Korean Job Discussion Forums

Katie26 · Joined: 06 Jan 2009

Hey all,

Looking at teaching in Gangnam, Seoul next year with a housing allowance of 900k. i'll be living with a friend who should have the same so total 1.8million.

For 1.5 million a month would it be feasible to get a 2 bedroom apartment (pretty decent) around this area without key money. Any advice very welcome

Ruthdes · Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul

Not to my knowledge. In 2008 I lived in a 2br in a villa in Daechi-dong. It was 1.2million per month with 10million key money. I don't see how you'd get anything for that much rent with no key money. Your best bet would probably be to go to Haebangcheon or Itaewon. Key money tends to be less there, or you could find someone to share an apartment with who'd already taken care of the key money.

You could also look for someone looking for a room mate in Gangnam. It's possible that the person may not need extra key money. If anyone has found another way to get by without key money in Gangnam I'd love to hear it.

seoulsucker · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:45 pm Post subject:

Yeah...Seoul (especially Gangnam) + No Key Money = No Apartment

mateomiguel · Joined: 16 May 2005

crossmr · Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul

Katie26 · Joined: 06 Jan 2009

Thanks for all the help/advice. i actually wouldn't mind being in a nearby area Itaewon (up to 1hr commute) etc so advice on those areas would also be great.

smithy · Joined: 17 Aug 2009

You can get from itaewon to gangnam in 10/15 mins on the bus and is the only place where you can feasibly get by without key money. you also get a lot more for your money there. im in a sizeable 3-bed apartment in HBC for 1m/month and 1m key money.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Gaber · Joined: 23 Apr 2006

sigmundsmith · Joined: 22 Nov 2007

I assume you will be working for gangnam district public school?

I ask that because when I went to the interview, Manpal (the guy doing the interview) mentioned to me that there are places in Gangnam without keymoney and that the teachers who work for Gangnam district office (foreign teachers) he could get you intouch with them and they could offer you some advice.

Accommodation websites are not really the best places to go if you want to find places with no Keymoney. You need to go to the estate agent directly and see what deal you can make.

But for two people that much money to spend on monthly rent I would suggest Itaewon or even Hannam dong which is quite close to Gangnam.

I have know of people who moved into Gangnam (not too far from the subway station) and at first they loved it with all the action but soon tired of it. Gangnam is forever busy - Monday to Sunday. So take that into account as well.

mateomiguel · Joined: 16 May 2005

crossmr · Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul

Murakano · Joined: 10 Sep 2009

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

There are lot of places in Gangnam that offer rooms without Key Money. Most of those rooms are Full Option (you don't need to buy appliances) and they are one-rooms.

You will be hard pressed to find a 2 bedroom with no key money. I've seen a couple, but not too many.

People who say there aren't any just don't know where you look. Go to http://cafe.naver.com/kig

It is a Naver Cafe. That is where most Koreans go to post rooms available for rent. Koreans don't like to pay Budongsan fees, and posting on Peterpan allows them to find someone to rent their rooms, bypassing the Budongsan.

You need someone who can read Korean to help you navigate the site.

Scroll down to "서울직거래*원룸전용"
Expand that link and click on "강남.서초.강동.송파"

There you will find all the one rooms available for rent. Below that category is "서울직거래*방 2,3개). Find 강남 and expand that. There are 2,3 bedroom apartments listed there. As you read through those, you can find some apartments with no key money. Maybe they will be written like 90/90 or 100/110, 80/85. The first number is the deposit, the 2nd is the rent.

So, 90/90 is 900,000w deposit and 900,000w rent per month.

I found my apartment through this site. These are normal renters that post here, so I don't recommend you call them up expecting them to speak English. Get a Korean to help.

Forever · Joined: 12 Nov 2009

Live in Gangnam? Its almost impossible to catch a taxi there after 6pm.

Then when you finally negotiate an "overpriced" fare with a taxi-driver who actually stops - you will most likely be stuck 1 hour in traffic jams.

Good luck!