This article covers the benefits of a Wise account, including how you can send money internationally, spend in Korea by card, and how to receive payments from abroad. There’s also information about who can get a Wise account, what currencies you can use, and how to spend and send money.

I’ll also share the best ways to send money from abroad to Korea (including the US and UK) and how to send money out from Korea to other countries, too. These include Korea-based banks and banking apps that you can use as an expat in Korea to send and receive money with lower fees than banks charge.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is Wise And How To Use It In Korea

In the words of Wise, their service is “an international money transfer service designed to make cross-border transactions more affordable, transparent, and efficient.” Wise utilises peer-to-peer technology to offer the mid-market rate for international transfers and currency exchanges, which helps to reduce currency conversion costs for you. Revolut offers a similar service.

Basically, you can send, receive, and spend money internationally at rates that are better than what you’d find at airport money exchanges and offered by banks for international transfers. You can use the app or website to send and receive money internationally and also get a physical or digital card to spend in shops, restaurants, hotels, attractions, and elsewhere.

Here are some of the benefits I’ve discovered of having a Wise account and getting a Wise card:

How To Use Wise In Korea

If you want to get a Wise account to spend money in Korea or make international transfers, you’ll need to make sure you sign up for a Wise account before you travel to Korea. Unfortunately, you can’t create a Wise account from inside Korea. You’ll need to confirm your identity by phone when you create an account, therefore, do it in your home country before going to Korea.

Once you have a Wise account though, you’ll discover a world of international banking that is much easier than using local banks in each country and, in my experience, much cheaper, too. If you travel internationally a lot, or visit other countries on holiday from time to time, you’re sure to find that a Wise account can make spending your money more convenient and less risky.

There are several ways you can use Wise in Korea as an expat or traveller. I use Wise to do all of these things and more, as I’ll show you in the following sections.

Learn more: For full details about how to use Wise and the many benefits of using a Wise card to pay for things in Korea, check out my article all about how to use Wise in Korea. For details about how to plan your travel money and what methods of payment are accepted in Korea, check out my article about ways to pay in Korea and you’ll discover the best travel money mix for you.

If you’re interested in getting a Wise account, you can use these links below to find your local Wise site:

How To Use Wise To Send Money To Korea

This section will show you how to use Wise to send money to Korea in two different situations, based on who is sending the money and who is receiving the money. The first situation deals with how to transfer money to Korea from your own account using Wise, while the second details how someone else can send money to Korea from other countries into your Wise account.

1 – How To Transfer Your Own Money Using Wise

This situation is for expats living in Korea or people travelling to Korea. It assumes you already have a Wise account that you created before going to Korea to live or travel. You need to open a currency account in Wise for whatever currency you want to transfer into Korean won – this is really easy and you just have to select the currency in the app and choose ‘open’. It takes ten seconds.

Step 1 – Add money to your Wise account in your own currency: I have a UK bank account, so I add money from my UK bank account to Wise. You can add funds by credit card, debit card, bank transfer, or Swift transfer. To add money, select the currency you want to add in the app and click on the big green button that says ‘Add‘ and follow the instructions. The money usually transfers instantly.

Step 2 – Convert your currency into Korean won: You can convert money into Korean won in the Wise app in two ways. Firstly, click on the button that says ‘Convert‘ in the currency you just added (GBP in this case) and choose to convert to Korean won. Secondly, go to your Korean won account in the app and select ‘Add‘. There’s a small fee to convert money, as shown in the image above.

Step 3 – Spend the money in Korea using your Wise card or withdraw cash from an ATM: Once you’ve converted your money into Korean won, you can use your Wise card to spend in Korea at most shops, restaurants, hotels, etc., or withdraw cash from a ‘Global ATM’. I recommend using the card as there’s no fee to pay by card but the Korean ATMs will charge a fee to withdraw cash.

2 – How To Send Money To Wise For Someone Else

This situation is for people outside of Korea who want to send money to people in Korea who have a Wise account. You (the person sending the money) don’t need to have a Wise account yourself, but the person receiving the money should have a Wise account. You will be sending money in your own currency and shouldn’t have to pay any fees to transfer the money.

Step 1 – Ask for the Wise account details of the person you want to send to in Korea: When you create a currency account in Wise (e.g. GBP or USD), you will receive a bank account number, along with details including your Sort Code, IBAN, SWIFT, or BIC numbers. You can find these account details by going to that currency in your Wise app and clicking on the account number (as shown below).

Step 2 – Send money to the Wise account from your own account: For this example, I will assume that my mum wants to send me £100. I provide her with my Wise account details for my GBP currency account that is shown in the Wise app. She can make a bank transfer from her bank to Wise in the same way she’d transfer money to anyone else in the UK. I receive the money in my Wise account.

Step 3 – Convert the money you received into Korean won: After my mum has kindly sent me £100 to my Wise GBP currency account, I can now convert that money into Korean won and use my Wise card to spend it in Korea to buy myself a new pair of shoes or a fancy meal out. Thanks, Mum! The transfer didn’t cost my mum anything and I now get to spend the money in Korea as I like.

Can You Transfer Directly To Korean Won With Wise?

Unfortunately, as Wise doesn’t allow people in Korea to sign up for a Wise account (I suspect this is due to strict Korean banking regulations), you won’t be assigned a Korean bank account when you create a Korean won currency account. That means you can’t transfer money directly from one country into Korean won and will need to choose one of the methods shown above.

Simply put, to transfer money to Korea with Wise, you need to transfer money to another currency account in Wise and then convert that into Korean won. Even though there’s no Korean won bank account, you can still spend money in Korea with your Wise card without any extra fees or hidden conversion costs after you’ve converted money into Korean won in your Wise app.

Transfer Money From Wise To A Korean Bank Account

You can transfer money from your Wise account directly to a Korean bank account in the Wise app. Select the Korean won currency account in the app and click on ‘Send‘. Enter the details of the recipient (bank account, name, etc.) and select the amount of Korean won you want to send. Alternatively, you can share a payment link and send that. There’s a fee of ₩1,450 to make a bank transfer.

Currencies That Offer Bank Accounts With Wise

Although it’s not possible to get a Korean bank account with Wise, you can open bank accounts in the following currencies and make transfers or receive deposits in those currencies:

AUD / CAD / EUR / GBP / HUE / MYR / NZD / PLN / RON / SGD / TRY / USD

You can also add money to your Wise account in the following currencies:

AUD / BGN / BRL / CAD / CNY / CHF / CZK / DKK / EUR / GBP / HUF / IDR / JPY / MYR / NOK / NZD / PLN / RON / SEK / SGD / TRY / USD

Please note: There are some exceptions and conditions for certain currencies based on the country you’re in. Check the Wise website for more details about money transfers in your desired currency.

Why I Use Wise For International Banking

As an expat who works online, I receive and spend money in various currencies (USD / GBP / AUD / EUR / KRW) and use my Wise account to manage and convert them as I need. I can receive money into my USD account on Wise and use the app to convert that into Korean won to spend in Korea, as detailed previously. Wise allows me to manage my international banking needs in one app.

Not only do I use Wise to spend my USD / GBP money in Korea in Korean won, I also use my Wise card when I travel internationally. I recently travelled to Thailand and used my Wise card as my main payment method when cards were accepted. I converted USD and other currency balances to THB in $200 batches and then spent with card or withdrew cash from Thai ATMs as needed.

Another reason I use Wise for international banking as an expat in Korea is that it allows my family to send money to my Wise account (or UK bank account which I then transfer to Wise) that I can spend in Korea. The alternative to using Wise for this would be to receive money into my UK bank account and then withdraw cash in Korea or pay by card – both are expensive options due to bank charges.

Sometimes I need to receive money in currencies that aren’t KRW or GBP and, thanks to Wise, I can do that without having to do a complicated or expensive international transfer between another country and the UK. It’s free to add extra currency accounts in Wise and you don’t need to go through the long, complicated process of setting up a foreign bank account. It’s so simple and quick.

How I Send Money From Korea To My Wise Card

As mentioned, Wise doesn’t allow you to create a Korean bank account, so you can’t send money directly from a Korean bank account to Wise. Fortunately, there are other ways to send money from Korea to other countries. My favourite way is with SentBe, a Korean FinTech company providing international money transfers for a low fee (₩2,500). You need a Korean phone number to use SentBe.

To transfer money from your Korean bank to your Wise account using SentBe, you will need to enter your international (Global) account numbers provided in the Wise currency account of your choice. For example, I would enter my Wise GBP currency account details into SentBe and send money from my Korean bank account to my Wise account. The money is converted into GBP, not KRW.

Alternatively, you can send money from Korea with SentBe directly to your home bank account if you don’t plan to use that money with your Wise card. If you need to send large amounts of money from Korea to other countries, please note that there is a limit of 50,000 USD per year that you can send. I believe this is being increased to 100,000 USD in the future. There are daily limits, too.

There are other apps and websites that provide international transfers from Korea, such as WireBarley, Western Union, and MoneyGram. I haven’t tried any of these options, but from my own experience and feedback from other expats living in Korea, SentBe seems to be the cheapest and most used method.

Other Ways To Transfer Money To Korea

Apart from using Wise to transfer money to Korea, there are some other methods you can use.

Bank Transfer (Remittance): Send money to Korea by entering in the Korean bank details of the person you’re sending money to in Korea. This is how I used to transfer money, but the fees for doing this can be high and the exchange rates can be bad.

International Remittance Provider: You can use companies like Western Union, Currency Fair, or Remitly to send money to a Korean bank account or (in some situations) to be collected in cash at an approved location. Be careful with this method as some frauds are conducted through international remittance providers. Only send money to accounts you trust.

Based on my experience as an expat for more than 13 years in Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia, I can say that using Wise in combination with my home bank account, Korean bank account, and SentBe has been the best option for sending money to Korea and transferring money out of Korea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to use Wise to send money to Korea. These answers are based on my own experience and from research conducted to write this article. If you have any more questions about this topic, please feel free to post a comment at the end of this article.

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This article will show you the pros and cons of one of Europe’s most awarded mattresses and help you decide whether it’s right for your Korean home. Not only does this review focus on the details of the Emma Original mattress, it also covers issues related to buying and using this mattress in Korea.

Having lived in Korea since 2015 and slept on many mattresses in different apartments, guesthouses, and hotels, I can honestly say that the Emma Original mattress, which is reviewed here, has been one of the best. Find out why I like it and whether it could be the right option for you in Korea or abroad.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Emma Mattress Korea Review: Verdict

In this article I will be reviewing the Emma Original mattress, a high-quality foam mattress created in Germany that is sold around the world. I will be specifically looking at the version sold in Korea and considering the pros and cons of this mattress based on conditions found in Korea.

The Emma Original mattress is Europe’s most awarded mattress and has been designed using Emma’s proprietary technology by German engineers to protect your spine while you sleep. This is done by keeping your spine aligned and straight, which helps to reduce back and lumbar pain.

After testing the Emma Original mattress in my Korean apartment during the hot and humid Korean summer months, I have found that the mattress has improved my sleeping conditions. It helps me get a good night’s sleep while reducing the aches and pains I sometimes had from my old mattress.

Overall, I’ve been very pleased with this foam mattress, despite being skeptical about it at first due to bad experiences with other foam mattresses in Korea. Furthermore, the price of this mattress for the quality of mattress you get makes it very competitive compared to other mattress brands in Korea.

I hope this review of one of the best mattresses in Korea that I’ve slept on outside of a luxury hotel is useful. If you want to see just the pros and cons, check out the table below. I encourage you to read further so you can see my insights into each point and learn more about this comfortable mattress.

Exclusive Discount Code: An Extra 5% Off

Get an extra 5% off your purchase with this coupon code exclusively for readers of In My Korea. Enter the code “INMYKOREA” after you select any mattress from the Emma website in Korea.

Detailed Review: Emma Original Mattress Korea

I’ve spent over three months sleeping on my Emma Original mattress in my Korean apartment before writing this to make sure that I have enough experience to give a detailed review. All opinions expressed here are my own and based on my experience using the Emma Original mattress.

I’m not an expert mattress reviewer (I’ve added video reviews by people who are), but I hope my opinions and insights will help people in Korea who are looking for a new mattress. I’m a light sleeper and take bedding supplies seriously because they can really make or break a good night’s sleep.

Disclaimer: I was asked to write this review by Emma and was given a queen-sized Emma Original mattress to help me with the review. Before accepting, I mentioned it to my family in England, who told me they all use Emma mattresses at home and were very pleased with their quality and comfort.

I agreed to write this review for Emma, but please know that all opinions expressed in this article are based on my own experience of using the mattress. I decided that this would be a useful opportunity to help other expats in Korea who are looking for a good priced mattress for their apartment.

1: Emma Mattress Specifications

I received an Emma Original Mattress for this review, one of the most popular mattresses available from Emma. The specifications of this mattress can be seen in the table below:

2: Mattress Delivery

The Emma Original Mattress was delivered to my Korean apartment compressed (vacuum sealed) and packed neatly inside a box 110cm high and 50cm wide. The total weight was light enough that I could move it into my apartment by myself, however, it might be best to get a friend to help.

As is usual in Korean apartments, the mattress was delivered to my apartment (on the 8th floor) and left outside the apartment door. This is how parcels and other packages are left and theft inside apartments in Korea is very rare. I’ve never experienced any issues with items being left in this way.

As you can see from the pictures below, the outside of the delivery box was slightly damaged, but the contents inside were safely sealed away and in perfect condition. Although the mattress is 150cm x 200cm, it fits comfortably in this delivery box until you remove the mattress from its packaging.

About compressed mattresses: This isn’t the first time I’ve had a mattress delivered like this and I believe it’s quite normal for mattresses to be vacuum packed to make delivery easier. The last mattress I had delivered like this had springs and both have been fine to use after a few hours.

3: Unboxing The Emma Mattress

Once I’d manoeuvred the mattress and the box into my bedroom, sliding out the mattress and placing it on my bed frame was probably the hardest part of installing the mattress, but possible alone. The mattress is rolled up and had to be cut open using the provided cutting tool, as shown below.

After cutting through the packaging outer layer with the Emma cutting tool, the mattress unfurled easily and unrolling it was like undoing a Swiss roll cake (but bigger). When the mattress was flat, I cut the rest of the wrapping off and flipped the mattress over so the dark section was on the bottom.

The mattress quickly expanded and started to resemble its final look in about a minute. Vacuum packed mattresses need some time to adjust, so it’s best not to sit or lie on the mattress for at least 5 hours. The handy picture card instructions included (pictured below) helps to remind you of this.

Please note: The picture above shows the mattress the wrong way up. The white section should be at the top with the darker section at the base. You can see the correct position in the picture below.

If you want to see what the unboxing process looks like, check out this short video from the Emma website that shows how compact and convenient everything is.

4: Mattress Materials & Design

This is my first foam mattress and I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when I thought about using this kind of mattress. Having travelled in Korea a lot, and suffering some uncomfortable nights on cheap futons in Korean guesthouses, I thought that a foam mattress might be too soft and not suitable for me.

I’ll cover the materials more in the section ‘How The Emma Mattress Works‘, but for now I want to say that I was happily surprised both with the firmness and the quality of the materials of the Emma Original mattress. The mattress is medium-firm and provides good support while you sleep.

The design of the Emma Original mattress is convenient for living in Korea as the outer cover of the mattress is machine washable. This is particularly useful during summer in Korea when the weather is very hot and humid. Being able to wash the cover is a definite advantage over other mattresses.

5: Comfort While Resting On The Bed

The Emma Original mattress is firm but comfortable, making it good to sit or lie on while relaxing in the bedroom. I like to sit up and read in bed at night and I’ve found this mattress is firm enough to stop me sinking too low into the bed and offers good back support while reading.

Thanks to the motion isolation features of the Emma mattress, I don’t get disturbed when my girlfriend moves around and she hasn’t had any problems sleeping when I’m reading. The only issue I’ve had is when sitting on the edge of the bed as the mattress sinks more than it does in the centre.

6: Comfort While Sleeping

Sleeping well is the main issue when considering which mattress to buy in Korea, and with such extreme weather in summer (hot and humid) and winter (very cold at night), making sure you’re comfortable when sleeping is key. As someone who has trouble sleeping easily, comfort is crucial.

I’m writing this review after the Korean summer, which for me is one of the hardest times to sleep due to the hot evening weather. Therefore, any mattress will have to work hard to help me sleep well. Fortunately, the Emma Original mattress hasn’t disappointed me in terms of comfort while sleeping.

I use a fan to sleep at night, despite the threat of fan death (a Korean myth), and rely on my mattress and bedding to keep me cool, too. While the Emma Original mattress isn’t a cooling mattress, it does include an UltraDry cover (for moisture wicking) and an Airgocell® layer to regulate temperature.

I can happily state that I’ve had many nights of comfortable sleep and have been happy to sleep on my Emma Original mattress after a long day commuting, travelling, or hiking in Korea. The mattress is very comfortable and I’ve found the firmness just right for both sleeping on my back and on my side.

I have read from other reviews of the Emma Original mattress that it can retain heat despite being breathable. I have noticed some heat build up, but this is easily avoided with air conditioning or a fan at night. This could be an issue during the summer months if you don’t use a fan or air conditioning.

7: Sleeping Position & Back Support

I primarily sleep on my side and one of my biggest concerns about getting a foam mattress in Korea was that it wouldn’t support my shoulders and back properly when I sleep. This can be a problem for me when sleeping on a futon or mattress without adequate support and pressure release.

Thanks to Emma’s German-designed mattress, I have found that I get less back pains than from my old mattress. The Emma website states they have “studied in depth the alignment of the spine, sleep quality, air permeability, and pressure release of the mattress” to provide a comfortable night’s sleep.

When I take a nap for an hour or two, I tend to sleep on my back instead of my side. The firmness of the Emma mattress allows offers great support for my back and body in general while sleeping in this position. I’ve found it more comfortable and easier to get to sleep than I did on my old mattress.

8: Edge Support & Motion Isolation

I’m not an expert reviewer, but I tried to consider all aspects of what makes a mattress worthwhile. The areas of edge support and motion isolation aren’t something I’d thought of much before, but I’ve become more aware of them while writing this review. The Emma mattress has mixed results here.

As the Emma Original mattress is a foam-based mattress, it is lacking the edge support that I’m used to from my old sprung mattress. When I sit on the side of the bed, the mattress drops considerably. This isn’t a serious issue, but it is worth being aware of if you sit on the edge of the bed a lot.

The central area of the Emma Original mattress is really well designed and has a really good motion isolation feature. As mentioned, when someone else is sleeping or lying on the mattress, you hardly notice them moving at night. This is perfect as I tend to move around a lot when sleeping.

After reading other reviews of the Emma Original mattress, I decided to replicate a test for motion isolation by placing a glass on the mattress and pushing down on other areas. Sorry, the picture below isn’t a video, but I can tell you that the glass hardly moved when pushing down on the mattress.

