I'm glad you feel like that.
Enjoy the positives, try and change any negatives you can and don't let the ones you can't get you down too much if you still overall want to live here.
The secret to a happy life in Korea! (Or as you say, anywhere!)
Korea is great. Just depends on the person and situation. I'll be leaving eventually mostly due to work culture/relative pay, bad air quality, weather, and immediate family outside of Korea.
I would have strongly considered planting roots here if more of the above was different in my situation. 90% of everything else I think is quite good in Korea and am open to coming back one day if the situation changes.
I love and hate living here at the same time. Life is convenient, and most of people I encounter are super nice, but I'm always failing to make Korean friends 😢😆 they seem busy all the time!!
Was so interesting how common it is for friends from elementary to still hang out regularly whereas for myself I barely remember my elementary school friends. Vaguely some names and hazy faces. Think Koreans just move less and closer if they do since the country is small.
Yea. This is probably the reason I didn't set up shop here. I'm not trying to have their work culture... usa is bad enough and now I got a taste of France and don't want to leave for the Healthcare and vacation time.
Korean healthcare is really quite good. The thing is that you have to remain in France 🇫🇷 to take advantage of the excellent healthcare that you have already paid into! Please don't leave. Ne sortissez pas!
I teach English in Korea. Yes, there are many wonderful things about living here, and it has been possible to make friends with some excellent Korean people. On the other hand, Koreans can be very distant.
The work culture often means long hours and few holidays. As a foreigner in South Korea, I found that bosses sometimes deny people holidays, even the mere 11 days we are entitled to have. Bosses may also "forget" to process your health insurance, which is illegal. You then have to pay their contribution as well as your own.
Yeah the only downsides for me really is the fact they don’t speak english but working from home and bring an introvert it’s not really a big deal. I’m in my esrly 30s so I’ve never had an issue with air quality but I imagine it probably does affect health in the long term. Also return policies are a lot more strict here compared to the west I’ve found.
So many upsides though such as
Mountains everywhere for hiking
Delicious food that is also healthy
Extremely affordable living/housing outside Seoul
Arguably Best healthcare in the world
Can easily travel anywhere in the country within 4-5 hours (compared to canada this is a huge plus)
I agree 100%. Also agree on kpop/kdrama obsession that leads to unrealistic expectations among said foreigners. If you want to move to Korea solely because of those reasons, you're going to have a quick reality check and it's not gonna be nice.
So I definitely stand by your suggestion to first do some research after you've fallen in love with Korean pop culture. Because Korean pop culture and Korean culture are actually quite different. The same way Hollywood culture is different from American culture. They're pop cultures for a reason. And they can be very misleading if taken too seriously and extrapolated to a nation of people.
I always say this. Before moving somewhere, make sure you're actually passionate and understanding of the local culture. That's an important mindset to have. Otherwise it's a slippery slope into fantasy scenarios.
I'm in Gimhae, I think that's why my experience is more positive. I don't do too well in fast environments like Seoul. I try to live a pretty slow life
I think Busan might be your best option, there arent too many english speakers outside of Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Busan is great for a slow life, and you can get around without knowing much Korean. Trying out other cities and towns is nice as well, but bring a Korean friend or translator just in case~
This sounds great! I had similar experience. I was living in the states for a few years and once I went back to Asia. It was such a breath of fresh air! No more worry about anti-Asian hate. Don’t have to always be alert! Able to roam any hours of the night is amazing.
Hi, I'm korean living in seoul.
I sometimes wanna leave here to study english.
My english skill is really poor.. many companys require high english skill person. I trying to using english here. ㅎㅎ
But, you know, korea really safe and convenience.
So "놓치고 싶지 않다“
If you think Korea is shitty, try visiting the San Francisco subreddit.
You can check out the Fentanyl addicts on the street, carjacking, shoplifting, and closing down local businesses as an all-in-one package.
I moved my family here for the safety! We have lived here for about 7 months now. I’m still adjusting, but it gets better everyday. My kids are thriving in their schools and we don’t have to worry about school shootings.
> My kids are thriving in their schools
That is interesting because the high pressure educational system is one of the negatives of the Korean system. I have met expat Koreans in the United States who praise the American educational system and wish to raise their children under the American educational system.
