Moving to Busan in a couple weeks

[gwalinor]

Hey all,

Like proudestmonkey, i'm heading over to korea soon, but to busan. General intro: i've been climbing about 2 years in the Washington DC area, mostly indoors (unfortunately), but also sport at the red river gorge, and and a couple places around boulder colorado, as well a bit of trad in seneca and southern wyoming. ideally, i'd like to be climbing 3-4 times a week (during the day, cuz I will be working nights). If there is anyone in Busan who wants to help me with this, that'd be great!

Now, questions:
1) I've seen that there's a bunch of sport around, but i'm not sure whether its worth it to bring over my trad rack. I only trad on moderate routes (5.6-5.7) and i dunno how many of those are around.

2) I've read some of the gym reviews for Busan, but its kinda hard to get a sense of what is good and whats not. is there anyone who has been to a couple of them and could recommend the good ones?

Thanks a bunch!

[skinsk]

if you've got the space and you like trad (senesca vedawoo. . .) there are fun moderate trad climbs around. I rarely use my trad rack but it doesn't mean I wish I hadn't brought it. . . some small wires and as many friends as you have will do for most routes.

Many of the gyms I visited in Busan are in the same general area. If you're not near these, there are others and someone (or myslef, but I am out of Korea for the moment) can get you info on your nearest gym. Don't sign up right away. Look around. See what gym you vibe with, which ones are convenient and have hours that match yours! Check out several before you join, and if you check out some that are not on the site, take photos, make careful notes of how to get there and post them on KOTR:)

[gwalinor]

thanks for the beta.

yeah, space, or more likely weight, will be the issue. silly manufacturers, making all that gear out of metal...

I just found out i will be in dongnae. As soon as i figure out how to read "climbing gym" in korean, i will begin crisscrossing the streets in search of those words. and will be completely useless at providing directions.

[shanja]

Climbing gym in Korean is 암장 "am-jang" or 실내암벽등반 "shil-neigh-am-byok-deung-ban". The second version being litterally inside climbing place, the former the casual word commonly used by climbers and such. To get to one, you can ask 암장 어디있어요? - am jang oe dee iss o-yo? (where is a climbing gym?) and 제발 암장 주소 주세요 - je-bal, am jang ju-saw ju-say-yo (please give/write me the address of the gym (then give this to a taxi driver, they are amazingly honest and good at getting you to places). Best luck!
Jake

[Chickenlegs]

Where did you live around DC? I'm from Manassas, so it's always nice to hear of someone from area.

Also, we brought trad gear, but we haven't used it in Korea yet because there aren't many trad areas and quite a few of them are slabby. Neither my husband or I are fans of slab. But, regardless, if there is room, bringing it can't hurt!

[skinsk]

then you'll be near gazoodles of gyms and a wall. . . I tried to post maps and photos of the outside of the buildings for the gyms I checked out in Pusan. . . look under the posts for gyms and check "navigational photos". . . many are easily accessible by subway. And even if you can't read Korean yet, check out the websites and click around. . . you'll get a feel for the gyms!

[gwalinor]

Where did you live around DC? I'm from Manassas, so it's always nice to hear of someone from area.

Also, we brought trad gear, but we haven't used it in Korea yet because there aren't many trad areas and quite a few of them are slabby. Neither my husband or I are fans of slab. But, regardless, if there is room, bringing it can't hurt!

i was living in DC, Columbia Heights.

brought the trad gear. slabs are fun:) (only because i blow at crack climbing)

[gwalinor]

Climbing gym in Korean is 암장 "am-jang" or 실내암벽등반 "shil-neigh-am-byok-deung-ban". The second version being litterally inside climbing place, the former the casual word commonly used by climbers and such. To get to one, you can ask 암장 어디있어요? - am jang oe dee iss o-yo? (where is a climbing gym?) and 제발 암장 주소 주세요 - je-bal, am jang ju-saw ju-say-yo (please give/write me the address of the gym (then give this to a taxi driver, they are amazingly honest and good at getting you to places). Best luck!
Jake

thanks, i'll try these out on friday.