Life&Culture
Survive & Thrive In series
A guide to living in South Korea for those new to the country
#Expat
# Seoul life
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Survive & Thrive In series
A guide to living in South Korea for those new to the country
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Series preview
Becoming a Korean
TSurvive & Thrive is a weekly series offering a guide to living in South Korea for those born outside of the country. – Ed. According to the latest government data, there are 210,990 naturali
Reasons to not overlook community service centers
Local community service centers are easy to spot, but many overlook the services they provide for their communities. Taking the time to become acquainted with these centers can lead to various benefits, from saving money to accessing a wide range of cost-effective or even free programs and informati
Aug. 2, 2023 - 16:37:38
Table manners and public bathrooms in S. Korea
No matter what country you visit, restaurants and public bathrooms are probably among the places you visit the most. Here are some tips on things one might find handy when dining with South Koreans, or going to a bathroom here. Dining manners in Korea Conventional table manners suggest that one shou
July 11, 2023 - 16:09:53
Amenities, customs unique to public spaces in S. Korea
Among the more tech-savvy and rapidly changing countries in the world, South Korea in recent years has adopted various technologies and amenities in public spaces or for commuters that are hard to find anywhere else. Priority seats for the pregnant A number of mass transit systems across the world h
June 27, 2023 - 15:58:55
Apps that help travelers get around Seoul
Among the basic practical issues when travelling to another country are luggage and transportation logistics. This edition of Survive & Thrive will take a look at apps that help you rent lockers for your bags or public bikes in Seoul. Luggage storage In nearly every subway station in Seoul, there ar
June 21, 2023 - 10:50:50
On Korea‘s streets, Naver beats Google
As one of the most tech-savvy countries in the world, South Korea has a number of useful mobile apps that can aid everyday tasks, ranging from delivery and transportation to administrative services. For the next few weeks, Survive & Thrive will introduce free apps that provide such services in Engli
June 13, 2023 - 16:30:31
How to rent a car in Korea
For those traveling in areas with limited access to public transportation, renting a car may be the best option. Here‘s a look at the country’s car-sharing and rental system. Rental For most companies, foreigners who have a driver’s license issued by local authorities can rent a car under the same c
June 6, 2023 - 17:19:01
Hailing and riding a taxi
Kakao is not just the name of the mobile messenger that almost all South Koreans use. It is a Korean substitute for the US’ Uber or Southeast Asia’s Grab. KakaoT, operated by the messenger app company, is by far the most widely used app to hail a taxi, although there are smaller competitors. One of
May 28, 2023 - 16:00:54
Getting around at night
Seoul wouldn’t be famous for its lively nightlife scene if getting back home after a night out were a major challenge. Recognizing the need of a public that is socially active at night, South Korea’s public transport operates at least until around midnight, although one is strongly advised to check
May 23, 2023 - 15:21:24
Reasons to forgo cash for bus fare
The sight of a bus passenger paying their fare with cash is dying out in South Korea nowadays. There are several reasons for this. Cashless payments, via Tmoney cards, credit cards or mobile payment options, are not just more convenient but safer, as the conductor can focus only on driving, which ca
May 16, 2023 - 15:36:43
Transportation (1): Free transfers within 30 minutes
Getting around in any of South Korea‘s major cities is easy and convenient, thanks to the cheap and extensive public transportation system. As the first segment in a four-part series on South Korea‘s mass transit systems, this article will review how to transfer between buses, the subway and other f
May 9, 2023 - 15:32:13
Renting a home: Jeonse, wolse and everything in between
Navigating the rental market in South Korea requires understanding two key terms and their concepts: “Wolse” and “jeonse.” Wolse, which means monthly rent, is self-explanatory: Tenants pay a deposit and the monthly rent to live in the residence. But the deposit is usually much higher than most other
April 26, 2023 - 13:54:09
Korean ‘villas’ are not what you expect
Korean housing terminology reflects various types of inexpensive dwellings, from ‘villa,’ ‘banjiha’ to ‘oktapbang’ An introductory guide to Korea‘s housing would be incomplete without an explanation of the prevalence of apartment homes -- the tall, uniformly structured, multi-unit buildings that Kor
April 18, 2023 - 14:15:58
Naturalization exam: How difficult is it?
To become a naturalized citizen of South Korea, applicants must have a basic knowledge of the Korean language, customs and culture, which is evaluated through a written test and an interview. The Korea Immigration and Naturalization Aptitude Test comprises of multiple-choice questions, a writing tes
March 14, 2023 - 17:12:01
Becoming a Korean
Being a naturalized Korean citizen comes in various forms, from marrying a local to having a special talent Survive & Thrive is a weekly series offering a guide to living in South Korea for those born outside of the country. – Ed. According to the latest government data, there are 210,990 naturalize
Feb. 14, 2023 - 14:21:11
