Food / Drink / Shop

Better know a dong: Sanho dong, Masan By Neil Barnum.   Sanho dong (산호동) is at the north end of Masan Bay. It is not the place to go for entertainment unless you like baseball (GO DINOS) but it is the place to go shopping and buy things you need. …

Garosoo-gil in Korean (가로수길) means a tree-lined street. The most famous avenue with this moniker is in the ritzy Sinsa-dong in Seoul, but Changwon has its own Garosoo-gil in Yongji-dong, near Yongji Lake. The official name of the street is 용지로239번길 (Yongji-ro 239 beon-gil), but it’s more commonly known to …

It has come to our attention that there is a Mexican chain restaurant in town, Dos Mas, over in the university area. Their website can be found here. One of our kind citizens has left us with a photo of the menu and another a photo of their food! Dos …

Jjajangmyeon (짜장면), or noodles in black bean sauce, is Korea’s answer to General Tso’s Chicken or sweet and sour pork, in that the dish in its current iteration is what most Koreans think of when you say, “Chinese food” even though it’s anything but authentic. As far as Koreanized Chinese …

As promised, I went back to Greenhouse (그린하우스), Dogye-dong’s prized cafe and bakery, to see if their lunch options were as spectacular as their selection of bread and pastries. Unsurprisingly, lunch was delicious. Greenhouse did not disappoint. On a weekday around noon, the second floor cafe is spacious, quiet, and …

Photos and text by Coby Zeifman For most foreigners living in Changwon, less is more. That is to say, having fewer possessions is better. This is because when it eventually comes time to move back to our home countries, it means we have less stuff to move, throw away, or …

Photos and text by Joanna Tambakis Looking for a good spot to have a coffee, hang out, and meet friendly locals? Interested in learning more about coffee, from the roasting process to how to make an espresso, latte, or cappuccino? Want a place to do art, write your next novel, …

Palyong-dong (팔용동, sometimes spelled 팔룡동), is a large, boot-shaped neighborhood located at the northernmost end of Changwon. At its heel are the main bus terminal, Homeplus, and Changwon Stream, which is currently being developed into a beautiful park. Most of the boot’s shaft, running up Changwon-daero (창원대로), is comprised of …

Do you miss bread? I’m not talking about 빵. I mean baguettes and ciabattas, whole wheat and rye? Stop settling for the overly-sweet, limp and insubstantial breads and pastries of [insert conglomerate-owned bakery franchise here] and check out Greenhouse (그린하우스) in Dogye-dong. Under the skilled hand of an award-winning member of …

UPDATE:  NOW LOCATED ON SECOND FLOOR AS THE SAME BUILDING AS O’BRIENS El Loco is a Tex Mex restaurant in Jungang-dong in Changwon. They have burritos, tacos, and quesadillas along with some strong drinks. The prices are pretty inexpensive and the flavors are closer to what you’d expect of a …

Language Exchange is popular in big cities. The Language Exchange is good for both learners. By attending the Language Exchange, learners can feel comfortable in many situations. Koreans who learn English don’t feel shy any more. Expats who learn Korean meet good friends who tell them good expressions. Unlike big cities, a …

It may be the middle of winter, but that isn’t stopping people from getting their fix of traditional Korean shaved ice at Sulbing. Every branch of this cafe chain is always packed, and with two locations in Changwon, you’ve got to see (and taste) what all the hype is about. …

  If you haven’t been to Cafe HaU before, you are in for a refreshing treat. Cafe HaU is one of the nicest cafes in Changwon with a great selection of hand drip fair trade coffee. They use Kalita pots to brew the delicious coffee and you can taste the difference. …

Eventually you will need to transfer money in Changwon. Maybe you will want to run in a foot race. Or you will want to rent a pension. Or you will want to buy something. Anyway, when this happens, do not panic. It is quite a simple thing to do. And …

Picture the scene: I want Thai food on a Wednesday evening. I post on Facebook to see if there is anywhere to obtain on the regular Thai cuisine. I am thwarted — although Austin, the proprietor of O’Briens in Changwon puts on a fine Thai Green Curry, I hear. In …

In the process of life in an Asian country it will almost certainly fall upon the hungry, the needy and such to venture out of the space they normally occupy in order to find something. Upon leaving the comfort zone it can quickly become apparent that the city we live …

2nd hand stores are hard to come by in Korea. The chain, Beautiful Store, is an exception. Here is a map of the Beautiful Stores in the area, as well as the Goodwill near Yongji Lake. Click on the pins to get addresses and bus information. View 2nd Hand Shops …

Halloween is right around the corner. Finding a costume in South Korea takes a little more planning than back home. We have compiled a list of options for you. If you have another place that has Halloween goodness, please let us know on Changwonderful’s Facebook. Sunny Smart Shopping Sunny will help you …

B Han’s is a store which supplies baking things. Ingredients, utensils, boxes, bags, and labels are all available, as well as many things for cookies, candies, and pies. It is similar to Cookie Plaza, but the prices are a bit cheaper. and it is strictly baking supplies. They are open …