Pohang, South Korea

With a population of 503,780, Pohang is a bustling industrial city, but the bureaucracy is a persistent headache. The steel and metal industries dominate the local economy, led by the massive POSCO plant. While the city boasts a range of cultural attractions like the Jukdo Fish Market and Yeongildae Beach, the climate is humid subtropical, with hot, wet summers. Pohang presents itself as an environmentally-conscious, tech-focused city of the future, but its reliance on heavy industry may prove challenging as globalization pressures mount. This gritty port town is best suited for those drawn to its steel-town grit and willing to navigate its bureaucratic hurdles.