What’s it Like Living in South Korea?

Many of my thoughts, observations, and experiences have changed since this post was first written in 2019. I left Korea in 2021, and have traveled extensively throughout the United States. This is an updated version of what it’s like living in South Korea as an American expat woman.

If you’re just finding this post (or you’ve been here a while), hi and welcome! My name is Gina, and I lived in Asia for almost a decade. I’m a proud Chicagoan who kicked off her expat journey in Japan. If you’re interested in learning more, read all about me.

I have always encouraged my readers to live their very best life. After all, I never let anyone tell me no or allow anyone else’s expectations to dictate mine…

So why should you? That being said, I want to preface this by saying these are my unfiltered thoughts, opinions, and observations about living in South Korea.

Comparing Life in South Korea to America

Before living in Asia, I was a poor college student and didn’t have much money to travel. I worked part-time to pay for food, gas, and school supplies.

However, after returning to the United States, I worked for an airline in Texas, which meant free flights and making the American dollar. While living in South Korea, one of my dreams was to travel all over the United States, and I managed to visit different States and cities.

American Culture Vs Korean Culture

In America, it’s normal to hang out at your friend’s house. That culture doesn’t really exist in South Korea.

Friends usually meet at cafes or cool new Instagrammable locations in Seoul. Honestly, I really love this because it’s a great excuse to dress up and leave the house.

South Korea is a hierarchal society which means age is EVERYTHING. Age changes the way people address each other.

If you have no idea what you’re doing, it’s very easy to insult someone. For example, the oldest person at an outing should eat or drink first. In addition, this hierarchy system means the eldest person or the person with the most power (like a principal) will foot the bill.

Another unique part of Korean culture is also “saving face”. This means the desire not to cause someone embarrassment.

Most Koreans will ghost the situation or avoid the problem entirely to avoid causing drama in their social circles or workplaces. Take my advice—pick and choose your battles wisely.

Also, if you date in Korea, ghosting will have an entirely new meaning. As your internet big sister, the best advice I can give on the matter is to block back and move on.

Weather in South Korea

Chicago gets God doesn’t love you cold in winter. South Korea in January is almost exactly the same.

There is one thing both places have in common, and that is four distinct seasons. If you want to learn more about the weather in Korea year-round, I have guides for spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

In Korea, the air pollution has been getting worse. If you have pre-existing conditions or asthma, I implore you to consider what that means to your health if you decide to move abroad.

American Food Vs Korean Food

Due to inflation in 2025, eating out and buying groceries is stupidly expensive in America. When at a restaurant, Americans are expected to pay tips.

Many foods in America have additives that don’t belong there. As a result, I have gained a lot of weight, was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and have also had to fight off a sugar addiction.

I really hate how corporate greed is paying scientists to addict people to certain foods so they can keep buying and bringing in profits.

When dining out in Korea, the servers ignore you until you’re ready to order or want additional orders. In that case, you just wave them down or hit a button on the table to call them.

It’s cheaper to eat at Korean restaurants than to cook at home. Be aware vegetables are reasonably priced but fruit can be astronomically expensive (unless you’re haggling at the local market).

A word of caution—Koreans like putting sugar on their garlic bread and making their pizza sweet. Unless the joint is run by a foreigner, you’re not going to get good Western food.

Public Transport in America Vs South Korea

In my experience traveling throughout the United States, most big cities have decent public transit. In Chicago, you can get anywhere via the bus or “L” and it is a very walkable city. If you’re going anywhere besides a city, you’re gonna need a car.

In South Korea, public transport is cheap and efficient. I can get from one side of the city to the other for less than $5.

Beware delivery scooters, which will run you over as you walk on the sidewalk. Driving in Korea is a health hazard because people don’t always watch what they’re doing. However, I will say people in Texas drive the worst out of everywhere in the world.

American Fashion Vs Korean Fashion

Americans don’t dress up unless absolutely necessary… NGL, I really hate it when people don’t put effort into their appearance. It looks sloppy.

I’m kinda glad the Koreans made me vain and take care of my appearance. It’s been better for my mental health overall.

Korean fashion consists of a boxy top that covers your chest and shoulders. Many Korean women wear really short skirts, dresses, and shorts. While this style looks amazing on them, I do not have the body type to pull it off.

While living in Korea, I bought most of my clothes from American Eagle, H&M, and Hollister. If you’re curious about where to go shopping in Korea if you’re a curvy foreign woman, I have a YouTube video to help.

Korean Beauty is Elite

I gotta hand it to Korea for being so forward-thinking in their beauty techniques. I only use Korean skincare with my two favorite brands being AHC and Glow Recipe.

While in Seoul, I had the opportunity to try different skincare clinics and procedures. My favorite was the Acure laser at the DA Plastic Surgery and Dermatology Clinic.

