What to Bring and NOT to Bring to Live in Seoul
Either your stay in South Korea will be short or long, there are a lot of things that you should not worry about bringing due to the convenience of being able to purchase them here!
What NOT to Bring?
Of course you should pack general stuff such as clothes and shoes, however there are some items that are unnecessary to pack when you could buy them near your accommodation and even cheaper!
School Supplies
Yes, you might want to bring your own school supplies because of the school sale season in your home country but consider instead purchasing such items here in Seoul. A super convenient place to purchase almost anything for a cheap price is Daiso. We all love this store because you can find at least 99% of items you will need when moving to Seoul. School supplies such as Notebooks, Pencils, Ballpoint Pens, and Highlighters, you can find them at any Daiso for around 1,000 to 5,000 KRW and in cute styles as well! Hair Products
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| Shampoos in Emart |
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| Hair Strengtheners in Artbox |
In the case of blow dryers and other electronic tools you might find them at Emart as well or Artbox which is a store you can find unique designs for any basic items.
Outdoor Items
Depending on what time of the year you will be living in Seoul, it is pretty convenient to buy outdoor items such as umbrellas and rain ponchos in any convenient store such as GS25. Also for the cold weather there are warming packets at every convenient store!
Cleaning Supplies
We all like to stay clean and have our favorite brands but it is unnecessary to bring them since you can easily find them at Daiso or Emart as mentioned. Daiso is better to find tools to clean around and cheaper options than Emart, you can also find hand soaps and room fresheners! However for more detergent options we recommend to explore around Emart and check with your accommodation as well to see what kind of detergent is allowed to use. Remember at 42SHARE we do sell sets for washing at your convenience!
What to Bring?
Of course there are a lot of pros and cons to decide whether or not you should bring certain items or just purchase them in Korea, however there are a few things that are usually recommended to bring from your home country according to your personal taste.
Toothpaste
Although there are a variety of selection of toothpastes in Korea, most brands do not contain fluoride and you won't find your foreign brands easily at stores. Therefore it is advised to bring your own comfortable brand, but know that there is a Korean brand similar to Crest called Perioe.
Deodorant
As you may have heard, deodorant is not common to find in Korea and many other East Asian countries. Bringing your own brand will be best and recommended since nobody wants to be the "stinky" one in the subway. Make sure the brand you purchase is long lasting so you do not have to carry it around everywhere!
Sunscreen
If you will be in Korea during Spring, Summer and partly Autumn, you will definitely need some sunscreen! We recommend to bring your own from home, but there are a lot of high quality and protective sunscreens in Korea as well, check this list for more details: https://www.dailydot.com/bazaar/korean-sunscreens/
Also you should bring hats to protect yourself from the sun, but you can buy hats here as well, and do not be afraid to use an umbrella to cover from the sun too! Stay Safe!!
Bed Linen
If you do not want to figure out your bed linen, then it is better to bring your own, but keep in mind that you can purchase it in Korea as well. Korea's top online shopping site, GMarket offers various products and fast service for your convenience, also you can change the language to English! If you are going to stay with us :) remember that we offer duvet and pillow lease, so it can be a lesser problem to worry about.
Also we recommend for you to bring your own towels since is not common to find the "big" sized ones as commonly used in foreign countries, such as the United States.
Family and Friends Photos
Being far away from home can be frightening and exciting, all kinds of mix emotions. Therefore we highly recommend for you to bring family and friends photos or any items that will make you feel at home. Having a piece from home will certainly be comforting and help you feel at ease during your living in South Korea as an international student.
In addition, it will be great to bring your favorite snacks that you would not commonly find in Korea such as Hot Cheetos and Takis (American).
DO NOT FORGET
After reviewing what is not necessary and what is a MUST to bring in your planning, also remember to pack important items such as medicine, official documents and your electronics such as laptops or tablets.
Things to Consider
- South Korea caters to One Size which is usually small and petite bodies, but there are international stores that do have bigger sizes.
- If your skin is of darker complexion, is recommended to bring your own makeup since you won't be able to find your match! but lipsticks and eye shadows can be really cute!
- Always carry tissue and hand sanitizer, Seoul is a big and populated city so is better to keep safe!
- Also always carry a lip balm!
We hope you pack well and bring things you absolutely need to be comfortable! Remember to checkout our other blog posts about living in Seoul.