[PEOPLE] Building a Business, Life & Community
Park Jeong-mi & Aaron Bruckart
Writer Robert Weimer
Photos Aaron Bruckart
YM: Thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions about your life in Yeonsu-dong. For starters, Aaron, what brought you to Korea and how long have you been here?
Aaron: I came to Korea in September of 2008. I was a newspaper reporter back in Pittsburgh. My buddy called me from Korea telling me about this (teaching) opportunity, I knew this was my chance to see a new side of the world.
YM: How long have you lived in Yeonsu-dong?
Aaron: I’ve lived in Yeonsu-dong for four of my five years in Korea.
YM: We understand that you own a business in Yeonsu-dong. Please tell us a little bit about it.
Aaron: Owning a business in Yeonsu-dong has been an incredible experience. My wife and I opened Liquor Burger in September of 2011. Yeonsi-dong is a tightly-knit neighborhood with a wonderful group of people. The community and affordable real estate prices made this whole crazy idea a possibility.
Jeong Mi: Owning Liquor Burger is really fun. All of our friends who come to our place are really nice. They’re like family to us.
YM: I understand that Liquor Burger, has a predominantly foreign customer base and that many of the customers live in Yeonsu-dong. What do they say about their life here?
Aaron: It seems that all of our friends really enjoy living in Yeonsu-dong. The businesses in the neighborhood generally cater to English speakers. The consensus seems to be that the small community in Yeonsu helps keep the stresses of life in Korea relatively low.
YM: Do you feel that the close proximity of Yeonsu-dong to the Incheon Airport is a major advantage of living here?
Aaron: It’s a huge advantage. It’s so easy to hop on the bus or subway if you’re going on or coming from a trip. The proximity even makes taking a cab a pretty good option. Anyone who plans on traveling a lot while working in Korea would not be disappointed with living in Yeonsu.
YM: Do you think that the businesses and other service providers operating in Yeonsu-dong are oriented toward meeting the needs of foreign residents?
Aaron: The restaurant owners are generally very friendly and can understand and speak some English. Like anywhere, there is always room for improvement. It seems that many of the cell phone store proprietors still have some trouble making contracts with people who can’t speak Korean.
Jeong Mi: In addition to operating our business, we’ve worked very hard to fill in that gap for the foreign community. We try to help out when the language has presented a challenge in getting cell phones, finding jobs, going to the hospital or arranging for housing.
YM: Other than the businesses and services that are that are available in Yeonsu-dong, is there anything else that you like about living here?
Aaron: I really love the small community feel of Yeonsu-dong. I grew up in a small town just north of Pittsburgh, PA. I like the small-town feel. Everything is close and everyone knows each other. It makes life very comfortable here.
Jeong Mi: The shopping centers, post office and district office are close, so it’s very convenient.
YM: What has been your experience with healthcare services here in Yeonsu-dong?
Aaron: Yeonsu-dong has at least one great hospital and a lot of fine clinics. I recently hurt my knee, but it was an the doctors and pharmacists generally speak enough English to help out our friends who can’t speak Korean.
YM: Is there anything else about your experience in Yeonsu-dong, or Korea in general, which you’d like to share?
Aaron: I can tell you right now that I don’t think we could have opened Liquor Burger anywhere else in Korea. We were very lucky with the timing and space availability and our new location is literally less than 100 meters from our old location.
YM: Do you have any suggestions that could improve life in Yeonsu-dong?
Aaron: New people in Yeonsu-dong should learn about the local transportation system. Developing a basic understanding of the Korean language can make a world of difference, too. I am biased, but of course I’d tell everyone to hang out at Liquor Burger -- if only to meet the other people in the neighborhood, which can mean a lot when a person is trying to build a support network here.
