Settle. Seoul 2027
Seoul guide

Find the right advice.

Settling in, in five steps — the same five as your arrival checklist. Each has the Seoul essentials, official links and our features.

Study & careers.

Study in Seoul: before arrival to after graduation After Graduation guide →D-10: three-year limit & eligibility →Graduate jobs →
Before you fly → first 90 days

Visas & residence.

What to know in Seoul

  • Check your entry route first: some nationalities need a visa, others K-ETA, and every arrival should check the e-Arrival Card rules before flying.
  • If you stay longer than 90 days, register for a residence card (ARC) — book the HiKorea appointment early, because Seoul slots often fill weeks ahead.
  • A booked appointment is not a filing: bring every document listed for your visa type, or you may have to rebook.
  • Employers on some work visas require a health check; use a clinic approved for immigration purposes.

Find your pathway

English teachers · E-2

Teaching in Korea

Contracts, your first year, renewal and the month-by-month timeline.

Students · D-2 / D-4 / D-10

Studying and after graduation

Study, part-time work permission and job-seeking after you graduate.

Work, family & residence · E-7 / F

Other work and residence visas

E-7 steps, F-visa families, renewal deadlines and the printable guide.

First weeks → signing a lease

Housing.

What to know in Seoul

  • Book short-term accommodation for your first weeks so you can view flats in person before signing anything.
  • Know the deposit models: wolse (monthly rent with a deposit) and jeonse (a large lump-sum deposit, no monthly rent). Deposit size changes your risk.
  • Before paying a deposit, check the property's registry record for debts and confirm the landlord's identity.
  • After moving in, report your address change and get the fixed-date stamp (확정일자) on your lease at the community centre to help protect your deposit.

Read in the magazine

The apartment is only half the decisionDeposit risk, contract terms, building management, commute, noise, utilities, and proof of address all deserve as much attention as the room itself.Compare the weekday, not the postcodeA station name is only a starting point. Test the exact building, station exit and walk home at the times you will actually travel.Your district, decoded: six Seoul neighbourhoodsEach Seoul district runs its own office, website and local services, and your address decides which immigration office you use. Here is where to go in Mapo, Yongsan, Seodaemun, Gangnam, Seongdong and Dongdaemun.Your neighbourhood starts at the community centreThe 주민센터 is where everyday local questions, certificates and community classes begin. Find the right desk, arrive with one clear request, and find a reason to come back.Recycling in Seoul: the right waste, in the right placeSeparate food scraps, clean recyclables and general rubbish — then follow your building’s collection arrangements. A small kitchen routine makes the system much easier.Shopping & setting up homeFrom your first supermarket trip to furnishing your apartment.
After your ARC arrives

Banking & money.

What to know in Seoul

  • Most banks give full accounts and cards only once you have an ARC; before that, expect a limited account or rely on cash and foreign cards.
  • Bring your passport, ARC and, ideally, an employment or enrolment document — branches near universities and foreign-resident centres are often easiest.
  • New accounts may have low transfer limits for the first weeks; ask how to raise them.
  • For sending money home, compare total cost (fee plus exchange rate), not just the fee, and register a remittance bank or licensed app.

Read in the magazine

Open the account you actually needBanking, remittance, tax and pension records become easier when you know the purpose of each account and keep a clear trail of money moving in and out.Banking & everyday paymentsGet your account, bank card, transport and shopping apps working together.Sending money home — and receiving it in KoreaCompare the amount that arrives, not just the advertised fee.The numbers behind your payYour worker status, workplace size and contracted hours matter. Read the whole working week, then reconcile the payslip with the money that reaches your bank.Spend less, live well: smart shopping in SeoulCoupons, everyday discounts and smarter shopping — without buying more than you need.
Arrival day → after ARC

Phones & identity.

What to know in Seoul

  • Use a prepaid SIM or eSIM on arrival; most postpaid contracts need an ARC.
  • Many Korean apps and websites check identity by text message (본인인증), which usually needs a phone line in your own name.
  • Once your phone is registered in your name, set up maps, delivery, transport and banking apps.
  • A T-money or Climate Card covers subways and buses from day one.

Read in the magazine

Your phone becomes part of your identityIn Korea, a phone number is more than connectivity. Once properly linked to your identity, it can unlock banking, delivery, reservations, and online services.The apps that run everyday SeoulOnce your phone number and identity checks are working, a small set of Korean apps takes over daily life: maps, messages, taxis, shopping and dinner. Install them in the right order.Seoul by subway, one leg at a timeThree checks get you almost anywhere: the right station, the right direction and the right exit. Plan in KakaoMetro, check the street in a map app, and treat every transfer as part of the journey.Choose for the trips you makeA card that still taps may no longer carry its old benefits. The expanded edition explains the October 2026 transition and the registration step for resident benefits.Custom photo transport cards: a fun first-day optionSome kiosks print a rechargeable transport card with your own photo or design. They are a souvenir and a practical card — but they arrive with no balance, and terms change.
Before you fly → ongoing

Documents & admin.

