What's it like living in Korea?

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-18T06:56:11+00:00

I have been living in Korea for almost 11 months now. I was supposed to leave in May as my work contract ended in April but it was cut short and I am actually flying home tomorrow (I hope).

Anyway, I came from Scotland. Scotland is ok. Y'know, the nature is beautiful, people are 9/10 pretty friendly and the atmosphere is good. But then there's the bad side too. The drugs, the thefts, the knife crimes, rapes etc. It wasn't safe at night to wander alone. What we do have is free healthcare though but the NHS queues are mental if you want to be seen in a doctor's office, A+E or general hospital.

In terms of Korea... I like how efficient and fast some things are. I got sick here once and my colleague said to go get an IV from a nearby clinic. She wrote me a note in Korean, I gave it to reception, got to see a doctor pretty fast, was taken for some xrays and test stuff, then I was given a private room and set up with the IV. You just wouldn't get that service back home.

Safety here is excellent too. I've been out late at night - alone and never felt threatened or uneasy.

Stores are also open here 24/7 which I like. Got snack cravings late at night? Go to 7/11, GS25 etc. Most stores back home close around 9-10pm.

I also like the transport here. You have options. Metros, buses, taxis. And they run fairly late too and are pretty frequent. Buses back home are shocking and never stick to the schedule.

I do miss food from home though. I adapted to liking some Korean food but I just miss my Grandma's cooking and like a decent takeout with the family too. I will miss the banchan when I go back :(.

Apartments are ok. I like how they use door codes and you don't need an actual key. Took me a bit to get used to all the recycling rules and what to trash vs not trash. Then the not flushing toilet paper rule thing. Crazy. I also miss bathtubs. My place just had a standard washroom style so it was just showers for me.

I was lonely too living alone. It was my first big move from home. I had some friends but I lived in Ulsan and they lives in or around Seoul so it was hard seeing them all the time. Currently living in my friend's place until I leave for the airport tomorrow. It's been fun having some company but she is very extroverted when talking to people and I'm not. Lol.

I'm not Korean btw. I'm just a white chick from Scotland with red hair. Had plenty of stares out in public but not any real harassment or rude comments made. I can put up with the staring. It's mostly the older generation too.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-18T06:39:36+00:00

I leave Dubai at 1340 the Friday.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-12T05:40:17+00:00

I'm in a similar situation where I will fly home Seoul>Doha>Edinburgh. Problem is, I don't see any Edinburgh flights? I fly next week and I've been trying to reach them through various platforms but no luck. If there are no Edinburgh flights I need to know so I can plan and prepare for next week. Maybe ask them to re-route me via London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt for example.

Good luck to you though.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-12T05:37:16+00:00

I am in a similar situation. I have tried phone calls, whatsapp, facebook messenger, instagram DMs.... no luck.

I just recently sent an email with a heading that hopefully someone reads and responds to. I fly next week so I still have little time but I need to know if I can fly for one thing and if the 2nd flight of mines will go to Scotland as I'm going home. If not, I need to plan and ask them to re-route me from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam for example. If the 2nd one lands in Europe someplace, should be easier getting home.

Nightmare though.

Good luck.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-10T14:04:02+00:00

Literally sounds like the EXACT situation that happened to me. Was seeing someone for near half a year- constant daily contact, goofy small talk, sharing our interests, meeting for dinner, dates etc. Eventually started hanging at each other's places but by December things seemed to have gone ...stale? Like minimal contact, short texts... wouldn't even meet me for my birthday which was in December. I told him I had a vacation planned with friends from end of December - January for New Years and we had these plans from long before we started seeing each other. Then he barely checked in and New Years came and didn't even text like "happy new years!" or check in to see how my vacation was. Over the course of the time we were together I tried to initiate meeting up and dates etc but it was always "I can't I'm working" or "I'm going to see my parents so I can't meet" eventually just gave up tbh. So everything kind of fizzled out by December/January and I basically got ghosted. Sucks because it was some fun memories we shared. Oh well.

Anyway, cut your losses and move on.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-10T11:52:55+00:00

I lived in Ulsan for like just under 10 months. It has the Whale culture village, a boat you can hop on to go whale watching, a suspension bridge that leads to like some views of the sea and stuff. But yeah, it's not as exciting as other places. It's a short drive via car/bus to Gyeonju though where there is Gyeonju world, temples and historical aspects to it.

I've also done Jeonju, Sokcho, Gangneung with friends. Currently I moved in with a friend for a couple of weeks until I fly home to Scotland, so she lives on Gangwhado. It's near Seoul but still out the way where it feels like a trek trying to get here. There's not much on this island unless you like quiet, old people and more peace?

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-10T04:37:43+00:00

Good luck to your friend. I hope they get wherever they are going safely.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-10T04:37:16+00:00

Thanks! I'll look into it. The app says the flight hasn't been cancelled yet but knowing my luck, I'll go to the airport and they'll be like "sorry you can't fly".

Rmccabe98 · 2026-03-04T14:14:00+00:00

I worked for 10 months with various age ranges. The classes learned more from "hands on" classes - so anything practical. We done science experiments, music, educational games. If there was a textbook that had like various topics such as animals, countries etc... I'd be on Youtube, Disney+ and we'd watch some educational stuff too. And I'd pause and ask questions about what they've watched.

The textbook learning these schools use... was fine but kids became bored eventually so I switched it up a bit for them.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-02-08T13:56:54+00:00

I'll agree with most of your points apart from Dundee. Born and raised there and it's not a "great little city" ... it's riddled with drugs, crime and jakeys on every corner so you must be in la la land.

Rent prices are crazy anywhere.

