{"id":2568,"date":"2020-08-26T20:01:24","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T20:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachingnomad.com\/?page_id=2568"},"modified":"2020-11-18T07:19:29","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T14:19:29","slug":"living-in-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/jobs\/destinations\/teach-in-south-korea\/living-in-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"Living in South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” module_id=”teach-in-china” _builder_version=”4.5.1″ background_image=”https:\/\/teachingnomad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/South-Korea-landscape-hero-image.jpg” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” da_popup_slug=”teach-in-china” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Living in South Korea” text_orientation=”center” header_fullscreen=”on” button_one_text=”Start your adventure in South Korea” button_one_url=”https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/jobs\/job-board\/c__south+korea\/” module_class=”tnd-page-header” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ title_font=”Lato|800|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_text_color=”#1d1f20″ title_font_size=”40px” title_line_height=”1.2em” background_enable_color=”off” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][et_pb_fullwidth_code admin_label=”Fullwidth Code” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ background_enable_color=”off” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Teach in South Korea<\/a> Living in South Korea<\/a> Current openings<\/a> Document apostilles<\/a><\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_fullwidth_code][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.8″ custom_padding=”80px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.8″][et_pb_cta title=”About South Korea:” button_text=”View jobs in China” module_class=”teach-in-cta” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ header_font=”Lato|900|||||||” header_text_color=”#1d1f20″ header_font_size=”34px” body_font=”Lato||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_text_color=”#606262″ body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.4em” background_enable_color=”off” button_alignment=”center” text_orientation=”left” background_layout=”light” custom_margin=”||-56px|||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

South Korea is becoming an increasingly popular teach abroad destination, and living in South Korea will most likely be a huge change from whatever you’re used to.<\/span><\/p>\n

To set your expectations, it’s best to start learning about the cost of living, the culture, and the activities available to you. Every country in the world is made up of 4 things: the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly. How you deal with each of these will influence your perception of the country or city that you live in.<\/span><\/p>\n

South Korea is home to approximately 51+ million people, and the country is about half the size of the state of Colorado in the United States. According to\u00a0World Population Review<\/a>, the average age in South Korea is about 41 years old, and the average number of children per family is about 1. This means that you’ll mostly be around older adults and that there won’t be children everywhere. You’ll also notice that the population is comprised of mostly native Koreans, so taking the extra step to start learning the language will prove helpful.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re interested in living in Seoul, it’s important to note that there are about 10 million citizens that reside there (about 1.5 million more people living in Seoul compared to NYC). Luckily, South Korea boasts an amazingly efficient transportation system which makes traveling quite easy and affordable. South Korea is also considered a technological leader and has\u00a0one\u00a0of the fastest internet connections in the world! The combination of great transportation and fast internet means that you can get food delivered at almost any time, to virtually anywhere that you might be.<\/span><\/p>\n

On top of everything else, the natural beauty that can only be found in South Korea is something that you don’t want to miss out on. There are many attractions that you can visit in your free time, and the temples that you’ll come across will blow you away.<\/span><\/p>\n

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View jobs in South Korea<\/a><\/p>\n

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The cost of living in South Korea depends on the area you\u2019re living in. Your lifestyle will also play a big role in the amount of money you end up spending per month. If you’re a little more frugal, you may want to find an apartment or home outside of Seoul.<\/span><\/p>\n

The currency unit used in Korea is called \u2018Won\u2019 or KRW. It can be easily exchanged for USD or any other major currency.<\/span><\/p>\n

The average pay for a teacher in South Korea is about 1.5 – 3.5 million KRW per month, which comes out to about $1,345 – $3,140 USD a month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Housing costs are similar to those in the United States, but most everything else will end up being cheaper than what you’re used to.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Educator compensation in South Korea<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#f5f5f5″ min_height=”564px” custom_margin=”-4px||-16px|||” custom_padding=”57px||45px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|0px||||” custom_margin=”-8px|||||”]<\/p>\n