What to know in Seoul

  • Degrees and criminal record checks for visas often need an apostille or consular legalisation from your home country — start months ahead.
  • Carry spare passport-style photos; Korean ID photos are 3.5 × 4.5 cm and photo booths in stations can print them.
  • Keep digital and paper copies of your passport, visa, contract and lease together.
  • Your local community centre handles address registration and many certificates.

Read in the magazine

Before you arrive in SeoulA calm pre-departure checklist: what to settle before you board so your first 48 hours in Seoul are about arriving, not worrying about what you've forgotten.Your first 48 hoursYou do not need to solve Seoul in one day. Prioritise safety, connectivity, money, transport, and a reliable document trail.Your neighbourhood starts at the community centreThe 주민센터 is where everyday local questions, certificates and community classes begin. Find the right desk, arrive with one clear request, and find a reason to come back.Sending & receiving parcels in KoreaKorea Post, DHL and FedEx, customs declarations and your Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC).The numbers worth savingA simple response plan is easier to use under stress. Save your Korean address, a trusted contact and the right help route before you need them.

Every feature by topic.

43 guides available

Start here

Before you arrive in Seoul

A calm pre-departure checklist: what to settle before you board so your first 48 hours in Seoul are about arriving, not worrying about what you've forgotten.

Read

Your first 48 hours

You do not need to solve Seoul in one day. Prioritise safety, connectivity, money, transport, and a reliable document trail.

Read

Phone & identity

Your phone becomes part of your identity

In Korea, a phone number is more than connectivity. Once properly linked to your identity, it can unlock banking, delivery, reservations, and online services.

Read

Housing

The apartment is only half the decision

Deposit risk, contract terms, building management, commute, noise, utilities, and proof of address all deserve as much attention as the room itself.

Read

Healthcare

Search the clinic directory

Know where to start before you feel unwell

A neighbourhood clinic is often the practical first stop. Larger hospitals are valuable, but they can involve referrals, higher patient costs, and more complex navigation.

Read

Learning Korean

Learn the phrases that remove friction

Romanisation is only a bridge. Listen to native audio and confirm Hangul spelling before relying on a phrase in a high-stakes situation.

Read

A little Korean goes a long way

Start with the language you can use today.

Read

Weekends

Explore Seoul by theme, not checklist

A small, coherent day usually creates a stronger sense of place than racing between famous sites.

Read

Safety

The numbers worth saving

A simple response plan is easier to use under stress. Save your Korean address, a trusted contact and the right help route before you need them.

Read

Residence & visas

A booking is not a filing

Keep separate evidence of your appointment, submitted application and final decision. A reservation alone does not extend your permitted stay.

Read

Immigration

From visa to residence card, step by step

The full immigration journey for a newcomer — using the E-2 teaching visa as the worked example — from the documents you gather at home to the residence card, appointments, renewals and changing status.

Read

Money

Open the account you actually need

Banking, remittance, tax and pension records become easier when you know the purpose of each account and keep a clear trail of money moving in and out.

Read

Banking & everyday payments

Get your account, bank card, transport and shopping apps working together.

Read

Sending money home — and receiving it in Korea

Compare the amount that arrives, not just the advertised fee.

Read

Working in Korea

The numbers behind your pay

Your worker status, workplace size and contracted hours matter. Read the whole working week, then reconcile the payslip with the money that reaches your bank.

Read

Part-time work that fits around a degree

The right student job respects your visa permission, your timetable and your Korean level. Here is what is realistically available, and where to look.

Read

Health checks when arriving in Korea and starting work

Know which examination to book — and avoid paying for the wrong one.

Read

Teaching & education

Choose the teaching system, not only the school name

Hagwons, public schools, international schools and universities offer very different working lives. The individual timetable and leadership team matter more than the label.

Read

Mental health & wellbeing

Build a Seoul support map

Moving countries can intensify isolation, anxiety and work stress. Support is easier to reach when you have identified the people and professional routes before a crisis.

Read

Neighbourhoods

Compare the weekday, not the postcode

A station name is only a starting point. Test the exact building, station exit and walk home at the times you will actually travel.

