Life In Korea (한국의 삶)
What to know about life in Korea from the places to shop to being pregnant in Korea. Here is everything you need to know to live in Korea. (쇼핑하는 곳부터 임신하는 곳까지 한국 생활에 대해 알아야 할 것. 여기 당신이 한국에서 살기 위해 알아야 할 모든 것이 있다.)
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How To Transfer Money To / From Korea
I was working on a trends report recently and one of the sections was on apps for people sending money to/from Korea. I have lived in Korea for 15 years and way back at the beginning, the only way to transfer money outside of Korea was to go into the bank and initiate a international remittance with the teller. The process took some paperwork each time. It got a bit easier over time to send money abroad from Korea but nowhere near what you can do now. I had gotten so used to using the bank systems that I didn’t realize there were new and amazing startups, companies, and apps…
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57 Things That Might Surprise You When You Live In Korea
I’ve been living in Korea for 15 years and I still walk down the street and find things surprising. I don’t think there’s a right way or a wrong way to do things, there are just a lot of different ways to do something so with that in mind, here are 57 things that might surprise you when you come to Korea. From fans that might kill you to bidets everywhere… there’s a whole lot of cool, interesting, and different things you might not have realized. Here is what to expect when you come to Korea. My biggest tip if you’re planning to move to Korea is to come with…
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Quarantine In Korea: What To Expect
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we go about our daily lives and how we travel… or maybe don’t travel. Things are opening back up again and a lot of people are looking to travel to Korea. The government recently made an announcement that more people would not have to go through quarantine in Korea. That said, if you’re just coming here to travel, you didn’t quite make the cut yet. Currently, the only people that won’t have to go through quarantine are residents and resident’s family members that have been vaccinated. If you’re a tourist looking to travel through, you’ll still have to go through the 2 week…
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How To Get A Driver’s License In Korea
South Korea has one of the most convenient and reliable transportation systems in the world. Good for both locals and tourists, the Seoul Subway System is amazing, there are buses, city tour buses, and taxis will get you where you need to go in a moment’s notice. If you want to get on the road and find some of those awesome hidden gems in Korea or hit the coast whenever you feel like it though, you’ll need to know how to get a driver’s license in Korea and then go and do it! Or maybe you just want to get a car and move around the country whenever you feel…
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How To File Taxes While Abroad: Taxes For American Expats
It’s tax season… or is it? Fun fact, in Korea, if you’re working for a company, your taxes will be filed in December. However, if you’re a freelancer like me, they won’t be filed by you until May. Oh, and you have to make sure you do your American taxes somewhere in there too! Yes, you MUST file your American taxes every year. A lot of Americans move to Korea and seem surprised to learn they must file taxes every year. The US is one of just two countries that enforces citizen-based taxation. Since you’re abroad, you actually get an extension on filing, but you absolutely still need to file…
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Online Shopping In Korea With iHerb
Shopping online in Korea is pretty easy (if you have a Korean bank account and card) and with fast shipping and all that jazz, it’s great. That said, I’ve never really jumped on that bandwagon until COVID hit. Grocery shopping in Korea is a whole new experience and shopping online can be overwhelming especially when everything is in Korean and I just want to get on and get off real quick. I did tap sites that are tried and true and easy to get the essentials, like iHerb, though. This post is sponsored by iHerb but all opinions on the service and products are my own. Seriously, iHerb is one…
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Kada:Kudu: Shopping For Shoes In Korea Just Got Easier
Shopping in Korea can be so so fun, if you can fit into the clothes. While the streets of Hongdae and the roads of Myeongdong are lined with store after store of chic, fun, and quirky items, they’re often only available in a select (read: small) size and that just doesn’t cut it for many people. Fashionable clothing is one thing, but when it comes to shoes, it’s an even more difficult endeavor to find shoes in Korea for anyone with a size 9 or higher. Actually, I should say, a size 250 or higher. I remember the first time I went shopping for shoes in Korea, I wondered what…
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A Guide To Gift Giving In Korea: From Weddings To Housewarming Parties
Whether you’re just living in Korea for a short time, living for an extended period, or perhaps marry into the culture, it’s important to know proper gift giving etiquette in Korea. When you’re in another country and are invited to an event that involves giving the person you’re celebrating a gift, it is so important to do your research and not look clueless or worse, give something taboo. This is the guide for those people living in Korea or coming to Korea for an event, check out this guide if you want gifts to give your Korean-loving friends. If you’re wondering what the best gift to give at a wedding…
