
- Appointment in the day (in France 3 months some times for a dentist)
- Cleaner, calmer
- Very efficient and dedicated employees
- More employees
- Choice between traditional and modern healthcare, no prejudice between the two
Worst :
- More expensive
Education
Better :
- Real culture of personal development
- Aim for the best
- First school is not a babysitting place, it’s where learning starts
- Less or no babysitting required
- Many baby/child friendly places
Worst :
- Very expensive !
- Big burden for kids, starting early
Administration
Better :
- So quick, no comparison possible (10 minutes for obtaining national number for our daughter)
- Lot of employees that smiles and are nice (yes it could be)
Worst :
- You should speak Korean, it helps 😀
Ambiance/Population
Better :
- Apparently less social status division
- More respect
- Less touching between people
Worst :
- More division between generations/age
Work
Better :
- Risk friendly / fast environment
- More innovation, less tax
Worst :
- Less protection
- Too much hierarchy
- Less less vacations
I’ll edit and correct this article from time to time.
Please give me your opinion on the real fact.
Did I forget a category ?
Dear and hello, I’m very impressed with your article as Korean. I have lived for close to 40 years in Korea except 2 years that I stayed in Southern China since I was born so I can understand your opinion more closely. And I appreciate your friendly comments about my country.
Korean is kind as like your saying and specially people who work in the service area are most kind. I agree with your saying about this point. Yes, the subway is also more clear than Paris in my short experiences.
But I don’t think Korean has more respectable than the others. It also is based on my personal.
Compared to yours in Korea, mine is so strange. when I stayed in Paris as a tourist for last 6 months, I met many weird and dangerous circumstances so I can’t make another way of your in terms of these parts. I rented a short term rental studio but everything was broken including water, heater, chair, bed, electicity but the owner and I couldn’t get reached for any agreement and the owner didn’t give me a deposit. People hit or touched me but never said sorry and I was arrested by the policeman and many people yelled at me moreover I stepped on sh….. several times on the road. Every people says Paris is the symbol city of the freedom but I met the symbol of confusion. What is the real freeom in Paris? I think the freedom is a pair of responsibility.
I can regard my experiences as so personal or something but the reason why I contact you is following.
I’m a fashion designer so I’ve dreamed of the day when I will meet the fashion people in Paris and share something with them. But now I have no longer dream of it more easier than before. Because I couldn’t understand what’s going on Paris. And now I’m finding the way to get back my deposit or something in Paris but I’ve failed.
I think that you had experienced with my country and even you’re married with Korean so you can make the balanced view of my situation. If you were me, what you will do? I can’t find someone who can help me solving my issue in Korea so if I want to meet the solution in Paris, I have to visit again. Is it worth? I believe there is the way to meet the other side in Paris, do you think like that?
Plase let me know how I can get a balanced view just like you about your city, Paris.
Thank you so much for your comment ! I’ll write you in private to talk more extensively.
Jean-Baptiste, I am an American who has been in Korea for nearly seven years. There are no plans to return to the USA, none whatsoever. I like living here.
I am the director of an NGO entitled the Committee to Bring Jikji Back to Korea. Are you familiar with Jikji? The French have had it since 1887, and we contend that is long enough. This is a very valuable piece of Korea’s cultural patrimony. What are your views on this issue? I need a French colleague. Can we discuss it via e-mail??
Hello and I also thank you for saying that Korea is the country that you want to stay longer from now. I don’t think Korea is the most easiest city to stay for the foreigner but I’d like to agree with your opinion. And I feel sorry that I had to find the word ‘jikji’ and your activity on the Korea dictionary when I read it on your reply, because what you’ve worked for in NGO in Korea is something not familiar with me who is an usual Korean. Most Korean want to take it back really from many other countries including the Japan but most people hardly know what people like you have done for this. I appreciate you sincerely doing this job in Korea. I really do at the same time I regretted not to do it as the Korean. Now I am in Paris to solve many issues and I will come back to Korea in early November, if you can, please meet me in Korea. I want to know the difficulty of staying in Korea from the view of the foreigner. We can find the place more suitable for making a question regarding to this matter. Can we discuss with it via email? I want to help you to stay in Korea more. My email is findingfrog@gmail.com / blog is huitpourcentdescorps.blogspot.fr. See you soon in Korea.