Moving to Korea can feel fast, exciting, and sometimes overwhelming.
In this article, Valeria Jimenez Cordoba, a member of The Pylon Club, shares the practical lessons she learned while building her life in Korea—from housing and bureaucracy to daily routines and balance.
STEP 1. Your home matters more than you think
Site: https://www.dabangapp.com/
- Expect to pay around €400–€800, depending on the area
- Look for neighborhoods like Hongdae, Hapjeong, Mangwon, Yeonnam or Sinchon – young energy + good access to public transport
- Helpful tools: Local Stitch for longer stays with coworking options, and the Dabang app (ideally with support from Korean friends)
STEP 2. Handle the bureaucracy early
If you’re planning to stay for a year, don’t wait:
- Book your Alien Registration Card (ARC) appointment as soon as you have an address
- Get health insurance that meets Korean requirements so you can skip the national one (around 60,000₩/month)
- Once you receive your ARC:
- Get a Korean phone number
- Open a bank account (most services are linked to your phone number and ARC)
STEP 3. Download these apps on day one
- Naver Maps / Kakao Maps (Google Maps is almost useless here)
- KakaoTalk (the real way people communicate)
- Kakao T for taxi
- 따릉이 Seoul Bike to move around
- Coupang & Coupang Eats for deliveries
STEP 4. Design your own pace
What saved me:
- Planning my days in advance
- Separating work from life—both physically and mentally
- Meal prepping so I’m not always eating in a rush
- Actively looking for international communities – once I found them, everything changed
I fell in love with Jeju Island in the summer and Nami Island in winter, but my biggest win wasn’t a place. It was learning how to live well in a country that is always on fast-forward. 😉
- Author: Valeria Jimenez Cordoba
- Editor: Sia
