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Exploring Korea
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If you are looking for a place to stay in Korea, there are several kinds of housing options available, depending on your length of stay and budget. |
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○ Service residence
Furnished apartment buildings with hotel-like service, ideal for either short- or long-term visitors to Seoul.
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○ Apartment An apartment is the most common choice of residence and supermarkets, local administrative offices, post offices, schools and public transportation are often conveniently located in close proximity. Tenants pay their own individual utilities for each apartment (gas, water, electricity), but also pay a maintenance fee that varies from complex to complex and that also may include electricity for common areas like elevators and walkways, as well as garbage disposal. |
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○ Officetel High-rise buildings with both residential and office units. They are most popular with single working Seoulites and students. Officetel buildings are well-maintained, often with a doorman. Tenants are expected to pay the usual apartment maintenance fee along with an additional administrative commercial building fee. Some places also charge 10% Value Added Tax (VAT) on top of that because they are classified as a commercial property. |
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○ Private house Stand-alone housing on its own lot. These houses are usually two stories high and include a small garden or a yard. Most are 20 or more years old, and are increasingly rare, as the land is more valuable than the house, and pressure to redevelop upwards in the form of multi-story, multi-family housing grows. |
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○ Studio / One room Similar to officetels, studio units are affordable and popular among young working Seoulites and students. They are located in buildings four to five stories high. Security and maintenance are not as good as those of an officetel building. They usually come with a small stove (2 burners/no oven) and bar-sized refrigerator. Occasionally they are furnished, but usually not. |
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○ Hasuk Koreans who own a large-ish home near a university usually offer this kind of housing. It's similar to a co-op where tenants have their own room, but are responsible for taking care of their space and communal spaces. Sometimes the owner will provide meals, but often the students can prepare their own or choose to eat at their schools or at local restaurants. |
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