Your practical companion in Korea
The practical guide to living in Korea.
Plain-language guides on visas, housing, banking, insurance, and taxes. Honest picks on neighborhoods, doctors, agents, and services that work for foreign residents. For everyone living in Korea.
New to Korea? Start here
The essentials for your first weeks, from landing to settled.
ARC Registration Guide: How to Get Your Alien Registration Card in Korea
How to apply for your Alien Registration Card (ARC) in Korea, which immigration office to visit, what documents to bring, and what to do while you wait.
How to Open a Korean Bank Account as a Foreigner
Step-by-step guide to opening a bank account in Korea as a foreigner. Which banks accept expats, what documents you need, and how to avoid common rejections.
Korea SIM Card Guide: Phone Plans for Expats
How to get a Korean phone plan as a foreigner, prepaid SIM cards, monthly contracts, name registration requirements, and which carrier to choose.
How Jeonse Works: the Risks to Know Before Signing
Jeonse is Korea's unique deposit-only lease system. Learn how it works, what the risks are, and how to protect your deposit.
Korea National Health Insurance (NHIS) Guide for Foreign Residents
How Korea's National Health Insurance works for foreigners, who is covered, the 6-month wait rule, how to enroll as an employee or freelancer, dependent enrollment, what's covered, and what to do if you're not yet eligible.
Finding English-Speaking Doctors in Korea
How to find English-speaking doctors and clinics in Korea. Seoul and outside Seoul. International clinics, how to navigate Korean hospitals, and what NHIS covers.
Arrival
Rental system
Scam prevention
Healthcare
Money
Documents
Agents
Finances
Daily lifeFree tools for living in Korea
Free calculators to take the guesswork out of Korean housing.
HousingAgent fee calculator
Check the legal maximum commission before you pay. Korean fees are capped by law.
HousingJeonse vs. Wolse calculator
Compare true costs based on your deposit, rent, and savings rate. See which saves you more.
HousingDeposit safety checker
Check if the building mortgage puts your jeonse deposit at risk before you sign.
Understand Korea's rental system
Jeonse, wolse, deposits, and scams. Explained before you sign anything.
How to Get Your Rental Deposit Back in Korea
What happens at the end of a Korean lease, how to get your deposit returned, what landlords can deduct, and what to do if they refuse to pay.
ToolHow Jeonse Works: the Risks to Know Before Signing
Jeonse is Korea's unique deposit-only lease system. Learn how it works, what the risks are, and how to protect your deposit.
ToolHow to Avoid Jeonse and Deposit Scams in Korea
Jeonse and wolse deposit fraud is a real risk in Korea. Learn the most common scam types, the five checks to run before signing, and how to protect your deposit.
Korea Apartment Types Explained: Officetel, Villa, Apartment, Goshiwon
Korea has four main housing types foreigners encounter: officetels, villas, apartments, and goshiwon. Learn what each one is, who it suits, and what to watch for.
ToolKorea Housing FAQ for Foreigners: 15 Most Common Questions Answered
Answers to the 15 most common questions foreigners ask about renting in Korea, jeonse, wolse, deposits, contracts, scams, and the ARC.
Korea Apartment Lease Documents Checklist for Foreigners
A complete checklist of documents you need to rent an apartment in Korea as a foreigner, what to prepare, what to verify, and what to sign.
Neighborhoods in Korea
Seoul districts, Busan, and beyond. Where foreign residents actually live.
Bundang / Pangyo
Planned new town, family-oriented, tech hub, green spaces, quieter suburban feel
₩800K/mo · Wolse
Moderate foreigner-friendliness
Busan
Coastal city, beaches, mountains, seafood, relaxed pace, tight expat community
₩400K/mo · Wolse
Moderate foreigner-friendliness
Cheonan
Commuter city, affordable, mid-size, subway access, practical rather than exciting
₩250K/mo · Wolse
Moderate foreigner-friendliness
Daegu
Inland city, lower cost, strong local culture, market life, mountains within reach
₩280K/mo · Wolse
Moderate foreigner-friendliness
Daejeon
Research city, affordable, university-driven, outdoor access, slower pace than Seoul
₩300K/mo · Wolse
Moderate foreigner-friendliness
Gangnam
Upscale corporate hub, luxury apartments, international schools, polished streetscape
₩750K/mo · Wolse
Moderate foreigner-friendliness
Deposit fraud is real, and easy to miss if you don't know what to check
Billions of won in jeonse deposits have been lost to fraud in Korea. Many renters lose their deposits because the warning signs aren't obvious. These three resources will protect you.
Agent fee calculatorGet in touch
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