Also, one of my top recommendations when in Seoul is the Whoo Spa. Their beauty treatments are incredible and will leave your skin glowing like the first day you came out of the womb.

Dating In America Vs Dating in Korea

When it comes to dating in America, it’s all about being casual while focusing on individual independence. How well you do in South Korea depends on your personality and appearance.

While there are Korean men here who are curious about other cultures and don’t care about skin color, race, ethnicity, body type, etc., there are men who do. I also want to advise there is a very dark side to dating in Korea that you should be aware of.

Just remember. It doesn’t matter the man’s culture, race, ethnicity, or country—if he likes you, he will pursue you.

Koreans have a huge couple culture. They love couple outfits, shoes, phone cases, and Korean couple rings, to name a few.

Friendship in America Vs South Korea

When I lived in America as a young twenty-something, I was on an entirely different train. Because I was going out every weekend, I made friends at every bar and house party I went to.

As a young woman in my thirties, I make friends while traveling and through work. I’ve also been blessed to make lifelong friends abroad who are like my family.

Be careful when making friends in Korea because people have ulterior motives when they befriend you. Some Koreans want to have the cool foreign friend or practice their English.

Unfortunately, when they’re done with you, they’ll ghost. This isn’t to say I don’t have Korean friends because I do.

However, if they are my friends, they’ve usually lived abroad and we can connect that way. Plus, they’re usually interesting people so there’s that. 😉

The Cost of Living in America Vs South Korea

Living in Korea isn’t expensive if you’re making an English teacher’s salary and know the basics of budgeting. If you’re not going out drinking all the time and spending your money on useless stuff, you’re gonna be fine.

If you’re teaching English in Korea, in most situations, we can assume you’re living in free housing and getting some awesome raises for extending at your school.

The only thing that is expensive in Korea is housing because you have to put down a large sum of key money in order to live rent free or pay a small amount of rent per month. Buying a car is cheap, but gas is expensive.

As for traveling, I have an entire Seoul Budget Travel Guide that will teach you how to travel cheaper in Seoul for longer.

As of 2025, South Korea is also offering the digital nomad visa, so if you’re making the American dollar, it will go very far.

Healthcare in America Vs South Korea

What pains me the most to say is I would rather die than go in an ambulance to the hospital in America. Because if I do survive, my entire life will be over from drowning in medical debt.

While living in Korea, I was washing dishes, sliced open my finger, and had to get seven stitches. For the medical care and antibiotics, it cost me a grand total of… Wait for it… $35. I shudder to think how much that kind of doctor’s visit in America would have cost me.

Another time I was so sick from food poisoning, I had to stay the entire weekend in the hospital. For my stay plus the medicine, it cost me $300 out of pocket.

My health insurance in Korea covered the dentist, vision, and even a yearly check-up at the gynecologist. I am sad I didn’t fully appreciate the peace of mind having such awesome health insurance gave me.

Low Crime Rate in South Korea

One of the things I most enjoy about South Korea is being able to leave my personal belongings on the table and no one will take them. If I did that in Chicago or anywhere, my stuff would be gone as soon as I turned my back.

Plus, in Korea, I like the fact I can walk home late at night without much worry. You would never catch me dead walking the streets of Chicago alone after midnight.

I am also a firm believer in strict gun laws. In Korea, you can own firearms, but you have to follow rigid regulations to have them.

I hate how teachers in America can’t teach peacefully because they have to worry about a crazy person walking into their classroom and opening fire. It was such a relief to know my students and I would always be safe in our learning environment.

But… Is it safe to live in South Korea?

Korea is one of the safest places I’ve ever lived in the world. I also lived in Okinawa, Japan too which was really safe.

The American media likes to blow shit out of proportion and I promise you North Korea is not a threat. America installed THAAD, and whenever they throw temper tantrums to “engulf the world in fire,” it’s only to get aid because they can’t feed their people.

Most South Koreans think Kim Jong Eun is a giant joke and I do, too.

Racism in South Korea

This is kind of a difficult topic for me to talk about since it makes me uncomfortable and things I say can and will be misconstrued. But I’m going to attempt to talk about my situation and I hope that you can all understand where I’m coming from.

I am half Italian and half Mexican. Apart from summer, when my skin gets pretty tan, I look lighter-skinned year-round.

While in America, most people would probably catch on I’m not 100% white, that’s not the case in Korea. I did benefit from some “white privilege”.

If you’re curious to know some of the really rank shit that happened to me, check out my experiences on racism in Korea.

In Conclusion

My experiences don’t speak for every expat in Korea. I’m just one American chick who happens to have a blog and readers who actually care about what I say.

I hope this post has helped you figure out life in Korea from an American perspective and why I lived there for almost six years.

This post contains affiliate links which means at no additional cost to you, I make a small commission to help keep Gina Bear’s Blog running. Thanks for your support!

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