Gumi, South Korea - A Pictorial

Saturday, January, 25th, 2oo3
After my rocky arrival in Korea and Gumi I started to settle in. My Korean life was just beginning and I was excited. I couldn't wait to explore my new city. I took this pictures my first two weeks in Gumi, South Korea. For more information on Gumi go to
Gumi Website in English

I'm not sure if you can read it but the sign in the background says "I Love Gumi".

Gumi is rumored to be the Silicon Valley of South Korea. LG and Samsung are the major employeers in Gumi. Everywhere I went LG dominated. It seems only fitting that building with an LG Sign on it seems to tower over Gumi.


This was the outside of my apartment building in Gumi. The only thing I didn't like about the place was that my downstairs landlady ways always closing and locking the metal gates to the courtyard. Admittedly, it was a great security feature but made it hard for me to order pizza until I got a cellphone and could understand enough Korean for the pizza delivery man to call me and tell me to come unlock the gate.

This was the kitchen in my apartment in Gumi. Notice I didn't have a stove - just two gas burners but I did learn to cook some and eventually bought a toaster oven. (I would learn to make everything from homemade pizza to meatloaf and chocolate chip cookies in that toaster oven.)

The livingroom of the apartment was where we had to keep our drying rack. This is where we dried our clothes. There was a line on the roof of the house that we could use when the weather got warmer. Boy, did I miss my clothes drier.


This was G-Plex. It was a large department store in downtown Gumi. You could buy anything from clothes to earrings there. Also, there was a food court on the top floor.
There was bedding for sale on the street. But unfortunately, there ere no sheets to be had - AT ANY PRICE! I was so disappointed.

Here is Gumi Train Station - January 2003. It has since be renovated. I loved the benches in front. It made a great place to sit and people watch. Moreover, Dunkin' Donuts is next door - great for take-out coffee.