Living & Costs
The day-to-day setup: a bank account, a phone, a place to live, health insurance, and a realistic idea of what it all costs.
Guides
For your first few weeks here.Opening a bank account
You need one for salary, rent and most apps. Which banks, what to bring, and avoiding a restricted account.
Getting a phone / SIM
Prepaid when you land, postpaid after your ARC, cheaper MVNO plans, and getting through phone verification.
Finding a place to live
Jeonse vs wolse, deposits and key money, what it costs, and how to protect your deposit.
National Health Insurance
Required after 6 months and pretty cheap. Premiums, coverage, and how to enroll.
Cost of living
A realistic monthly budget: rent, food, transport, healthcare, and where foreigners tend to overpay.
Sending money home
Wise vs SentBe vs WireBarley, what you need, and the $50,000/year limit to know.
Seeing a doctor
Clinic vs hospital, how a visit works, pharmacies, emergency numbers, and English-speaking care.
Getting a driver's license
IDP for short stays, exchanging your home license for long ones, and the step-by-step process.
Trash & recycling
Pay-as-you-throw bags, food waste, sorting, and fines. Most people get something wrong at first.
Mobile payments & apps
Kakao Pay vs Naver Pay vs Toss, the essential app stack, and fixing verification errors.
Customs code (PCCC) for overseas orders
Get your 개인통관고유부호 for AliExpress, Temu, iHerb and Amazon, online or with just a passport at customs.
Utilities & bills
Electricity, gas, water and internet. How to set them up, pay, and get your deposit back.
Survival Korean
Read Hangul, master a few dozen phrases, and handle daily life with confidence.
Grocery shopping
Hypermarkets, traditional markets, and delivery apps that actually take your card.
Safety & emergencies
112, 119, 1330. The numbers, apps and steps to know before something goes wrong.
Pets in Korea
Bringing one in, the titer test, mandatory dog registration, and life with a pet here.
Making friends
Language exchanges, clubs, apps, and how people actually make friends here.
Gyms & hobbies
How gym memberships work, what PT costs, and the sports and classes worth joining.
Haircuts & beauty
Prices, how to book, bringing photos, and finding a salon that gets your hair right.
Childcare & schools
Daycare, kindergarten, public and international schools. Costs, subsidies, and how to enrol.
Dating in Korea
How people meet, couple culture, etiquette, and dating across cultures.
Cafe culture
Seoul's 90,000 cafes: the etiquette, working & studying, study cafes, and themed spots.