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.)
-
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…
-
Christmas In Seoul: The 2025 Holiday Guide To Markets, Lights & Events!
The Christmas season has begun this 2025… 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? Check out this complete list of where to go and what to see this Christmas in Seoul for lights, ice rinks, food, fun…
-
Summer in Korea: Sambok, Heat Survival Foods, and Where to Cool Off
When summer arrives in Korea, it can be surprising just how fierce and fast that heat wave strikes, temperatures during peak summer can reach 33-38°C (91-100°F). 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 Korean summers have their own particular intensity. It’s easy to forget how humid Korea can get in the summer and right when you think you’ve adjusted to it, bam, it’s Sambok, also called Boknal, or the hottest period of all.…
-
The Wonderful Service Helping Foreigners In Korea
It’s inevitable that there will come a time when you just cannot figure something out here in Korea and in those moments, a personal assistant that can point you in the right direction and then even do everything to get you set up would be the dream, right? Well, it doesn’t have to just be a dream. If you’ve been in Korea for some time, you’ve likely heard of Go Wonderfully. Need a personal assistant in Korea? Need someone to help you do everything from ordering chicken for delivery or planning a weekend away? The company started by Maria Lee, an American expat, was originally named Ask Ajumma. She saw a…
-
What To Do If You’re Staying In Seoul For Seollal 2027
This year, 2027, Seollal, or the Lunar New Year, falls on February 7, 2027. Seollal is a big family holiday here in Korea so it’s important to know what to expect, what is open and what is closed. Most Koreans head back to their hometowns to see family and if they celebrate in the traditional fashion will wake very early in the morning and hold a ceremony to pay respects to their ancestors in which they will dress in traditional Korean clothing, or Hanbok, and bow to an altar table set with all kinds of food including meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. My Korean family will partake in this very…
-
Korean Superstitions & Halloween Events 2025
It is the season of superstitions, gruesome tales of death and dismemberment and scary costumes. Superstitions (미신) change from country to country and culture to culture so while stepping on a crack may not break your mother’s back in Korea, whistling while you walk just might! Are you ready for Halloween in Korea? It’s a bit different, but still fun fun fun! Celebrate Halloween (할로윈) in Korea or just learn about the Korean superstitions you should be aware of, or beware of. We like to get out and about have fun with the rest of them so I’ve compiled some of the popular Korean superstitions to beware of this holiday…
-
A Guide To Renting or Buying A House in Korea
Having lived in Korea for almost twenty years, I’ve gone through nearly every type of housing you can imagine. I started off in school-provided housing, then rented a tiny room, moved into an officetel and then a villa, and eventually with my husband, we bought an apartment, and now we live in an actual house on Jeju Island. From sleeping on a friend’s floor while waiting for a job to sort out housing, to putting down tens of thousands of dollars in key money, I’ve experience the highs and lows of navigating Korea’s unique housing system. If you’re a foreigner moving to Korea, or even considering buying property here, this…
-
Korean Bath House Guide: What To Expect In A Jjimjilbang
Korean bath houses come up in conversation and the reaction among foreign visitors is usually the same: high interest, moderate anxiety, and a lot of questions about what actually happens in there. Most of the anxiety centers on nudity, which is real but also considerably less uncomfortable in practice than most people expect. The other reaction, from almost everyone who actually goes, is that they wish they’d done it sooner. I’ve visited neighborhood bath houses (mokyoktang) many times and also been to the large upscale jjimjilbang experiences that are more suited for tourists. Both have their place. From young children to grandparents, Koreans visit bath houses as a regular part…
-
FishisFast: The Mail Forwarding Service You Cannot Live Without!
Over the years in Korea there have been times when there’s something I just CANNOT find and want to get from the States. There was that time I put out a call to get some Cow Tales shipped to me and then that time I was looking for maternity clothes that I just couldn’t find here in Korea. In those times, Fishisfast would have come in handy. Things like fitted bed sheets, peanut butter M&Ms and a few other specialty items can arrive at your door in just days… once you sign up and order them and all that jazz. While sites may offer global shipping, those costs can add…
-
10 Years In Korea: How I’ve Lived Abroad For A Decade Happily
Living abroad is amazing, scary, enlightening, humorous, lonely and from there the list of adjectives could just go on and on. Traveling abroad is one thing but most that take the adventure know that at some point they’ll go home which can effect an entire outlook on how they experience a place. Living abroad takes a whole host of adjustments and immeasurable levels of acceptance in many ways. (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost to you. Thanks for the support!) I wrote an article for Groove Korea Magazine in October…
-
Korean Hangover Cures: The Drinks, Soups, and More!
If you’ve had a night out in Seoul, you know that Korean nightlife is a serious undertaking. There are Korean drinking games, multiple rounds at multiple venues, and the night can easily go until sunrise. Koreans are very good at this. They are, statistically, the people in the world who drink the most hard liquor per capita, 13.7 shots per week on average according to Korea Herald data, and soju alone accounts for 97% of the country’s spirit market. None of the countries below them on the global list even come close. The result of this level of dedication is a multi-billion dollar hangover recovery industry that was first debuted…
-
Time Flies & A Passport Says Goodbye
Time flies. That’s it. Time just flies. Ten years ago, about this time I was sitting in front of a camera in a photo shop to get some passport photos so that I could then head to the post office and mail in my documents to receive a passport. I’d had one previously which I’d used to travel to Europe a couple of times with my family and with my senior class, but I needed a new one to start my adventures in Asia. I had gotten a job in Seoul, Korea and I was getting all the odds and ends wrapped up and making appointments to get the things…
-
KMF Korea Providing Self Defense Classes in Seoul
I recently had the pleasure of meeting and working with Gideon Roth the regional director and foreign representative for Krav Maga Federation Korea, the only official Wingate Institute accredited Krav Maga school in Asia. With fourteen years of experience in Krav Maga, he is the most experienced instructor in Korea and he wants to spread the word that he has self-defense classes for you. Learn more about Krav Maga in Seoul and the self-defense classes they offer: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) Basic Info Address:…
-
What To Do If You’re Staying in Seoul for Chuseok 2026
(UPDATED for 2026) Chuseok is one of the two biggest holidays in Korea, and in my opinion one of the best times to stay in Seoul. What most tourists and visitors don’t realize is that Seoul really empties out over the holiday as many Korean families will head to their hometowns to be thankful for the good harvest by eating lots of food and playing traditional games. The KTX train will book up within hours and highways can become one long parking lot. Deciding to stay in Seoul for the holiday is a really good idea. While the city empties out, there are still plenty of things to do and…
-
What’s A Mother To Do? No Changing Tables In Korea
It's fairly easy to take her out without causing much of a scene, but one thing I've noticed again and again is that wherever we go, if she were to need a changing, there wouldn't be anywhere to do it. Bathrooms just aren't equipped with the necessary changing table and though in the past five years bathrooms around Seoul have generally seen a big upgrade in cleanliness, they are far from clean enough to change a baby if there isn't a changing table available. What's a mother to do?
-
Finding Comfort with Create Wellness In Korea
Looking for medical services in Korea with a holistic approach and English services? Create Wellness is the place for you. With locations in both central Seoul and Pyeongtaek, Create Wellness has Chiropractic, Osteopathic, Naturopathic doctors and physical therapy and therapeutic and sports massage services in English to for the foreign community. Get checked out in Korea with Create Wellness. Find out about holistic healthcare in Korea: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) Who is Create Wellness? Create Wellness promotes a holistic approach through a combination of…
