Moving to South Korea: The Complete Packing Guide
- Michaela Cricchio
- Jun 16, 2020
- 5 min read
I know the process of moving abroad is quite daunting, but it doesn't have to be! Depending on your situation, you might be packing your entire life up like I did, or just preparing for a temporary change. Either way, there is a lot that has to go into this. You have to figure out what will be provided in the apartment that you’re moving into, the seasons that the destination has, and much more. Luckily, South Korea is a very modern and developed nation, so the transition is easier than you think. Here is your complete packing guide for moving to South Korea.
1. Clothes:
South Korea experiences all four seasons. The fall is from September to late November, temperatures are crisp and cool during these months. Things completely change in the winter from December to early April where temperatures can drop to 17 degrees (-8 celsius). The winters are awful here, like a bone chill. Then the summer begins around June to late September with 70% humidity and blazing sun. Keep in mind, the summer also has a rainy season which means it rains randomly. I also think it’s worth to mention dressing to respect the culture. In the Western world, we tend to be liberal about what we wear. In South Korea, it’s not really normal to show your shoulders in places that are outside of Seoul. If you decide to throw on booty shorts and a tank during the summer, do not be surprised by the glares. Also, most schools do not have dress codes. I wouldn’t worry about bringing workplace attire, I usually wear jeans and a t-shirt every single day to work.
Fall → light jacket, ¼ sleeve shirts, pants, cardigans, ankle boots, light sweaters
Winter → heavy puffer coat, scarfs, thermal shirts, thermal pants, gloves, long sleeves, heavy sweaters, track pants, warm boots
You can buy the heavy jacket and thermal clothes before you come here, but Korea has PLENTY of affordable options. That just depends on your preference and saving room in your suitcase.
https://www.amazon.com/4HOW-Womens-Hooded-Jacket-Puffer/dp/B07H26MZJZ/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2FRZ3QVGK2ESV&dchild=1&keywords=puffer+coats+for+women&qid=1592264636&sprefix=puffer+coat%2Caps%2C331&sr=8-8 (example puffer coat option)
Spring → same clothes as fall and winter because spring here is so unpredictable; hot one day and freezing the next
Summer → shorts, short or cap sleeves shirts, flowy skirts, sandals, sneakers (you’ll be walking a lot here), and dresses
2. Personal care:
Toothpaste: Go to Costco, Walmart, or any retailer and pick up 3 tubes before you leave. Korea has toothpaste, but weird flavors. Your options are fresh pine or sugary bubblegum.
Pads/tampons: If you are an avid tampon user, I recommend bringing a couple boxes with you, and you can also order them off Amazon. Korea isn’t very big on tampons so finding them is kind of rare.
Birth control: If you have a brand from home that you already like, stick with it. But, if you can’t get a 1 year supply before you move to Korea, don’t worry. The pill over here is really affordable and available at your local pharmacy.
Skincare: Korea is very famous for their skincare products like the 10 step Korean skincare routine. They have everything from masks, serums, toners, moisturizers, and more. You can absolutely find products from back home here, but they are pricey. Unless you have products from home that you SWEAR by, just buy them here.
Makeup: Beauty in Korea is huge and there are a dozen makeup stores with products available. Though it is rather difficult to find a foundation shade if you have a darker complexion. The makeup preference here does tend to be more minimal. If you like your contour palettes and such or have a holy grail foundation, stock up. Popular beauty stores include LALA and Olive Young. There is also Sephora and MAC in Seoul, but it’s pretty expensive.
Hair products: There are American products such as OGX, Loreal, and Pantene. Black hair and beauty products are a little harder to find, unless you go to Seoul or shop at the American military bases. If you want styling tools like a curling wand or hair straightener, stop by a store called Art Box, they sell them for ($15-$35 USD). I'd also recommend bringing a supply of razors before you arrive because they are expensive here.
Medicine: You can pick up any kind of pain reliever at your local pharmacy or convenience (GS25, CU, 7/11) store in Korea. Please keep in mind that the pain reliever here is not as strong as what you might be used to. I ended up taking ibuprofen and cold medicine from America.
Deodorant: Hard to find and expensive, I recommend throwing a couple sticks in your suitcase to last a year.
3. Home Stuff:
Unlocked phone: You can purchase a sim card at one of the major phone companies (KT, Olleh, SKT). My school helped me get a Korean phone number with KT. The plan was so much cheaper than my American plan ($55 a month). All you have to do is swap out the sim cards.
Converters: to charge all of your devices; laptop, cell phone, tablet etc. You can also buy them at any store in Korea. The safest option to order some on Amazon before you arrive
Bath towels: Full size towels are not really a thing here. There are bath towels in stores, but they're half the size. I ordered some off Amazon before I left to solve that issue.
Bedding : I came prepared with it because Korea doesn’t have a fitted sheet, only the top sheet. Besides that, things like sheets, blankets, etc. are expensive here. Therefore, you can definitely save some money by packing your own.
Door organizer: Korean bathrooms are open, meaning there is no enclosed shower. It gets very wet in the room so take an organizer to put all your products unless you want them to get drenched.
Healthy food: The Korean diet is healthier than America, but they don’t have products like quinoa or post workout protein shakes that you'd find in Western countries. You can stock up on some of these by ordering them from Amazon.
Vacuum space bags: I used vacuum space bags to flatten everything and organize my suitcase. I was also able to fit more things in my bags. I highly recommend this, especially when you go back home. You will definitely accumulate a lot of things while living here.
4. Miscellaneous:
Cash: I recommend exchanging between $500-$1,000 USD when you arrive here. You won't be getting a paycheck till a month after your arrival. This money will cover expenses with your ARC, medical checkup, traveling for the first month, and other apartment expenses like house products and groceries. Sometimes, you will get lucky and your apartment will be fully stocked with things.
Credit/debit cards: Most places in Korea take foreign Master or Visa cards. There are very few that won’t accept them. Be sure to put a travel notification on your card so it doesn’t get declined. I set mine for 1 year.
Important number: 1330 is the foreigner/traveler hotline. This directs you important tourist information, but they can also be a translator for you. For example, I used it when I was at the bank to settle and issue I had with my account.
Important websites:
Coupang: This is a site to buy groceries that are conveniently delivered to your doorstep. The site is in Korean, but Google should translate it to English in your web browser.
Gmarket: This is the Korean version of Amazon
Recommended stores:
No Brand: A discount grocery store where I do all my food shopping. They also have things like kitchen utensils, skincare, and other house products.
E-mart: Another grocery store with more western brands
HomePlus: Huge retail store with 3 levels from grocery, house products, clothes, and electronics
Daiso: This store is like Dollar General and Target combined. They sell so many things from skincare to house products. The quality is great and the prices are unbeatable.
I hope you found this list helpful, if you are an expat living in Korea, please offer anything else that wasn't listed. If you liked this post, be sure to share and subscribe as I document my life living abroad!
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