On a cold Sunday morning, you wake up to “the thick color of a rainy day in Seoul.” All you crave is a hot bowl of ramen, but you finished the last pack days ago, and your kitchen cabinets stand pitifully empty. Putting on your BE hoodie, you drag yourself to the grocery store. You regret not taking a shopping basket along when the carton of milk slips through your fingers as you’re standing in the check-out queue. The gentleman in front of you immediately stoops down to pick up the container. Time stands still. Your mouth manages to stutter: “Are you Jungkook?” The man in the black bucket hat smirks, “And if I am?”
Your alarm blasts into your reverie and you are anywhere in the world but South Korea.
South Korea is one of the most technologically-advanced countries in the world, being home to tech giants, such as Samsung and Hyundai. But at the same time, their society is deeply rooted in tradition. Society is fairly open to foreigners, and in recent years the number of foreigners living in South Korea has sky-rocketed, with more than two million foreigners living in the country as of 2016. There are quite a few jobs to be found, the living conditions are decent, the food is delicious, but most of all, you can breathe the same air as BTS!
Jobs for foreigners in South Korea
Teaching is the most popular job for foreigners. There is an ever-increasing demand for English teachers in schools, colleges, universities, and private coaching centers. And these teaching jobs are the ones with the best perks – ranging from high salaries to free lodging. Like many countries, teaching in Korea may require you to be a certified Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) holder.
There is a host of non-teaching jobs available for foreigners as well – ranging from curriculum officers to editors to voice actors, the common link being fluency in English. But if you are fluent in Korean as well, that opens up a whole Pandora’s box. There are numerous corporate positions available, especially in the field of marketing. Busan (Jimin and Jungkook’s hometown) is particularly well-known for recruiting foreigners in automotive marketing and research. And there are always opportunities in the IT and Electronics industry in this tech-powered country.
Some of the trusted sites where you can look for jobs, which will provide all visa-related information are:
LinkedIn
Indeed
Career Jet
Go Abroad
Living in South Korea
The country has high-tech cities as well as quaint villages and towns dispersed throughout its landscape. Seoul, the capital, is home to almost half the local population, but the streets are packed with locals and foreigners alike.
The fashion on the streets of Seoul looks as though it comes straight from a runway, the street food is mouth-watering, and the noraebang (karaoke rooms) are always buzzing with K-Pop songs. It boasts of having one of the fastest internet connections in the world. Life in Seoul is quite exciting except for the high living cost.
The rent for a duplex apartment may cost you $1,000 or more per month, and house-space is meager compared to Western accommodations. If you like Korean food or acquire a taste for it, your food expenses will come down drastically; local food is fairly cheap. You also have the option of cooking, but your native ingredients will probably cost more.
The cost of living becomes cheaper as you move into the outskirts and other cities. The cost in most of these places is half or less than in Seoul. For example, another very popular city for foreigners is Busan, the second-largest city in Korea. This city is a beautiful blend of history, nature, and city-life. The vibe here is much more laid-back and relaxed than in Seoul. Suwon, the home of Samsung, a one-hour drive from Seoul, is another popular foreigner-friendly neighborhood.
These suburban cities may lack the charisma of Seoul but are in no way boring or monotonous. Each one has its charm, and a foreigner can find warmth and comfort wherever they decide to stay.
Whenever you can manage a vacation during your stay, make a point to explore this beautiful country. There are too many things to do and see in BTS’ motherland. Whether you are a mountain person or a sea person ― or any person really ― your #travelgoals will be fulfilled here.
A few guidelines to remember!
Though most people in Seoul speak English, and you can find street signs and banners in English, this is not the case in other Korean cities and towns. You at least have to know beginner-level Korean to survive in these places.
Always be careful and research in-depth before accepting a job offer, as the number of online frauds has escalated exponentially in the last decade.
In Korea, you will have to sign up for an Alien Registration Card (ARC) for working, and this card should be with you at all times.
Well, that’s mostly it! In the beginning, it will all be rushed and hectic, and it may take some time to absorb the cultural shock of your new life, but we can survive that to live in the land of BTS, can’t we?
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written by Basabdatta
Edited by Aury
Checked by Vera
Thank you @andreaarmy89 for your valuable feedback. As the writer of this blog, I take it self-critically that you found this unrealistic. As the author, my focus was to highlight the positive points about living in SK, and leave subtle hints on the inconveniences like high costs, language barriers, frauds, etc., because which place doesn't have problems of its own. But now that we know that our readers want to read both sides of it in detail, we shall keep that in mind in the future. Again, thank you for sharing your feedback!
I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, but this post is irresponsible. SK is an awesome place, but like every other country, it has its problems. There's always been narratives within kpop fandoms that SK is just so perfect and amazing, which completely overlooks the many real problems the country faces, including problems that foreigners face when living there (but of course, problems that SK natives experience as well) there's nothing wrong with outlining some positives about living in SK but it's really irresponsible to frame the country as a utopia and leave out any mention of the negatives. it is not realistic.