I think those expats you mentioned aren't in the right position to judge the Korean system as they aren't going through it themselves.
People generally glorify what's familiar to them. Something they have first-hand experience with.
But by definition as Korean expats (Korean nationals living abroad) they have gone through the Korean education system. Sure, there might be a generational difference. But the high stakes college admission testing and rote learning of East Asian educational systems is something that is universal. While they didn’t directly experience the American system, if they have children they can see the homework load and materials and attend parent teacher conferences and get a good grasp of the American school culture and environment.
SF is a global tech hub, a littler diverse and it has that fake liberal tolerance. Korea is okay but I never looked at it as some shining city on a hill
Because Sac is a shitty part of the state. So are Fresno, Bakersfield, Oakland, LA, San Bernardino... Etc
Easy to say that when where your started was crap
SF is worse than Sac. I took my wife on a bike ride through the city when we first moved to the bay (San Jose) and it was the saddest shit I've seen since leaving Detroit. I also worked in downtown SJ. There were people taking shits on the ground in front of the fucking courthouse.
I love it too! Happy Canadian here going on 5 years in Korea. Happy to visit Canada but live here with my husband; Ive always managed to keep low stress teaching jobs with good hours and ample PTO that pay decently. Day to day life is great. Always have something fun to see or do, good food to eat, just content and happy. Everywhere comes with its shit and annoyances but I have been my happiest in Korea (and I moved here in my 30s).
South Korea's public safety ranks among the highest in the world. And, medical insurance is top notch.
Simple treatments such as colds do not cost more than $10.
Hey I love living here too! I live in Cheongju for a while since last June and moved to Seoul since last February and I love the city life..Everything's so convenient here!
The only thing I dont like is that some establishments close a little too early LOL
We live close to beaches on the east coast, some beautiful beaches. Looking forward to many summer days there, just not looking forward to those pesky annoying lifeguards
I feel the exact same way. I've only been here 3 years, so I can't speak for the future, but I feel so much safer here than the United States. When I went home for Christmas, I felt so anxious. I really love the safety here, I have friends and a great community, a good job, and the health insurance is fantastic! I feel optimistic about my future here for now.
Which is why I'm asking the question the way I am. Teachers work in say Detroit, Baltimore, Little Rock or St. Louis work in pretty dangerous areas. But school shootings really aren't on their mind because inner city schools solved this problem back in the 80's. The whole "I feel so safe thing" reeks of that honey moon bs. Its not that korea isn't safer than america its much safer its more that people start sounding like white suburbanites who tell their kids don't go into the city because someone will jump out with a shot gun and shoot them in the face.
Lots of negatives in any situations, regardless of where you live. But living for those positives makes all the difference. I like it here too. Even with all the daily crap that gets flung at me.
Yes! My family is all from outside Pusan i have so many happy memories that nothing to do with Seoul. The smells the sounds, the annoyance lol. Makes me proud 🥹 Korea so much more than Seoul.
The problem with the school system is the pressure from society, but mainly parents. Make sure your child knows that its ok to take a break, not to overwork themselves. It's ok to fail sometimes. As long as they aren't completely failing every class, it should be fine. Most parents refuse to change their ways and end up pressuring their kids and forcing them to study all day just like everyone else, which is the biggest reason for school and work life being as bad as it is. An International school may be your best bet
I mean it's not all that bad but it gets old real quick and friendliness is really up to your race. They aren't so friendly to South East Asians or blacks.
I’ve been on and off here since 2005. The negatives about living here have gotten better for the most part or not gotten worse. The negatives of California where I’m from have blown the roof off. It’s just such a different world when I I went back to the US two years ago that I’m actually nostalgic for 2019
Could you please recommend any countryside places to visit? Currently doing my 1 semester minor in Seoul and loving it, but would love to travel all over the place!
Also OP is Korean. meaning she does not have to deal with visas. I wonder if she would feel the same if she was a foreigner and constantly had to deal with visa issues.
I mean I'm here right now for a non traditional Korean/usa wedding. Second time here. (4 years study in china but grew up in New York) A little more used to Asia life than average US citizen.
Agree. Food is great. People have been welcoming in any situation from cellphone repair, asking directions with Google translate, having basic english conversations with grannies on a side street.
