By popular demand: Suncheon Intercity Bus Terminal, Gwangju Bus Timetable, and Live music in Gwangju.

First day in a while that I didn't do a real update. Anyway, this little entry is to feed google, and is a semi-regular feature I've been trying to do in which I address some of the things people are searching for that lead them to my blog.

** The Suncheon Intercity Bus Terminal . . . um, is a bus terminal. Kinda crappy compared to terminals in cities of similar size, doesn't have any real restaurants, and it's in a boring neighborhood. Nevertheless, Suncheon has pretty good transporation, and compared to what I had to deal with in Gangjin, Suncheon feels like the transportation hub of Asia. I wouldn't put it past anyone in the marketing department to start using that slogan, either. Anyway, the most important thing is that you can find a timetable online here, in Korean. There is also an Express Bus Terminal in Suncheon, about two kilometers way across from Suncheon National University. It's extremely tiny, but offers additional buses to Seoul, Busan, and a few other places; it's where you can catch the 6 am bus to Gangnam. You can get a timetable here in Korean or here in English, provided you input your departure and arrival cities and 00:00 for the time.

Nowadays you can find loads of tourist information about Suncheon online. Or you can ask me. But if you want some in-person advice you can check out the Suncheon Tourist Information Center (순천관광안내도) in front of Suncheon Station, about a 10 or 15 minute walk away. To get there, exit the bus terminal, make a left down the alley (the opposite direction of Family Mart), and turn left on the main road. Walk straight and eventually you'll see the train station in front of you. At the Tourist Information Center you can find pamphlets, bus timetables, and directions. It isn't open all hours, and I'm not even sure it's open on Sundays, so again I'd recommend doing most of your research online before you get here.

** Hell, while we're at it, it's worth mentioning the online timetable for the Gwangju Bus Terminal. Provided you can navigate Korean sites and can input Korean text, you can get a timetable for express buses here and one for intercity buses here.

** Also got hits for live music in Gwangju for some reason. The most popular foreigner-friendly bar for that sort of stuff is Mike and Dave's Speakeasy, in the Chungjangno district downtown. As their website says, "Live music is the heart and soul of Speakeasy." Let it be known that if they had written "Seoul" this conversation would have ended long ago. You can get email updates on shows by joining their online mailing list, and you can sort of navigate the labyrinthine neighborhood via a map here. If you're going by subway, exit 금강로4가 station gate 1, turn down the main street with the McDonald's. Walking for a few minutes will take you to that post office found on the map (with the Starbucks visible down the street on your left), and you'll make a right toward the Burger King.

As was reported in this month's Gwangju News, there is another club in Chungjangno which puts on at times. Maybe all the time, I don't know. The article was about punk shows. It's called Club Nevermind and, according to the article

is on Choongjang-ro behind the Dae In market near the Han Mi shopping center. In other words, you'd better have someone lead you there the first time out.

So yeah. Maybe there are two Club Neverminds, maybe the article is wrong, or maybe Naver is wrong, because Naver puts it next to Chunnam University. It has a presence online with its own Daum cafe, so you could probably glean some more information from there. Also a Cyworld Club page, but I don't think you can look around unless you have a Cyworld ID.

There's also a Facebook group called "Acoustic Music in Jeollanam-do." I guess they put on shows at local bars, and also play in Gwangju's Sajik Park from time to time. I dunno, I never hear about any white people activities around here until after they happen.
t(-_-t)

And, you'll happen across live performances at festivals from time to time. Usually lame-ass bullshit pop music or trot, but I guess Dynamic Duo played the Red Festa thing last week. You're better off joining the Gwangju Facebook group and asking around there for other venues.

But who needs live music when you have AOL Radio? "Abstract Beats" is sick as hell dude.

Update: Haha, an hour later and right to the top of google for all three searches. That's how we do.