Moving to Seoul Korea | Apartment hunting, 12 House tours, Snowy Days, Cafe hopping | VLOG

Come apartment hunting with me in Seoul, Korea!

House hunting is one of the most stressful and important tasks when relocating to a new country! And finding a place in Seoul in the midst of a snowy winter was not easy.. I think I toured over 20 houses all across Seoul. Here are 12 locations that stood out to me. I tried to include the prices of the ones that I could remember but they all jumbled at the end.

Things I wish I knew about finding apartments in Seoul, Korea:

1. Expect to pay a big deposit. Many of the houses that I viewed had quite a big deposit around 1000k-5000k won (about 7k-35k USD). Which definitely is a lot but you do get this back when you move out.

2. You can negotiate the rent for most places if you pay a higher deposit. So if you have a bit of savings try asking your real estate agent it that's a possibility. (Usually, for about 1000kwon (7.5k USD) extra you can get about 5kwon (32USD) off your monthly rent.)

3. There will be a maintenance fee added to your rent. This fee is basically used to maintain the apartment itself (electricity/ heating fees for any communal areas, security guard etc) this can sometimes include frees for your internet and TV so make sure you check!

4. Use apps such as Zigbang, Dabang, and Naver Real Estate. I used these apps to get a feel of the prices and how the apartments would look even before coming to Korea. Then once you arrive you can contact the number there to set up an inspection of the houses.

5. Another way to find apartments is to decide on an area you want to live in and just drop by all the real estate in that area. There was actually a real estate on every street and they all seem to have unique places that were not listed on the apps. It's also a good way to look at multiple properties in one area.

6. Something I wish I did was give myself a bit more time to find a place. I think I was in a rush to settle down but when you first move it's hard to know which area is a good fit for you. It might be a good idea to give yourself about a month to get a feel of the place and then decide where you want to live!

7. Check out the neighbourhood. When you're going for the apartment tour try to go there with public transport so you can get a feel of the location better. Arrive a bit early to check out what's near the apartment. Where is the closest grocery shop? How busy is the area? And most importantly how safe do you feel there? Some important questions to ask yourself when deciding on a place!

Anyway, I hope this helps anyone trying to find a place in Korea! Happy house hunting!

*Please note these prices are rough conversions and are subject to change.

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Camera:
Iphone 14 pro (This vlog was filmed all on my iPhone)

» ABOUT ME
Hi there! I’m Sol, I was born in Korea but grew up mostly in Sydney, Australia! After living in Tokyo for 4 years working I’ve relocated to Seoul! I love to travel, find cute cafes and document my daily life. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy!

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#lifeinkorea ​ #movingtoseoul ​#apartmethunting #koreavlog

[SolLife_]

Thanks for watching! Can you guess which house I ended up going with?
Moving in Vlog coming up next!

[NativeWanderers]

While YouTube is filled with more and more fast and flashy content, it is good to have channels like this with videos that put the viewer in calm and relaxed state of mind. Thank you for sharing your videos. Every video of yours is a delight and you certainly inspired me to finally start my own channel and be okay with sharing slow-paced videos from my travels. Thank you Sol, and wish you all the best on your new page in Korea! ✨

[Koshka]

Those deposit prices are OUTRAGEOUS! Thank you for sharing your journey. Love your chill vibe.

[magicmyth]

house 9 😍 it looks so light and cozy, can't wait to see what you choose, good luck with the house hunt ;)

[itsthegumptionforme]

Definitely house 9 - I loved the little space for a boudoir. The loft style seemed more cozy and less constricted than the rest. Thank you for a pleasant video!

[biswajit]

Sol's "must have" points list:

1. Cafe nearby
2. Cafe nearby
3. Cafe nearby

😹😹😹

[TheLimeInc]

You are now our Korea guide, for our planned Korea trip in 2025 as you have been our Japan guide for our last trip ❤❤❤

[dlamo]

What a wonderful vlog! House 9 has so many "call me home" vibes 🎉 and the office has amazing views. Glad you got your home and already taking notes for a future trip to Seoul 😊

[AnjaOtter]

I've never subscribed to anyone so fast, there's something so peaceful about this video. Now excuse me while I binge watch your entire channel like a Netflix show 🍿

[dreamchampagne]

Wait wait wait $38, 000 for a deposit?? That is how much you can put down to own a very big home in the US. That is absolutely an insane amount of money, wow! That’s more than my car😂

[amam]

The guideline to finding apartment is so helpful for who are relocating to Korea! Wishing you all the best on your new journey.

[marie-xqyj]

Honestly, I shed little tears, I have been following you for a while and you are my comfort creator. Your travels to Japan allowed me to escape, to travel with you. I'm very moved but let's not be sad because it's over, let's be happy that it happened! Thank you for everything, look forward to following your adventures in Korea.🫶🏻

[mitchykosan]

The suspense of your new place is killing me 😂 I like apartments 8 & 9! Can’t wait for the apartment reveal!

[thewitchykitchen]

This was so much fun to watch. I really liked #9 with the loft and office space. Thanks for taking us along with you

[KT]

I live in a rural mountainous area and watching this is so interesting, beautiful, and even mysterious to me! City life is like a whole other planet. Thank you for sharing this! I can’t wait to learn more about Korea.

[jwfloating-world]

Hi Sol. Thank you for sharing not only your apartment hunting experiences, but your anxiety too. I thought your "must have" list would have included must be near a coffee shop ☕👍😁. I see some other comments have complained about your move. But we had a three part programme shown here in the UK last year exploring the beauty and diversity of South Korea. Its amazing as its such a young country. I look forward to seeing which apartment you choose and your continuing adventures.

[Ironwill_Games]

Can’t wait to see how you’re new apartment worked out. All the best on this new chapter in Seoul!

[jiex]

can't wait for you to share your journey, places to visit, food recos and more *yay! sooo excited 😊

[anti_soxial]

I'm a Korean living in Portland, Oregon. Your video makes me miss Korea so much!! I will look forward to your upcoming videos!!!!

[kiyoshitakeda]

Enjoyed the home hunting. Many apartments were too dark in feeling. The houses were better. Like the last one. The snacks and foods look delicious. Thank you for the video.