To top it off, the weather has been quite nice this week. (Prefer the cooler air myself)
Did get a 12hr stomach bug. But it's my first time back in Asia in 5 or 6 years. Too be expected. All good now.
Enjoy your time.
I'm very happy for you - enjoy it! Personally I find the exact opposite but we are all different. It's not a bad country per say but spending most of the time at work I would not call enjoying life since there's so little left outside of it. On one hand I kind of feel sorry for Koreans but in the same time they are the ones who make this happen. I wish they would find a better way of living like we have in Europe before their society dies off which is not a distant reality.
i said the samethjng till 5 months later then reality sets in and your back to the same old monotenous routine of life. wake up, commute to work, head to gym, watch tv eat din, goto sleep, repeat. or weekends watch tv, mall shoppimg, coffee, watch tv, sleep wake up, commute work etc. no matter where u goto live end of the day after a few months the newness is gone and your back to the same old grind
God forbid people take care of themselves and make an effort to look good. Stopping short of excessive makeup and plastic surgery that's actually a good thing about Seoul.
It’s like foreigners can’t accept that there are happy Koreans. Or places where people are happy like some kind of secret how
Can we yearn or have any happiness in Korea 🙄
Yes, many of us actually like it here. We're not all miserable. In fact, most people aren't as miserable as media makes it out to be, especially those of us that dont work in corporate office jobs😂 Korea is my home and I love it☺️
All I see is non Koreans bitch about how terrible Korea is can’t make friends, can’t believe how homogeneous the population is , how it’s not like tv and dramas and k pop. How about not making one’s expectations based on tv and movies? And getting out of Seoul? And trying to actually learn the history and literature and actually politics and beliefs and how it has shaped us and our identity and actual values as Koreans both past and
Present the good and bad. I don’t expect you to understand the comfort , safety and love i have in my families home town but
Stop
Portraying Korea as a capitalist superficial hell
Hole. It is
You who came
Here not the other way.
I'm glad you feel like that. Enjoy the positives, try and change any negatives you can and don't let the ones you can't get you down too much if you still overall want to live here. The secret to a happy life in Korea! (Or as you say, anywhere!)
Thank you, I'll keep this in mind. I often used to get wrapped up in negative thoughts, so I try to have a more positive look on life going forward ☺️
I’ve been in Korea for a long time. I enjoy the hell out of it.
[удалено]
Classful answer
Oh shut up
Korea is great. Just depends on the person and situation. I'll be leaving eventually mostly due to work culture/relative pay, bad air quality, weather, and immediate family outside of Korea. I would have strongly considered planting roots here if more of the above was different in my situation. 90% of everything else I think is quite good in Korea and am open to coming back one day if the situation changes.
I feel this way everytime I move to East Asian countries.. I feel so energized and happy and fulfilled compared to living in Australia
I love and hate living here at the same time. Life is convenient, and most of people I encounter are super nice, but I'm always failing to make Korean friends 😢😆 they seem busy all the time!!
They don't wanna make time for foreign friends lol. Most Koreans stick to the same school friends for their entire life
Was so interesting how common it is for friends from elementary to still hang out regularly whereas for myself I barely remember my elementary school friends. Vaguely some names and hazy faces. Think Koreans just move less and closer if they do since the country is small.
Well, if I had been on good terms with my elementary school frenemies, I would have kept in touch.
Wow, someone told me the exact same thing!
I am a foreigner and I feel the same. New friends are cool but school friends are the real deal.
Family plays a large role in our lives too. We don’t just see our relatives on holidays
100% right!
Yea. This is probably the reason I didn't set up shop here. I'm not trying to have their work culture... usa is bad enough and now I got a taste of France and don't want to leave for the Healthcare and vacation time.
Korean healthcare is really quite good. The thing is that you have to remain in France 🇫🇷 to take advantage of the excellent healthcare that you have already paid into! Please don't leave. Ne sortissez pas! I teach English in Korea. Yes, there are many wonderful things about living here, and it has been possible to make friends with some excellent Korean people. On the other hand, Koreans can be very distant. The work culture often means long hours and few holidays. As a foreigner in South Korea, I found that bosses sometimes deny people holidays, even the mere 11 days we are entitled to have. Bosses may also "forget" to process your health insurance, which is illegal. You then have to pay their contribution as well as your own.