9: Emma Original Mattress Vs My Old Mattress

My old mattress was the Hamarvik mattress from IKEA which I bought in Korea about 7 years ago. At that time, there was less choice for good-priced mattresses that offered a reliable night’s sleep. I tried this one and found it was good enough for the small apartment I was living in then.

The Hamarvik mattress (which I believe is no longer made) was a sprung mattress that was was described as medium firmness. However, when I compare it to the Emma Original mattress, I can say it was, or has become, quite soft. It wasn’t uncomfortable though, despite the age of the mattress.

When I compare the two mattresses, the Emma mattress offers better support for my body when resting or sleeping than my old mattress and is better suited for two people thanks to the motion isolation features. The Emma mattress is generally more comfortable all round.

The ability to wash the outer cover of the Emma mattress and the Airgocell® foam will surely prove to be a major advantage over my old mattress in the years to come, especially during summer. The improved back support should also lead to an improvement in my spinal health vs my old mattress.

10: Is The Emma Mattress Korea Worth The Price?

The Emma Original mattress starts for as little 435,000 KRW on sale right now (original price 725,000 KRW) for a single. This is certainly a very reasonable price for a mattress in Korea, especially when you consider the quality of the mattress, the features it provides, and the 10 year warrantee.

Compared to other foreign mattress brands, which usually charge a premium in Korea, the price is very competitive and lower than some of the big-name brands that I’ve encountered in Korea. When shopping for a queen-sized mattress in early 2023, I often saw prices of more than 1 million KRW.

When you compare the Emma Original mattress to Korean-made mattresses, which have had some issues in the past due to health concerns (covered later), this mattress is worth the price. In fact, Korean brands such as Ace Bedding charge more for their mattress, despite being locally made.

Unlike a futon, which can be bought cheaply in Korea and offers minimal back or body support, the Emma mattress is more expensive but worth the extra cost for the advanced features. After all, there’s nothing worse than sleeping on a cheap foam mattress that feels like you’re lying on a sponge.

Exclusive Discount Code: An Extra 5% Off

Get an extra 5% off your purchase with this coupon code exclusively for readers of In My Korea. Enter the code “INMYKOREA” after you select any mattress from the Emma website in Korea.

See The Emma Original Mattress In Action

If you want to hear more opinions and see the Emma original mattress in action, check out these video reviews. These channels offer more opinions to help you decide whether an Emma mattress is right for your Korean home, and you can also see how the Emma memory foam mattress works.

How The Emma Original Mattress Works

The Emma Original mattress is made of three layers of foam and removable breathing cover that keeps everything in place. Here’s a breakdown of those four different components:

Removable breathing cover: This is a detachable cover made of breathable material that provides a healthy sleeping environment. It can be machine washed, helping you to keep your bed hygienic. Simply unzip the cover where the white and black segments meet to remove.

Airgocell® foam: The top layer of foam (blue) is made from Emma’s patented Airgocell® foam, which fills at least 50% with air as the pores of the foam open. This special design helps to disperse heat and moisture and enables you to sleep comfortably at night, even when it’s hot outside.

High-density viscoelastic memory foam: The middle layer of foam (yellow) is a high-density memory foam with a higher than average density. This helps to distribute your body pressure and wraps tightly to relieve pain in the shoulder and back.

7-zone HRX foam: The bulk of the foam mattress is the bottom later (green). This specially designed foam is essential for a restful and peaceful night’s sleep. It’s designed to absorb shock with Emma’s unique cutting technology, it provides stable support from head to toe.

The combination of these three layers of foam helps to ensure that you have a good night’s sleep and maintain a healthy spine position while you rest. The high-quality and eco-friendly materials ensure you stay healthy and happy at night with a hygienic, easy to maintain Emma mattress.

Benefits Of This Emma Original Mattress For Korea

I’ve written this Emma mattress review for people in Korea and tried to include considerations about how the weather, apartment sizes, and other conditions in Korea might impact your choice of mattress. Here are 5 reasons why I think buying an Emma Original mattress in Korea is a good idea:

Price: A queen-sized Emma Original mattress costs just over 555,000 KRW (when using the discount code “INMYKOREA”), which I think is a great price for a mattress in Korea. This includes delivery within 2-4 days. This is considerably cheaper than other mattresses I’ve looked at in Korean stores.

Convenience: I know from experience that trying to find and buy a mattress in Korea as an expat can be a struggle, especially if you don’t speak Korean well. Knowing you can go online and get a good quality, affordable Emma mattress delivered in a few days makes living in Korea a little bit easier.

Hygiene: Heat and humidity are a serious issue during the Korean summer and sweating in bed can occur. Thanks to the removable cover, as well as the breathable materials, the Emma mattress can help reduce hygiene problems and keep you sleeping healthily at night.

Reliability: Although I haven’t had the Emma mattress for long, I have read reviews online and heard positive feedback from my family about the reliability of Emma mattresses. This is useful for expats in Korea for a few years as they won’t have to purchase a second mattress and can resell this one.

Space: The Emma Original mattress comes in a wide range of sizes, from single (100 x 200) all the way up to large king (180 x 200). Apartment sizes in Korea are getting smaller and, for single-person households, a single Emma Original mattress is both cheap and very conveniently sized.

For couples and families who still might not have lots of spare space, but value a good night’s sleep and prefer to have a larger bed, the queen-sized mattress is perfect. Sometimes you have to prioritise your use of space in a Korean apartment, and having a good sized mattress is top for me.

Are Emma Mattresses In Korea Safe To Use?

In 2018 there was a big scandal involving mattresses made in Korea that were found to emit more than 9 times the amount of radon than the national standard. Being exposed to high levels of radon over long periods of time can lead to health issues, including lung cancer.

To prove that Emma mattresses in Korea are perfectly safe to use, Emma Korea has submitted to the KOTITI radon test and passed with a radon score of 9.12 Bq/m3 (vs. the recommended standard of 148 Bq/m3). People of all ages can safely use Emma mattresses with no concerns.

Furthermore, Emma mattresses come with an OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 label – one of the world’s most well-known hazmat-tested textile labels. This guarantees that all components, including yarn, button and other fittings, have been tested for harmful substances and have high product safety.

About Emma Mattress Korea

Having lived in Korea since 2015, I had never heard of Emma mattresses before. That’s probably due to the fact that the company started in Frankfurt, Germany in 2015. The Emma Original mattress was the first product created after many hours of research and testing in the Emma sleep lab.

Now, Emma is one of the leading sleep brands in the world and operates in 33 countries, including South Korea. That’s quite incredible for a company that only started in 2015 and a clear sign that the effort to create well-made and affordable mattresses that are easy to buy has paid off.

Emma is the UK’s most awarded sleep brand, winning the most awards in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, including the Which? Best Buy award (4 years in a row). Emma mattresses also have top customer reviews, with the Emma Original mattress receiving a score of 4.8 stars in Korea.

Highly awarded, eco-friendly, world-class German engineering, and consumer focused – the are many reasons to buy an Emma mattress in Korea, as well as the fact it’ll help you have a comfortable night’s sleep. In case you’re not sure, Emma mattresses also come with 100 day trial service:

If you are not satisfied after using the Emma mattress for 100 days after purchase to see if it fits your body, we will return it.

From my own interaction with the Emma company, I can tell that they are focused on delivering a great customer service and trying to find out what issues people in Korea are facing and how to meet their needs. I think that the mattresses they’re offering here are going to be very popular in the future.

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You determine that there must be something better out there and decide to search for what that thing might be as soon as you get home. Later that night, you come across a website advertising English teaching positions in South Korea and feel a sudden, unexpected impulse flooding through you. After applying for a teaching position and a few hectic months of gathering and sending documents to the other side of the world, you find yourself on the plane ready to take off, wondering how exactly you got yourself into this position. Are you really ready to move to Korea for a new life?

Like everyone else who makes it to this point, you’re intrigued about what might lie ahead, which is why I’ve compiled this list of tips for anyone planning to make the big move in 2024. So sit back and relax as I take you through some of the most important things to know about moving to Korea.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Learn Korean Before You Move To Korea

This one sounds incredibly obvious and daunting in equal measure, I get it. And I’m not suggesting you need to become conversational overnight or anything, but as you can probably appreciate, learning Korean when you’re about to go and move to Korea is going to have countless benefits.

You might also be surprised to learn that Hangul (the Korean alphabet) is one of the easiest alphabets to learn and once you touch down, your boss / coworker / students will inevitably tell you how ‘scientific’ it is within your first 5 minutes of moving to Korea. The best thing is, it’s not difficult.

As someone who has lived in Korea on and off for 13 years and who certainly wouldn’t class himself as anything close to a ‘language buff’, I can wholeheartedly attest to this. It’s also a massive help when you’re out and about as you can easily learn to read menus, signs, and posters.

A lot of signs use English words – just written in Korean – so the sooner you learn, even just the alphabet, the bigger the advantage will be for you. I actually learnt Hangul at work. My entire class were off one afternoon, except one kid, who taught me the alphabet in one 50 minute sitting.

Maybe I was doing myself a disservice by claiming I’m no language buff in hindsight. Honestly, you could probably learn on the flight out here with an app like Duolingo. Just don’t leave it months like I did. Worst case, use an app like Papago to translate Korean while you’re learning the language.

The benefits of learning Korean are endless. And instant. Your boss and coworkers will also be pleasantly surprised if you already have a little bit of Korean in your arsenal when you arrive, which is sure to make a good impression. Just a few basic Korean phrases will go a long way from day one.

Do you need to learn Korean to move to Korea? Not completely, but grasping the basics will definitely help you make friends, eat out, shop, and live a semi-normal life more easily. It will also be of use if you want to hang out with your coworkers and know more about what your students are saying.

Make Friends With Your Korean Coworkers

Making friends with other expats in Korea is a great idea, one that I wholeheartedly endorse. The benefits of having friends from a similar cultural background are countless and can do wonders for not only your social life, but also your mental health. Sometimes you’ve got to be around familiar people.

However, there’s a very real threat that you simply enclose yourself in a Westernised bubble of expats once you get to Korea. Not only do you shut yourself off from making local friends, you might also end up ignoring or not knowing about Korea’s other wonders, such as amazing food, which I’ll cover later.

The likelihood is that you’ll get to your destination and instantly be introduced to a Western coworker or two, who will then in turn take you out for dinner to introduce you to their friend group. This can often mean your interactions with actual Koreans outside the classroom can be limited at best.

One way around this is to befriend a coworker. These guys are often the unsung heroes of life in Korea. I mean, they’re working in an English-speaking environment all day, so their English is usually pretty good, which means they can provide an obvious link between yourself and the local culture.

Take advantage of this when moving to Korea. Koreans who work in English schools are usually pretty eager to practice their English at any given opportunity, so befriending your coworkers is a two-way street. Of course, it can also mean you gain a friend for life even if you move away from Korea.

Many Koreans are super-helpful, especially in those early days when you’re brand new, so don’t be scared to invite your coworkers out for dinner or whatever it is you might do in your spare time. Not everyone will want to chat with the foreign teacher, but there’s always someone who will.

Request A Bigger Korean City

You may have heard horror stories from English teachers in Korea stuck in the middle of nowhere with no friends and few modern conveniences. Contrary to what you may think, recruiters are eager to get you over to Korea and will usually do their best to provide you with your first choice location.

This means you don’t have to settle for a position in a tiny village out in the sticks. Of course, these positions have their own charms and can often be rewarding in their own way, but for a first-time expat who doesn’t know the language, they might not be the best choice for when you move to Korea.

Making friends in these places can be virtually impossible, too. Korea is a dream for the socially minded amongst us – the possibilities and friendship circles are endless. However, if you’re moving to Korea to embrace a new culture and way of life, living in the countryside might suit you fine.

In Korea, having a lot of friends is like owning a diverse collection of books, with each one offering a unique perspective on life on the peninsula. Most of the time, expats are more than willing to open their social circles and welcome new members, especially in the smaller cities outside the capital.

As someone who has spent the vast majority of their time in Korea in a mid-sized city, I can attest to this first-hand. As great as Seoul and Busan are, they can, on occasion, feel a little impersonal. The same can be said for being an expat in any large city around the world though, I would guess.

You won’t struggle making friends in the bigger cities in Korea, but you might struggle to form and maintain close personal friendships; there’s simply too much happening and the faces you will bump into each weekend will almost certainly change. Also, people move to and leave Korea all the time.

So yes, my advice would be to request a bigger city, but maybe not a huge metropolis like the big two of Seoul and Busan. Older expats with plenty of experience and established friend groups regularly make the move to the big cities, but to just rock up in Seoul fresh off the boat may be a little daunting.

Be Prepared For Lots Of Korean Surprises

As someone who has lived in Korea for more than a decade, I can categorically confirm that Korea can be one of the most bizarre places on the planet. In a good way. Of course, the peculiarities are cultural, and what may seem odd for an expat is often seen as perfectly normal for a Korean.

If you happen to be offended by old men hocking up and spitting all over the street, Korea might not be the best place for you. Yes, these older Korean gents can often be as wise as an old sage, but have no problem engaging in this particularly nasty habit. It’s certainly shocking if you’re not used to it.

Moving to Korea can often be overwhelming when in big urban areas, too. If you’re reading this as a veteran of life in The Land of the Morning Calm, you will undoubtedly have been in a position on the subway where an ajumma (an old Korean lady) has rudely pushed past you.

Social etiquette in these situations, i.e. saying, “sorry”, is virtually non-existent, so don’t take it personally. This is all part of Korea’s famous ppalli ppalli (go quickly) culture. This is also tied into Korea’s Confucian-based social structure, where the young are expected to defer to the elderly.

Whilst Korea is one of the cleaner and more developed Asian countries, you still see public toilet bins full to the brim with used toilet paper. This can be off-putting for a first-time expat, so be prepared. Fortunately, since the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Korea has been trying to bin this habit.

Oh, and whilst on the topic of public bathrooms, you should fully expect to see Koreans brushing their teeth when you go to the bathroom. Koreans brush their teeth after every meal so this is a common, if not pretty unusual, sight (for a Westerner). It’s a cultural difference, one of many.

There are plenty of other strange behaviours you will almost certainly notice on a daily basis when living in Korea. But it’s important to remember that you are a guest, so respecting the culture is of the utmost importance. Be sure to brush up on Korean etiquette rules before you move to Korea.

Why not ask your Korean coworkers or class about specific behaviours you’ve noticed in a nice, respectful way? They will usually be more than happy to discuss and compare these peculiarities with you and will often be happy that you are taking an interest in Korean etiquette and culture.

Embrace The Korean Work Culture

If you are the type of person who likes to have an opinion, like I myself have been known to have, you might have to realign your expectations, particularly in the work place. Usually, what the boss says goes and they do not like to be challenged. This again ties back to Korea’s Confucian heritage.

If you find yourself in a situation at work you’re not quite comfortable with, take a second to collect yourself before you speak up. When you want to complain about something, it may be best to ask yourself if this is really something you have to pursue. Expats in Korea learn to pick their battles.

In Korea, workers who complain about things are not seen as team players and are instead breaking the harmony of the group – a big no-no in Korean culture. I’m certainly not suggesting you should accept abuse or harassment at work, but you may be better off letting the small things slide.

Koreans work hard and play even harder. You might be asked to partake in a ritual bonding session known as a “hoesik” (pronounced hway-shik). This basically amounts to a meal with coworkers and the boss usually trying to beat the world record for the amount of soju ever consumed in one siting.

Of course, this is obviously dependent on the boss in question, but people who have lived in Korea for any serious amount of time will definitely have come across this sort of person. If you want to drink a lot and get to see your coworkers without their work-faces on, this is the time to do it.

When I first arrived, these dinners were pretty much mandatory, but the work-life culture in Korea is gradually beginning to change in favour of the worker. During the pandemic, these events were cancelled for obvious reasons, and now some workers aren’t always eager to start them up again.

Yes, Koreans will still more than likely be expected to attend, but Westerners will probably be given a little more leeway. If drinking isn’t your thing, then don’t be afraid to speak out. Nobody will force you to get involved. You can always turn your shot glass upside down or ask to fill it with water instead.

But if you do drink, these nights can be a solid way to get to know your coworkers better and can be a lot of fun. You will probably end in a noraebang too, which is a Korean karaoke place. I mean, what’s not to like about that? And don’t worry, they will have plenty of songs in English for you.

Get Stuck Into Local Korean Delicacies

Most expats are in agreement about the quality of food on offer in Korea. And if you happen to be English, it’s not too difficult to outperform English food (I’m English, so I can say that). Korean food is a (sometimes) spicy, exciting blend of local and Asian cuisine that’s cheap and delicious.

And there are loads of different types of traditional Korean food to try, too. Korean cuisine is like a firework show exploding in your mouth, with each dish leaving a lingering trail of deliciousness. From chamchi-jjigae (spicy tuna stew) to Korean barbecue, there is something for everyone.

Kimchi (fermented cabbage) is a big deal over here and served with every meal. It’s no exaggeration to say that Koreans are obsessed with it. In my first year of moving to Korea way back when, it took quite some time to get used it, but I can now proudly call myself a kimchi connoisseur.

A little heads up though: Korea isn’t really a place which accommodates vegans all that well. Their cuisine is heavily meat based, but if you do happen to be a meat eater, you will find yourself like a kid in a candy store, with endless delightful options. That being said, veganism is increasing in Korea.

Koreans also use meals to bond with each other and sharing food from the barbecue or a big communal heated dish is commonplace. As a person who didn’t particularly like sharing food, a la Joey from ‘Friends’, this came as quite the shock, so be warned (and ready to love it).

On the whole, Korean food is some of the best in Asia and you should jump into it fork (or chopsticks) first. Korea has loads of seasonal dishes, including hot and spicy Korean winter foods, and cool and refreshing summer desserts. You’re sure to find something yummy when you move to Korea.

Be Open Minded About Everything

As mentioned earlier, Korea can occasionally be a little strange – especially in your first few months here. If you let it, this can make life somewhat difficult for you. This is known as culture shock. The best advice I can offer would be to embrace the fact that you are living in a foreign country.

Yes, some days life might be a little more difficult than if you were still living in your home country. But in my humble opinion, the life-changing experiences far outweigh any of the negatives. Most people start off being amazed with everything, the honeymoon phase, and this time is a blast.

However, sooner or later, people start to feel down about living in a new culture, having to deal with a new language, and feel isolated. Don’t worry, this happens to everyone and there’s really no other way through it than eating some comfort food, talking to friends (here and at home), and being brave.

Take little steps to burst through your comfort zone. Try that Korean dish, even if you’re not sure what it is. Go out for a meal with a coworker if they invite you. Check out a student’s sticker collection when they offer to show you. Say hello to the bus driver in Korean. Take a day trip to see another city.

Approach every new situation as an opportunity to grow and to not just learn about Korean culture, but also to teach your new Korean friends about your culture. Share, interact with, and absorb the local culture and expat life in Korea will be less intimidating, less confusing, and hopefully more fun.

