Korean Job Discussion Forums

DanseurVertical · Joined: 24 Nov 2010

I am looking for a 원룸 (studio apartment)

The challenge is, I don't currently have enough savings to use as ordinary key money (5,000,000 won) But I could put down 2,000,000.

Does anyone have experience dealing with this situation? If so, what did you do? And how did it turn out?

IPayInCash · Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:45 am Post subject:

Are you in Seoul?

There are plenty of ads on craigslist with "key money" as little as one months rent.

Unfortunately most are located in the dumps of Seoul aka Itaewon and HBC. Hey... you gotta start somewhere and that somewhere will most likely be the bottom rung of Seoul.

DanseurVertical · Joined: 24 Nov 2010

IPayInCash · Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 8:09 am Post subject:

Are you willing to live in a goshiwon? I used to live in one when I was also broke as hell. You can live in a much better location but the drawback is the place is extremely small.

Another suggestion is do shared housing. Some people rent out their rooms on craigslist and you can also find something there.

DanseurVertical · Joined: 24 Nov 2010

IPayInCash · Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 8:13 am Post subject:

You've never dealt with Korean landlords? Did you used to live on a campus or something?

The budongsan's are going to want some key money. The reason I suggested CL is because there are some ads there that have listings for a low amount of key money.

Ginormousaurus · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit

I lived in a one room next to Yonsei that only required 2 million down. It was pretty shite, but I had my own kitchen, bathroom, and washing machine.

It was actually a hasukjib, but my room was the only one with all the amenities of a one room. They even installed air con for me when the summer came. Nice landlords. Oddly enough, they were illiterate. I had never seen that before in Korea.

DanseurVertical · Joined: 24 Nov 2010

IPayInCash · Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 8:23 am Post subject:

So you want a studio, thats bigger than a goshiwon, with your own full kitchen, and requires a max. 2.0 key money, in a nice neighborhood. Sounds like a sweet deal. If you do find that, let me know. Sounds like a better deal than my place Laughing

DanseurVertical · Joined: 24 Nov 2010

augustine · Joined: 08 Sep 2012 Location: México

I think you'd have trouble finding a place, even in an area like HBC for that amount down, without sharing a place. HBC isn't really a dump anymore. I've dogged it before but it seems like a pretty nice place to live these days. Do you have a Korean girlfriend or friend who would be willing to hit the street for you? My ex took on the grid for a few days and was able to hook me up with an amazing place in the 'twon, and negotiated the key money down considerably. I also knew two guys who have since left Korea that were teaching here on tourist visas who were living in small one room apartments with kitchens around Seoul station. Nothing shared. I don't remember the details but it might be worth it to hit up some of the real estate type agencies around that area. Good central location, with a general cheap clientele. Plus, it's a short walk to 7 luck if you're looking to chip away at some of those financial issues. Wink

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

Easier to go to the 부동산 in the area you want to live (Korea doesnt list anything that you actually want online from my experience) and tell them what you are looking for.

if you have no, or low key money, typically you can pay more in monthly rent to compensate. For example the place costs 500k per month w/ a 5m deposit you could probably pay 550 a month w/ 2m down.

Dont forget you will have to pay the 부동산 as well, but it isnt a huge fee.

You could find a really nice place in Hansung/Sungshin for that price. The 부동산s in the area showed me a crap load of places around there between 400k-600k a month w/ 5m or under key money and super low utilities. All of them were legit apartments or villas with separate living and bedroom spaces.

IPayInCash · Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:24 am Post subject:

Yea... but he said nice neighboorhood. I wouldnt consider Sungshin/Hansung nice. The highlight of Sungshin is all the girls walking around in miniskirts and Hansung is a dump. Heywa is nice though.

I lived in the Gangbuk/Seongbuk area for a long time. Still miss it and wouod live there over Itaewon/HBC any day. But yea... Im in the 1% of the expat population that doesnt need to live in Itaewon to enjoy Korea.

NYC_Gal 2.0 · Joined: 10 Dec 2010

IPayInCash · Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:48 am Post subject:

Daves : where hyperbole goes to die.