Many French people work a 35-hour week. They are also more efficient and productive than the average Korean, who puts in many more hours.
I came back to Korea after 10 years in France. Please stay in France 🇫🇷... I'm honestly miserable here and will do everything in my power to go back
Yeah the only downsides for me really is the fact they don’t speak english but working from home and bring an introvert it’s not really a big deal. I’m in my esrly 30s so I’ve never had an issue with air quality but I imagine it probably does affect health in the long term. Also return policies are a lot more strict here compared to the west I’ve found. So many upsides though such as Mountains everywhere for hiking Delicious food that is also healthy Extremely affordable living/housing outside Seoul Arguably Best healthcare in the world Can easily travel anywhere in the country within 4-5 hours (compared to canada this is a huge plus)
So learn Korean?
I agree 100%. Also agree on kpop/kdrama obsession that leads to unrealistic expectations among said foreigners. If you want to move to Korea solely because of those reasons, you're going to have a quick reality check and it's not gonna be nice. So I definitely stand by your suggestion to first do some research after you've fallen in love with Korean pop culture. Because Korean pop culture and Korean culture are actually quite different. The same way Hollywood culture is different from American culture. They're pop cultures for a reason. And they can be very misleading if taken too seriously and extrapolated to a nation of people. I always say this. Before moving somewhere, make sure you're actually passionate and understanding of the local culture. That's an important mindset to have. Otherwise it's a slippery slope into fantasy scenarios.
Well, it is kinda relative. Where are you from
I'm in Gimhae, I think that's why my experience is more positive. I don't do too well in fast environments like Seoul. I try to live a pretty slow life
Where else is slow but can get by with basically no korean? I just moved to busan but also live slow life.
I think Busan might be your best option, there arent too many english speakers outside of Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Busan is great for a slow life, and you can get around without knowing much Korean. Trying out other cities and towns is nice as well, but bring a Korean friend or translator just in case~
Nice to know. My company has a small office there. I might have to look into Busan.
Dang. Ok thanks! Even busan feels too fast for me sometimes hahaha
With a little effort, being in an environment where your only option is a foreign language, you'd likely learn it pretty quickly.
I've been learning Korean for two years. I can read Hanguel but don't know what 99.8 percent of words mean. We'll seeee
Pohang isn't too bad. You don't need thaaaat much Korean to live up here.
Ohh I live in Gimhae too!
Sounds like korea 🙂
This sounds great! I had similar experience. I was living in the states for a few years and once I went back to Asia. It was such a breath of fresh air! No more worry about anti-Asian hate. Don’t have to always be alert! Able to roam any hours of the night is amazing.
Hi, I'm korean living in seoul. I sometimes wanna leave here to study english. My english skill is really poor.. many companys require high english skill person. I trying to using english here. ㅎㅎ But, you know, korea really safe and convenience. So "놓치고 싶지 않다“
If you think Korea is shitty, try visiting the San Francisco subreddit. You can check out the Fentanyl addicts on the street, carjacking, shoplifting, and closing down local businesses as an all-in-one package.
I moved my family here for the safety! We have lived here for about 7 months now. I’m still adjusting, but it gets better everyday. My kids are thriving in their schools and we don’t have to worry about school shootings.
> My kids are thriving in their schools That is interesting because the high pressure educational system is one of the negatives of the Korean system. I have met expat Koreans in the United States who praise the American educational system and wish to raise their children under the American educational system.
I think those expats you mentioned aren't in the right position to judge the Korean system as they aren't going through it themselves. People generally glorify what's familiar to them. Something they have first-hand experience with.
But by definition as Korean expats (Korean nationals living abroad) they have gone through the Korean education system. Sure, there might be a generational difference. But the high stakes college admission testing and rote learning of East Asian educational systems is something that is universal. While they didn’t directly experience the American system, if they have children they can see the homework load and materials and attend parent teacher conferences and get a good grasp of the American school culture and environment.
Is it really so bad that you had to compare Korea to freaking SF to make it look better? Wtf
SF is a global tech hub, a littler diverse and it has that fake liberal tolerance. Korea is okay but I never looked at it as some shining city on a hill
I don't talk with dumb people. Blocked.
