Pros and cons of moving to Seoul

As with any city, Seoul has advantages and disadvantages, but expats who try to learn about and assimilate to the Korean culture will start to feel at home in the city. 

Seoul’s city motto is 'the Soul of Asia' and, once moving here, or even visiting, it's easy to see why people fall in love with it. Below is our list of pros and cons of moving to Seoul. 

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Accommodation in Seoul

Most expats will have their housing arranged for them by their employers, ideally in areas and suburbs that are popular with expats. These apartments will often be fully furnished. If accommodation isn't provided directly by employers, they may still be able to provide some tips on how and where to look for housing.

+ PRO: Creature comforts

South Korean apartments will regularly come with a washing machine, gas range, floor heating and air conditioning. This is especially true of newer buildings. Older buildings may not have these 'extras', but will at least have floor heating installed.

Korean buildings are also very safe. Even though the crime rate in South Korea is already quite low, most Seoul apartments will require a gate/front door key or combination as well as the individual door key/combination.

- CON: Expensive

Typically, the down-payment on a rental is exorbitant. Korean landlords will almost always charge 'key money' under the jeonse rental system, which allows tenants rent-free living. Key money functions as a security deposit, but will frequently amount to a large portion of the purchasing price of a property. That said, it's possible to find apartments in popular expat areas that follow the conventional renting system, meaning tenants pay a reasonable deposit and make monthly rent payments.

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Lifestyle in Seoul

+ PRO: Friendly locals

South Korea is one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries in the world, leading to foreigners being a rare sight. Despite this, native residents of Seoul are more used to seeing foreigners than residents of other South Korean cities and are generally quite ready to help expats feel welcome in the city. 

+ PRO: Large variety of activities to meet any interest

As Seoul is so massive, the different districts have all been encouraged to nurture unique characteristics. Consequently, every district has a distinct personality and presents exclusive lifestyle pursuits. Seoul is also surrounded by a mountain range to the north, so nature-loving expats will easily find activities to suit their needs.

+ PRO: Large and welcoming expat community

Making new friends in Seoul is easy, as the city hosts a large and friendly expat community. This community hosts frequent events that are easily found on Facebook or the various English news outlets and blogs. 

- CON: Extreme winters and summers

Winters in Seoul are freezing, while summers are sweltering. Korea prides itself on the vividness of its four seasons, but autumn and spring will normally only last a few weeks before extreme temperatures on either side of the spectrum become apparent.

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Safety in Seoul

+ PRO: Low crime rates

Serious crimes and petty theft alike are rare in South Korea. Walking alone at night is fairly safe in Seoul, but expats should still be aware of their surroundings and act with common sense. 

- CON: Reckless driving

Bending the law is highly common among Seoul motorists. Scooter drivers will often take to the pavements when roads are congested, and drivers might also run red lights if they think they can get away with it. Drinking and driving also occurs frequently. Pedestrians should keep to the pavement and be careful when crossing any street.

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Working and doing business in Seoul

+ PRO: Wealth of opportunities

The English as a Second Language (ESL) industry is huge in Seoul. Schools are always looking to hire new teachers, especially around February and August.

- CON: Limited non-teaching positions

Without knowledge of Korean and an adequate deal of experience in a specific field, it’s difficult to find positions in Seoul outside the education sector. There are positions available in the tourism industry but, again, these are few and far between.

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Culture shock in Seoul

+ PRO: Korean alphabet

Unlike other Asian languages, the standard Korean alphabet has been intuitively developed and is quick to learn. The shapes of the letters are the shapes a person's mouth makes when saying them. Each group of shapes is actually just a syllable, combining the different letter sounds.

- CON: Communication problems

The Korean language, particularly grammar, can be difficult to learn, and the way Koreans communicate meaning verbally with one another can feel different from how Korean is initially learnt. 

- CON: Hierarchical culture

Respect for one’s elders is hugely important in Korean culture, and some elders take full advantage of this. Their behaviour could be seen as rude to outsiders, but in South Korea it’s normal.

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Cost of living in Seoul

+ PRO: Absolutely no need for a car

The public transport system in Seoul is fast, efficient, affordable, safe and clean. The roads are full of cheap taxis that make personal cars even less necessary. 

+ PRO: Diverse, cheap, good food

Eating in restaurants, as long as they are Korean-style cuisine, is cheaper than cooking at home. Due to the relative isolation of the Korean peninsula, Korean cuisine is also fairly diverse. 

- CON: Expensive groceries

Western-style products are much pricier than Korean ones. Produce availability is also more dependent on the seasons than in many other countries.

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Education and schools in Seoul

+ PRO: Good schools

Seoul is home to plenty of public and international schools that all teach at a high standard. The majority of expats send their children to international schools due to the language of instruction at public schools being Korean. Be that as it may, expats can rest assured that their children's education will be of high quality regardless of which school they attend. 

- CON: High-pressure education culture

Koreans take education very seriously. Those born outside of Seoul will work their entire lives to have the chance to go to university in the city, and those already in Seoul will do whatever it takes to stay there. Students, starting at a young age, often go to after-school academies (hagwon), which focus on various subjects. High school students are under tremendous amounts of pressure to achieve good grades and make it into a prestigious university, either in Seoul or the USA.

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Healthcare in Seoul

+ PRO: Accessible and affordable healthcare

Korea has a universal healthcare system that expats working in South Korea can use. The universal healthcare system will cover up to 50 percent of healthcare costs, and most employer-provided insurance will then cover an additional 25 percent.

+ PRO: Access to English-speaking medical professionals

Many doctors in Seoul are considered the best in their fields. And one will rarely get to the top of any field in Korea without the ability to speak at least intermediate English.

- CON: Not many international clinics

Despite most doctors speaking English, there are only a few options for facilities where all the medical staff, including nurses and administrative workers, speak English. Although there are a few international clinics, appointments are difficult to secure, especially during flu season.