There are a ton of things you can do in Korea that you might not be able to do at home. Skiing, for example, is pretty cheap in Korea so if you’re from a warmer country, this is a great opportunity to try it. Just don’t get evacuated off the slopes by mountain rescue after wiping out like a friend of mine did.

Living as an expat in Korea is a great excuse to try new hobbies, join clubs you can’t find at home, practice a foreign language, and experience sights and cultures you wouldn’t normally be able to. Make the most of your move to Korea and create some unforgettable memories and new friends.

What To Bring When You Move To Korea

Korean clothes sizes are different to Western sizes and can be misleading. A ‘small’ in the US could be a ‘medium’ in Korea or even a ‘large’. If you’re worried about finding size-appropriate clothing in Korea, definitely stock up before you travel or be prepared to search Seoul’s specialist clothing shops.

Shoes can also be an issue, especially if you have longer than average feet or wide feet. If you plan to do any outdoor activities or go to the gym, I recommend buying training shoes in your home country so that you’re guaranteed a comfortable fit. Korean shoes also follow a different shoe size scale.

Even though Koreans are generally very fashionable, you might find that Korean fashion tastes aren’t always what you want to wear. Fortunately, there are plenty of international fashion stores in Korea, including Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, and Gap. You can also order clothes online from Amazon.

Another odd aspect of living in Korea I’ve never quite gotten to the bottom of is the amount it costs to buy deodorant ($6+). I’ve heard tales over the years that Koreans don’t actually use these products because they don’t smell when they perspire. Bring a few extra roll-ons when you move to Korea.

Asides from clothes and personal goods, you probably don’t need to worry too much if you’re only planning to move to Korea for a year. You can find a wide range of goods, clothes, cosmetics, and medicine in Korea that should be as good or better as what you’re used to back home.

If you do have a medical requirement and need prescription medication, or you’re worried about what drugs you can bring into Korea, check out the guide to medical assistance from the US Embassy in Korea. This site also includes a list of English speaking dentists and physicians.

One final thing, I recommend investing in some good quality bedding. Summer in Korea is really hot and winter is really cold, making it hard to sleep for light sleepers. I use an Emma Original mattress as it’s cheaper than Korean mattress companies and helps me sleep well whatever time of year it is.

How To Move To Korea With EPIK

If you are interested in starting a new life working and living in South Korea, then one of the best options for people from native English speaking countries is the EPIK Program. This is a government-led program to bring native speakers to Korea to help develop the English skills of school students.

You can start on EPIK in the spring or autumn and there are thousands of positions across Korea, from big cities to small villages in remote mountains. This guide to applying for EPIK covers all you need to know; from completing the application form to acing the interview, and all in between.

Not only can EPIK help you move to Korea more easily by guaranteeing you a job and an apartment for when you arrive, it also has a great community of expat teachers to meet. Of course, as mentioned in tip 2, you should definitely make Korean friends, too (starting with other expats helps, though).

To apply for EPIK, you will need to be a native English speaker from one of these 7 countries:

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Australia
• New Zealand
• South Africa

You will also need to have at least a bachelor’s degree and an online TEFL certificate (not hard to get and can be completed in less than a month). Want to know what working on EPIK is like? Find out in this review of life on EPIK. Whether you join for a year or five, the experience can be life changing.

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The EPIK application process is a beast. I’ve been through it myself. That’s why I want to give you loads of my best tips about how to improve your chances of successfully applying for EPIK. I’ll show you what to include in your personal essay, lesson plan, and what to focus on in the interview.

This guide also covers details about who is eligible for EPIK, when you can apply (twice per year), what the minimum requirements are to get onto EPIK, and some of my own personal insights into the application process, living in Korea, and whether the EPIK Program is right for you. There really are so many reasons why you should apply for EPIK and change your life forever.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

In This How To Apply For EPIK Guide

In this guide I’ll cover the essentials for applying to EPIK, including details about:

If you want to hear my own personal story about teaching with EPIK for 5 years, or what life is like as an EPIK teacher, check out my articles about My EPIK Life Teaching In Korea and my Review of the EPIK Teaching Experience.

What Is The EPIK Program?

Here’s a brief breakdown of the EPIK Program, including the history of EPIK, what EPIK employees do, and who is eligible to teach in Korea with EPIK.

The EPIK (English Program In Korea) Program was created in 1995 as a way to increase the English-speaking abilities of Korean students and teachers, as well as to develop cultural exchanges between Korea and the English-speaking world. Today, the EPIK Program has thousands of foreigners from seven native English-speaking countries teaching English in schools across Korea.

Teaching English in Korea with EPIK is a win-win situation for both the Korean students and for citizens from the eligible countries. The students get to listen to and interact with a native English speaker. The native English speaker gets to experience life in Korea, develop skills through working in Korea, and has the chance to save and travel lots.

Benefits of working on the EPIK Program

Here are some of the benefits you will receive as an EPIK teacher in Korea. These are open to everyone who works for EPIK, but how much you’ll get will depend on the region you teach in.

One of the biggest benefits to applying for EPIK over other jobs is the support you’ll receive and how you’re guided into living and working in Korea. You’ll be assigned a mentor who will help you adjust to life in Korea and other teachers at your school will help lots.

Read on to find out if you’re eligible to apply for EPIK.

Who Can Apply For EPIK Korea?

To maintain a high level of candidates and to provide the most authentic language learning experience for Korean students, entry to EPIK is quite restricted. This also applies to other English teaching jobs in Korea. Here’s some FAQs covering who can apply for EPIK.

What countries are eligible to apply for EPIK?

Citizens from the following countries can apply for EPIK.

*Under the CEPA agreement, citizens from India can also apply as long as they meet all other requirements and hold a teacher’s license in English. Contact epik@korea.kr for more information.

Do I Need A Degree To Apply For EPIK?

Yes, you need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from a university in one of the 7 countries listed above. The Bachelor’s degree must be from an accredited university and taught in English.

You’ll also need to have studied in English since 7th grade.

Is A Degree All I Need To Apply For EPIK?

You won’t need any other qualifications to apply for EPIK if your Bachelor’s degree is in Education with one of the following majors:

However, if your Bachelor’s degree is in any other subject, you’ll also need one of these to apply:

The TaLK Program was a teaching program by the Korean government aimed at current Bachelor’s students who want to experience life working and living in Korea. Sadly, the TaLK Program ended in August 2021 after 13 years.

When To Apply For EPIK Korea

There are two EPIK intakes each year in spring and fall. You’ll need to start your EPIK application up to 6 months before you want to start working on EPIK. For university graduates in countries such as the USA or UK, who finish in the summer, the fall intake is very convenient.

Here are some key dates for the two intakes. Remember, the earlier you start the application, the more likely you are to be accepted for the EPIK Program, especially if you apply directly to EPIK.

When To Apply For EPIK Spring 2025 Intake

These are the dates provided by EPIK for the spring intake. You can start your application from August onwards.

The actual start date is usually around the 26th of February each year. You may be required to arrive in Korea up to 1 week before that start date for an orientation. There are also late spring intake positions in March or April. The application for EPIK Spring 2025 will begin in August 2024.

Please note: The application period for the EPIK Spring 2025 intake will end in November. I recommend submitting your application form and preparing your documents as soon as possible to avoid delays and to ensure you’re successful.

When To Apply For EPIK Fall 2024 Intake

The dates for the fall intake are the same as the spring intake, but 6 months later. Here are the dates for the EPIK fall 2024 intake.

The actual start date is around the 26th of August each year. You may be required to arrive in Korea up to 1 week before that start date for an orientation. There are also late fall intake positions in September or October.

Applications for EPIK Fall 2024 intake will begin in mid-February, 2024.

If you’re worried about applying whilst still at university, EPIK understands that it takes longer to receive these documents and will accept a letter from your university with your expected graduation.

How Long Do EPIK Contracts Last?

EPIK contracts run for 12 months from around the 26th of February or August each year until the following year. During the 12 months, you’ll be given the opportunity to apply to re-contract for another 12 months. This way you can work with EPIK for multiple years. This is dependent on passing your evaluation and being accepted for re-contract.

How Long Can I Teach With EPIK?

There is no written limit to how many times you can re-contract with EPIK. I taught with EPIK for 5 years and therefore re-contracted 4 more times past my original 1 year contract. I know people who have worked on EPIK for longer than that.

Re-contracting is all dependent on the school’s desire to keep you and on your ability and effort to teach well. You’re never guaranteed to be re-contracted, but you have a better chance if you work hard and try to fit in.

Different Ways To Apply For EPIK

There are three different ways to apply for EPIK. These are:

The method you choose shouldn’t affect your chances of being accepted to EPIK, but will affect who handles your documents and contacts you about being placed with EPIK. Here’s a quick look at the 3 different methods and how they differ.

1: Applying Directly To EPIK

The direct method places all responsibility on you, but is also the fastest method of applying. I applied directly to EPIK and was placed much more quickly than others who went through an agency or organisation. That doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get a place, but you can find out one way or another more quickly.

Below is the process flow for applying directly to EPIK.

To apply for EPIK directly through their website, visit the EPIK website.

2: Applying Through A Recruiting Agency

The process of applying for EPIK through a recruiting agency is mostly the same as applying direct to EPIK. However, the benefit of using one of the official recruiting agencies is that they’ll help you complete your application, make sure you have the correct documents, and can provide lots of useful tips to make your EPIK application successful.

Furthermore, some of the big recruiting agencies, especially ones based in Korea such as Korvia, tend to have a community of EPIK teachers that are connected through the agency even after they arrive. If you’re looking for help, support, and a network of other teachers, then I would recommend you apply for EPIK through a recruiting agency. It’s also free!

Below is the process flow for applying for EPIK through a recruiting agency:

You can only apply for EPIK through a limited number of approved recruiting agencies in certain countries. Here’s the full list of recruiting agencies currently working with EPIK:

I haven’t had any experience with these agencies myself, but I’ve heard lots of good things about Korvia. Do your own research before choosing a recruiting agency to find one that will best fit your needs.

3: Applying Through MOU/MOA Organisation

The process of applying for EPIK through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) organisation is similar to applying through a recruiting agency. The MOU/MOA will check your documents before sending them to EPIK and help you with your application.

Below is the process flow for applying for EPIK through an MOU/MOA organisation:

Unlike the recruiting agencies, the MOU/MOA organisations are all based overseas in the USA, UK, or Canada. Here’s the list of approved MOU/MOA organisations currently working with EPIK:

If you’ve studied or worked with one of these organisations, you might find it more convenient to apply through one of these organisations.

Whichever method you choose, remember that deadlines are quite rigid and it’s best to be as organised as possible to avoid problems.

What Is The EPIK Application Process?

The entire EPIK application process is a 6-month long journey that has number of crucial steps, interviews, deadlines, and things to watch out for. Navigating the whole process doesn’t have to be a headache, though.

The deadlines have already been covered, so this section will give you some tips about the following parts of your EPIK application process:

I won’t cover details about the flights, orientation, and life in Korea once you’ve been accepted. If you want to know more about those, be sure to read my post about Teaching English with EPIK.

Read on to find out all you need to know about the EPIK application form.

How To Complete The EPIK Application Form

The first and most crucial step on the road to EPIK is the application form. If this isn’t completed correctly, you’ll never get to the other stages. Not to worry, though. The EPIK application form isn’t that hard. Here’s some advice from EPIK about completing the application form:

“Before starting your application, please read through the the Initial Application Preparation Guide. This will give you details on what you need to prepare before starting your application on the online system.”

Take some time to read through this thoroughly. Most of the requirements will be fairly standard, such as your personal information, education history, and employment history.

The tricky parts are:

Sample lesson plan

You’ll need to provide a sample lesson plan to show that you have some idea about what’s involved in teaching. This doesn’t need to be too detailed, but try to include a few activities, a grammar or vocabulary focus, and some details about what you’ll do in the lesson.

Here are some Example Lesson Plans And Tips.

Personal essay

This essay should include details about your working attitude and personal life, as well as why you want to be a teacher in Korea. It may be broken down into sections, or you may be asked to provide one long essay covering all of this (depending on whether you’re applying for EPIK or GEPIK).

Try to focus on positives, mentioning how excited you are to experience Korean culture and teach small children. Korea is a country that values workplace harmony very highly, so try to convey that you work well with others and that you are diplomatic when problems arise. Needless to say correct grammar and spelling are essential.

Here are some more Personal Essay Tips.

How To Pass The EPIK Skype Interview

If you successfully pass the first stage of the EPIK application, you’ll be required to have an online interview with the EPIK office in Korea.

This is usually done through Skype. The interview lasts about 20 – 30 minutes and is your small window to show how enthusiastic and excited you are about working in Korea with EPIK. Make sure you use that time as best you can.

I won’t go over the questions they might ask, as they can change frequently. However, here are some tips to help you ace the EPIK Skype interview (and other interviews):

If you’ve prepared all this before the interview, and stayed calm and professional during the interview, you’ll do fine. Your interviewer will have read your application form, so make sure you know what you wrote and try to include extra information that shows why you’re good for EPIK.

Some of the traits that make a good teacher are:

Try to demonstrate these traits during the interview and you’ll ace it.

Which Documents Do You Need To Apply For EPIK?

If your application to EPIK is successful, and you pass the Skype interview stage, you will need to submit your documents to the relevant organisation ASAP. I would recommend preparing some of these before the Skype interview to avoid lengthy delays.

Some of these documents can be hard to get (especially the criminal record check) and may take weeks to sort out. If you’re applying for EPIK through the EPIK office, they assign positions on a first come, first placed basis, so get. in there quickly.

Here are the Official Documents You Need to apply for EPIK:

There are also a list of other documents that are country specific, such as an apostilled birth certificate (UK / Australian citizens) or proof of English education (South African / Quebecois).

Getting these documents can be a struggle and expensive. Try to work out where you can get your documents apostilled when you are writing your application form. And be prepared to spend several hundred dollars for it.

How To Apply For Your Korean Visa

Once you’ve been accepted onto the EPIK Program, you’ll be issued with your notice of appointment and contract to confirm that you have a job waiting for you in Korea. Now it’s time to get your Korean working visa.

The visa you need for EPIK is an E-2 Visa.

You can apply for these at your nearest Korean Embassy or Consulate Office. To apply for the E-2 visa you’ll need these documents:

The E-2 visa application form can be found on the Korean Embassy website. Download it and fill in your personal details, work and education history, and what you’ll be doing in Korea (working)

The visa approval process can take up to a week. Be sure to apply for the visa ASAP once you’ve received the documents from EPIK.

Once you’re all sorted with your application and accepted, be sure to check out these tips for moving to Korea to help you work out what to bring, how to make a good first impression, how to deal with culture shock, and also how to survive your first work party.

Final Thoughts: Is EPIK Right For You?

I really enjoyed teaching with EPIK. It was an incredible opportunity for me to develop my skills as a teacher, to save lots of money, to travel in and beyond Korea, and most of all develop a love and understanding of Korea and Korean culture.

But is EPIK and Korea right for you?

Getting out of your comfort zone can be incredibly hard. Moving to a new country and adapting to a different culture can be one of the hardest things you might experience in life, especially if you’re coming fresh from university.

Traits of people who are likely to succeed on EPIK include:

You don’t have to be extroverted to be a teacher. I’m certainly not. Nor do you have to know everything about Korea and be into K-pop (again, I’m not). The most important thing is being willing to try and try again if you fail first time.

10 Reasons To Apply For EPIK

Here’s a few insights into why I think you should apply for EPIK. These are things that drove me to renew my contract many times over and kept me in Korea to this day.

More about Teaching In Korea

If you want to know more about teaching English in Korea with EPIK, I’d recommend some of my other articles about EPIK, including my review of the EPIK Teaching Experience and My Epik Life – 5 Years Teaching In Korea With EPIK. You can also get lots of really useful information from The Official EPIK Website and Korvia – A Korean recruiting agency for EPIK.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you still need answers and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

How To Apply For EPIK Korea FAQs

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about teaching English in Korea with EPIK, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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You might be surprised to know that there are actually quite a lot of foreigners in Korea and that foreigners in Korea now make up over 4.4% of the whole population. But how many foreigners in Korea are there exactly? Well, according to the latest figures, there are 2,258,248 foreigners in Korea, which is up 5.8% from last year’s total.

Whilst this seems high, it’s actually a surprisingly large drop from the December 2019 peak of 2,524,656. The number of foreigners living in Korea dropped during COVID, but has started to grow once more. Where are these foreigners in Korea from? Why do foreigners choose to live in Korea? And why is the number of foreigners in Korea declining? Find out all these answers, and more, below.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Where Are Foreigners In Korea From?

Korea is an attractive place that has drawn in immigrants from around the world. Some come to Korea to work, others to study, others to learn about the culture. Some foreigners in Korea have settled down and had a family in Korea and obtained Korean nationality or permanent visas.

Marriage is a major reason that foreigners choose to reside in Korea, with international couples (Korean & foreign) rising steadily over the last few decades. There are also many US soldiers stationed in South Korea, serving to help protect against threats from North Korea. The close ties between the two nations means that’s unlikely to change any time soon.

Which Country Is Most Represented In Korea’s Foreigner Population?

China. There are more Chinese immigrants in Korea than the other top 12 countries combined. As of 2023, there were over 731,000 Chinese immigrants in Korea, down from 1,100,000 in 2019. The reason for the large number of Chinese immigrants in Korea is the return of ethnic Koreans from China. There are 527,000 ethnic Korean immigrants from China, almost 72% of all Chinese immigrants in Korea.

Excluding ethnic Korean immigrants from China, Vietnamese immigrants are actually the largest foreigner group in Korea. There are large numbers of ethnic Koreans who have returned from the USA and former Soviet Union, too. Ethnic Korean returnees account for 878,000 of all foreigners in Korea. Can you guess the nationalities of the rest of the top 12 list? Some of the results might surprise you.

Top 10 Nationalities Of Foreigners In Korea

Here are the nationalities of the top 12 groups of foreigners living in Korea, as of 2023. As can be seen from the picture below, Asian countries take up nine of the 12 spots on the list and, apart from Canada (16th) and Australia (20th), Asian countries make up the rest of the top 20, too.

Japan used to be 5th on this list with 86,196 people in Korea in 2019 and Russia 6th with 48,511 in 2021. However, by 2023, Japan has dropped all the way down to 13th, with 28,631 Japanese people living in Korea. Russia has moved out of the top 12, likely due to sanctions from the conflict in Ukraine.

The fact that there are more Canadians and Australians living in Korea than British people certainly surprised me. I do know a lot of Canadians living in Korea, but I assumed more British people would want to live in Korea. Perhaps it’s the hot summer weather in Korea that puts off Brits.

In terms of how these foreigners in Korea are classified, there are 1,752,346 foreigners who reside in Korea with a foreign passport, 223,825 foreigners who have obtained Korean nationality, and 282,077 children of foreign residents born in Korea as of November 2022.