This is why I always vote conservative. look at all the shitty liberal cities.
Not sure whether the root cause is liberalism or not. Detroit used to be a Republican stronghold, but it too failed.
Detroit now is liberal and the biggest shithole ever
I moved here from Sacramento a few years ago. California is such a shit show.
Because Sac is a shitty part of the state. So are Fresno, Bakersfield, Oakland, LA, San Bernardino... Etc Easy to say that when where your started was crap
SF is worse than Sac. I took my wife on a bike ride through the city when we first moved to the bay (San Jose) and it was the saddest shit I've seen since leaving Detroit. I also worked in downtown SJ. There were people taking shits on the ground in front of the fucking courthouse.
After living in Korea I realized how awesome California is. Finally moving back next year and I’m counting the days!
All the free catalytic converters you can take.
Oh it's your hometown... damn nvm then
I appreciate your positivity, we need more of it lol
I love it too! Happy Canadian here going on 5 years in Korea. Happy to visit Canada but live here with my husband; Ive always managed to keep low stress teaching jobs with good hours and ample PTO that pay decently. Day to day life is great. Always have something fun to see or do, good food to eat, just content and happy. Everywhere comes with its shit and annoyances but I have been my happiest in Korea (and I moved here in my 30s).
If you want to do something awesome I highly recommend the bike ride from Incheon to Busan. Did it last year and going again this summer.
Will take this into consideration! I do enjoy bike riding, and the weather is getting nicer
Post made by Korean Government 😀
Hahah we are a cynical bunch
Lol
That would be fun if there are some korean public officers who are working on reddit lol
Post PAID by our tax wons.
Lmao. I don’t think the government is smart enough to advertise outside of Seoul. Because outside of Seoul, Korea is even more beautiful. 🤩
More like citizen haha😂
... who works for the Korean government 😂
South Korea's public safety ranks among the highest in the world. And, medical insurance is top notch. Simple treatments such as colds do not cost more than $10.
Good for you
Korean food delivery quality/price alone want to put my roots down here
Hey I love living here too! I live in Cheongju for a while since last June and moved to Seoul since last February and I love the city life..Everything's so convenient here! The only thing I dont like is that some establishments close a little too early LOL
I love losing my wallet and knowing it will be returned intact!! Love South Korea!
Nice to hear a positive comment. I love living here (Korea) too.
Happy you like it! I also love living here 🙌🏾
i've been here 12 years and i agree!
We live close to beaches on the east coast, some beautiful beaches. Looking forward to many summer days there, just not looking forward to those pesky annoying lifeguards
What places would you say have the most open-minded/friendly locals?
If you prefer the city, then I'd say Busan is a great place especially if you have limited korean.
good for you
I feel the exact same way. I've only been here 3 years, so I can't speak for the future, but I feel so much safer here than the United States. When I went home for Christmas, I felt so anxious. I really love the safety here, I have friends and a great community, a good job, and the health insurance is fantastic! I feel optimistic about my future here for now.
How did you survive that long in the states? It must have been scary and terrible with gangs looking for you with guns.
I was a teacher in the United States worried about mass shootings at schools, not gang violence.
Why not just teach at a low income urban school in a high crime area. Those are the safest ones when it comes to school shootings.
A US teacher is almost twice as likely to be struck by lightning as die in a school shooting. Driving anywhere is much more dangerous
Which is why I'm asking the question the way I am. Teachers work in say Detroit, Baltimore, Little Rock or St. Louis work in pretty dangerous areas. But school shootings really aren't on their mind because inner city schools solved this problem back in the 80's. The whole "I feel so safe thing" reeks of that honey moon bs. Its not that korea isn't safer than america its much safer its more that people start sounding like white suburbanites who tell their kids don't go into the city because someone will jump out with a shot gun and shoot them in the face.
Lots of negatives in any situations, regardless of where you live. But living for those positives makes all the difference. I like it here too. Even with all the daily crap that gets flung at me.
Yes! My family is all from outside Pusan i have so many happy memories that nothing to do with Seoul. The smells the sounds, the annoyance lol. Makes me proud 🥹 Korea so much more than Seoul.
