Are you moving to South Korea and have NO clue on how to find  a house? Today I’ll tell you about tips and tricks on finding a place to stay in Korea!

We all know how complicated it gets once you choose to move to the other side of the world: passport, university admission, visas, and all those administrative tasks … but finding housing abroad (and in Seoul especially) has probably been one of the toughest and most time-consuming things I’ve done so far. This is why I decided to make THE Korea housing guide 101!

Let's talk about the options:

1. 기숙사 School dorm

The school dorm is always my most suggested option, especially if it’s your first time moving abroad and living in South Korea: when I went to Ewha Womans University as an exchange student, I lived in the International House and spent around 900 EU for three months. The dorms usually offer a single bed, a desk, a closet and a mini fridge. There are two types of dorms, the ones with shared bathroom and showers and the ones with a private bathroom, so choose wisely which option is best for your needs!

There are lots of pros with living in a school dorm: 

-       It’s a good chance to meet new people and make new friends, as living abroad by yourself can be tough;

-       It’s also relatively cheap and clean! I was extremely satisfied with the room itself, and the shared spaces; 

-       Dorms usually have pray rooms, a gym, a kitchen, cold and hot water dispensers on each floor, a print room and a canteen;

-       No other bills to pay;

On the other side, come of the cons of the dorm would be: 

-       (Depending on the university) you can’t choose who you’ll end up with, and sometimes changing roommates can be a long and tiring process, especially during class periods;

-       You have to pay to do your laundry every time. In Ewha I had a laundry card that I used for washing and drying my clothes however, because the washing machines and dryers are a limited number, you would have to wait to get your laundry done every time and rush once finished to not make other people wait (especially on the weekends);

-       The kitchen can be pretty dirty at times, so be sure to buy your own pots (they sell really cheap ones at DAISO) and always wash and keep clean common areas;

-       Many dorms have a curfew, that can range from 12 to 2 a.m. (after that, they close all the gates and doors, so you’ll have to wait until 6 a.m. to have access to your room);

If you’re choosing the dorm option, remember to sign up EARLY and ASAP! The best rooms get swept away so quickly, so make sure to get well prepared with fast internet. You’ll also need an alarm: most university dorm sign-ups open at 9-10 AM KST, so to match that you’ll have to wake up in the middle of the night. 😭When I was in Yonsei University, I signed up with the idea of getting a single room, but was left disappointed ... so, if you’re looking to get a single room don’t get too sad if you get rejected or waitlisted, as single rooms are super rare in dorms. If you’re willing to share a room with someone and don’t mind having a common bathroom, the dorm is definitely the best option for you!

2. 고시원 Goshiwon

If you scroll on the internet or ask anyone who has ever lived as a foreign student in Korea, everyone and their mom will mention goshiwons. Now, despite being usually disregarded by Koreans, goshiwons are a really good option if you’re looking for a cheap space. They range around 200-400,000 won per month (150-300 EU), you can usually choose if you want a shared or single room and are relatively safe for women too, as there are many female-only goshiwons. 

These are some of the pros: 

-       Private and relatively safe space;

-       Cheap;

-       There’s a tiny kitchen on every floor, usually rice and ramyeon are being offered in common areas;

-       No other bills to pay;

-       No deposit or contract;

-       No curfew;

The cons are:

-       They are extremely small spaces, with super thin walls and little or no windows; 

-       Goshiwons usually don’t allow outsiders, so you won’t be able to bring friends over during your stay;

-       You’ll need to pay for the washing machine and dryer;

If you’re a person who uses their room only to sleep, consider the goshiwon as an option! If instead you’re a person who loves staying inside and studying or chilling, I’d advice considering a different housing option.

3. 하숙집 Hasukjib

Hasukjib, or shared houses, are what you usually see in dramas: different private single or shared rooms, with common bathrooms, kitchens on each floor, showers and laundry rooms. They are old houses redacted to host working people or students, and offer up to two meals per day (breakfast and dinner), with rice and ramyeon always available.

Here are some of the pros if you’re considering a hasukjib:

-       A little bigger than goshiwons;