Complete Guide for Moving to South Korea + Packing List

If you’re about to move to South Korea to teach English, you’ve come to the right place! Congrats on your new job! *throws confetti* You are about to embark on an incredible, life-changing journey. Here you will find a packing list, check-list of things to do before your move, and what I WISH I knew and brought with me before moving to Korea!

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Things to Do Before Moving to South Korea

Korean Apps to download

Download these BEFORE moving to Korea! (Especially KakoaTalk!! Trust me.)

• KakoaMap (navigation)
• Naver Map (navigation)
• KakoaTalk (the way everyone communicates)
• Subway Korea (metro system)
• Learn Korean (key phrases and words)
• Yogiyo (food delivery app)

Related article: Travel Apps and All Apps to Download Before a Trip

Moving to Korea Checklist

1. Open up a Citibank bank account (in the USA and Korea for easy transfers)
2. Unlock your phone
3. Preorder a sim card and pick up at the airport
4. Tell your bank you’re leaving
5. Join Facebook groups
   • Expat Women in Korea
   • Edgy Korea Memes for Korean and Expat Drama Queens (for a laugh)
   • Vegan Korea
   • Expats in Busan
   • English Teachers in Busan
   • Busan Hiking Club (weekly/biweekly hikes)
6. Get an international driver’s license
7. Learn a couple of Korean phrases
8. Buy a VPN for security and to watch Netflix/Hulu (I recommend ExpressVPN)

Packing List for South Korea

Clothes

Remember that fashion in Korea might be different from what you’re used to. Koreans do not typically expose their shoulders or collar bones. They also tend to wear looser style clothing. Make sure to ask in your interview what the dress code is for your school.

• Teacher Clothes: lightweight shirts, long sweaters, leggings, comfortable button-ups, comfortable and loose pants
  
  • Tip: The dress code depends on your school. Pack an outfit or two for formal occasions like graduation. Make sure the clothes you bring are comfortable for an 8-hour day of chasing children and crawling around like a crazy person. COMFORT > FASHION! Trust me on this one.
  • Tip #2: Remember, you can always buy tops at the mall when you get here.
    
• A few active tops and pants (Korea has AMAZING hiking!)
• 2-3 pairs of jeans
  
  • Tip: if you are tall and/or curvy, BRING ALL THE PANTS YOU NEED WITH YOU! Even the H&M in Korea only has “Asian style” pants (petite/lean fit).
    
• “Going out” attire: something you feel good in
  • Tip: the pubs aren’t fancy and as an expat, you can get away with wearing sweats to the bar. No one cares. So, just bring some things you feel cute in for the weekend Korean BBQs.
    
• A light jacket and/or winter jacket
  • Tip: If you are moving to Korea in the summertime and you want to pack light, a jacket is not necessary. You can buy one there. (I bought my winter jacket in Busan for $70 at Emart. There are also second-hand shops and markets for a cheaper option.)
    
• Underwear/socks (one pair of hiking socks)
• Swimsuit(s)
• Shoes
  • Hiking boots (not SUPER necessary, but nice to have)
  • Athletic shoes (you will walk A LOT – make sure to have comfortable shoes!!!!)
  • Flip flops (or shoes for the beach)
  • Comfortable work shoes (I wore flats)
    
    • Note: Koreans wear “slippers” or “house shoes” inside, so you may end up wearing those all day depending on your school. You can buy them when you arrive. I borrowed mine from my school. There were parts of my school where there were “slippers-only” zones (lol), so I recommend shoes you can slip on and off easily.
      
  • Warm shoes + socks for the winter
    • It gets cold in the winter (even in Busan).
      
  • Tip: For women and men with big feet (women size 9+/men size 10+), your size will not be at most stores. But, know that you can always order some online if needed!

Electronics

READ: it’s important to research voltage and all that jazz before coming to Korea. If you don’t, you can fry your electronics.

• Voltage converter (for things like hair dryers, straighteners, and electronics like XBOX/PS4) *you can always buy this in Korea*
• Outlet Adapter
• Laptop
• Speaker (for solo dance parties)
• Phone/computer chargers
• Camera
• Headphones
• Headlamp (if you plan on hiking)

Toiletries

You can buy pretty much all of your toiletries and make-up in Korea (or easily order them online) if you live in a big city. If you are moving to a bigger city like Busan, Seoul, or Daegu: I recommend bringing just enough shampoo/whatever else for the first week. After that, you can buy it locally.

• Whatever you use on a daily basis (Q-tips, cotton balls, shampoo, etc)
• Special shampoo (they have regular shampoos in Korea, but if you use something super unique, bring it.)
• Hair products (American brand hair gel or hair care favorites)
• Skincare products (that you can’t live without)
  • Korea has “the best skincare in the world” so I wouldn’t stress too much about bringing a year supplies of skincare
• Make-up for darker skin tones (or if you have a specific brand you use and love)
• Toothpaste (can only buy fluoride-free in Korea)
• Basic medication (Midol, IBuprofen, or whatever you use at home)
• Birth control (they have cheap birth control here, but it wouldn’t hurt to bring a few months worth while you get situated)
• Deodorant (I make my own, linked is the recipe)

Note for POC: Korea is one of the least diverse countries in the world (pretty sure it’s actually the LEAST diverse). It will be hard to find (or impossible) to find foundation and hair products.