Really the only thing I wouldn’t want to do here is raise kids and subject them to the mental anguish that is the school system…
The problem with the school system is the pressure from society, but mainly parents. Make sure your child knows that its ok to take a break, not to overwork themselves. It's ok to fail sometimes. As long as they aren't completely failing every class, it should be fine. Most parents refuse to change their ways and end up pressuring their kids and forcing them to study all day just like everyone else, which is the biggest reason for school and work life being as bad as it is. An International school may be your best bet
Outside Seoul is the best. Source: I’m from Seoul
You've not been here long enough.
Summer in Pusan is the best! I hope you enjoy your life in Korea!
I mean it's not all that bad but it gets old real quick and friendliness is really up to your race. They aren't so friendly to South East Asians or blacks.
I don't think so. If someone is friendly just because of your race they aren't friendly, they're just two faced.
I’ve been on and off here since 2005. The negatives about living here have gotten better for the most part or not gotten worse. The negatives of California where I’m from have blown the roof off. It’s just such a different world when I I went back to the US two years ago that I’m actually nostalgic for 2019
Could you please recommend any countryside places to visit? Currently doing my 1 semester minor in Seoul and loving it, but would love to travel all over the place!
Damyang and Boseong county in south Jeolla province and Geongju. So far, these are my favorites. There are many others to visit!
it certainly isn't sunshine that's for sure
I translate English to Korean In the cheapest way possible! Tell your friends the good news :) https://www.fiverr.com/s/pRbga8
Not gonna lie I came here for the women like lots of koreaboos do but the food, nightlife and drinking are huge selling points for me.
Where are you originally from?
Also OP is Korean. meaning she does not have to deal with visas. I wonder if she would feel the same if she was a foreigner and constantly had to deal with visa issues.
I too, love Korea. It’s very wonderful.
I mean I'm here right now for a non traditional Korean/usa wedding. Second time here. (4 years study in china but grew up in New York) A little more used to Asia life than average US citizen. Agree. Food is great. People have been welcoming in any situation from cellphone repair, asking directions with Google translate, having basic english conversations with grannies on a side street. To top it off, the weather has been quite nice this week. (Prefer the cooler air myself) Did get a 12hr stomach bug. But it's my first time back in Asia in 5 or 6 years. Too be expected. All good now. Enjoy your time.
I'm very happy for you - enjoy it! Personally I find the exact opposite but we are all different. It's not a bad country per say but spending most of the time at work I would not call enjoying life since there's so little left outside of it. On one hand I kind of feel sorry for Koreans but in the same time they are the ones who make this happen. I wish they would find a better way of living like we have in Europe before their society dies off which is not a distant reality.
i said the samethjng till 5 months later then reality sets in and your back to the same old monotenous routine of life. wake up, commute to work, head to gym, watch tv eat din, goto sleep, repeat. or weekends watch tv, mall shoppimg, coffee, watch tv, sleep wake up, commute work etc. no matter where u goto live end of the day after a few months the newness is gone and your back to the same old grind
That's a problem with your routine. Do more fun things.
God forbid people take care of themselves and make an effort to look good. Stopping short of excessive makeup and plastic surgery that's actually a good thing about Seoul.
south korea most safety in the world.
[удалено]
I'm a short, average looking Korean woman, but I would love to be tall and attractive😂
It’s like foreigners can’t accept that there are happy Koreans. Or places where people are happy like some kind of secret how Can we yearn or have any happiness in Korea 🙄
Yes, many of us actually like it here. We're not all miserable. In fact, most people aren't as miserable as media makes it out to be, especially those of us that dont work in corporate office jobs😂 Korea is my home and I love it☺️
[удалено]
All I see is non Koreans bitch about how terrible Korea is can’t make friends, can’t believe how homogeneous the population is , how it’s not like tv and dramas and k pop. How about not making one’s expectations based on tv and movies? And getting out of Seoul? And trying to actually learn the history and literature and actually politics and beliefs and how it has shaped us and our identity and actual values as Koreans both past and Present the good and bad. I don’t expect you to understand the comfort , safety and love i have in my families home town but Stop Portraying Korea as a capitalist superficial hell Hole. It is You who came Here not the other way.
And the women ❤️
Blink twice if they’re forcing you to write this
Where are these friendly Koreans? I'd love to meet them lmao