Korea Living

Teaching English in South Korea remains one of the most popular ways for foreigners to live and work in the country. However, getting hired is not as simple as speaking fluent English and sending a résumé. Your nationality, university degree, visa eligibility, documents and employment contract all matter. The requirements can also differ depending on whether you apply to a public school, private academy or international school. This updated 2026 guide explains who can teach English in South Korea, how the E-2 visa works, how much teachers earn and what you should check before signing a contract. Foreign English teacher teaching students in a South Korean classroom Can You Teach English in South Korea? For the standard E-2 English teaching route, applicants are generally expected to meet the following basic conditions: Hold a passport from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa Have at least a bachelor’s degree from an ac...

A new Korean medical drama has attracted attention surprisingly quickly. Doctor X: Mafia in White , starring Kim Ji-won, premiered on SBS on October 9, 2026. Only two episodes have aired, but the series has already achieved double-digit television ratings, reached No. 1 on Netflix Korea and generated discussion among international K-drama fans. The drama began with a nationwide television rating of 11.4 percent. Episode 2 rose to 14.9 percent, with a reported peak of 17.4 percent during the broadcast. Those numbers are particularly impressive for a drama that has barely introduced its central mystery. So why has Doctor X: Mafia in White become popular so quickly? It is not because of one factor alone. Kim Ji-won’s return after Queen of Tears , a proven Japanese original, a powerful female lead, fast storytelling and a satisfying battle against hospital corruption have all contributed to its strong start. This article contains basic information about Episodes 1 and 2 but avoi...

Summer is over. The nights are cooler, the humidity feels lower, and you may finally think Korea’s mosquito season has ended. Then, just as you open your hotel window or sit beside the Han River on a pleasant October evening, you hear that familiar buzzing sound. Many Koreans say: “Autumn mosquitoes are more dangerous.” You may also hear that autumn mosquitoes are bigger, stronger or more desperate to bite before winter arrives. But are mosquitoes in Korea really more aggressive in autumn? The short answer is not exactly . Their bites do not suddenly become more poisonous when September or October arrives. However, several weather and environmental conditions can make mosquitoes feel much worse in autumn than during the hottest part of summer. This article focuses on why mosquitoes remain active during Korea’s autumn and how travelers can protect themselves. If you are visiting Korea during the hotter months, read my broader summer survival guide as well: 👉 How to Survive th...

Open an English menu at a Korean restaurant and you may see the same word repeated again and again: Soup. Miyeokguk is seaweed soup. Galbitang is beef short rib soup. Kimchi jjigae may be translated as kimchi stew, but some menus still call it kimchi soup. Jeongol is sometimes described as soup, stew, or Korean hot pot. They all contain broth, so calling them “soup” is not completely wrong. But to Koreans, guk, jjigae, tang, and jeongol are not simply four names for the same food . The name can tell you how much broth to expect, how strongly the dish is seasoned, whether it is served individually or shared, and whether it will arrive already cooked or continue cooking at your table. The distinctions are not governed by one perfect rule, and there are plenty of exceptions. Still, understanding the basic differences will make Korean restaurant menus much easier to navigate. Korean guk, jjigae, tang, and jeongol dishes served side by side The Shortest Explanation Here is the sim...

Packing light makes traveling around South Korea much easier. This is especially true if you plan to move between Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju, Jeju, and other destinations instead of staying in one hotel. Eventually, however, you will need to wash your clothes. Hotel laundry services are convenient, but they may charge by the individual item. A Korean self-service laundromat allows you to wash and dry an entire travel load at a much more reasonable price. The machines may look intimidating when the instructions are mostly in Korean, but the basic process is simple: Choose a washer, check whether detergent is included, pay, wash your clothes, move them to a dryer, and pay again. This guide explains the full process so you do not have to stand in front of a Korean washing machine wondering which button to press. Modern self-service coin laundry in South Korea What Is a Korean Coin Laundry? A Korean self-service laundromat may be called: 코인빨래방 – coin laundromat 셀프빨래방 – self-service...