Besides returning ethnic Koreans, why are there so many foreigners in Korea these days? What motivates them to live and work in Korea? This next section will explain why foreigners live in Korea.

Why Do Foreigners Live In Korea?

Oscar-winning movies like Pandemic, record-breaking chart-toppers BTS, binge-worthy TV shows like Squid Game, and catchy YouTube sensations such as PSY and Baby Shark have all helped fuel the desire to experience life in Korea. As has Korea’s rapid economic growth, which has attracted people looking for work and opportunities from around the world.

The primary reason for foreigners moving to Korea is for ethnic Koreans to return to their homeland. After the Japanese occupation, Korean war, and life under cruel dictators that finally ended in the 1980s, Koreans have had many reasons to flee to more peaceful shores. And now they have many reasons to return to Korea.

There are many other reasons that foreigners want to live in Korea, including work, marriage, and study. Or a combination of these. Here’s a brief overview of the 3 main reasons why foreigners live in Korea and what they do here.

Foreigners Come To Work In Korea

These days, with Korea’s economy growing strongly (Korea is ranked top 15 in GDP), many foreigners move to Korea to look for work. Korea has transitioned from a ‘least developed’ nation to a ‘developed’ country, thanks to The Miracle on the Han River – a term given to Korea’s rapid development after the Korean War. There are 923,000 foreign workers in Korea in 2024, an increase of 80,000 vs. 2022.

These foreigners do a range of different jobs, including positions on farms, in factories, as teachers, or even as a K-pop celebrities for the lucky few. Teaching English in Korea is a popular option for foreigners, with many coming to work at a hagwon or school. Teaching English is how I started working in Korea and I worked as an EPIK teacher for 5 years before moving to teach at a Korean university.

Whilst teaching in Korea is popular among the foreigners in Korea that I know, it certainly isn’t the main occupation for most immigrants in Korea. The largest sector for foreigner workers in Korea are the mining and manufacturing sectors, which account for 44.6% of all foreigners working in Korea, much larger than wholesale and retail sales, hotel, and restaurant businesses (18.4% combined).

The most common industries for foreign workers in Korea are the following sectors:

• Agriculture
• Forestry and Fishing
• Construction
• Mining and Manufacturing
• Electricity, Gas, Steam, and Air Conditioning Supply
• Transportation and Storage
• Information and Communications
• Financial and Insurance Activities

Korea is an exporting country, one that has a lot of manufacturing and production, as well as a growing services industry and high-tech companies. According to a survey by workers in Korea, ‘high wages’ (70.9%) was the main reason for moving to Korea, followed by a ‘good working environment’ (10.7%).

With a relatively low cost of living, many expats in Korea can work and save, as well as enjoy a comfortable life. Eating out is not expensive, accommodation costs are often less than in other developed economies, whilst taxes are also lower than in the other developed countries.

If you’d like to know more about working in Korea, check out my guide to How To Apply For EPIK and start a new life working in Korea as a teacher in Korea.

Foreigners Getting Married In Korea

Of all the foreigners living in Korea, over 175,756 are married to a Korean person as of November 2022. The majority of these are foreign women (over 80%) who have married Korean men, with the rest being foreign husbands (under 20%).

There have been a number of initiatives to encourage foreign women to marry Korean men, including financial incentives that started as early as the 1980s and still run today. These programmes help Korean men find wives, most of whom are middle-aged and live in rural areas where there is a significant gender imbalance.

The Korean government aims to bring foreign women to help repopulate Korea and halt Korea’s rapidly declining population. Many foreign brides come from China (60,000) or South East Asia, including Vietnam (44,000), the Philippines (12,000), and Thailand (5,000).

Of course, not all foreign spouses come through such arranged-marriage programmes, with many Koreans and foreigners meeting and falling in love in Korea or abroad. Despite the decline in foreign marriages during COVID, the number of international marriages started to increase in 2022.

International marriages made up 8.7% of all marriages in Korea in 2022 with a total of 16,700 international marriages recorded in 2022. Of that number, marriages with a Korean husband totalled 12,000 (up 33.6% from 2021) and marriages with a Korean wife totalled 4,700 (up 13.2% from 2021).

Foreign wives from other parts of Asia made up the majority of the international marriages to Korean men, with 27.6% from Vietnam, 19% from China, and 16.1% from Thailand. Foreign husbands were primarily from the USA (29.6%), China (16.1%), and Vietnam (12.6%).

I am glad there are more international marriages and hope these help reduce some of the prejudice against foreigners that exists in Korea, as it does in every country in the world. For a funny look at romance in Korea, check out my silly article about the dangers of dating in Korea.

Foreigners Come To Korea To Study

Korea has worked hard to bring high quality education to everyone, which is why Koreans have one of the highest IQs in the world. Korean universities have been rising up the global ranks, with Seoul University ranking 31st in 2021, bringing in an ever-growing number of students. Foreign students come to Korea to study in Korean and English in a range of modern subjects.

The number of foreign students in Korea in 2019, before the pandemic, was around 160,000. This number dropped to about 152,000 during 2020 and 2021, before climbing again to beat the pre-pandemic levels. The latest figures for foreigners studying in Korea, released in 2023, show there are over 188,000 foreign students attending higher education in Korea in 2022.

This is the highest level of foreign students that Korea has ever recorded and shows continued growth in student numbers, up 20.9% from the previous year. Student numbers in Korea have surpassed the number of foreigners living in Korea for marriage for the first time ever. Foreign students from Vietnam were the largest group (38.3%), followed by China (27.7%) and Uzbekistan (6.4%).

As a university teacher in Korea, I teach foreign students from many different countries, including a lot of Chinese, Uzbek, and Mongolian students. They have many reasons to study here, including getting a job in Korea, working for an international company in their home country, or simply because they want to experience life in Korea for a few years.

Korean language courses are a popular option for people who want to live and study in Korea short term, with many courses running from 3 months to a year. This allows people to learn the language and experience life in Korea at the same time.

Where Do Foreigners In Korea Live?

As with most of the native Korean population, most foreigners in Korea live in the greater Seoul area, which is made up of Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon City. An interesting fact about Korea is that more than 50% of people live in this area, which takes up just 12% of the country’s land mass.

The largest foreigner population isn’t actually in Seoul itself. More foreigners in Korea live in Gyeonggi Province (360,000) than in Seoul (260,000) and the top 5 cities with a high proportion of foreigners are all in Gyeonggi Province (Ansan, Suwon, Siheung, Hwaseong, and Bucheon).

Incheon is unsurprisingly 3rd (66,000) and South Gyeongsang Province 4th (63,000). South Gyeongsang Province includes Busan, an area famous for its ports and international connections. There are foreigners all over Korea. From Korea’s other large cities, such as Ulsan, Gwangju, Daejeon, or Daegu, to the rural towns and villages tucked away between Korea’s many mountains.

Which is the best place to live in Korea as a foreigner? Well, that certainly depends on you. Some prefer the busy city life found in Seoul or Busan, whilst others (I know a few) want to settle down and enjoy a rural life, growing rice and keeping chickens.

Whatever your preference, there’s a range of places to live and settle down as an expat in Korea. Personally, I’d go for the scenic beaches of Jeju Island if I had to choose.

Is The Number Of Foreigners In Korea Declining?

After decades of growth in the number of foreigners living and visiting Korea, which peaked in December 2019 at 2.5 million residents, the number of foreigners declined for the next few years. The obvious reason for this is the coronavirus pandemic, which resulted in many societal changes and a greatly reduced ability to travel and work in Korea.

Korean universities attract over 175,000 foreign students each year, who move to Korea to study on campus and experience Korean life. During the first year and a half of the pandemic, many Korean universities offered only online courses. Due to this, many foreign students stayed in their home countries instead of travelling to Korea.

With the exception of August 2021, the number of foreigners living in Korea decreased every month between the start of the pandemic and 2022. Why was August an exception? This is most likely due to students moving or returning to Korea for the autumn semester, which begins on September 1st.

Due to the 14 day quarantine active in 2021, many foreign students had to arrive in Korea in mid-August in order to clear quarantine in time to begin classes from September 1st. After this short reprieve, the number of foreigners living in Korea continued to fall, dropping to under 2 million by the end of 2021.

Will There Be More Foreigners In Korea In The Future?

Will the number of foreigners living in Korea increase in the future? I definitely believe there will be many more expats in Korea in the future. Whilst the coronavirus pandemic has temporarily reversed the trend, I think it will climb again soon and probably already has increased since the latest figures were released.

There are undoubtedly many people waiting to move and travel to Korea as soon as the borders are open. I know, as I meet them in the Korea Travel Advice group on Facebook every day. The desire to experience life in Korea hasn’t gone away. If anything, it’s like to have increased as Korean culture spreads around the world more and more.

Recent studies and projections show that not only will the number of foreigners living in Korea increase in coming decades, they will account for a larger proportion of the total population, too. Currently, foreign residents make up about 4.4% of the total population of Korea. However, the foreign population in Korea is expected to increase by 2040.

More importantly for Korea’s ageing society, foreigners will make up a lower proportion of the population aged over 65, which is expected to be 35.3% of the population by 2040. This means that foreigners will benefit Korean society by increasing the pool of available workers that have not retired.

Looking further into the future, the proportion of people living in Korea aged 65 and above is expected to rise to 46.4% by 2070, putting a bigger strain on the Korean government’s finances. Korea’s declining birth rate is contributing to a shrinking population and it is predicted that Korea’s population will be 27% lower than it is now, totalling 37.6 million.

The expected fall in Korean population and the increase in the number of retired people in Korea in coming decades could have a positive effect on the number of foreigners living in Korea. There appears to be a move away from tight immigration controls to a looser border policy that will welcome more foreign workers and expats.

Lee Kyo Yong, a researcher at the Korea Labour Institute said in a report published in 2022 that, “South Korea’s fast transition into an aging society coupled with its low fertility rates have increased demand for a foreign workforce.”

He went on to add that, “Korea needs to strengthen its immigration policy to cater to the needs of immigrants in terms of education and to ease the conditions for staying in this country.”

What’s Expat Life In Korea Like?

Expat life in Korea is a really mixed bag. There are some incredible things, there are some terrible things. It’s the same in most countries. But there are certainly some uniquely Korean problems and opportunities you can experience as a foreigner in Korea. Overall, as an expat in Korea, I’m content with life, but there are some issues, such as the extreme weather in summer and winter.

If you’d like to know more about the highs and lows of expat life in Korea, check out this article all about my expat life in Korea. If you’ve found some of the facts in this article interesting, you’ll love these interesting facts about Korean culture. I’ve written several articles about life in Korea, you can find them in the ‘Expat Life’ section of this site, including whether you need to learn Korean to live In Korea.

Sources For This Article

Here are some of the sources used for this article:

• Korea Times Article: Dec 16, 2023
• Korea Times Article: Nov 08, 2023
• Korea Times Article: Jun 23, 2022
• Korea Times Article: Jan 26, 2022
• Korea Herald Article: Sep 26, 2021
• Wikipedia: Immigration to South Korea
• Statista: Foreign Students In Korea
• Business Standard: Korean Economic Ranking
• Statistics Korea: Foreign Workers In Korea

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs about the number of foreigners in Korea that should answer any other queries you may have.

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Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that. Living in Korea as an expat and not knowing the language is definitely possible, but there are times when you’ll be left speechless and struggling.

Find out how far a basic knowledge of Korean will take you, as I show with examples from my own personal experience of living in Korea since 2015. Did I quickly learn Korean to live in Korea more easily? Ahem… Read on to find out the answer. You might also pick up a few basic Korean phrases and realise you know more Korean than you thought!

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Should You Learn Korean To Live In Korea?

Do you need to learn Korean to live in Korea?

No.

That’s my conclusion after living in Korea for 6 years and seeing plenty of other expats getting by just fine but not being able to hold a conversation in the local language.

Learning Korean will make your social life richer, increase job opportunities, and help you in so many situations.

Should you learn Korean to live in Korea?

Absolutely.

Learning Korean when you live in Korea will open up so many doors for you and make your social life richer, increase your job opportunities, and help you in so many day-to-day situations.

There are many situations where you’ll absolutely need to speak Korean or have a very kind Korean friend to help you.

At the very least you should know hangul (the Korean alphabet) and some basic Korean phrases if you want to travel to Korea or live here.

Whilst there are many reasons that you don’t have to learn Korean to live in Korea, there are also many situations where you’ll absolutely need to speak Korean or have a very kind Korean friend to help you. I’ll list some of these later on in this article.

Before I talk about why and how you should learn Korean to live in Korea now or in the future, I want to share my own story and my experience learning Korean in Korea.

Have I Learnt Korean While Living In Korea?

I’ll be honest, after 7 years of living in Korea, I haven’t learnt that much Korean. I can get by, but I’m not exactly comfortable holding a deep conversation in Korean.

When I moved to Korea in 2015, I started learning Korean quite enthusiastically. I was studying during breaks at work and attended evening classes twice a week. I also used some apps, such as Memrise, to help me practice reading and memorising Korean.

I managed to learn hangul (the Korean alphabet) before moving to Korea, and that was a really helpful first step. If you want to learn Korean to live in Korea, definitely start with this and move on to vocabulary and grammar afterwards.

I’m not exactly comfortable holding a deep conversation in Korean.

Regrettably, a couple of situations arose that derailed my Korean learning. Firstly, I started an online MA TESOL course to become a better teacher. This ate up a lot of my free time for several years.

Secondly, I had a long commute and the bus schedule moved back so that I couldn’t get to my evening classes in time and I had to stop them.

Thirdly, and perhaps most consequential, I started dating a wonderful Korean woman and ended up becoming lazy with my Korean practice, depending too much on my partner to help me with serious language issues.

I started dating… and ended up becoming lazy with my Korean practice…

Dating in Korea, I believe, can either spur you on to greater learning, or it can lead you into complacency and harm your language development. I’ll talk more about dating later on.

Even though I stopped actively learning Korean, I have still developed my Korean skills passively. This has helped my range of vocabulary increase, but hasn’t done much for my grammar.

It’s hard to live in Korea and not learn some Korean as you move around day to day. From signposts to song-lyrics, slogans to menus, you’re constantly exposed to Korean and some of that seeps into your brain and stays there.

So, do you need to learn Korean to live in Korea? Yes, you really do. I’ve been lucky enough to survive this long, but now I’m determined to refocus my efforts on learning Korean.

…you’re constantly exposed to Korean and some of that seeps into your brain and stays there.

After a busy year adapting to a new job working at a Korean university, as well as finishing my master’s degree (finally!), I’m ready to master Korean at last. Fighting!

My plan is to sign up for online classes through 90 Day Korean – a company I’ve worked with for a while now and would recommend. I’ve learnt through their free programmes before, but now plan to sign up for their premium, guided course to help me learn Korean more quickly.

I’ll be sure to write about my learning experience later on, so be sure to check back for future updates on my (hopefully) successful studies.

The next couple of sections should help you understand how you can live in Korea without learning Korean fully, as well as other situations where you’ll definitely need a Korean speaker to help you live life.

5 Reasons You Don’t Need To Learn Korean To Live In Korea

If you’ve ever visited another country and managed to book hotels, buy food, visit attractions, and travel on public transport without learning the local language, then you’re probably able to live in Korea without learning Korean.

Living in another country, be it Korea or elsewhere, is mostly the same as living in your own country. You will buy groceries, go to work, meet friends, travel around, watch TV, and wonder where all your money has gone each month.

There are so many things that we already know how to do… that are easy to transfer to living in another country.

If you know the basic idea of how to do these things, you can often do them without needing to know the language everyone is speaking around you.

Want to buy fruit from a supermarket? Pick it up and put it in your basket. Want to drink coffee in a cafe? Point at what you want, pay, sit down, and enjoy it. Need to get a haircut? Well… shave your head like I do, it’s easier.

There are so many things that we already know how to do through our life in our homelands that are easy to transfer to living in another country.

In regards to life in Korea, here are 5 good reasons why you don’t need to learn Korean to live in Korea. This also applies to people who want to travel to Korea.

1: There Are Many English Speakers In Korea

You might not know it if you walked around Seoul, but a lot of people can actually speak English at quite a good level.

If you need help, you can often try asking in English and you’ll likely manage to communicate even if you don’t know much Korean.

English is a required subject at school, and many Korean students start learning it from elementary school or before.

As an English teacher, I certainly know that the level of English varies a lot, but most people under the age of 40 will have had several years of exposure to English education.

They’ll also have a whole lifetime of exposure to English words in their everyday life, as you’ll see in the next point.

2: English Translations Are Common

English is literally everywhere in Korea. Shop signs, signposts, adverts, packaging, clothing, menus, train announcements, and many other places. You’ll find English wherever you go.

You’ll actually find more English than Korean in some places. Look around a pharmacy or supermarket and there are so many English brand names and descriptions, it makes me wonder how Korean people know what they’re buying.

Unfortunately, the English used in some places isn’t always…accurate. This results in ‘Konglish‘, which makes for some very Funny Konglish Pictures as you explore Korea.

3: Many Korean Words Are ‘Borrowed’ From English

Not only can you see many signs in English, there are a lot of cognates – loan words – from English that make it easier to learn and speak Korean.

There are hundreds of words in Korean that are based on English. For example, you can already say these words in Korean:

• computer
  컴퓨터 (kom-pyu-ta)
• Ice cream
  아이스크림 (a-i-su-ku-rim)
• Taxi
  텍시 (tek-shi)
• McDonald’s
  맥도날드스 (Mek-do-nal-du-su)
• Coffee
  커피 (ko-pi)

That’s why learning hangul (Korean alphabet) is really, really helpful if you want to visit or live in Korea.

It’ll help you decipher all of these loan words and you’ll be ordering 피자 (pi-ja) and 콜라 (ko-ra) for dinner with ease.

4: You Can Use Translation Apps In Most Situations

When I visited Beijing in 2017, I didn’t speak a word Mandarin, yet managed to book tours, eat out, and give directions to a taxi driver. Thanks to apps like Kakao Taxi, you can order taxis in Korea without a Korean phone number and without speaking English.

Translation apps such as Google Translate and Papago, whilst still far from perfect, are getting better at bridging the language gap. I would recommend using Papago for Korean translation as it is better suited to translating Korean and I’ve found it’s the best Korean translation app.

Translation apps… are probably the reason my Korean isn’t good.

Not sure what the word for plastic bag is while you’re shopping? Tap it into the translation app. Want to explain that you have a headache at the clinic? Type it in English and show it to the receptionist so they can read it in Korean.

Translation apps have helped me countless times and are probably the main reason my Korean isn’t as good as my Japanese (which I learnt whilst living in Japan for 3 years) – they weren’t as common when I lived there.

As a tourist or expat, make sure you have access to one wherever you go.

5: You Can Get By With Only Basic Korean Phrases

Once you’ve mastered the basics of a language, it’s amazing how much you can do. As an English teacher, I always remind my students that. And as an expat in Korea who has survived on the basics for so long, I can definitely confirm it.

