Will You Get Your Korean Pension Money Back When You Leave?
Korea’s pension lump-sum refund isn’t automatic for foreigners. Your visa (E-8/E-9/H-2) or passport — not years paid in — decides if you get it back.
Money & Life
The financial reality of a Korean worker — rent, salary, cost of living, and money culture.
Why Doesn’t Korea’s New $100,000 Remittance Limit Apply to Foreigners?
Korea’s no-paperwork remittance cap is now $100,000 for nationals — foreign residents are still capped at $50,000, paperwork required above $5,000.
How Do Foreigners Open a Bank Account in Korea? (2026 Guide)
Yes, foreigners can open a Korean bank account with an ARC, passport, and Korean phone — but it opens capped. Here’s why, and how to lift it.
Why Your Korean Paycheck Is Smaller Than Your Contract (2026 Payslip, Decoded)
Your ₩4,000,000 Korean contract pays out in the mid-₩3-millions. What the four insurances (9.7% in 2026) and income tax take — and what foreigners can get back.
Why I Haven’t Touched Cash in Months: How Koreans Actually Pay for Everything
Koreans pay for almost everything by phone — cash is under 16% of in-person spending. A Seoul insider explains Toss, KakaoBank, KakaoPay, Samsung Pay and bill-splitting.
What a Korean Family of Three Actually Spends in a Month
On the 25th of every month, my credit card statement lands. Last month I caught myself staring at the total, thinking, “Where did all of this even go?” So instead of shrugging it off like usual, I opened my banking app and broke it down, line by line — me, my wife, and our seven-year-old … Read more
Why Young Koreans Can’t Buy a Home (But Won’t Stop Trying)
There’s a Korean word you should know: youngkkeul (영끌). It literally means “scraping together your soul.” It’s not some spiritual thing — it describes what people do to buy a home here. You gather every won you can, borrow every loan you qualify for, and put your soul up as collateral too. The joke stopped … Read more
Jeonse Explained: Korea’s Wild Deposit Rental System
Three years ago, I signed a jeonse (전세, “key money”) lease on my apartment in Seongnam for 410 million won — roughly $300,000. I handed that entire amount to my landlord. Not as a down payment. Not as a purchase. Just to rent the place. Today, that same apartment’s jeonse deposit has climbed to 570 … Read more