Read

Seoul on foot

A different city above the streets

Four ways to start, from a gentler forest loop to a demanding mountain day. Choose the whole journey, including the approach and the walk back down.

Read

Getting around

Choose for the trips you make

A card that still taps may no longer carry its old benefits. The expanded edition explains the October 2026 transition and the registration step for resident benefits.

Read

Seoul by subway, one leg at a time

Three checks get you almost anywhere: the right station, the right direction and the right exit. Plan in KakaoMetro, check the street in a map app, and treat every transfer as part of the journey.

Read

Seoul by bicycle, from first Ttareungi to riverside afternoon

Set up the right login, understand that every ride has its own clock, and never walk away until the app confirms the return. Then start beside the river.

Read

Custom photo transport cards: a fun first-day option

Some kiosks print a rechargeable transport card with your own photo or design. They are a souvenir and a practical card — but they arrive with no balance, and terms change.

Read

Accounts & apps

The apps that run everyday Seoul

Once your phone number and identity checks are working, a small set of Korean apps takes over daily life: maps, messages, taxis, shopping and dinner. Install them in the right order.

Read

Studying in Seoul

Six ways to be a student in Seoul

New arrivals, exchange students, postgraduates, students with families, funded scholars and those working their way through a degree all settle in differently. Start with your own situation, not a generic checklist.

Read

Everyday life

Your neighbourhood starts at the community centre

The 주민센터 is where everyday local questions, certificates and community classes begin. Find the right desk, arrive with one clear request, and find a reason to come back.

Read

Your district, decoded: six Seoul neighbourhoods

Each Seoul district runs its own office, website and local services, and your address decides which immigration office you use. Here is where to go in Mapo, Yongsan, Seodaemun, Gangnam, Seongdong and Dongdaemun.

Read

Recycling in Seoul: the right waste, in the right place

Separate food scraps, clean recyclables and general rubbish — then follow your building’s collection arrangements. A small kitchen routine makes the system much easier.

Read

Shopping & setting up home

From your first supermarket trip to furnishing your apartment.

Read

Spend less, live well: smart shopping in Seoul

Coupons, everyday discounts and smarter shopping — without buying more than you need.

Read

Sending & receiving parcels in Korea

Korea Post, DHL and FedEx, customs declarations and your Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC).

Read

Volunteer in Seoul: make Seoul yours, give something back

Grassroots groups welcoming English speakers, official 1365 programmes, and what to check before you sign up.

Read Rows of partitioned study desks in a Seoul study caféNew online guide · Reviewed October 2026

Study Cafés in Seoul: Where to Study, Work & Concentrate

A desk when you need one. Silence when you want it.

Read

Jobs & Visas / Employment

New online guide · Reviewed 17 October 2026

The Complete E-2 Teaching Visa Guide: Arrival, Your First Year & Renewal

From accepting the offer through the second teaching year — what teachers and schools must do and what changes after your contract

Read

Discover Seoul

New online guide · Reviewed October 2026

A Night in a Hanok: The Complete Seoul Stay Guide

Stay in traditional Korea, without leaving modern Seoul. Choose your neighbourhood, understand the comforts and compromises, and book with confidence.

Read New online guide · Reviewed October 2026

Read Your Way Into Korea: The Settle Seoul Bookshelf

Before you arrive, discover the stories. Once you're here, discover the places behind them.

Read Retro Seoul-style coffeehouse with cream-topped iced coffee, cheesecake, wooden furniture and recordsNew online guide · Reviewed October 2026

Coffee in Korea: From Dabang to Iced Americano

One country. Thousands of cafés. A whole culture in a cup.

Read Granite mountain skyline above autumn woodland and a distant cityNew online guide · Reviewed October 2026

Hiking in Seoul: Bukhansan & Beyond

From subway platform to granite summit, quiet forest trails and mountain food.

Read Korean mountain temple courtyard with a stone pagoda and tiled hallsNew online guide · Reviewed October 2026

Visiting Korean Temples: Etiquette, Bowing & Symbols

A friendly visual guide to Seoul’s mountain temples and Buddhist traditions.

Read

Studying in Seoul / Student futures

New online guide · Reviewed 22 October 2026

Korea's International Student Boom: What Happens After Graduation?

Korea has passed 300,000 international students ahead of its target. The next challenge is making sure studying here can lead to meaningful opportunities afterwards.

Read

Studying in Seoul / Visas & working

New online guide · Reviewed 22 October 2026

After Graduation in Korea: From Student Visa to Your Next Step

Finishing a degree in Korea is one milestone. Staying to find work, begin a job or change plans is another. Use this guide to understand the main routes and prepare before your permission to stay expires.

Read