Phrases such as these can be used in countless situations:

• How much is this?
• Where is ~?
• I’m sorry, I don’t know.
• Do you speak English?

Sign language and gesturing is also an important part of communication and can take the place of grammar or vocabulary that you’ve not got around to learning.

For example, if you enter a shop and want to know how much something is, you can point to it and ask 얼마예요? (ol-ma-yeh-yo) – how much is it? You don’t need to know the word of the thing you’re asking about.

Always mind your P’s and Q’s first when learning a language, as I was taught as a kid. For those that don’t know that expression, it means to mind your manners.

Basically, learn to say please and thank you – something you’ll need to live in Korea happily.

Check out my guide to Basic Korean Phrases that’ll help you shop, eat out, travel, and be polite when visiting Korea. An essential list of the most useful phrases.

5 Times When You’ll Need Help With Korean

Although you can live in Korea with basic Korean, there are certainly times when you’ll need a marvellous person to help you navigate the pitfalls of linguistic ignorance.

These are 5 situations that I’ve experienced while living in Korea where I needed help. There are definitely more instances than this, but these should give you a good enough idea of why you should learn Korean to live in Korea.

1: When Filling In Documents

Reading and writing are two very different skills, just as listening and speaking are. This is the difference between receptive (taking in) and productive (putting out) language skills and most people find it easier to take in than put out.

So when it comes to having to fill in a document at a bank, hospital, immigration office, or similar place, a knowledge of Korean is invaluable.

Hangul isn’t hard to learn to read and write, but knowing what to write and how to write are also very different and when faced with a block of Korean text with many instructions. It’s easy to panic.

2: When Doing Your Tax Returns

Taxes aren’t a lot of fun in any country. Try doing them in another country and in another language!

I’ve got to say, the Korean tax system is incredibly convenient thanks to a centralised system that links your bank account, phone number, and tax records into one so you can download all your relevant tax information with the push of a button.

You really don’t want to mess up something as important as a tax return…

Claiming exemptions, filling in forms, knowing where to sign, working out if your tax is correct, and many other aspects of the process, however, are not as fun.

You really don’t want to mess up something as important as a tax return, especially if it costs you money in the end.

So either learn Korean or pay for an accountant who can do it for you. Or, beg the lovely people you work with to help you out, as I do.

3: If You Start Dating A Korean Person

As mentioned before, one of the reasons I didn’t get around to continuing my Korean studies was because I was lucky enough to start dating my amazing Korean girlfriend.

If your partner speaks both your native language and Korean, dating can take away the urgent need to learn Korean. Especially if your partner is kind enough to help you do those tricky language-dependent things you can’t yet do.

Of course, the opposite is also true – it’ll increase your need to learn Korean. Romance without true communication can lead to many problems and miscommunication is a big issue for couples who speak different native languages.

And then there’s the family in law. You’d best learn some super-polite Korean expressions when speaking to your parents-in-law or you’ll never be invited to the family celebrations!

For more (not so serious) issues you might find dating in Korea, check out my article about the Dangers Of Dating In Korea.

4: When You Have A Serious Medical Need

There’s nothing worse than being sick in a foreign country and not knowing how to ask for help. You either need to rely on the kindness of strangers or friends, or you need to be able to explain what’s wrong by yourself.

Booking medical appointments and checkups can also be difficult without a good level of Korean, as I rediscovered when I was vaccinated in Korea.

For most minor trips to see a doctor, however, you can often get away with basic Korean skills and a translation app.

Doctors and nurses have to study English as part of their studies at medical school and should be able to communicate with you about basic medical problems. That doesn’t mean they can speak English, however.

5: If You Get In Trouble

I really hope this doesn’t happen to you, but can you imagine getting arrested in another country and not being able to speak the language.

This hasn’t happened to me in Korea (yet), but I’ve had run-ins with the police in other countries (in Japan for riding with earphones in). Not being able to understand what’s happening can be frightening and, worse yet, can lead you into more trouble.

I don’t recommend breaking the law any time soon. Why not learn Korean instead? It’s probably going to be better in the long run.

The next section will give you a few ideas about how to do that.

How Can I Learn Korean While Living In Korea

There are countless ways to learn Korean. I’d recommend trying a few different ones and see what works best for you. Different people learn in different ways, but the truth about language development is that you have to be consistent and work hard.

To learn Korean, I would recommend these methods:

Korean Language Apps

Learning Korean doesn’t need to take up hours each day. If want to learn Korean living in Korea, or in other countries, you can do it while you ride the bus, sit on the toilet, or have a snack. Apps such as Memrise, Duolingo, KORLINK, and many others can help you learn at your own pace. These are great for learning to read hangul, too.

Online Courses

Courses, such as the one by 90-Day Korean, can guide you through the language learning experience. Start with the basics and progress through the levels until you are ready for real-life conversation. Of course, you should try to get a mix of online and offline learning for the best results. Another online courses that I’d recommend is Talk To Me In Korean.

Language Classes

If you live in a big city in Korea, there’s probably a community-based language course where you can learn Korean for a low price (or free). Check out your local government’s website to find one.

You can also sign up for Korean classes at universities in Korea and study for a month or more. This’ll help you learn Korean quickly. If you’re not sure if you need to learn Korean to live in Korea, then a language exchange like this can help you know for sure.

Language Exchanges

There are plenty of language exchange groups on Facebook. Chat in Korean and then chat in English. Mix with locals and some of the 2,000,000+ Foreigners Living In Korea and develop your own skills as you help others learn your own language. These aren’t just for English-Korean exchanges, they often include other languages, too.

Private Tuition

If you can afford it, find someone to give you one-to-one lessons at least once or twice a week. This will help people with low confidence to speak in public, people who need a tailored course, and people who like to ask lots of questions as they learn.

Practice Speaking When Possible

Talk. Talk to friends, talk to co-workers, chat with the ajumma at the market, practice using Korean in any situation you can. If you want to learn Korean to live in Korea, then using it in your daily life is the most useful way to practice.

What’s It Like Living In Korea As An Expat?

Expat Life In Korea Guide: If you’re thinking about moving to Korea, or want to know what life is like as an expat in Korea, then you should check out my guide to expat life in Korea.

It talks about what’s good (and not so easy) about living in Korea, as well as how to survive and thrive in the Land of the Morning Calm.

My EPIK Life In Korea: If you’d like to know more about my life in Korea as an English teacher, then you might enjoy this article.

FAQ About Learning Korean In Korea

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about whether you should learn Korean to live in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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The metal tongs are snatched from my hand as I gingerly, yet knowledgeably, poked at the sizzling samgyeopsal (pork belly) slowly cooking in front of me, taken by the aggressively kind ajumma (middle-aged lady) who doesn’t trust me to cook for myself in her restaurant. She mutters to me in Korean several times whilst she turns, cuts, and tends to the meat, shaking her head every time I have thoughts of serving myself dinner.

When it’s ready, she shoves the deliciously juicy smouldering meat in my direction, indicating that I’ve been given permission to eat a meal I’ve enjoyed (and cooked) dozens of times. She doesn’t believe this, of course. I’m a foreigner in Korea away from the main tourist areas and so I can’t possibly know what I’m doing. I don’t mind really, I’m happy for her to show her skills and prepare this mouth-watering meal perfectly for me. I probably would have burned it anyway.

Before she leaves, she remembers to instruct me on the finer points of Korean dining, by stabbing at the various other ingredients I should wrap together in the crispy lettuce leaf with her tongs, which she begrudgingly leaves behind. I’m free to indulge in one of my favourite traditional Korean meals, one that puts a big smile on my face (and a few more inches on my waistline).

I mix some soju into my beer, shove the lettuce-wrapped meat into my mouth, and smile as contentedly as you might do when enjoying a hearty home-cooked meal in the middle of winter.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What’s Expat Life In Korea Like?

After more than a decade of living as an expat, with more than five of those years in Korea, I’ve built up a library of experiences – good, bad, and often strange. I want to share these with you, as well as my own insights into expat life in Korea (and in general) to give you an idea of what expat life can be like.

Of course, everyone’s opinions and observations are different. My simple stream of experiences leads into the grander ocean of collective encounters, disasters, joys, memories, confusion, and wonder that makes up life living overseas.

If you want to know more about Korea, and what to expect from expat life in Korea, you should definitely check out this article about some fun Korean facts. Before I get into more personal stories, here’s a brief overview of expat life in Korea.

A Few Facts About Expat Life In Korea

If you’re considering becoming an expat in Korea, you’re certainly not alone. There are a lot of us over here from many different countries, doing a wide range of jobs, or studying in some of Korea’s innovative and welcoming universities. Despite Korea being an extremely homogenous country, about 3.4% of the Korean population are foreigners.

From US soldiers keeping Korea safe in army bases across the country, to migrant workers, english teachers, and other nationals with a love or connection to Korea, there is an eclectic mix of people living in Korea as expats.

As you can see from the charts above and below, the number of foreign residents living in Korea surpassed 2 million a few years ago and is now over 2,500,000, according to the latest statistics. The vast majority of these expats in Korea are from Asia, with more then 1 million of them being from China originally. There are nearly a 1/4 of a million people from the US here, too. The majority of people living in Korea as an expat live in or around Seoul, almost 60% in total.

2022 Update: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of expats in Korea has dropped dramatically and now stands at only 1,960,000 as of January 2022. Find out more about how many foreigner live in Korea.

For Western expats from native English speaking countries, including the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and Canada, there are lots of jobs teaching English in Korea. There are approximately 24,000 expats teaching English in Korea now, with many arriving or departing each year.

If you’re from one of those countries, find out how to start teaching English in Korea.

The final fact is that expat life in Korea is awesome and there definitely aren’t any problems at all.

Fact…

Okay, that’s a lie, but life is as good as you make it and there are certainly lots of chances to have an incredible expat life if you want to (although life is not always rosy).

Here’s how I ended up in Korea and a little bit about my life as an expat.

My Situation Living In Korea As An Expat

It was a sweltering afternoon in August, with temperatures approaching apocalyptically hot when I arrived through the gates of Incheon Airport and started my journey in Korea. If you’re not aware, summer in Korea is a monster and the temperature felt close to 40 degrees Celsius, with high humidity and sweat forming in seconds.

Why was I stepping into this inferno after a year of enduring the abuse of near-endless summer in Hong Kong? Many reasons, not least the sense of adventure that I always feel when I move somewhere new, and the challenge of learning and embracing a new culture and country.

I was also maybe running away from Hong Kong, a country I never really felt settled in, but that’s another story. Anyway, I was ready for expat life in Korea and eager to explore and learn more.

So what have I been doing here?

I’ve been teaching English to some incredible students for the last 5 years and now answer to the name Joel Teacher more than anything. Well, since moving to a university, that’s now Professor Joel, which sounds a bit better.

It’s been a great experience that has allowed me to save a lot of money (got to pay for all this travelling somehow!), make some awesome friends, and indelible memories.

If you’re interested in knowing more about life teaching in Korea, I have some articles about my expat life teaching English in Korea and how to apply for EPIK Korea.

Although I’d only planned to stay for a year, 6 years later and I’m still here and, like many expats in Korea, I seem to have decided to settle down a bit. Living in Korea as an expat has given me the chance to travel within the country and experience some great festivals, eat lots of delicious food, and improve my Korean skills.

However, expat life in Korea is a lot more than just having fun and seeing new things. There are real life issues to deal with and the ride is not always smooth, especially when you don’t understand the local language, things don’t make sense, or the weather gets you down.

My point is living the expat life, in Korea or elsewhere, has good days and bad days. It’s a life I’ve chosen and one I have few regrets embarking on, but it’s not always easy. Would I give it up and go back to England? Probably not any time soon.

If you want a different perspective into expat life in Korea as an expat, then be sure to read more about living abroad in Jeonju.

If you want to know what I find so great about living in Korea as an expat, then keep on reading.

What’s Great About Expat Life In Korea

As I walked the streets of Seoul people waved and cheered my every step. Locals gasped and complimented me on my handsome good looks and everyone wanted to be my friend. Every meal was incredible, days were sunny and peaceful, and I was never in want of company or entertainment. Within a few months I’d become something akin to a local celebrity, with people requesting my ‘sign‘ (Konglish for signature), and life had never been better.

You can probably tell that I’m being a tad silly, but these exaggerations hide half-truths and honest interpretations of how life feels when you start living life as an expat. Even more so if you’re a teacher and have dozens of wonderfully adorable kids all rushing up to you with their excited puppy-dog eyes, telling you how unique and interesting you are (which you are).

I’m going to go ahead and say it, Korea is one of the best places to live in the world. Of course, there are plenty of other great places to live in the world that I might not have experienced yet, but of the places I have, Korea is one of the best.

An amazing thing about starting life as an expat in Korea, or other countries (I had the same in Japan), is that you see everything through new eyes and the whole world seems incredible. Standing out from the locals and experiencing new sights, sounds, smells, and tastes every day is simply euphoric. Perhaps this is more pronounced when you travel far away, to a new continent with new people and a new type of language.

Honestly, I could rant on for ages about those first few months and all the amazing experiences I’ve had, but they don’t last. The honeymoon phase is awesome, but it’s temporary. The things that make expat life in Korea so meaningful and worthwhile for me are often the little things in life.

The things that bring you small doses of joy from time to time, wash away the fatigue from misunderstanding some cultural faux pas, or make you remember why you got on that plane and left your old life behind.

Therefore, here are my top 5 things that are great about expat life in Korea after the honeymoon is over. There are more, sure, but these 5 should give you an idea of why you might want to consider jetting to Korea to begin your own expat life:

1: Always Something Great To Eat

If you’ve been to Korea before then you’ll know there is so much great food to enjoy, from modern street food to classic Korean dishes. Korea’s unique fare has developed from a love of spicy peppers, rice cakes, and other local ingredients, as well as embracing tastes from around the world. Walk around the traditional markets in Seoul and you’ll see irresistible street food that’ll make your mouth water.

Stay longer as an expat in Korea and you’ll see beyond these simple treats, however. You’ll find dishes that most tourists never bother or know to try, such as gamja-tang, kimchi-jeon, memil-guksu, galbi-tang, and many other amazing dishes I’d wholly recommend.

No matter where you are in Korea, you’ll be able to find some fantastic meals at great prices, even as low as $5 for a full meal. If you’re in Daejeon, let me know and I’ll tell you where to get all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ for $10!

Get away from the main touristy areas and check out the small Korean restaurants that look intimidatingly local and basic – they’ll have the best food. These are also the places where a friendly ajumma might try to feed you dinner and give you a VIP service. If you’re worried about being able to order food, check out my guide to Korean phrases that’ll save your bacon.

2: Really Easy To Travel In Korea & Beyond

I’m a traveller at heart and I love to explore as much as possible. Living in Korea hasn’t stopped this, it’s only made it easier. Korea is connected by a high speed train network known as the KTX, has thousands of buses that go to the most remote places, and the big cities have great public transport options. This allows me to get to the mountains, beaches, and far away islands without a car.

Not only that, travelling in Korea is really cheap. I can travel to Seoul and back from Daejeon (140km one way) for about $10 each way. I used to pay that travelling within London! Prices are incredibly low for public transport, with the average ticket price for a ride on a bus or subway being 1,250 won if you have a T-Money Card (which you should definitely have). Even taxis are cheap in Korea, much cheaper than Japan or England.

Living in Korea is not just convenient for travelling internally. Incheon Airport provides a gateway to the rest of Asia and further abroad. There are a lot of budget airlines that fly within Korea and beyond. During normal, non-pandemic times, you can travel far and wide without paying much. For example, you can fly to Japan, China, Thailand, or even the Philippines for less than $100 each way.

For some ideas about travelling in Korea, check out these 50 Unique Korean Experiences.

3: Life Is Safe & Free From Harm

Korea is generally recognised as a very safe country and when living in Korea as an expat I’ve rarely felt threatened or in danger. I’ve only ever felt this safe in Japan, which has a similar culture and sense of civil peace that stems from Confucian ideals of harmony and community. Yes, I just summed up a lot of Korean culture in one sentence there.

It’s perhaps easiest to say that people in Korea don’t like to publicly cause offence or embarrassment for others. This means people aren’t typically confrontational, teens don’t go around in gangs looking to antagonise anyone, and people aren’t throwing abusive comments at you while you walk down the street.

The risk of violent crime in public is extremely low, too. If you’ve ever been mugged, you’ll know how important that is. That’s not to say there aren’t crimes in Korea (cyber crimes & corruption are big issues), but for the average expat in Korea you won’t feel physically threatened. That being said, be sensible when you’re out, especially if you’re going clubbing or drinking lots.

Yes, the issue of being excluded and mistreated as you’re a foreigner is significant, which I’ll discuss later.

If you’re interested in knowing a bit more about Korean Culture And Etiquette rules, then please read my guide to Korean etiquette. I cover some of the basic ideals of Korean culture and you might understand a bit more about why Korea is such a safe country.

4: Your Money Goes A Long Way

Expat life in Korea is relatively cheap and I feel like I have a lot more disposable income after tax and bills than I have in other countries. I’m not saying this as one of those rich expats working for a Global 500 company who are earning twice their normal salaries because they’re working overseas, but as a humble foreigner teaching English in Korea.

The cost of living is low for many things, including rent, food, transport, and clothing. This is relative to the country you’re from, so maybe a few figures will help you see what I mean. My costs per month are:

• Rent – $400
• Bills (gas, electric, internet) – $150 – $250 (depending on the season)
• Transport costs – under $3 per day for two journeys
• Food – $400 – $600 (depending on how often I cook at home)

I won’t say what my income is, but the average entry-level salary for English teachers in Korea starts at $2,000 per month. Clothing, drinking, travel, and entertainment can be cheap or expensive, it all depends on your tastes.

Expat life in Korea can get very expensive if you don’t adapt to the local culture and foods. I see plenty of expats in Korea who refuse to eat Korean food or cook for themselves and spend a fortune on foreign foods. You really don’t need to. As I mentioned, Korean food is amazing (fact) and a lot cheaper than imported goods.

These lower costs of living means that you can save a lot of money, which helps you travel to all the other awesome countries nearby, which is why you’ll see a lot of expats in Korea head over to Thailand for winter, Japan for spring, and backpacking for months after they leave Korea.

5: You Get To Be Part Of Things All Year Round

Longing to experience days splashing through snow in Seoul, seeing cherry blossoms bloom, joining some awesome summer activities, or watching beautiful autumn leaves fall? As an expat in Korea you can.

Most people only get to see a small part of a country when they travel, hoping they can time their trip with a festival or special event. Expat life in Korea allows you the freedom to travel and make plans for loads of amazing activities throughout the year (global pandemics notwithstanding). You can experience firsthand all the different seasons, events, foods, activities, and more that only happen at certain times each year.

This is one of the reasons that I prefer being an expat to a tourist. You can develop an appreciation of the changes that occur and see people and places changing with the weather. Sampling dishes that are only available in winter, or hitting Korea’s beaches when it’s warmer, is part of the reward of expat life in Korea.

