The first time I stepped into a Korean hospital, I was sweating bullets. It wasn’t the fever. It was the fear. I was standing at the information desk in Bundang, clutching my stomach, and the ajumma behind the counter fired off a rapid string of Korean that sounded like a machine gun. I just stood … Read more
I remember my first week in Songdo. I was standing in a massive Home Plus, staring at a wall of laundry detergent, completely baffled. My phone was useless—no navigation, no translation, no delivery apps. I felt like a caveman with a dead brick in my pocket. I knew I had to crack the Korean app … Read more
I remember my first week in Suwon. I was starving, it was raining sideways, and my Korean was limited to “hello” and “thank you.” I opened Baemin (배민), saw a wall of pure Hangul, and promptly closed the app. I ate a sad, convenience store triangle kimbap that night, crying into my soju. It doesn’t … Read more
I remember my first week in Songdo. I had my Alien Registration Card (ARC) fresh in hand, a paycheck waiting to be deposited, and zero ability to pay for my overpriced avocado toast at the convenience store because my home country card kept getting declined. I walked into a major bank, smiled, and said, “I’d … Read more
I remember sitting in the Pyeongtaek immigration office three years ago, clutching a binder of documents that weighed more than my laptop, watching a guy with an F-2 visa walk past me in 15 minutes while I had been waiting for 3 hours. The frustration was real. If you are stationed near Camp Humphreys or … Read more
I remember my first month near Kyungsung University. My bank account was making that sad, empty echo sound, and I was too proud to ask my parents for more money. I frantically searched “외국인 유학생 구인” on every Korean job board, only to be met with either ghost listings or requirements for “native-level” Korean that … Read more
I remember my first week in Busan. I was staring at a real estate app (직방), my phone screen cracked, and my head was spinning. Every listing had a confusing number: some had a massive deposit with low monthly rent, others had a tiny deposit but high rent. My Korean friend kept saying “전세, 전세!” … Read more
— I remember my first week in Kyungsung Univ Area. I was standing in a tiny convenience store, holding a basket of snacks, trying to pay with a card that the machine kept rejecting. The cashier was speaking rapid-fire Korean, the ahjumma behind me was sighing, and I had no idea that I needed to … Read more
I remember my first month in Daegu, standing outside a factory in Seongseo Industrial Complex, my head spinning. My boss had just told me I wouldn’t be paid for my “training week,” and that my overtime was “voluntary.” I was exhausted, confused, and terrified of losing my visa if I complained. I felt completely powerless. … Read more
I remember my first month in Hyehwa. I walked into a small supermarket near the university loop, grabbed a basket, and nearly fainted at the price of a single apple—₩3,500. I thought I was being scammed. Then I discovered the parallel universe of Korean marts: the warehouse clubs, the evening discount stickers, and the magic … Read more