Korean Job Discussion Forums

[travelin_shoe]

I'm going to be working for EPIK and living in Busan. I'm just curious how much money others have needed for the orientation period and before the first paycheck? I like to go out a couple of nights a week.

[tommo123456789]

I needed like 6-700 bucks.. I ate out a bunch and went to the bars a bunch trying to fit in with my co-workers and learn how things work over here. Plus I had to get a bunch of stuff for my apartment..

[Hyeon Een]

If you wanta eat in Western style restaurants and drink whiskey, take $1500 or more. A LOT more if you want to surround yourself with high class ladies.

If you wanta party it up foreigner-in-Korea style bring like $1000. This is assuming you have a high alcohol tolerance and will be taxi-ing it home late at night. If you're going shopping for clothes/furnishins etc. then you might want to double it.

If you wanta eat Korean and drink Korean take like $800. You can get drunk a lot and have a good time eating korean food.

If you wanta be a cheap b@stard and get hammered a coupla times a week whilst sitting outside a convenience store, and don't mind eating crappy cheap food, then $400 might cover you. (Drink makkoli, eat at kimbab nara/chonguk)

The above assumes proper partying, not just "a drink or two" on your nights out.

Oh and if you want to drink wine and eat in 5* hotels bring like $5000 or more. It gets crazy expensive when you start living off of flown in imports.

Basically: It's a hell of a lot cheaper than Britain, and a fair bit cheaper than N.America, depending on what you're into and what you want to do.

If however your main interest is imported western food and coffee, then Korea is a hell of a lot more expensive than wherever you're from.

Welcome to Korea.

[ciccone_youth]

yes, depending on your lifestyle, at least 700$. your first month is expensive, you'll want to go to Costco or HomePlus and get the basics for your apartment, you might get a cell phone, and/or gym membership. the food and drinks are cheap here if you stick to Korean food.

[wylies99]

Try to eat at home as much as possible and don't buy any gifts until later. There's plenty of time for tourist stuff later in the year-when you have more money.

[PGF]

Wow. I burned through $2000 in the month before I got my first pay check. And that's when I realized that I needed to do private lessons to survive in korea.........

[articulate_ink]

Pretty much everyone commented on your putative drinking habits first. Interesting. You can expect three major expenses while you settle in:

You'll need to buy your own mobile phone; this isn't like the US, where you can choose a basic one when you start a contract. If you go with SK Telecom, there's also a 200K won deposit. (Has the amount changed? I set mine up 3 years ago.) You can get prepaid service too, and although it's cheaper up front, it's more expensive over time.

You'll probably need to buy cookware and utensils, towels, and bed linens. Your apartment will be furnished with basics but Koreans tend to go for kitsch. You may or may not want to sleep on an embossed pillowcase that leaves a lace imprint on your face. Small appliances add up fast: coffee maker, microwave, toaster oven.

At first, while you're getting used to things, you may want to eat at Western restaurants because you can read the menus. Chinese restaurants often have English menus too, or at least the better ones do. This can be ungodly expensive.

You can get by on less than $1000 US but I wouldn't recommend it, just for peace of mind.

[gajackson1]

a_i is pegging it pretty well, I think - but soooooo much of this has to do with you, your school, and your expectations for the first month.

I 'needed' a bunch of the things mentioned when I first got here - but most of it was provided by my 1st school, just upon asking. Breakfast-y stuff was cheap/local; lunches were provided free at school. Dinner? 1/2 the time I was on my own (simple stuff at home or local restaurants), and 1/2 was people taking me out. Entertainment was more limited my first town - all the drinking was with Koreans or with local foreigners in foreigner-friendly bars (thank you, I.P.!!!)

I had a home phone line, cable TV. No internet at my place at that time - I didnt have a computer; used the one at school or at PC bang. My cell phone came through my school.

I DID want/need semi-western linens and real-sized towel (I think I got a Korean 'beach towel,' which was normal-sized to me )

My school would have been happy to provide me with an advance (but I KNEW not to ask for one), and if you are young (like fresh out of college young), you maaaayyyyybbee could, but I think much better to come here with a small cash kitty instead.

As for going out? Wow - that depends so much on what that means to you. Busan, for 4 mil + people, seems so much more limited in foreigner-friendly nightlife options. Somyeon area, PNU, Dallas (does that place still exist?), Pusan Station area, and the beaches. You could be sitting on the steps of the police station, drinking OB from a jug, or out with Japanes high-rollers spending $5k USD a night on 'entertainment.'

Proabably you'd be best off to get into touch with a Pusan EPIK person for the skinny on stuff. Best of luck that you get into one of the better slots there, and have fun while you are here.

Regards,

G.

[princess]

[shifty]

Bring only 300 000 won. It'll set the tone for a psychosis of thrift.

What's this splashing out on phones and club membership when you haven't even got your first salary yet?

[OnTheOtherSide]

[wylies99]

A big WHAT is dropping into WHAT?




Just remember to flush.

[OnTheOtherSide]

[mrsquirrel]

$3000

Setup money, walking around money and exit plan money.

Why people come here with just enough to get by in the first month is beyond me. You are leaving yourself open to trouble if you cannot pay for a ticket out of here quickly if it all goes terribly wrong.

[Gideon]

You will need this money to last your for at least a month. Thats if everything runs smoothly and the school doesn't hold back money for utilities on your apt ect...

People are throwing different numbers at you based on what they think you'll require.

To put it bluntly , this will be a new experience for you. Maybe you'll love the culture and the food and in that case you'll get by with 7 or 800,000 (800 US) won. But you most likely will not and from time to time you'll want to do things that make you feel normal or what your used to. It may be as simple as visiting the local macdonalds for a bite to eat or buying some food at costco, which can be rather expensive. Or perhaps the idea of surrounding yourself around other foriengers whether that be drinking or dining out may be comforting to you. Perhaps your apt in not ready for you (this is not surprising) and you'll need to stay at a yeogwon (run down hotel imo, but u might find some good ones) . Although your best best bet is to stay at a love motel.. these are usually nice and clean ranging from 30 - 50 (US) for a decent place.

Many of the people writing comments have become desensitized to whats normal back home. I am not saying this is in a negative manner, but our perspectives change over time. I could easily stay in a yoegwon for a long period of time, but i sure as hell wouldnt expect a newbie to feel comfortable in one. And so our perspective changes, and i reckon yours will too in time.

Its difficult how you will feel until you get here. I reckon bring 2000 + US which is more than enough for you to ease yourself through this transitional period.

If you can avoid it, dont bring 600,000 won to last u for one month. There are unexpected circumstances that will most likely arise far beyond your control. Until you know how the system works over here bring enough to live comfortabley or else this "transitional" period might be a little stressful for you and thus put a bad taste in your mouth.

Just my humble opinion.

cheers and good luck mate!

btw, pick up a lonely planet korea book. there is a lot of helpful info in it that will make life a bit easier. at least i thought so.