Housing:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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If you choose to live in a more expensive area, you will end up paying about 1,700,000 KRW ($1,500 USD) or more per month.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you decide to live in a less expensive area (maybe outside of Seoul), you can expect to pay about 1,200,000 KRW a month (about $1060 USD \/ month).<\/span><\/p>\n

Expatisan\u00a0<\/a>is a great tool to use to check out the average prices of items in different cities.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/teachingnomad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Traditional-house-in-South-Korea.jpg” alt=”Traditional house in South Korea” title_text=”Traditional house in South Korea” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”|20px||20px|false|true” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset1″ align=”center” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ background_enable_color=”off” custom_margin=”||-1px||false|false” custom_padding=”45px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.8″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.8″][et_pb_cta title=”Language and culture in South Korea” _builder_version=”4.5.1″ header_font=”Lato|900|||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#1d1f20″ header_font_size=”34px” header_line_height=”1.2em” body_font=”Lato||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_text_color=”#606262″ body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.4em” background_enable_color=”off” text_orientation=”left” background_layout=”light” max_width=”920px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|auto|-3px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false”]<\/p>\n

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Culture shock is a real thing, and it’s in your best interest to avoid experiencing it. Culture shock can’t always be avoided, but creating realistic expectations will certainly help.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Language in South Korea<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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Korean is the dominant language spoken in South Korea, but you will come across a variety of dialects depending on the region you\u2019re in. The written language of Korea is called Hangul (\ud55c\uae00) which is quite easy to learn. Hangul was created to help commoners learn how to read and write and has greatly improved the literacy rate in Korea. We suggest having at least a basic understanding of Hangul because most signs will be written in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

When learning Korean, it\u2019s important to note that Koreans have a hierarchical language system, so speech levels and honorifics must be followed. When meeting someone, you should be aware of their age and status so that you know how to address them properly. Koreans will have different endings depending on the age and status of the individual they\u2019re speaking with. \u2018Jondaemal\u2019 (\uc874\ub313\ub9d0) refers to formal language and is used when speaking to someone of a higher rank than you or to an older individual (grandparents, parents). \u2018Banmal\u2019 ( \ubc18\ub9d0) is known as the informal language that is used when speaking to someone who is of similar age\/status or to someone younger than you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ background_color=”#f5f5f5″ custom_margin=”-4px|||||” custom_padding=”44px||36px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-96px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”39px|||||” custom_padding=”|0px||||”]<\/p>\n

Religion<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Although South Korea has one of the most homogenous populations in the world, the overarching religion is divided between Christianity and Buddhism. There is also a large number of people that do not follow or actively practice any religion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Religion can often shape all aspects of a person’s life, so having a basic understanding of each main religion can help you avoid any conflict that could arise due to misunderstandings or ignorance.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/teachingnomad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Buddhist-temple-in-South-Korea.jpg” alt=”Buddhist temple in South Korea” title_text=”Buddhist temple in South Korea” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”20px|20px||20px|false|true” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset1″ align=”center” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_id=”cities” _builder_version=”4.4.9″ custom_padding=”0px||4px||false|false” da_popup_slug=”cities” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.8″][et_pb_cta title=”Social norms in South Korea” button_text=”Apply Now!” module_class=”teach-in-cta” _builder_version=”4.5.1″ header_font=”Lato|900|||||||” header_text_color=”#1d1f20″ header_font_size=”34px” body_font=”Lato||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_text_color=”#606262″ body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.4em” background_enable_color=”off” text_orientation=”left” background_layout=”light” custom_padding=”50px||||false|false”]<\/p>\n

One of the most important things to remember when moving across the world is the fact that the societal norms that you’re used to are about to drastically change. It’s also incredibly important to be aware of the norms in your destination country because they might be taken very seriously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You should also be prepared to answer questions that may seem a bit\u00a0prying, especially when it comes to your marital status.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A few examples of societal conventions in South Korea are:<\/strong><\/p>\n