The general guide to moving to Korea

July 2, 2007 in Opinion, Relocation, Telecommunications

I’d argue there are definitely some things missing here, but it’s not a bad primer to read before moving here.

Overview:

Living in Korea can be an eye opening experience if it is your first time immersed in an Asian culture.

Housing

To accommodate the wide range of people living in Korea, there are many different types of bachelor suites and studio apartments designed to fit the basic needs of the masses along with apartments and other forms of housing.

As an instructor at CDI, you will be living in a typical studio apartment/bachelor suite that caters to the busy life of a single person. These apartments are not spacious but are adequate for one person to live comfortably on his/her days off. Fortunately, these apartments are in good condition and are very clean. If you are expecting a big fancy loft, you will find yourself in great disappointment, but if you have a positive and realistic attitude about housing in a metropolitan city, you will be pleasantly surprised.

All of these apartments will have modern and western bathroom facilities with a toilet, sink and shower. Bathtubs are generally very rare in single housing accommodations in Korea.

Most CDI instructors will have housing in a “Villa” or an “Officetel” when they live in Korea.  Most single housing in Korea is located in either of these two structures that are dispersed throughout the city.

• i. Villa – The smaller buildings that contain these accommodations are referred to as “Villas,” in Korea. A majority of these buildings are located in the residential sections of the city and are more affordable due to the low maintenance costs. These buildings typically have an owner that resides in the building while playing the role of the superintendent.
• ii. Officetel – The tall buildings that have both residential and light commercial accommodations are called “Officetels,” in Korea. These Officetels are all fairly new, which means that they all come with updated technology. Most of the suites in the Officetels have keyless entry and other neat features, depending on the location. The costs may be higher than the villas due to the building maintenance. One of the advantages of living in an Officetel is the close proximity to shops and services, which may sometimes be situated in the building itself.Under the monthly remuneration package, your single housing accommodation will come furnished with a bed, refrigerator, stove, A/C and washing machine for your convenience.

Communications/Cell Phones

We highly recommend you acquire a cellular phone when you arrive to Korea and want to live here. Almost everyone in the country owns a cell phone, and it is the main channel for CDI communication. Instructors will need to acquire the Alien Registration Card from the immigration office before being able to register for cellular phone service. All cell phones have the capability to send and receive text and email messages, and also can make and receive international calls. Once hired, we are available to assist you in the process of acquiring a cell phone. An average monthly usage bill can range between 30 to 70 US dollars, and brand new cellular phones average between 100 to 500 US dollars depending on the capabilities. However, approximately 200 US dollars will get you a brand new color phone with a digital camera and MP3 music capability. It is also easy to purchase used phones at a highly discounted price, as low as 40 US dollars.

Korea boasts the world’s fastest and easiest access to the information superhighway. You can choose from a variety of bandwidths, pertaining to your needs, and usually get connected without a service charge, if agreeing to a one year contract. The average cost for internet service costs about 20 to 30 US dollars. “PC bangs” are Korea’s version of an Internet Cafe also know as a ‘game rooms,’ are available near most residential areas, and its computers costs about 1 to 2 US dollars per hour to use.

Many instructors desire to study the Korean language during their time in Korea. While some courses are available at established adult language institutes, there are some ways of learning Korean at no cost from local community centers, language exchange groups, and through private tutors. For individuals who are looking for more intensive studies, there are a number of Korean universities that offer both short-term and long-term courses working towards a language proficiency certificate.

Greetings

The formal way of saying “hello” in Korean is an-nyung-ha-sae-yo. Much like in the West, Koreans say this when meeting and greeting each other. It also implies the question, “how are you?” Among close friends a shorter verse of the word, an-nyung, is used, which also used as goodbye.

Most Koreans will also bow their heads when greeting each other but not necessarily all the time. Usually, the closer the friendship, the less need for the formality. However, Koreans do tend to bow when greeting an older person or their employers. Shaking hands is also common in Korea when greeting one another.

Do not be too distracted if Koreans do not look you directly in the eye when speaking. It is considered impolite to stare into the eyes, especially to an older person. However, the younger generation of students will make eye contact and instructors should encourage the students to make friendly eye contact when engaging in conversation.

Banking/Money

You will need at least a passport to open a bank account locally in any city throughout Korea. However, many will require also your Alien Registration Card as well to open up the account.

Currently, the largest denomination of Korean won is the 10,000 won bill called “Man-won.” There are checks which you can get in 100,000 won and 1,000,000 denominations.

There is also online banking available while living in Korea.

Instructors send money home for a variety of reasons. The most common method is using wire transfers. There is a limit to how much you can send at one time and the fee will depend on the amount that is sent, keep in mind that the person receiving the funds will also be charged a small fee. This is a simple procedure that can be done at the bank you receive your monthly pay.

Daily Amenities

Health and fitness clubs are easily accessible, and typically offer aerobic and weightlifting equipment. Some clubs also offer yoga, Pilates, and other fitness programs to help you maintain your level of fitness. Some locations throughout Korea will have saunas too. Most gyms have a monthly and/or yearly fee, ranging from 50 to 150 US dollars per month based on various membership packages. Outdoor sports such as soccer and basketball are also common. While tennis courts are few and usually require a reservation and court usage fee, basketball courts and soccer fields can be readily found at schoolyards and in local neighborhoods for public use. Golf in Korea is quite expensive ranging up to 200 US dollars for 18 holes and a caddy. Driving ranges cost about 10 to 20 dollars per hour, and may be a more manageable way to practice your swing.

Recreation

Skiing and snowboarding are also very popular winter sports in Korea. Slopes are just an hour or two away from most major cities. Equipment and ski clothing can be rented at most locations with the cost ranging from about 100 to 150 dollars for lift tickets, rental equipment and lunch. If you plan to do a lot of snowboarding or skiing in Korea, it might be wise to invest in used equipment, which is commonly available at very reasonable prices.

Local Culture

Koreans are quite friendly to foreigners and will generally show interest in your well-being. Koreans especially welcome those who smile and make genuine efforts to understand and appreciate the Korean language and culture. Patience is a virtue, and the more open you are to experiencing Korea, the fuller and more enriching your visit will be.
By general consensus, Koreans are viewed to be quite rushed and always in a hurry. While this may be an over generalization, people in larger metropolis do tend to be more in a hurry when seen on subways and busy streets. People in smaller cities and neighborhoods tend to be more relaxed and leisurely in their daily activities. We recommend that you take the time to get familiar with your new surroundings and to appreciate the different cultures within the country.

Punctuality is quite important to Koreans and to CDI. Making that extra effort to arrive at an appointment a little early will leave a lasting impression about you on your host country. Although taxis are quite inexpensive and abundant in most Korean cities, the subway and bus systems are the most reliable as they are less subjected to traffic congestions and will usually get you to where you want to be on time.

So, that’s it for our general guide to “living in Korea” — we’ll try to update this regularly & add more information over time that you find helpful.  If you find anything that would help you live in Korea more comfortably or enjoyably, please feel free to leave a comment below.  Thanks for reading our “Living in Korea” Guide.  Cheers. 

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