Types of Housing and Cost in Korea

1. Dorms

2. One-rooms/Flat Houses

3. 42SHARE

Dorms

Dorms are a popular type of housing for international students for a few reasons. The first is that they are close to the college campus and are accessible to international students. You can stay in the dorms and get to know the other local and international students. This is also easier than trying to find an apartment with a lease that fits your program length. Dorms at Korean universities are also a lot better than ones in the United States. Many dorms include a bathroom that you just share with your roommate, which is a step up from communal bathrooms. Some universities provided people who clean the bathrooms once a week. Yes, you do have to provide toiletries like soap and toilet paper, but that is a small price to pay in the long run. 

Staying in the dorms also means that you are on campus and do not have a long commute to school as you may have if you live off-campus. These are also safe and cheap for students who are starting to learn how to become independent. Many young students prefer to live here as it helps them become more independent but they still have a safety net. The dorms are not as popular with older students who have already become more independent. Those students choose to live in one-room apartments.

One-room apartments / Flat House

One-room apartments are more popular with older students as they provide more independence then the dorms. You will also get more privacy when staying in an apartment as you tend to have your own room which many people prefer. You will have to clean things yourself but it helps students become more independent. This is also a step up from the dorms because you will have more space and not have to share your living space with others. The downside to these is that it may be hard to find ones close to your school or ones that are meant for international students. There are English realtors but it may be hard to find ones near your school. You do have to consider travel time as well since you may not be on campus as you would with the dorms.

Many students also like to live here because you have space that you can spread out in, while in the dorms you share a room. You also have a kitchen and can make your food. This is good for those who want to get used to living on their own and cooking for yourself. You do have the option of eating at the school cafeteria if needed but you can also have different options for food.  

42SHARE

42Share is a great example of a one-room and a flat house. You can have the privacy of your own room but you also can meet others in the common areas and during programs. You may also choose to live in an apartment with someone else. This allows you to live with someone but not be condensed into the space of a dorm. Many local and international students stay here as well as those who are starting their careers after college.

By Marissa Owens, Intern Editor

Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

mowens3107@outlook.com

Related Posts About Korean Housing

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http://ssh42share.blogspot.com/2020/07/popular-types-of-student-housing-in.html

http://ssh42share.blogspot.com/2020/07/where-to-buy-items-for-accommodation.html

http://ssh42share.blogspot.com/2020/07/interesting-things-about-housing-in.html 

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5 Most Recommended Accommodations in Seoul

Living in Seoul

Planning your trip to Seoul can be really exciting and intimidating in having to decide what kind of accommodation you will want to stay in during your time here. However we have a list of the 5 most recommended types of accommodations you can choose from, just remember to do your research and calculate your budget for housing!! (They are not ordered by rank)

Hotels

Depending on how long you will be staying in Seoul, booking a hotel room might be the best option for you and pretty convenient as well!! This option is great too if you are looking to having your own space and privacy. A Tip when looking for a hotel is to always check the location and amenities they have because being at the center of Seoul and close to the stations are the BEST, mostly if its your first time in Seoul!! 

Hamilton Hotel

If you have heard about the Namsan Tower or just Itaewon, you will know that they're the center of Seoul. As mentioned, being in the center of Seoul is really convenient if you are planning to explore all around Seoul west, east, north and south!! Itaewon is not too far from popular areas, it's about 15 min from Hongdae on Subway as well as Gangnam, and about 20 min to Myeongdong. 

The Hamilton Hotel is  located right next to Itaewon Station and on the main street of restaurants, shops and clubs!! Also Itaewon is known to be foreigner friendly so there are quite a few restaurants catering to foreign foods and stores with foreign style clothes. The Hotel also includes a gym (complimentary access) and a rooftop pool (but additional charges might apply), the rooftop is quite popular for sun tanning!! 

Follow this link to Book a room!!

If this Hotel doesn't sound as great, visit this Website for other great Hotels in Seoul!! 

Guest House/Dormitory

This option is among the most popular choices since is more affordable and having the opportunity to meet many people around the world. A usual Guest House would be a place where you either have your own room or share a room and share the common spaces such as the kitchen, living room and sometimes bathroom. There all kinds of styles for this and Dormitories are considered the same. 

Heima Guesthouse Hongdae

This guesthouse is considered as the best one in Seoul by many visitors, anyone who stayed there has left with great memories!! Each room has FREE Wifi and if you are going to stay for long term it will be cheaper!! The rooms are well air-conditioned,a private bathroom with hairdryer, has satellite flat-screen TV, provides a concierge service and luggage storage for guests. Also their location is great for those who will stay around Mapo-gu such as Hongdae, Hapjeong and Sinchon. They are only about 700 m from Hongik University, 2.8 Km from Ewha Womans University and 5 km I'Park mall (which is great for shopping and repairing shops).

Also if you love breakfast, they provide continental breakfast daily!! If you are going to be travelling with someone, they have a rating of 9.8 out of 10 for two-person stay satisfaction!! If you are afraid of a language barrier.... Don't Worry since they have bilingual staffs that can easily help you in anything you need!! 

Follow this link to Book a space!! 


Goshiwon

Maybe if you are familiar with Korean culture, you may have heard of this type of housing most Korean students pick because of their affordable price and locations. Goshiwons are buildings offering small rooms with a desk, chair, cupboard, closet and your bed. The space is really limited and some of the halls offer free rice or noodles!! This type of housing is considered the cheapest option for a University student to pick. 

Since there are a few Universities international students may be attending it's hard to tell which Goshiwon is the "best" therefore follow the link below where there is a website with all the information about booking a goshiwon room!!! 

Click Here!


Stay with 42SHARE

Another great option is to stay with us, 42SHARE!! We hope you have read through our blog posts and watched our amazing residents' videos, they certainly are great and had a memorable time with us during their studies. One of the many reasons you should consider to stay with us, is that we have housing halls in great and convenient locations if you will be studying at Ewha, Yonsei, or Sogang University!! 

To be honest, it will be a lot more affordable for you to stay with us if you are planning to be in Seoul for a long term. Because our prices are reasonable due to the location, room conditions, and the spaces we provide for you to feel comfortable. We have different kinds of rooms you could stay in, depending on how you want to live, such as rooms with their own kitchen and rooms without one but there is a common Kitchenette at the rooftop of the building. 

Click this link to read more about the different kinds of rooms we offer and to start your booking!!

On-Campus Dormitory

A popular and sometimes most convenient form of housing for international students are to just stay at the university's on-campus dormitory. Yes, they can be a cheaper option and more comfortable as well, but there are a lot of restrictions and rules that residents NEED to follow or you will automatically be kicked out!! 

Some of the rules include, having a curfew which usually is 11 pm to 12 am, no guests of the opposite sex or sometimes no guests at all!! Depending on which university you end up going the rules may vary but are all quite similar, also you need to remember how to sort out your trash well or penalties will be applied without warning!! 

For this case, we recommend to look into your University's Dorm rules before signing and think of how you would want your schedule to be like once you are in Korea, will their rules restrict you from excelling your time in Seoul? 

Feel uneasy about the whole Korean recycling system? click HERE for a guide!!  


We hope this short list of different types of most recommended accommodations in Seoul helps you to decide how you would like to live your time in Korea and that you decide what is best for you!!