A refined guide
Everything you need to settle in Korea.
Visas, housing, banking, healthcare, phones, transit — explained in plain English, with direct links to the official Korean sources you actually need.
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Nine chapters
Choose where to begin- ⅰ한국 소개
About Korea
The land, the cities, the food, and the everyday rhythms — orientation for what you're stepping into.
Get a feel for the place before you arrive.
- ⅱ비자
Visa & Legal
Visa categories, the Alien Registration Card, and how to file paperwork at immigration.
Pick the right visa, then register within 90 days.
- ⅲ주거
Housing
Understand jeonse vs wolse, typical deposits and rent, and where to search listings.
Korean rentals use big deposits — understand them first.
- ⅳ은행
Banking
Open a Korean bank account, get a debit card, transfer money in and out of Korea.
You'll need an ARC and a Korean phone to open an account.
- ⅴ의료
Healthcare
National Health Insurance, how to see a doctor, and what things actually cost.
World-class care, mandatory NHIS, very low out-of-pocket costs.
- ⅵ통신
Phone & Internet
Prepaid vs postpaid plans, the major carriers, and home internet setup.
Prepaid SIM on arrival; postpaid after your ARC.
- ⅶ교통
Transit
T-money card, subway and bus systems, KTX intercity rail, and ride-hailing apps.
Buy a T-money card on day one. Everything else follows.
- ⅷ세금
Taxes & Finance
Income tax for foreigners, the 19% flat-tax option, year-end settlement, and pension refunds on departure.
Most foreigners pay progressive tax; high earners may pick the 19% flat.
- ⅸ앱
Everyday Apps
The Korean apps you'll actually use — food delivery, shopping, movies, maps, payments — and how foreigners sign up.
A Korean phone number unlocks almost every app you'll need.
The first 90 days
A newcomer's checklist
A rough order of operations. Don't try to do it all in week one — most of it has to wait for the one before it.
- 01Pick the right visa category
- 02Enter Korea — keep your stamp / K-ETA info
- 03Find short-term housing for your first weeks
- 04Apply for the Alien Registration Card within 90 days
- 05Open a Korean bank account once you have your ARC
- 06Buy a SIM (prepaid first, postpaid after ARC)
- 07Enroll in National Health Insurance
- 08Pick up a T-money card for transit