Furthermore, you get to be part of the community in Korea. You can join clubs, learn new skills & hobbies, make friends, go to private parties, stalk your favourite celebrity with other like-minded people, or simply sit by and watch what’s going on around you. These things are unavailable to tourists. To really get to know a country, you have to live there for a while.

Are These The Only Benefits To Expat Life?

I’ve tried to limit this list to things that are unique about expat life in Korea, instead of general expat life. Typical benefits of expat life include challenging yourself more, developing as a person, learning a new language, finding new things to enjoy, and changing your outlook on life.

Another unexpected benefit of expat life is the appreciation of things that you’ve left behind. You’ll suffer from culture shock sooner or later and pine away for those things you miss back home.

Later, that develops into an understanding of what you don’t have in life and the good sides of the country you left behind. Not everyone develops this, but if you look at your life from time to time, you might find you miss things you didn’t realise were important to you.

And with that in mind, it’s on to the challenges of living in Korea as an expat…

Challenges Of Expat Life In Korea

Ever the optimist, these are challenge, not problems. Hopefully you can overcome them, but they take a positive attitude and some time and effort. For example, if you don’t bother learning the language, you can’t blame anyone but yourself if you’ve no idea what’s going on.

I don’t want to get bogged down in focusing on the negative side of expat life in Korea, so I’ll try to keep these points short. Again, they are often not as bad as they seem and you can work around them.

Without further ado, here are my 5 biggest challenges of living in Korea as an expat:

1: Understanding (And Tolerating) Cultural Differences

This is a massive issue when living in Korea as an expat. One I could probably write a book about. Korean culture is wildly different from Western culture, and many cultures around the world.

You can learn about culture, study it in a book, and experience it when you travel, but you probably still won’t understand it. Culture flows so deeply through the hearts and minds of the citizens of a country that you’d need to spend a lifetime doing autopsies of every interaction here to really comprehend it. Even then you’d find things you don’t get.

This can be very frustrating at times when you accidentally (or intentionally) go against what is expected culturally, or people behave in a way that seems to make no sense to you. I’m not saying one culture is wrong or right, but the clash between beliefs and ideals can lead to problems for expats living in Korea.

Again, I don’t want to go into this issue too deeply in this article. I’ll try to paint a clearer picture in future posts about Korean culture. Just know that cultural differences are probably the hardest thing you have to overcome as an expat in Korea. But they can be overcome, as long as you’re willing to make an effort to understand them.

For those who are looking for love in Korea, you should consider some of the Dangers Of Dating In Korea, too. If you want to learn more about the subtle, often hidden aspects of Korean culture that are coming to the fore through modern Korean literature, check out these excelled Korean novels in English.

2: The Language Barrier Can Be Hard To Overcome

This is definitely a challenge and one you can overcome with a bit (okay, a lot) of effort and determination. I’ll admit, I’m far from fluent in Korean, but the more I learn, the less this is an issue. Learning the local language isn’t always necessary as a tourist, but when you plan to be an expat, it’s kind of essential.

In Seoul you can get away with a low level of Korean as there are a lot more tourist-friendly areas and people will be exposed to English and other languages a lot more. However, if you plan to live outside of the capital, then the language barrier can have a big impact on your life.

Fortunately, modern technology makes living in Korea as an expat a lot easier for those who don’t know Korean. You can hide in your apartment and order food to be delivered, translate things you want to say, and use English apps to get around.

But you’re never going to enjoy the 5 great things about expat life in Korea that I mentioned before without some language skills. You can make local friends, but wouldn’t it be better to be able to share jokes in both languages?

Don’t you want to know what all those strange items are on the menu besides the few that you’ve already heard of? Isn’t it fun to visit non-touristy areas and ask for recommendations from the locals? How can you explain why to the angry ajumma on the subway why you don’t have your mask with you?

The answer is to learn some Korean. Not sure if you should Learn Korean To Live In Korea? Find out the answer in the linked article.

3: Locals Can Be (Often Unknowingly) Rude

“How much do you weigh?”

This is a question I’ve had many times in Korea. How would you feel in this situation? Embarrassed? Slightly annoyed? Overweight (that’s my usual feeling)? Questions like this are seemingly innocuous to Koreans but can be considered rude to expats in Korea. Other examples include asking about age, income, relationship status, and even blood type.

Perhaps worse than these questions are the looks, stares, and silent actions that illustrate a fear or unease around foreigners, one that Koreans may not even realise they’re demonstrating.

Two common examples of this are as follows:

1: Children will stop dead in their tracks when they see you, mouth agape, shaking hand pointing in my direction as if they’ve seen an alien beam down in front of them.

2: Adults jump back in shock when I spring out at them coming out of the lift.

This isn’t exclusive to Korea, I experienced the same as an expat in Japan. Worse, in fact, as I lived in the countryside. I know this stems from being an extremely homogenous country and me being tall, bald, and shockingly exotic looking.

To be honest, I’ve been living in Korea as an expat for long enough that this sort of thing doesn’t really bother me any more. It’s a little frustrating at times, but nothing more than that. I know that Korean people usually don’t mean anything by it and it’s often unintentional, especially from the kids. I only hope that with more expats in Korea each year, things will gradually change for the better.

4: Career Prospects Can Be Limited

Teaching English in Korea is a great job for those straight out of uni, those who want a change from their normal job, or devout Korea-fanatics who want to live their K-dreams out in the real Korea. As I mentioned, the cost of living in Korea is low and you can live a comfortable life on your salary, as well as save a lot. However, as an expat in Korea, you’re not likely to get rich.

I know that I’ll never be up for promotion where I work and salary increases aren’t going to happen. I can’t apply to be a manager and I’ll never end up as a principal at a school – not that I really want to be. There are opportunities in my field, and in other industries, but the chances are slim.

A lot of people who make it big in Korea tend to be independent – celebrities, YouTubers, professionals in some way that made it without rising up the Korean corporate ladder. There are people who have made it into large international corporations like Samsung, but for the majority of expats in Korea, like me, that’s not really an option.

The challenge here is to find out where you can develop your career if you plan to be here for a long time. School teachers often move into university positions (as I did), or else set up their own private education businesses. If you learn Korean, there are definitely a lot more opportunities for you.

5: You’re Not Korean (And Never Will Be)

I know this can be hard to accept for some people, but if you’re not already Korean, you never will be. Even with all that expensive plastic surgery. This ties in with my other points about cultural and language barriers, as well as the strange looks you get as a foreigner. Expat life in Korea can be challenging because you’re an expat.

This point would be included in any post about expats in any country. This isn’t a Korea-exclusive issue, but it is one you have to consider if you want to live the expat life in Korea. It’s not necessarily bad, but you can feel excluded at times and when you’re the only foreigner surrounded by locals you can feel overwhelmed.

There are some good sides to not being Korean in Korea. You’re not always expected to follow the cultural rules and people are less strict with you than they may be with fellow Koreans. There are also plenty of Koreans who want to talk and make friends with you because you’re not Korean, so it’s a good chance to meet new people.

One last time, problems are often an issue of perspective. Play on your uniqueness and accept that you’re different and you’ll be happier as an expat in Korea. It’s a strength you have to choose to use.

Things I’ve Learned As An Expat In Korea

I’ve had a passion for travelling since my first overseas trip without my family when I was 16, and that grew and grew as I later travelled the world backpacking when I was 18, before I eventually made the move to expat life. Part of this passion comes from the ability to learn new things as I explore more of this world.

Here are a few pearls of wisdom I’ve learned from living in Korea as an expat (as well as from other countries). I hope these help you if you’re considering making the move to expat life in the future.

• You need to be patient and willing to adapt to the local culture.
• Sometimes people don’t understand what you’re saying, be sure to speak slowly and clearly
• A small effort to learn Korean culture and language goes a long way.
• Group harmony is important – try not to be selfish.
• When things get you down, indulge in your own culture
• You will suffer from culture shock – it’s inevitable.
• Culture shock passes through different phases and things will get better.
• You may be right in your country, but you can be wrong in Korea.
• Expat life in Korea is rewarding if you make the most of it.
• If you don’t try something new, you’ll never discover how rich life is.
• Emergency savings are a must – you never know when you might have to travel suddenly.
• People are friendlier than you think. Silence masks shyness more often than intolerance.
• There are more than four seasons and you’ll never adapt to them all.
• There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal in your home country.
• If you don’t get out of your comfort zone, you’ll never grow in life.
• Invest in good bedding, such as an Emma mattress, as sleeping can be tough.

That last one is probably the most important thing about starting a life as an expat in Korea or elsewhere. It’s not easy, but if you don’t take a risk, you’ll never find the rich rewards that expat life can bring. So, would I recommend expat life in Korea? You can probably guess already.

Would I Recommend Living In Korea As An Expat?

Yes. I would definitely recommend expat life in Korea.

There’s a universe of possible adventures to dip into as an expat in Korea. You have the chance to learn about a new culture, language, people, and devour all the awesome food Korea produces. You can experience local traditions, festivals, celebrations, and customs. Maybe you’ll see snow for the first time.

Lifelong friendships can be made among the smoky fires of a Korean BBQ restaurant. Or perhaps love will bloom for you in the heat of a humid summer evening as you walk along the shores of the Han River hand in hand with someone special. It’s no exaggeration to say that anything can happen.

However, there’s a huge caveat with all this that I can’t emphasise enough. 

You have to be willing to make an effort to understand the local culture and tolerate differences with your own culture.

No, you don’t have to embrace Korean culture fully and act and do as Koreans do (I certainly don’t), but you do need to be aware of it and tolerant of it when it gets you down or you don’t understand it. If you don’t, you’ll be flying out with your bags hastily packed, grumbling about everything. I’ve seen my fair share of people like that and you’ll never end up a happy expat if you do.

As with everything in life, the more effort you put into making your situation better, the more you’ll get out of it.

I hope this has given you lots to think about. If you’re thinking about moving to Korea to live as an expat, perhaps it’s helped to convince you that it’s a worthy risk opportunity to take.

There’s only one way to find out of it’s right for you.

Learn More About Life In Korea

Are you interested in learning more about life in Korea? Then why not check out some of these other articles about life in the Land of the Morning Calm and other fascinating cultural insights into all things Korean.

Korean Fan Death Myth: Learn about the dangers of cooling electric fans and why Koreans believe that they can kill you.

Konglish Fails: A funny look at the world of Konglish and 60+ Korean signs that showcase the best and worst of Korean English.

Weird Korean Foods: Explore the good and bad of Korea’s unusual culinary creations with these 20 strange dishes. Would you dare try any?

Pepero Day: Korea and Japan have a long rivalry in many areas. Did you know that also extends to thin chocolate biscuits?

Expat Life In Korea FAQs

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about living in Korea as an expat, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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There are many dangers to dating in Korea that you may not be aware of, from knowing when to celebrate romantic days together, what you can and can’t do in public, and the problems you’ll face if you decide to get serious one day.

Whilst this article shouldn’t be taken too seriously, it might offer some practical Korean dating advice for expats who are looking for or found love in Korea. It won’t stop you getting kimchi-slapped, however.

Even if you don’t plan to date in Korea, this article will introduce you to various cultural aspects of romance, love, and life in Korea that I hope you’ll find interesting. Read on to discover the 10 dangers of dating in Korea.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

About This Korean Dating Advice For Expats

First of all, and this is really important, please read the following message before going any further in this silly article.

This is a work of satire and designed to point out cultural differences between Korea and the rest of the world and maybe make some people laugh a little bit.

Please don’t take this as actual Korean dating advice for expats – you will probably end up very alone if you do. However, that’s not to say that these 10 dangers of dating in Korea aren’t real.

I hope that by reading through this article you’ll learn a bit about cultural differences (or similarities) between dating in Korea and the rest of the world.

For a more balanced and deeper look into Korean culture, I’d recommend checking out my more serious articles about Korean Culture And Etiquette and Facts About South Korea.

10 Dangers Of Dating In Korea For Expats

This Korean dating advice for expats is based on real-life experiences of myself and others who are dating (or married) in Korea. It’s also based on my own research and observations of Korean culture, couples, and traditions.

Whilst some of these issues might apply to other countries, I’ve tried to explain how they relate to Korea specifically.

I’ve personally been dating a Korean for more than 5 years, through good times and bad (mostly good). I’ve also attended several lovely weddings between Koreans and expats.

The views expressed here are meant to apply to anyone, but may be slightly skewed towards my own perspective as a male expat. Sorry about that.

Now I’m sure you’re eager to learn all about the top 10 dangers of dating in Korea for expats, so without further ado here they are.

Please note: these are not really meant to be taken literally and I don’t endorse any unnecessary stereotypes or prejudices about life or love in Korea.

1: You’ll Have To Co-ordinate Your Clothes

That’s right, when dating in Korea your individual style is a thing of the past. From now on you’ll have to go shopping together to pick out the best outfit that you can both wear to help everyone know that you’re a couple when you’re out in public.

Korea has been obsessed with couple’s clothing for several decades now with the practice started by newlyweds who wanted to show their newly-married status by wearing the same clothes. Nowadays it’s been adopted by Korean couples to show they’re dating.

As an expat dating in Korea, you should definitely make sure your partner doesn’t have any strange fashion tastes that will end up in your wardrobe! Hopefully matching haircuts won’t be coming in the future, too.

Korean dating advice for expats #1: Embrace this chance to show your affection for your Korean partner, but be sure to draw the line at matching outfits for just the two of you. This danger can spiral out of control and suddenly the whole family (and your pets) are wearing matching outfits and that’s a weird place to be!

2: Hugs & Kisses In Public Aren’t Allowed

This second danger of dating in Korea probably explains the first – you’re not allowed to kiss, hug or show any public displays of affection (PDA) in Korea. If you’re used to expressing your feelings of love in public, then this will definitely be a tough one to handle.

I’m not talking about wild bouts of passion either, a simple hug can be enough to disrupt the social harmony and cause you to receive angry shouts from offended viewers. This is not a uniquely Korean situation, but you should be aware of it if you plan to date in Korea.

In all seriousness, I’ve been shouted at by Koreans for PDA (even in modern Seoul). If you’re lucky, your Korean partner won’t be too bothered by what are increasingly considered outdated rigid moral values, but definitely keep this in mind when out in public. Fortunately, holding hands is generally acceptable.

Korean dating advice for expats #2: If you feel like you can’t control your passion when out and about, try to find a quiet alley to have a quick cuddle and kiss before heading back into the ever-watching gaze of the general population. Also, PDA rules don’t apply so strictly when on holiday.

3: Dates Will Be Complicated & Embarrassing

Dating in Korea involves a lot more than a trip to the cinema or Italian meal for two with pasta, wine, and candles. Expats looking for love in Korea should be prepared for more complicated (and potentially embarrassing) dates than they’re used to.

Not only will you be wearing your matching outfits and keeping a respectable distance from each other, you’ll also have to go somewhere different every time, a hot new place in town, and somewhere that looks good on Instagram.

Dates could include an afternoon at a racoon cafe, an elaborate photo session at the latest cool cafe, a day dressing up in retro Korean outfits, a long journey out to a new cafe in the mountains, or even an afternoon petting alpacas.

Korean dating advice for expats #3: Always turn up to a date well dressed. It’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed, especially if you’re going to take lots of pictures. When eating or drinking, order whatever looks the best for pictures regardless of taste.

4: You’ll Put On Weight From Shared Meals

Being single in Korea is a great way to stay slim and avoid eating big meals. A real problem of dating in Korea is suddenly gaining access to the many Korean restaurants that you’d only be able to visit when there’s two or more people.

No one goes to eat Korean BBQ, budae jjigae (army stew), or dak-galbi (spicy chicken stir-fry – pictured) by themselves, but when you’re dating in Korea, these dishes are suddenly available to you and your partner.

These dishes are incredible and there’s really nothing better than moving from a lonely plate of gimbap or bowl of ramyeon to a steaming pot of something spicy and fried for two. Don’t expect to be able to stick to your diet once these Korean culinary delights become available to you!

Korean dating advice for expats #4: Limit the number of nights out together each week. Starve yourself on non-date nights and live for the shared meals out. If your partner suggests adding cheese or noodles to your dish, you know you’ve found love.

5: You’ll Always Be Second To Their Idol

This is just one of those things you’ll have to accept when dating in Korea. There are many popular idols and your significant other is likely to have chosen their favourite long before they ever met you.

Whether they’re obsessed with someone from BTS, Black Pink, TWICE, or Big Bang (or all of them), you have to admit to yourself that you’re just never going to be as handsome / pretty / talented / adored as they are. This is their first crush, their first obsession, and it’s for life.

Korean dating advice for expats #5: Apparently I’m competing against Tony from H.O.T. and as long as he never meets my Korean girlfriend, it’s probably not too dangerous. Never let your Korean partner meet their favourite idol to be safe.

6: Valentine’s Day Will Confuse You

For most countries in the world, Valentine’s Day on February 14th is a romantic day where couple’s come together to celebrate their feelings for each other with gifts and greedy meals. Whilst Valentine’s Day still exists in Korea, it’s not quite the same as in other countries.

In Korea, Valentine’s Day is a day when women buy gifts for men. That seems rather unfair, you might think, but there’s actually a second Valentine’s-like Day on March 14th, called White Day, when men return the favour. Two romantic days for the price for one!

And if that’s not enough, April 14th is Black Day – a day for single people to celebrate being… single. Actually, there are 12 ‘romantic days‘ in a year, all on the 14th. There’s a day for kissing (not in public), a day for exchanging diaries, taking photos, drinking wine, etc., etc.

Don’t forget to celebrate them all if you want to make the most of dating in Korea.

Korean dating advice for expats #6: If in doubt, buy your loved one a present on Valentine’s Day. Or every month, just to be sure. Don’t trust them when they tell them that Valentine’s day is for men / women to buy gifts as it’ll probably be the opposite of what they tell you. Also, Korean BBQ is a romantic meal out.

7: You’ll End Up Adopting Korean Expressions

Whilst dating in Korea as an expat, you might find yourself improving your Korean skills a lot. After all, you have the perfect resource available to help you level up your language skills. However, this can also be a danger of dating in Korea.

Koreans have a wide range of expressions that they utter in a range of situations. With constant exposure to them, they might end up replacing your own native language. Also, your partner might end up calling you certain names that you adopt and use with non-Koreans, too.

To express frustration you might find yourself saying ‘ah, jinjja!‘ (oh, really!), or nodding along in agreement with ‘ne, majayo‘ (that’s true). Some other examples include calling people ‘babo‘ or ‘meongcheong‘, which both translate as being stupid – something I’m often called, haha.

The danger comes when you start using these Korean Expressions with non-Koreans and people who don’t know Korean. You might get some strange looks and people asking you what you’re talking about.

