Korean Job Discussion Forums

Starla · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Location: Seoul

Okay, so I'm moving to Korea for work this August and I've just started the daunting task of packing! I'm so glad I went on vacation there a month ago because I found out exactly what I will need to bring along. Besides haircolor for my blonde hair, underwear, comfort foods and spices, I will need to bring my entire wardrobe because for one, most Korean fashions don't fit me right (especially the one size fits all type that's pretty rampant in Korea) and if they do fit me, I don't usually like the style or at least the way it looks on me. In the U.S., I don't have that problem and I have too much beautiful clothes to choose from. I'm a size 6/small here with a size 9 shoe though I realize that there, I may be a medium/large.

That being said, I have a lot of "stuff" I want to take along, much of which I refuse to leave behind. A lot of it is new and there's much needed winter clothes. I really hope to stay in Korea for over a year so I will need all that stuff, I'm sure. But I simply don't have enough suitcase space for all of it.

I was considering having my packages shipped to my new home in Korea. So I was looking to find out of any good and inexpensive shipping companies anyone on here has used. How did you arrange it prior to leaving for Korea since you may have not known your new address until you arrived? I plan to pack my boxes to be shipped before I leave, label them and then ask my family by email to ship them to my address when I arrive in Korea. Does this sound like a good plan?

Also, I heard that you should pack your own sheets which I have plenty of too. But my sheets are Queen sized. I'm assuming the bed I will be sleeping in will be twin sized so I may not bring fitted sheets. Is that a good assumption? I plan to bring towels too. I heard they are hard to find in Korea and may not be provided. So I'm asking ahead of time. Last, I have perfume bottles which are a bit over 3 ounces (3.4 to be exact) so I'm not sure if I could take them in my carry on. How would you pack those since they're made of glass and fragile? I don't want to open my suitcases and find all my things drenched in perfume. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

MUOhio82 · Joined: 25 Apr 2008

A bonafide clothes horse and girl who loves shoes, clothing, and fashion, I COMPLETELY overpacked, and have been wearing the same pair of shorts, tanks tops, and 3 dresses for the past month. My school has a pretty lax dress code so basically just a dress, a cardi, and flip flops....

It's too hot for me yet to even think about wearing jeans, and anything long sleeved I should have shipped.

Perfume bottles I wrapped in bubble wrap and put in the suitcases, towels I bought at Home Plus here, I'm 5'10 and they work fine.

Bring tampons.... LOTS of them!

Good luck!

zpeanut · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Location: Pohang, Korea

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Don't forget to bring some "stayfresh" panty liners.

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

And if you think you will visit home once during your contract you could pick up more stuff then.

Starla · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Location: Seoul

Starla · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Location: Seoul

Starla · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Location: Seoul

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

Your apartment is one room and maybe a small kitchen. You will probably not have a closet but a wardrobe. You will not have room if you bring suitcases loaded with stuff.

I brought one large bag and it still seemed like too much. I didn't wear half the things I brought.

Ask your school about dress code, then you'll know what you need to bring.

Starla · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Location: Seoul

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Tip #1: Anything breakable or aromatic, like perfume and spices, pack in zip lock baggies in case they break/come open.

Tip #2: Go to the post office and mail your stuff to yourself in care of your new school address. That way, they'll arrive soon after you do. Just notify your school that you are expecting boxes. (Let them figure out what to do with them if they arrive before you do.)

Have a good trip over.

ciccone_youth · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Location: Japan

I packed really light myself, even though I don't seem like I'd be that kind of person Wink

Most beauty products (skincare, makeup, personal care) I bought over here. I'm quite happy with all the brands offered here (I use both high-end and low-end).

Clothes... luckily I fit in the 'one-size-fits all' and i have small feet, so i bought lots of shoes here. I brought my winter coats though since I cherish them so much, and two pairs of boots. Most summer clothes I purchased here, so many cheap things and the shopping is just amazing.

I'm glad I brought two blankets and my own pillow, that was the best decision.

Otherwise not much more... bought a hairdryer and straightening iron here, both really cheap. I did not bring food, but instead I ask my mom to mail me some things. She actually mailed me a pair of shoes I left back home, I packed in such a hurry.

Good luck!

Kikomom · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:31 am Post subject:

What Ya-ta said... Use the school address and phone number on your luggage tags too.

A power converter for your laptop if you're bringing one.

Wario (my kid) took an assortment of OTC drugs--tums, tylenol, Pepto-Bismo tabs, etc.

Here's a packers dream: Space Bags. They work just like on tv, but you'll end up paying for overweight bags. You can find them at Walmart too.

Carry the address and phone numbers of your school and recruiter contact with you at all times. Make two copies (on index cards), one for your wallet and one for your passport.

My strongest advice is to pack a day or twos worth of extra clothing, toiletries in your carry-on bag. That way if you get disconnected from your luggage, you have something to get by with until they are delivered. Asiana Airlines lost Wario's, but the school director had them delivered to his apt the next day. He used her name and phone number as the contact person.

yupkime · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Location: Somewhere far away from Seoul

You just need a plug shape converter for your laptop since it should work with any voltage (110-220V) which you can buy here for about 50 cents.

Do place your address inside your package as well just in case it gets ripped open or whatever ...

Pack light, you will definitely leave here with more than you came here with.

DrOctagon · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Location: Chicago

This is some of the stuff I plan on bringing. I'm a newbie, plus I'm going to be living on Jeju island. It might be harder to get certain things. Let me know if this is too much or too little.

-All of my clothes (this includes a thick, heavy wool coat, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc. Is this a good idea?)
-A year's supply of deodorant.
-A couple bottles of cologne
-Grooming stuff (do they sell Barbasol shaving cream with Aloe? How about Gillette Sensor Excel razors?)
-Xbox360 (which is pretty heavy)
-Spices (not sure if I'll be able to buy all the spices I like over there)
-Bedsheets
-Maybe a towel or two
-A baseball glove (can I buy one there?)
-Four or five pairs of shoes, ranging from sneakers to dress shoes.
-Probably some other stuff that I can't think of right now.

Carry-on:
-Laptop bag with my laptop in it, of course, and a few other necessities.
-A concert sized ukulele

*Does this seem like too much? Just enough? Am I missing anything?