I remember my first week in Itaewon, staring at a contract written entirely in Korean, too embarrassed to ask my new boss for a translation. I signed it. Three months later, I found out I was entitled to severance pay (퇴직금) that my employer had conveniently “forgotten” to mention. That mistake cost me nearly 2,000,000 … Read more
— I’ll never forget my first week in Jeju. I walked into a massive Emart, jet-lagged and overconfident, and spent 45 minutes wandering in circles. I couldn’t find peanut butter, the kimchi section smelled like a war zone, and I almost cried trying to figure out if I needed to weigh my own apples. I … Read more
— The Hook: My First Emart Nightmare I still remember my first week in Busan, standing in the middle of a massive Emart near Kyungsung Univ, sweating under my jacket. I had no idea where the eggs were. I grabbed a cart, pushed it three aisles, and realized I couldn’t read a single label. Everything … Read more
I remember my first week in Hongdae. I was standing in front of a convenience store, sweating, holding a basket of ramen and bananas. The cashier said something to me—I didn’t know if it was a question or a statement—and I just froze. I didn’t have a translation app open, I didn’t know how to … Read more
I remember my first month in Pyeongtaek. I had a BA, five years of corporate experience, and a delusional belief that my passport alone would get me a job. I sent out forty resumes. I got one reply—a “Thank you for your interest” auto-response from a company that had already filled the position. I spent … Read more
I remember my first month in Daejeon, sitting in a tiny officetel in Dunsan, staring at a contract written entirely in Korean. My boss kept saying “괜찮아” (it’s fine), and I kept nodding, terrified of asking too many questions. I thought I had no rights. I was wrong. You have more power than you know—but … Read more
I remember my first week in Seomyeon, staring at my first Korean employment contract. It was entirely in Korean, 14 pages long, and the only part I understood was my monthly salary. I signed it because I was terrified of losing the job offer. Three months later, I found out I was legally entitled to … Read more
I remember the first time I woke up in Gwangalli with a fever that felt like my bones were on fire. I had been living in Busan for exactly three months. My Korean vocabulary consisted of “hello,” “thank you,” and “two beers, please.” I walked into a local clinic near the beach, sweating and dizzy, … Read more
My first apartment search in Suwon felt like a bizarre, high-stakes game of poker where I didn’t know the rules. I was staring at a real estate agent (부동산) who was rapidly firing off numbers in Korean, gesturing at a computer screen showing floor plans that all looked identical. I had no idea if I … Read more
I remember the sinking feeling. I’d just moved to Dunsan, Daejeon, and my pristine US license wasn’t worth the plastic it was printed on. The thought of re-taking a driving test in Korean, in a country with a famously strict system, was terrifying. But I survived, and so will you. Here’s the no-BS survival guide … Read more