Korean dating advice for expats #7: Do your best to Learn Korean, it will certainly help a lot, especially if you want to impress your partner’s family. Find a way to balance using your own language and Korean, such as agreeing to alternate between the two languages on different days. Find out more in this article:

8: You’ll Have A Hard Time Convincing People To Come To Your Wedding

After some time dating in Korea you might realise that you want to go ahead and get married to your Korean partner. Good for you! There are an increasing number of Korean and foreigner weddings every year. In fact, of all the Foreigners In Korea, there are more than 166,000 international couples.

Korean wedding culture, which I could write a whole article about, is quite different from what most expats might be used to. One major difference is that you have to pay to attend a wedding – the ‘fee’ depending on how close you are to the couple. I typically pay around 50,000 KRW ($45) for a friend’s wedding.

Yes, in Korea guests are expected to pay a fee to come to the wedding. Friends, family, and co-workers might be expected to pay even if they don’t come to the wedding!

This isn’t really that different from buying gifts for the newlyweds and certainly saves time when planning what to get them. And they get to choose how to spend the cash.

The idea of paying for a wedding is that you’re helping the couple get set for their life together in a new place. Many Korean couples move into a new apartment after getting married, and the money is to help them get set up.

Korean dating advice for expats #8: If you’re attending a friend’s wedding in Korea, make sure you send them an invite to your wedding later on. Invite as many people as you can for maximum wedding-profit. But remember, you also need to provide a big buffet for your guests.

9: Your Children Will Make You Feel Stupid

After getting married, you should probably have lots of children to help out Korea’s shrinking population problem. Then you can pass on all this helpful Korean dating advice to your own kids.

The problem with having kids in Korea, besides the exorbitant fees you’ll have to pay for private education, is that they’ll probably make you feel kind of stupid. I don’t mean that you’ll be embarrassed by them and make you regret having kids, I mean that they’ll be much smarter than you.

Unless you’re from Singapore, chances are your children will have a much higher IQ than you when they’ve finished digesting their diet of education. Currently, South Koreans are the 4th smartest in the world (Behind Singapore, China, & Hong Kong), but the Future IQ Scores based on the ability of high school students puts South Korea at number 2.

Can you handle your own child knowing more than you?

Korean dating advice for expats #9: Raising a kid in Korea can be very expensive, especially if you want them to get into a top Korean university. Make sure they get a good enough job to pay you back in the future for your investment.

10: You Might End Up Living In Korea Forever

The biggest danger of dating in Korea, after surviving dating, getting married, and having smart kids, is that you might spend the rest of your life in the Land of Morning Calm!

Once you’ve spent all this time living in Korea, adapting to a Korean diet and learning all those Korean phrases, you might not want to head back to your own country.

If you’re lucky, you might be able to find yourself a spot on the side of a hill for a traditional Korean grave, like the ones in the pictures above.

Wouldn’t that be terrible?

Korean dating advice for expats #10: Start saving up for your pension now and find a nice spot to retire to. I’d recommend somewhere on Jeju Island with a small rice field / tangerine forest so you can live out your days living off the earth and enjoy staring out into the waves.

Want To Know More About Expat Life In Korea?

This article was designed to introduce some aspects of Korean culture loosely based around the issues you might find dating in Korea as an expat. However, there’s so much more to understanding Korean culture that hasn’t been covered here.

If you’re interested in knowing more about Korean culture, etiquette, expat life in Korea, or my own personal story in Korea, these articles below are a great place to get started.

Find out about my expat life in Korea, including what I love and what I struggle with as a foreigner in Korea. Also learn about my EPIK life, which tells you all about my 5 years working for the EPIK Program where foreigners are placed in schools to help Korean students learn English from native speakers.

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Whether you’re planning on moving to live and work in Korea with the EPIK Program, or you’ve just got off the plane at Incheon Airport, you’re probably not going to know exactly what to expect from a life with EPIK. What will the students be like? How will you get on with the teachers? What’s so great about the EPIK life?

In this guide to the EPIK experience I want to show you the sort of duties you might have, a day in the life of an EPIK teacher, and some of the great benefits (and challenges) of joining EPIK. There’s a lot to weigh up, but I’ve tried to give a balance of both the good and bad of the average EPIK teaching experience.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What’s In This EPIK Teaching Experience Review?

To help you understand what an EPIK teaching experience might be like, I’ve broken down the life of an EPIK teacher into the following four areas:

• The work you’ll do
• People you’ll work with
• EPIK teaching benefits
• EPIK teaching problems

Firstly, I should point out a truth that I learnt from teaching English in another country, Japan. That is that ESID – Every Situation Is Different. What I will explain in this guide are possibilities – they might happen, but they might not.

There is no guarantee what your EPIK teaching experience will be like. The life of an inner-city high school EPIK teacher is worlds away from a countryside EPIK teacher who visits 4 different elementary schools.

However, there are some general truths that I’ve noticed from my 5 years working on EPIK, countless hours of conversations with my other EPIK friends, from annual training seminars, and my ongoing contact with the world of EPIK.

To begin, here’s a quick overview of the EPIK Program and who is eligible to join.

Quick Overview Of The EPIK Program

The EPIK (English Program In Korea) Program was created in 1995 as a way to increase the English-speaking abilities of Korean students and teachers, as well as to develop cultural exchanges between Korea and the English-speaking world. It’s grown a lot and made Korea one of the Best Countries To Teach English.

Today, the EPIK Program has thousands of foreigners from seven native English-speaking countries teaching English in schools across Korea.

Teaching English with EPIK is a win-win situation for both the Korean students and for citizens from the eligible countries. The students get to listen to and interact with a native English speaker. The native English speaker gets to experience life in Korea, develop skills through working in Korea, and has the chance to save and travel lots.

Who Is Eligible To Work On EPIK?

To be eligible for an EPIK teaching experience, you must be a native English speaker from one of these seven countries:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• South Africa
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Canada
• Ireland

Applications to EPIK must also hold an education-based Bachelor’s degree or any other Bachelor’s degree plus a 100+ hour TEFL certificate / teaching license.

When Can I Apply To EPIK?

There are two intakes where you can start you EPIK teaching experience – one in spring (late February), one in autumn (late August). The whole EPIK application takes up to 6 months, so you should definitely plan ahead for when you want to start.

If you are interested in applying for EPIK and want some advice about the application process and how to complete each step, check out this article:

How To Apply For EPIK

What Do I Do As An EPIK Teacher?

The heart of your EPIK teaching experience will be just that – teaching. That’s what you’ve been hired to do and your ‘competitive edge’ over Korean English teachers, whether right or wrong, is your ability to speak English as a native teacher.

As a native English speaker, you’ll be expected to focus more on speaking and listening skills in the classroom. Students get plenty of chances to read and write in English, but not so much listening and speaking practice, especially not with a native speaker.

When placed on EPIK, you’ll be assigned an elementary school (most likely), a middle school, or a high school (least likely). You might get more than one school. There are also a few special institutions where some people will be placed (like I was), however, those are quite rare. Each of these locations will provide a very different EPIK teaching experience.

To help illustrate what a day in the life of an EPIK teacher might look like, it’s best to first understand the responsibilities of an EPIK teacher and what you might be expected to do.

Responsibilities Of An Epik Teacher

The official responsibilities of an EPIK teacher are as follows:

• Assist Korean teachers with their English class
• Jointly conduct English classes with Korean teachers
• Teach 22 hours per week
• Prepare extracurricular activities or English camps
• Conduct English conversation classes for Korean students and teachers
• Prepare teaching materials for English language education
• Assist in development of teaching materials
• Assist with activities related to English language education
• Other duties as specified by your MOE/POE*

*Metropolitan Office of Education / Provincial Office of Education

Let’s clarify a few of those key responsibilities so you can really know what to expect from your EPIK teaching experience. I’ll cover what I deem to be ‘additional duties’ later on.

Teaching English classes with Korean teachers

Firstly, the core part of your work will be teaching English classes ‘with’ Korean teachers. I say ‘with’, because sometimes you’ll be teaching together, sometimes the Korean teacher will lead, sometimes you’ll lead, other times the co-teacher might be observing from the back of the classroom. Sometimes they might not even be there, however, this is not meant to occur.

Prepare teaching materials for English language education

As for materials development, it’s quite common for EPIK teachers to be responsible for the ‘fun’ aspect of English education. What I mean by that is that they’ll use games to practice grammar or vocabulary with the students, whilst the Korean teacher covers the understanding side of learning (usually through translation).

Prepare winter & summer camps

The Korean school breaks for winter and summer are quite long and the only time you can really use your holiday allowance.You’ll also be expected to teach week-long English camps at your school to provide additional English education for students who wish it.

The English camps are generally not as rigid as a usual English class and you can introduce themes (e.g Harry Potter / cooking / space exploration), which help make it a lot more interesting. They can be tough as you need to plan for several days of activities, but also a great chance to bond with a few students.

Teach 22 hours per week

You will teach up to 22 ‘hours’ per week. These teaching ‘hours’ are not actual hours, but counted as periods of teaching. For example, a 40 minute class will count as 1 ‘hour’ of teaching. So you’ll teach up to 22 English lessons per week.

The exact number of hours can vary each week, depending on other school events or school closure (holidays). Lessons during English camps or special classes may be longer.

Additional Duties For An EPIK Teacher

Additional duties that you could be expected to fulfil as an EPIK teacher are as follows:

• Afternoon English club / classes
• Speech contest training
• Marking (usually MS / HS)
• Conversation practice with students / teachers
• Other duties as specified by your MOE/POE

You might be asked to provide afternoon classes in the afternoon (within your work hours). These are often classes where you can play games and chat with the students in a more relaxed environment.

As for the other additional responsibilities, you may never have to do them. You may do them every week. You might be asked to judge a speech contest or give a talk about English education or your home country. ESID, sorry.

The ‘other duties as specified by your MOE/POE‘ really can be anything and it’s honestly an unfair line to have written into your contract because it is ridiculously vague.

Now, let’s see what a typical day is like for an EPIK teacher.

A Typical Day As An EPIK Teacher

A typical EPIK teaching experience at elementary school (where most EPIK teachers work) would start with a busy morning and then a quieter time after lunch. Teachers are expected to work 8 hours from around 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The actual times can vary depending on the school.

EPIK teachers often teach 4 morning classes five times a week (20 classes) and the occasional afternoon class. Lunch is around noon and you might eat with the teachers in the teachers office, or with the students if the school does this. In the afternoon you might teach classes, but mostly you’ll be allowed to use this time for class preparation.

There may be some club activities that you are asked (or can volunteer) to join, such as volleyball club, English club, or clubs for other subjects. These classes can be one of the best parts of the EPIK teaching experience as you get to spend some time with the students in a relaxed environment.

You can get closer to the students, help them practice English, and develop a bond with them. This certainly goes a long way to making classes easier for you as the students have a greater connection to you, improving their motivation to learn.

At 4:30 pm, you’re free to go home and enjoy the wonders of life that come from finishing so early. Much better than a 9-6 office job with a long commute home! If you finish all your class preparation in the afternoon, you’re free to enjoy the evening.

The People You’ll Meet With EPIK

During your time teaching English with EPIK, there are three main groups of people you’ll interact with on a regular basis. These are:

• The students you teach
• The teachers at your school
• Other EPIK teachers in your area

These different groups will all massively impact on your EPIK teaching experience in Korea and can change whether you leave EPIK with happy memories and smiles, or trudging off back home with a bunch of regrets and negativity.

Whole books could be written about each of these three groups, but I’ll try to quickly outline some key factors about how they’ll affect your experience with EPIK and how to better get along with them.

Your Students & Your EPIK Teaching Experience

The draw of living in another country for a lot of people is the chance to experience new places, try authentic dishes, meet new people, and travel further afield.

When you start working on EPIK, you quickly learn that the interactions, random hilarity, and uniqueness that students bring to your life is just as intoxicating as all that other stuff.

Every EPIK teacher leaves with a collection of extraordinary stories that happened whilst they were teaching or interacting with students. Often these stories are the ones that you want to tell more than the time you tried some delicious dish or saw a famous sight.

That one time this student said something hilarious in the middle of the class, when that one kid tried to high five you and broke your glasses instead, when you met a bunch of your students in town and they start screaming and waving at you, when your students draw funny pictures of you on the whiteboard, etc., etc.

You quickly learn that the interactions, random hilarity, and uniqueness that students bring to your life is… intoxicating

However, students can also make your life really tough if you don’t spend the time and effort to forge a bond with them and earn a tiny bit of respect. Taking discipline and authority too seriously is a quick way to ruin any chances of getting them to like or respect you. They’re children, after all. They are often fickle beings.

Seriously though, your relationship with the students is key to creating a positive EPIK experience and the difference between waking up and being excited to teach this new activity you’ve devised, or dragging yourself out of bed and dreading the thought of teaching Class 2 first thing in the morning.

Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about some of the students, you don’t see them enough to form much of a bond, or they have issues that you have no idea about that makes them act out. In these situations, there’s not much you can do but try your best to be patient, kind, and more than a bit silly.

The students are the core of your EPIK life, but there is another group that can make life on EPIK just as good or bad – the other teachers.

Working With Korean Co-Teachers On EPIK

When you start working on EPIK, you’ll be made to do an online orientation (after your pre-EPIK orientation) which includes a lot of details about co-teacher relationships. You’ll be told about how to teach effectively with Korean English teachers and the idea that you should be flexible is hammered home quite hard.

Your English classes should involve both you and your co-teacher engaging the students, encouraging them to learn English in fun and creative ways, with both of your using your skills to fully maximise the learning experience. Sounds perfect, and if you have a good relationship with your co-teacher, that’s exactly how it can be.

The way you get on with your co-teachers influences your EPIK teaching experience in many ways.

Here are some reasons why it’s crucial to have a good relationship:

• To help you get along in and out of class
• Teaching as a pair can be more effective than teaching separately
• So you can develop materials together
• To be able to bounce ideas for lessons off each other
• You might end up being good friends outside of school
• Students are clever and can see it when teachers don’t get along
• Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM)

There are a lot of benefits to having a good relationship with your co-teacher and other staff. Not only for what I mentioned above, but also because it’s generally not good to have a bad relationship with people you work with.

Your relationship with your co-teachers (and other school staff) is a lot more important that your relationship with the students if you want to work on EPIK for longer than one year. They are the ones who have an unfair (in my opinion) amount of say over whether or not you’ll be re-contracted.

The best way to have a good relationship with your co-teachers is to be patient, don’t put them in awkward situations, and don’t give up.

Sounds like it should be easy, right? Not as easy as it should be. Here’s a few reasons why you might have troubles with other teachers:

• Your co-teacher is too busy to spend time being sociable
• They may be too unsure of their own language abilities
• You don’t listen to their ideas and expect them to follow yours
• There are countless unspoken cultural rules that you keep breaking
• The last EPIK teacher made a really bad impression
• You’re just simply very different people

You might have several co-teachers in your school(s) and have a very different relationship with each one. I had some that were amazing and we went out for coffee together. Others had no time (or desire) to chat and didn’t like speaking English. ESID again.

The best way to have a good relationship with your co-teachers is to be patient, remember that they’re a lot more qualified than you are, don’t put them in awkward situations (big no-no in Korea), and don’t give up. Talk to them and try to understand where the breakdown has occurred.

If all else fails, take them out for chicken and soju and bond over drunken revelry. It’s the Korean way to build good work relationships.

If you want to understand some of those cultural rules, and how to avoid breaking them, check out this article about Understanding Korean Culture & Etiquette.

The last two in the list are sadly not really anything you can deal with. When you find yourself in a bad (or good) situation, that’s when you really need the third group of people.

Other EPIK Teachers: Your Personal Support Group

Living far away from your home country and being an expat is not always a walk in the park. There are days in your EPIK experience when you want to scream, shout, and eat ice cream in front of the TV. It’s on those days that you need to chat with other EPIK teachers – your EPIK support group.

The EPIK teachers you meet during your orientation and in your new city are the ones you’ll usually form the closest bond with. You’ll go through the highs of culture shock together (wow, look at this!), and the lows (I miss my family).

These people can best understand why you’re having a tough situation and can help you let off steam after a hard day. And it’s important to remember that they’re probably going through the same thing, so be sure to listen when someone starts to complain about life.

Hopefully there are many more good days than bad, and you generally have an extremely positive EPIK teaching experience, but there will be times when stuff just goes wrong and that’s when you need your friends.

Your EPIK friends will be there to share meals, travel and explore, and chat about the latest K-pop album, or that funny thing your student did in class the other day

Remember, there is a fine line between letting off steam and turning into a constantly complaining wretch who hates their job and wants to do something else. If you’ve found that you’re complaining more than telling funny stories about what happened in class, you might want to take a moment to reflect on your situation.

Beyond the need to support each other, your EPIK friends will be there to share meals, travel and explore, and chat about the latest K-pop album, or that funny thing your student did in class the other day.

In the first year, a lot of EPIK teachers stick to the other teachers they met during orientation or in their immediate area. Later on, if you decide to stay in Korea, you tend to break into smaller groups as people leave EPIK or have different friends.

Some friends stick with you (I still have some friends from EPIK after 5+ years) and you’ll make loads of new friends – both Korean and in the expat community. You might even end up in a serious relationship and settle down in Korea. Whatever you do, be sure to trust and rely on your friends to help you make the most of your time in Korea.

If you want to know what it’s like living as an expat in Korea, check out my own articles about expat life in Korea and with EPIK.

My EPIK Life: My personal experiences during 5 years teaching with EPIK.

Living In Korea As An Expat: What’s life like living in Korea as an expat? Find out the highs and lows.

In the next two sections, I want to offer a few insights into the highs and lows of the EPIK teaching experience. You’ll certainly experience both if you start working on EPIK, but I think there’ll definitely be a lot more highs than lows.

The Benefits Of Being An EPIK Teacher

Whether you’re looking for an escape from your ‘regular’ life, a chance to explore a unique culture, a fresh start in a new country, or the chance to save a boatload of money, there’s many awesome things about the EPIK teaching experience.

The key benefits you can get from being an EPIK teacher generally fall into one of these categories.

Your EPIK Contract

Whilst your base pay (~2,000,000 KRW and up) doesn’t seem that high compared to salaries in other countries, your disposable income can be higher than you’d have at home. You get a free apartment, healthcare is cheap and EPIK pays 50% of that (same with pension), you’re often living near your school so transport costs are low, and life in Korea is generally cheap.

Not only that, you’ll receive 1 month’s salary at the end of each year you teach in Korea, a 2,000.000 KRW bonus for re-contracting, flight allowance into and out of Korea, and a generous number of days off (between 18~26 days plus public holidays).

You Can Save Lots Of Money

As mentioned, your disposable income is quite high and you get a number of bonuses for re-contracting and when you end your EPIK teaching experience. This all adds up to the chance to save a lot of money.

You can read about how much you could save right with this article about How To Save Money Teaching With EPIK. You could save more than $10,000 per year quite easily.

The amount you save depends a lot on your lifestyle and how much non-Korean stuff you eat or drink, as well as how much you travel. I was able to save a lot of money during my 5 year EPIK experience and the longer you live in Korea, the more you can save.