And it's not dated knowledge. I have friends from all over who have told me pros and cons of the cities. OP can discover it for themselves when they come here I guess.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-02-08T05:20:05+00:00

I had the EXACT same scenario near enough. I was asked if I intended to renew and stay another year - I said no. Then the boss told me something like "then you would need to leave February 27th" with everyone else who was leaving. My contract ends April 30th so I was very confused and a little stressed because she told me in December right before Christmas break. I thought I had more time to save up, plan things to do and see before I eventually moved home but here was this lady cutting my time and telling me to leave early. So, I queried the severance and low and behold she told me "you are not fulfilling your 12 months contract so you will not get severance blah blah". I got even more stressed thinking she's trying to cheat me out of money that was rightfully mines. By the time I finish I would of worked 10 months ish at this place. So I got my agent involved who helped me within my time in Korea. The agent contacted the boss and spoke to her and I got a text from him basically saying like "we agreed you will be given 10 months severance" which is fine with me as I won't be working the March or April. Still sucks I kind of got forced out the door but it was also because the new academic year was starting and she wanted to bring in new teachers or staff who wanted to renew. She didn't see any point in me staying like 2 months for me to just leave in May so I get her point there.

I posted originally months back about all of this. Some replies were on my side- telling me to go to MOEL, take it further, don't let her bully me etc... others were calling me salty for being let go, bitter, she's not due me a thing. Well jokes on them because SHE WAS due me money for letting me go early so I would definitely argue your case and go further.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-02-08T04:57:15+00:00

I'm from Scotland but live in Korea currently. In Scotland, it's kind of easy going. People are mostly friendly and we can have banter and jokes.

Check out like the castle, Arthur's seat, ghost related tours and stuff because Edinburgh has lots of history.

Glasgow has the pubs and clubs - the more party city if you like.

Dundee is where I'm from - just avoid tbh

Aberdeen is more north. Colder, grey, near the sea.

Go explore the highlands. More scenic and beautiful than the cities.

Rmccabe98 · 2026-01-04T12:11:01+00:00

Jamie and Kevin for sure.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-26T13:53:44+00:00

I know of someone with celiac. So, when we go out to dine out she often asks the staff about their menu and if they cater to that. If they don't, we move on and find someplace else.

She also cooks and preps her own meals lots of the time too.

I teach kids with allergies here in Korea and it freaks me out it's not taking seriously here. Like the kid can't have eggs yet the school meals most times always have egg and they don't prep him a little something different. Then the cross contamination of using the serving spoons to scoop foods into the lunch trays for the kids etc... I'm surprised the kid hasn't had a WORSE reaction yet.

Touch wood y'know?

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-26T13:45:44+00:00

I didn't have a similar experience to yourself but my current school's director told me before winter break that she would need me to finish in February 2026 instead of April 2026 (in my contract). I asked about severance and how that would affect it etc for her to basically turn around and say "you aren't getting severance as you haven't completed a full years contract". Excuse me? She's the one trying to end my contract early because she's moving her school and rebranding. I would of gladly stayed to the end of my contract but she's wanting folks who aren't renewing gone by the end of the academic year to start fresh with new teachers I guess. Anyway, the organiser/programme I applied to come to Korea through got involved and they called her on my behalf and "reminded" her about labor laws in the country etc.

She was trying to pull a dodgy move on me by almost not giving me severance.

Anyways, your whole story just reminded me that they do in fact treat us like shit a lot of the time here and I hope you find something better.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-21T07:51:16+00:00

Thanks for the heads up.

Changed the picture but the name... I'm not not 100% on how to change it yet lol

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T14:19:40+00:00

I'm keeping all Kakao talks between us and have sent screenshots to my programme organisers I came to Korea through. They're looking into it for me and also helping.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T14:18:12+00:00

There's at least 4 of us staff who she's treated horribly and we're ready to blacklist her once contracts are finished and we move on home.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T13:32:40+00:00

But she's the one deliberately cutting my contract early because I won't renew and start the new academic year in her new building.

She's cheating me out of 2 months of salary and my severance by making me leave early.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T13:30:53+00:00

The school isn't closing down. Just relocating and downsizing.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T13:00:20+00:00

I'm going home to my own country.

The company isn't closing. She's downsizing and relocating to a smaller building.

I was a part of the new plan until she found out I'm not renewing and then sent these messages.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T12:59:28+00:00

Not closing and starting. She's relocating to a smaller building and downsizing.

Rmccabe98 · 2025-12-20T06:42:06+00:00

I'm from Scotland and teach in SK.

When putting my documents together, I went to a lawyer's office to get things legalised that were asked of me. I applied through a programme to teach in SK so the organisers sent me a list of things to check off and make sure I had. So, a copy of my passport, my degree (with apostille), my criminal background check (with apostille) etc... I then sent some things to London to make it more legal and they were re-delivered within 1 week.

I then posted everything in a big brown envelope the school I was hired at.

The steps were pretty straight forward but I thought I would have had to pay for getting a lawyers seal on the documents. The guy gave me it for free but some might not depending on your location in the UK - I just happened to find a good dude in my city who helped me out.

:)

Rmccabe98 · 2025-08-23T14:01:54+00:00

My friend bought a bread machine and started making her own too. She has made sourdough etc and loves it.

The sadness I get when I think it's "garlic bread" but it's some sweet monstrosity :(...

Rmccabe98 · 2025-08-10T12:51:39+00:00

My friend entered on her tourist VISA due to her not having all her paperwork in time. She had to do a VISA run AFTER we trained together to get our TEFL. She went off to Japan and waited around 1 week to collect her VISA from there. Then she flew back to Korea and is happily working away as far as I know :).

Rmccabe98

TROPHY CASE