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What You Need To Know About Taxes If You’re An American In Korea
Have you moved to Korea? Working as an ESL teacher for a year or starting a business perhaps? Whether you’re living here for a short time or long term, you’ll want to be aware of what you need to do to file taxes. Did you know, as an American, you’re expected to file taxes every year no matter where you’re living? Not every country requires this but as an American expat, it is your responsibility to file taxes. If you’re an American living in Korea, make sure you know how to file taxes from abroad. If at some point you move home and you never filed, you could find yourself…
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How To Rent Bikes In Seoul: Bike On The Han River Or Just Get From A To B
Do you want to see Seoul, Korea in a different way? Wonder how easy it is to rent a bike in Seoul? Getting around the city can be super fun. I know for me, when I want to make a day of traversing around the city, I want to make it more memorable. Of course walking is a great way to explore any city, but sometimes you want to put the pedal to the metal. Korea has so many different options for biking and scooter rentals to ride around the city and parks. The ones I’ll be telling you about in this post are located in Seoul but there are…
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SlowBox: The CSA To Use In Korea
Slowbox is a service that delivers produce direct from local farmers to consumers throughout the country of Korea. I’m always on the lookout for ethically-sourced produce and I used to always head to local farmers markets like Mangwon Market since we lived so close. However, since moving and only having the large brand grocery stores within walking distance now, Slowbox has been an amazing option for us for more than a year now. Slowbox is a community supported agriculture (CSA) program that sources their produce from small family owned farms around Korea and you can meet their farmers right on their Slowbox Instagram page. Here’s what you’ll find in this…
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Do I Need A Fine Dust Mask In Korea?
While I don’t often write articles on any negative aspects of living in Korea, unfortunately, this one needs to be done. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me with a face mask, or dust mask, on from time to time and since I get a lot of questions from tourists about whether they would need one or not, I want to dig in and answer. Yes, yes you should have a face mask, as the Koreans call them, if you’re going to come to Korea. We aren’t living in a smog filled polluted country all of the time, but when it’s bad, it can be pretty bad.…
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Rugby Clubs In Korea & The Seoul Rugby Charity Dinner
Rugby is a sport that may not have a ton of history in Korea but it definitely has some avid fans and those fans have even gone on to start rugby clubs around the country. Whether you want to play, promote, or support these programs, there’s a chance to be apart of the sport from Seoul down to Busan. Recently, I was invited out to the Seoul Rugby Charity Dinner. Hosted every four years in the run up to the Rugby World Cup, this event held at the JW Marriott this year, raises money for a number of charities here in Seoul, Korea. The event is hosted by the South…
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Yes, You Just Saw Me On CNN & PBS In The Same Week!
January was a good month. Not only was I asked to participate in an episode of Point Of View on CNN, but an episode I had filmed with Samantha Brown on her latest show Places To Love aired. Bing Bang Boom! Here’s what you missed. This just in: I was on CNN’s program ‘South Korea POV’. POV stands for Point-Of-View and the premise of the show is that a local will guide viewers around a city. Having lived in Seoul for the past twelve years, I can say confidently that I am pretty adept at getting around, finding things on and off the beaten path and consistently try to share…
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Christmas In Seoul: The 2024 Holiday Guide To Markets, Lights & Events!
The Christmas season has begun this 2024… at least Starbucks seems to suggest so since they’ve started playing their Christmas CD on repeat. Who is getting excited for the Christmas tree at Starfield Library in COEX and the twinkle lights? Everyone is in search of where to get the holiday goods, gifts and more so I culled this list of markets to check out with mulled wine to quench the holiday thirst, gardens with twinkling lights and holiday events. What will you get into this holiday season? This post has been updated for 2024 and more will be added as companies release their events and restaurants, so get ready. With…
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The Hottest Days of Summer In Korea: What To Know
When it is summer in Korea, it can be surprising just how fierce and fast that heat wave strikes. The added bonus of a monsoon season makes it all the better with humidity up the wazoo. Yes, I said bonus. Is it really? My hair would disagree but I’m from a valley in Ohio so humid summers are nothing new to me. Still, I forget every year just how humid it really is here. Just when you think you know what to expect out of summer in Korea, then Sambok or Boknal arrive and it’s a whole new beast. Are you ready for a hot summer in Korea? (This post…