Although I’d always recommend EPIK for a lot more than just the money, it honestly can be a great way to help pay down student debts, save for a house, or to fund your backpacking dreams for 6 months or more. I know plenty of EPIK teachers who have saved a lot for these.

Your Daily EPIK Lifestyle

The chance to finish work before 4:30pm each day is great. It gives you a lot of extra time to join clubs, cook at home, and spend time drinking soju with friends. You’ll only be teaching 22 hours (classes) per week, and you don’t have to take your work home with you if you can prep in the afternoon.

You also get to meet some amazing people – both students and teachers. The fun and originality that working with children can bring to your daily life is so much better than sitting in an office staring at a computer. Sure, there are days when you have to deal with one of them vomiting on your desk, starting a fight, or crying randomly, but it’s usually much better than it is worse.

There are also random events such as fire-safety day (get to put out a fire), sports festivals (cheer for your favourite students), cultural events, and so much more that make everyday EPIK life enjoyable. I got to dress up in a hazmat suit during a nuclear war drill!

Living In A Different Culture

Joining EPIK is a lot more than teaching and saving money. You have the incredible opportunity to experience living in a completely different culture, with a new language, people, and way of doing things. This can blow your mind.

You’ll notice not only the cosmetic differences, but deeper cultural disparities between the way you are used to doing things and the way they’re done in Korea. Whilst some may be bothered by these, it’s a chance for you to learn, develop, and broaden your own outlook on life and culture.

Living overseas challenges you in ways you might never think about. Working out how to communicate when you don’t speak the local language. Being brave enough to try that dish of wriggling octopus legs. Figuring out how the toilets work. There are countless opportunities for personal growth during your EPIK teaching experience.

These opportunities can also be challenges for some people. How you look at them, and react, depends on the kind of person you are. Before reading the next section, I want to say that these challenges can be overcome and if you’re willing to adapt, they can become opportunities again.

The Challenges Of Being An EPIK Teacher

If you’re an eternal optimist (as I try to be), you’ll see these not as ‘problems’, but as temporary road bumps in your path to creating the perfect EPIK experience for yourself.

I’m not going to lie and say these things are easy to overcome, they’re not, and some will leave you crying in the shower with a tub of ice cream. Some aren’t particularly fair, others you might not even realise are happening (especially true with culture shock), but they’re all part of life as an EPIK teacher.

Of course, you may never experience most of these, which is awesome. I hope you don’t. I want to cover them because they can exist, and I think it’s only fair to show both sides of the EPIK teaching experience.

I won’t go into as much detail as with the downsides as… ESID. And also I prefer not to dwell on negatives.

Here’s some of the things that can test you on EPIK.

• You struggle to adapt to life in Korea
• You just don’t get the cultural differences
• Language and communication problems
• Your co-teacher is unkind to you
• That one student (or more) that makes your life hell
• You’re placed in the middle of nowhere
• Your school situation is uncomfortable
• The food can be notoriously spicy / salty
• Air pollution and allergies
• Summer (too hot, bugs) and winter (too cold, dry)

I’d break the above list up into three different categories.

Things You Can Prepare For

The first 3 items are things you can plan for before and learn about before you move to Korea. Learn to speak Korean, try to understand cultural differences, and be prepared for the ‘Korean surprise’. These problems should disappear or be reduced over time.

Things That Require Perseverance

The next 3 you might think are beyond control, but you can still influence them with a lot of work. Do your best to build bridges with your co-teachers and students and accept your situation for what it is. Relationships take time and energy.

Whilst life in the countryside might seem like a death sentence for some, it’s also an opportunity to see a more authentic, generous side of Korean culture. And you have the weekends to travel to Seoul and other cities.

Things Outside Your Control

The final 4 are beyond your control, but you can learn to live with them. If your school life is uncomfortable because someone doesn’t like foreigners, or the principal is harsh, or something else, then sometimes the only option is to suck it up and focus on the positives. Not easy, but better than letting it get you down.

Korean food isn’t for everyone, and spicy food isn’t something you can train your body for overnight. Learn what you can and can’t eat and try to create a diet that’s good for you.

Summer is morbidly hot and wet whilst Korean winters are the polar opposite, and indeed like being at the North Pole – really cold and dry. It can get as low as -20 in winter and above 40 in the summer. As for air pollution and allergies… good luck!

Still not sure about whether or not you want your own EPIK teaching experience? Then I’ll try to offer some final advice for you.

Would I Recommend You Join EPIK?

Yes, I’d definitely recommend an EPIK teaching experience to others. Whether you’re coming out of university, or sitting in an office job wondering what you’re doing with your life and craving a change, EPIK is a great opportunity to try something new.

You don’t have to be ‘young’ to do it either. There are plenty of other teachers in Korea who are in their 30s, and more who are working at universities, high schools, and other institutions in their 40s and beyond. Make new friends, learn about a new culture and language, experience life as an expat, and maybe even discover a new career.

The cost of living in Korea is reasonable (unless you live in Seoul or have a big family), you can save a lot of money in a year, even more in 5 years. A lot of people come to Korea and leave with significant savings that they use to pay back student loans, travel, put down as a deposit on their house, or for a rainy day in the future.

Of course, there are many other reasons to try the EPIK life, including the chance to make new friends, learn about a new culture and language, experience life as an expat, and maybe even discover a new career. Everyone has their own reason for starting the EPIK life, and each person has their own situation. Remember, ESID – Every Situation Is Different.

If you’d like to apply for EPIK, you can find out how in this article about How To Apply For EPIK.

EPIK Teaching Experience FAQs

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about the EPIK teaching experience, in case you’re interested in trying it out for yourself.

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Korea has a world-leading education system, focusing on achieving high standards in a range of subjects. This includes learning English as a means to become part of a globalised world. In order to excel in a language that is vastly different from its own, Korea has enticed foreign graduates and teachers to share their language, culture, and insights with students at all levels of the education spectrum.

They’ve done this through the EPIK Program, which offers generous rewards, both financially and culturally, to those willing to break out of their comfort zone, head off to a foreign land, and embrace a new culture, diet, and people.

Are you brave enough to join the EPIK life? Perhaps reading about my experiences will help you figure that out. Although my life on EPIK was a bit different from the norm, I hope you enjoy reading these small tidbits of my highs and lows during my EPIK life.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

How Did My EPIK Life Begin?

My EPIK life began on a hot, sweltering day in August of 2015, having arrived from an equally hot Hong Kong in the midst of a horribly humid summer.

My first day in Korea was eventful for two main reasons.

1: I’d accidentally overstayed on my Hong Kong visa and was detained by the police at the airport for an hour and made to pay a fine. Oops.

2: I ended up eating way too much Korean food (as usual) and making myself sick on the first night and didn’t sleep at all.

The second of those events still occurs too regularly for my own good! Fortunately I arrived a few days before I was due to begin with EPIK, so I had time to recover.

The start of my journey to EPIK actually began 4 years earlier, when I quit my job in accounting and moved to Japan to work on the JET Program. I spent 3 fun years teaching English to inaka (countryside) kids, who mostly didn’t want to learn English, and exploring as much of Japan as I could.

After 3 years of small-town life in Japan, I moved to the polar opposite – busy, bustling Hong Kong. Thrust into this crazy metropolis made my head spin at first, especially as it was the time the Umbrella Revolution was kicking off.

Whilst I enjoyed being back in a big city, with an abundance of good cafes, entertainment, and a whole world of food to devour, life was not that comfortable (I’m not a fan of endless summers) and I wanted to find a balance between small and big city life.

Little did I know I was about to discover the balance I was looking for when I moved to Korea to start my EPIK life!

I’d originally planned to join EPIK for 2 or 3 years before moving on to explore somewhere else. That was back in 2015 and I’m still here now. I ended up spending the next 5 years working with EPIK and having a great time.

That’s both thanks to my work on EPIK, as well as my life in Korea in general. I want to share my story with you here, to possibly inspire you to make your own EPIK life…

My Unusual EPIK Situation

I want to point out before you read through all of this that my EPIK life was a bit unusual and my placement was not the same as what you’d normally get teaching with EPIK. Normal EPIK teachers are placed in elementary or middle schools, with a few experienced teachers getting placed in high schools.

I wasn’t in any of those, but I was teaching both elementary and middle school students. I was actually at an immersion English camp in Daejeon – the originally titled Daejeon English Camp.

The main differences between my position and a regular EPIK position were:

• My working hours were longer (9:00 – 6:00 or 9:00 – 9:00)
• I taught students for 1 week
• I taught for 22 weeks per year
• I was responsible for making textbooks, lesson planning, and leading classes
• I had my own homeroom students

Regular EPIK teachers will be placed at a school (or several) and teach the same students for the year, I was seeing each group of students (from different schools) for an intensive week of classes which involved them staying overnight at the camp.

When I wasn’t teaching, I was making textbooks for the next year, planning and improving lessons, and creating materials. I also visited other schools for short camps. These times weren’t that busy, and office life without students was quite quiet (and a bit boring).

When there were camps though… life was hectic. EPIK teachers are contracted to work up to 22 hours (lessons) per week. I was teaching from 9:00am until 9:00pm at times, with few breaks in between. A camp would have at least 30 hours of teaching time, up to 40 if you include covering break time and non-class time with students.

It was like running a marathon one week, and then spending a week sleeping in bed. Busy. Quiet. Busy. Quiet. I loved the busy times, but the quiet times were welcome, too.

The core of my EPIK life was the same as every other EPIK teacher, however. I was there to share my knowledge of English with Korean students, help them practice communicating in a foreign language, and forge a connection between cultures. Those are the aspects of my EPIK life that I enjoyed the most.

If you want to know what a normal EPIK situation is like, check out this article about my Review Of The EPIK Teaching Experience.

My Daily EPIK Life

As I mentioned, my EPIK life was either busy or quiet, with a world of difference between each one. When I was teaching, I was really busy. When I wasn’t teaching, I was still busy, but not in the way most other EPIK teachers were.

EPIK teachers will all experience what’s called ‘desk-warming days’, usually between semesters when the students are off but teachers still have to come in. During those times you could witness all kinds of events, such as the fire safety day pictured above, or a volleyball tournament. Other times it was staring at a computer screen for the whole day.

The fun part of my job was teaching the immersion English camps – the marathon part.

A ‘regular’ day for me might best be described as a regular week. Camps last for 5 days and mostly followed the same flow over those 5 days. The week could be broken down as follows:

• Day 1: Getting to know everyone / ice breaking
• Day 2: Theme-based lessons & team building
• Day 3: More lessons & lots of sports
• Day 4: Drama performances & team games
• Day 5: Wrap-up, farewells, & departures

There was no regular class that focused on teaching English directly (i.e. no grammar-focused classes). Instead, students learnt English whilst learning other subjects and doing activities. A lot of task-based, situational, and immersive learning vs. learning today’s bite-sized bit of language.

I taught classes about science, cooking, sports, drama (the students put on a play at the end of the week), environmentalism, technology, and many other subjects and themes.

This differs a lot from regular EPIK teachers who usually follow a textbook for the semester and target key grammar structures and activities that help practice that grammar.

That kind of teaching is prevalent in education around the world, for better or worse, but I’m glad I had the chance to use more involved methods to help students develop language learning skills, motivation, and cultural awareness.

Days at camp were either regular (9-6) or late (9-9). Here’s an example day from the English camp to show what one of my EPIK days looked like when I had to work late.

• Class 1-2: Science
• Break Duty (20 mins)
• Class 3-4: Cooking
• Lunch (60 mins)
• Class 5: Free Period
• Class 6: Drama
• Break Duty (10 mins)
• Class 7&8 – Sports
• Dinner (50 mins)
• Class 9: Team Quiz
• Class 10: Drama
• Class 11: Journal Writing

All in all, the days were really tiring, but ones spent around a group of enthusiastic students who were really interested in learning English through these various activities. The energy of the students often fed the energy of the teachers and kept everyone existing at a high tempo for the whole week.

That’s not to say that everything was perfect (more on that later), but there were a lot of great things about my EPIK life that I appreciated then and miss now (sometimes).

Here are some of the best things about my time working on EPIK

What’s Good About My EPIK Life?

In no particular order, here’s all the best things I loved about my EPIK life.

• Classes were based around topics, not language
• Class sizes ranged from 6 – 36
• I could make a strong connection with the students
• I met many amazing students
• There were a lot of motivated learners
• My students were generally well behaved
• Students were super-inquisitive about my shaved head
• I developed loads of useful skills
• I learnt a lot about Korean work culture
• The overtime money was great
• I liked being busy & camps flew by
• I had a lot more control over my teaching than in previous jobs
• Thanks to EPIK, I met lots of other great teachers
• I saved loads of money

Overall, the parts of my job that I enjoyed the most were to do with teaching, meeting students, and saving money. The first two were rather unique in my situation, but the latter is something that’s open to all EPIK teachers as it’s easy to save a lot of money with EPIK.

In regards to teaching and meeting students, my situation was unique because of the kind of classes I taught and the fact that the students were with me for a maximum of one week. In that time, the students and I bonded really quickly and it was like a whole semester had gone by in that short time.

I know other EPIK teachers also make strong connections with some of their students, and they’re lucky that they get to teach them for a year or even longer as they move through the grades. They also get stuck with some ‘difficult’ students for the same time and, honestly, I was kind of glad that I was only with those for a week.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see any students as ‘bad’, and I always did my best to encourage them to join in. But sometimes a week of them drawing rude pics on the whiteboard is enough.

My EPIK life wasn’t always rosy, there were some problems, too.

What’s Bad About My EPIK Life?

I chose the picture above because it represents one of the ‘bad’ things about my EPIK life – emotional farewell messages from students. This isn’t a ‘bad’ thing, per se, but times like this, after an emotionally charged week of teaching and bonding, was a real downer. I wanted them to stay for longer.

Here’s some more bad things about my EPIK life, which may or may not actually be negative, but they affected me all the same.

• Saying goodbye to my amazing students each week
• The fact that I’ll not teach those students again
• The feeling of exhaustion after a long week of teaching
• You need to be positive, even when you’re tired or down
• The hours were too long when there weren’t camps
• I saw the negative sides of Korean work culture
• Attending work events was mandatory, even outside work hours
• There was nowhere to eat but at the cafeteria
• The cafeteria provided the same food most weeks
• The time between camps was too quiet

A lot of these issues, such as the negative sides of Korean work culture, probably need a bit more explaining, but I don’t want to go into too much detail right here about all that.

…the culture (and some people) often gave me more problems than the actual teaching side of things.

As much as I love Korea, nowhere is perfect and there are some elements of Korean culture that… I don’t appreciate. Workplace culture, especially where I was working on EPIK, can be quite old fashioned and not make sense to people with a different cultural background.

To be honest, the culture (and some people) often gave me more problems than the actual teaching side of things. And, from what I’ve heard from other EPIK teachers, that’s a common issue that many people deal with, and one that happens whenever you live in a country that has a vastly different culture from your own.

If you want to know more about what life is like living as an expat in Korea, more than just work-wise, then check out this article about Living In Korea As An Expat.

These problems don’t exist in every job, and indeed a lot of the problems I had in my EPIK life are now removed in my new position, which I’ll briefly cover next.

My Life After EPIK

In the summer of 2020 I left my EPIK life behind and began a journey around the world, travelling through several continents using the funds I’d saved during my time in Korea.

Wait, no, that was the plan. Sadly, a global pandemic got in the way and threw all my plans out of the window. I had 6 months from the outbreak in Korea in February 2020 to figure out what to do with myself if travel was off.

I’d started studying a Master’s degree in TESOL a couple of years ago part time, studying as much as possible between the busy periods at work. My plan was to try to move to a university position once I’d returned from travelling, but it looks like I was bringing those plans forward suddenly.

Fortunately, my university accepted 5 years working with EPIK as 2 years of university experience.

Thanks to a bit of lucky timing, and some help from a friend, I was able to find a great university position teaching in a city close to where I was living.

Typically you need 2 years teaching experience at a university to get a university job – that lovely Catch 22 situation that many jobs have. Fortunately, my university accepted 5 years working with EPIK as 2 years of university experience (weighing public school experience as 40% of uni experience).

To be honest, the shift from EPIK life to uni life hasn’t been as big as I’d expected. The students are still funny, exciting, interesting, unique, confusing, curious, sleepy, and overworked, the teaching is focused on communication, and I still dread being asked a question about English grammar that I don’t the answer to in the middle of a class.

That’s where I am now. I plan to travel more in the future, but right now I’m embracing this next chapter of my life and trying to develop more interesting and useful classes, work out how to teach effectively during a global pandemic (I hate Zoom!), and writing about my life and travels in Korea.

I’m extremely grateful that uni life gives me a lot of free time between semesters to plan lessons travel, write, and explore. I plan to do a lot of all of them in the future.

Would I Recommend EPIK To Others?

Yes, I’d definitely recommend EPIK to others. Whether you’re coming out of university, or sitting in an office job wondering what you’re doing with your life and craving a change, EPIK is a great opportunity to try something new.

You don’t have to be ‘young’ to do it either. There are plenty of other teachers in Korea who are in their 30s, and more who are working at universities, high schools, and other institutions in their 40s and beyond.

Make new friends, learn about a new culture and language, experience life as an expat, and maybe even discover a new career.

The cost of living in Korea is reasonable (unless you live in Seoul or have a big family), you can save a lot of money in a year, even more in 5 years. A lot of people come to Korea and leave with significant savings that they use to pay back student loans, travel, put down as a deposit on their house, or for a rainy day in the future.

Of course, there are many other reasons to try the EPIK life, including the chance to make new friends, learn about a new culture and language, experience life as an expat, and maybe even discover a new career.

Everyone has their own reason for starting the EPIK life, and each person has their own situation. An axiom that I picked up from my time on JET in Japan was ESID – Every Situation Is Different. That certainly applies to EPIK, too.

Where Can I learn More About Teaching in Korea with EPIK?

If you want to know more about teaching English in Korea with EPIK, I’d recommend some of my other articles about EPIK, including:

How To Apply For EPIK: My detailed guide to the EPIK application process with lots of tips about how to pass the interview and adapt to life on EPIK.

EPIK Teaching Experience: A guide to what to expect when you’re teaching with EPIK.

If this article has convinced you to try out life in Korea with EPIK, be sure to check out my tips to help you move to Korea to teach English. They’ll help you work out what to bring, how to make a good first impression, how to deal with culture shock, and also how to survive your first work party.

You can also get lots of really useful information from The Official EPIK Website and Korvia – A Korean recruiting agency for EPIK

Feel free to leave a comment below if you still need answers and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

EPIK Life FAQs

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about working on EPIK, in case you’re interested in trying it out for yourself.

Support In My Korea

Thanks for reading. If you want to help me to create more great content in the future, why not buy me a coffee? A strong coffee helps me write more and is a simple way to show gratitude for this free content.

Liked This? Pin It For Others

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please share this with your friends on Pinterest.

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