Living
Housing contracts, jeonse and wolse, health insurance and everyday utilities.
25 articles
Annual Leave in Korea: How Many Days You Get and the Rules Around Using Them
Korean annual leave under the Labor Standards Act — 15 paid days after one year of service, how leave accrues in the first year, the seniority increase to 25 days, and what happens to unused leave.
Taking the Korean Driving Test as a Foreigner: Written, Course and Road Stages
How to get a Korean driver's licence by taking the test from scratch — the written test (40 questions, English available), the closed-course test and the on-road test, with fees and pass scores.
T-money and Public Transport Cards in Korea: Buying, Charging and Using Them
How public transport cards like T-money work in Korea — where to buy one, how to top it up, the tap-on/tap-off rule and transfer discounts, and how refunds work for visitors.
Kakao T and Taxi Apps in Korea: Calling a Taxi and Paying as a Foreigner
How taxi apps work in Korea — Kakao T and the foreigner-focused k.ride, signing up without a Korean number, the 'pay to driver' workaround, and what to know about fares.
International Schools in Korea: Eligibility Rules, Costs and the Admission Process
How international schools in Korea work for foreign residents — the Ministry of Education eligibility criteria, the tuition range, and the typical application process for schools such as Korea International School.
Working Hours in Korea: The 52-Hour Week, Overtime Pay and Your Rights as a Foreign Worker
Korea's working-hours rules under the Labor Standards Act — the 52-hour weekly cap, 40-hour standard week, 1.5x overtime and night pay, breaks, and how these apply to foreign workers.
Minimum Wage in Korea: The 2026 Rate, Who It Covers, and What to Do If You Are Underpaid
Korea's 2026 minimum wage is 10,320 won per hour and applies to every worker regardless of nationality or visa. How it is set, the monthly equivalent, and the steps to take if your pay is below the floor.
Severance Pay (퇴직금) in Korea: Who Qualifies, How It Is Calculated, and Payment Rules
Korean severance pay (퇴직금) is a statutory right for any worker with one year of continuous service, including foreign workers. How it is calculated, the 14-day payment rule, and the departure insurance that covers many foreign employees.
Marriage Registration in Korea: What Makes a Marriage Legal, Documents and Timing
In Korea a wedding ceremony has no legal effect — a marriage becomes legal only when the marriage report (혼인신고) is filed and accepted. What to prepare, how long you have if you married abroad, and what comes after registration.
Can You See North Korea from Seoul? Where the Border Actually Is
From central Seoul you cannot see North Korea — the border sits about 50 km north. Where you actually can see across: the observatories near the DMZ in Paju and Gimpo, and how to reach them.
How to Say Worse in Korean: Deo Nappeun and Its Confusions
The Korean word for worse is *deo nappeun* (더 나쁜). Here is how to use the comparative form, the difference from *deoreoun* and *simhada*, and the phrase patterns you will hear every day.
How to Say Wolf in Korean: Neukdae, Usage and Common Confusions
The Korean word for wolf is *neukdae* (늑대). Here is how to pronounce it, the older synonym *iri*, the compounds you will actually meet (werewolf, wolf boy), and the traps that trip up learners.
Wolse in Korea: what monthly rent actually looks like
How wolse (wolse) works in Korea: the deposit-plus-monthly-rent structure, how much deposit landlords usually ask, the legal 2-year minimum term, and how wolse compares to jeonse.
Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence in Korea: What the Process Requires
How to convert a foreign driver's licence to a Korean one, which countries qualify for a simplified exchange, the embassy confirmation step, and how an international permit differs.
Gym Contracts in Korea: Cancellation Rights and How Refunds Are Calculated
Long prepaid gym and PT contracts are standard in Korea, and so are disputes about cancelling them. Here is what the consumer rules provide, how refunds are computed, and where to complain.
Visiting a Hospital in Korea: Clinics, Referrals and What You Pay
How Korea's tiered medical system works, when you need a referral, what a visit costs with and without national health insurance, and how to find English-speaking care.
National Health Insurance in Korea for Foreign Residents
Who must enrol and when, how employee and local subscriber premiums are calculated differently, what is covered, and what happens if you fall behind on payments.
Bringing a Pet to Korea: Import Requirements and the Rabies Titre Test
What Korea requires to import a dog or cat — microchip, rabies vaccination, the antibody titre test and its waiting period, and the health certificate — plus registration once you arrive.
Using a Pharmacy in Korea: What You Can Buy Without a Prescription
How Korean pharmacies work, which common remedies are available over the counter, what the convenience store exception covers, and the rules on bringing your own medication into the country.
Real Estate Agent Fees in Korea: How the Rate Is Set and What You Should Pay
Agent commission in Korea is capped by regulated percentage bands, not freely negotiated. Here is how the calculation works for jeonse and wolse, and what to check before paying.
Recycling Rules in Korea: Volume-Rate Bags, Food Waste and Fines
How Korea's volume-rate waste system works, which bag to buy where, how food waste is charged separately, and the sorting mistakes that lead to fines or uncollected rubbish.
Signing a Rental Contract in Korea: What to Check Before You Pay
The property register check, the agent's role and fee, standard contract clauses, and the three steps after signing that protect your deposit.
Utility Bills in Korea: Setting Up, Reading and Paying Them
What the management fee covers, how electricity, gas and water are billed separately, the progressive electricity tariff that spikes summer bills, and how to set up automatic payment.
Cost of Living in Korea: Where the Money Actually Goes
How housing, food, transport, utilities and insurance combine into a monthly budget in Korea, and which costs surprise new arrivals most.
Jeonse Explained: How Korea's Deposit-Only Lease Works and How to Protect Your Money
Jeonse means paying one large deposit instead of monthly rent. Here is how the deposit is returned, what wolse costs by comparison, and the three steps that protect your deposit legally.