Personal Items

• Photos from home or anything that makes you feel at home (I always travel with crystals, photos of friends, and some essential oils that smell like home)
• English books (it’s hard to find books in English) or a Kindle
  • Tip: download Hoopla or OverDrive for free access to library books. You must have a library card to use the app.
• Cards or favorite games

Food, Snacks, & Vitamins

• Snacks from home OR beg your friends/family to send care packages every few months BECAUSE YOU WILL MISS HOT CHEETOS and CLIF bars. Promise.
• Hot sauce (I was heartbroken when I found out the local grocery store only had Tabasco sauce…..)
• Sunflower Butter
• Nutritional yeast
• Vitamins I brought: vitamin D, probiotics, vitamin B12, ashwagandha, women’s multivitamin, and omega-3 plant (note: you can buy most of these on Iherb)
• Spices I brought: Himalayan pink salt, pepper, cinnamon, basil, oregano, and garlic powder (note: you can buy these at the grocery store. Oregano and non-Korean spices might be a little more challenging to find.)

Misc

• Bed linen (it’s hard to find fitted sheets)
• Large towel + beach towel (it’s hard to find BIG towels)
• Airport pillow (luxury item)
• Passport carrier
  • Tip: I recommend keeping things organized at the airport to ease your nerves. I use a passport holder that goes around my neck like this one.

Things to Buy in Korea (Things You Don’t Need to Pack)

There are certain things that are BETTER in Korea that Korea is known for. So, take these things off your list.

• Stationary (DO NOT bring notebooks or pens from home. Korea’s stationary game is TOO strong.)
• Fashion (socks, hats, jewelry, shirts, etc)
• Skincare (Olive Young is the place.)

What’s the weather like in South Korea? How to Pack for the winter in Korea

It depends where you’re living. South Korea’s weather is similar to the Midwest in America. Cold winters and hot summers. The winter was relatively mild in Busan, but I still used a winter jacket. It never snowed and didn’t get below 30 degrees. Sounds nice, but it still felt pretty cold.

These are all things you may need but can buy in Korea:

• Winter jacket
• Scarf
• Hat
• Gloves
• Rain Jacket

Things I WISH I Brought

• Cholula hot sauce (my favorite hot sauce)
• More organic nut butters
• CLIFbars/protein snack bars/SNACKS!

I have yet to find delicious vegan snack bars or protein bars. Although, it’s possible to make your own. There are nuts, seeds, and dried fruit at the grocery stores. Luckily, there are Oreos and skippy peanut butter (at Costco) in Korea.

Related article: My Favorite Vegan Products

Tips for Mentally Preparing for Teaching Abroad

It’s not easy to move abroad. Maybe it’s your first time teaching or your first time moving to another country. If so, the first month may be hard. Here are some tips that I learned along the way and a few that others have shared with me:

1. Be confident. Know your worth.
2. Be open.
3. Read about Korean culture, research BEFORE! (Watch movies, k-dramas, YouTube e videos, etc.)
4. Know that the first month might be really f*cking tough. Push through. The 6-month mark is hard, too. Every month might be hard. Or, you might have a blast.
5. At the same time, you are never stuck. If you want to leave at any time, you can.
6. Bring a journal with you. Journal every day. Write your experience down, you’ll thank me later.
7. If traveling is important to you: research BEFORE! Research parts of Korea that you want to see beforehand. Write a Korean bucket list. Buy a calendar before you come and write down all the Korean holidays. Your contract will go by fast, prepare for your winter and summer vacation!
8. LEARN KOREAN PHRASES BEFOREHAND! When you get to your school, it’s going to be overwhelming. Make it easier on yourself by coming prepared and knowing important phrases.
   1. Also, something that most expats recommend: learn the Korean alphabet. It’s easy to learn and will be a lifesaver. You can learn easily off a YouTubevideo like this one: Learn the Korean Alphabet in 30 Minutes.
9. Trust the process. The universe has put you in Korea for a reason. Make the most of your experience and lean into it.
10. Know your “why.”
    1. Ex: my “why” for teaching in Korea was to save money and travel. On hard days, come back to your “why.” Make sure your experiences and daily habits line up with your “why.”

For POC: Racism in Korea

As a white person, I cannot speak from personal experience, but I’ve heard and seen first-hand that racism exists in Korea (just like many other countries). South Korea is one of the least diverse countries in the world. No matter what you look like, you might get stares or people asking you questions.

One of the teachers at my school, a Black woman, was forced to quit because the director did not like her. There were rumors that he simply did not like Black people at his school. I was shocked. Luckily, she got out of the situation and found a better school (that paid more).

I’ve also heard on forums that it can be harder in the recruitment phase, because some recruiters won’t work with you if you’re not white. If this happens, find a different recruiter.

With all that being said, I’ve met a lot of Blackteachers thriving in Korea who absolutely LOVE it.

Note: there are TONS of YouTube videos of different Black teachers sharing their experiences to get different perspectives.

For LGBTQ+ Teachers Moving to Korea

LGBTQ+ relationships are not criminalized in Korea and LGBTQ+ discrimination is illegal. However, gay marriage is still illegal.. South Korea is less progressive and a bit behind. I recommend joining the LGBTQ+ Korea Facebook Group to find local events and meet-ups. I also recommend using Tinder to connect with other queer teachers (whether it be for friendship or more).

I wish I would have been more open and proactive about finding LGBTQ+ friends and a community. I think it would have enhanced my experience.

But anyway, there are other queer teachers in Korea, you definitely will not be alone.

Cheers to your new journey! Anything else to add to the list? When are you heading to Korea? Comment below!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! Other helpful resources for your journey to teaching abroad in Korea:

• FAQ: Teaching in Korea
• First Week Teaching in Busan
• Best Vegan Restaurants in Busan
• Vegan Guide to Moving to South Korea
• Pros and Cons to Teaching Abroad (recommend reading before you come!!)
• 32 Shockingly Strange Things About South Korea

xoxo,

Court

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