5 Habits to Learn When Living in Korea

While each expat has their unique experience in Korea, it cannot be denied that life here has affected us all in various ways. At first, we might not realize it but the longer time we spend in the country, the more our daily habits begin to change. In fact, those who have endured the hardships surrounding the difficult process of settling here, have already created a new reality in which they wake up every day. While growing accustomed to the local culture does not always go smoothly, it certainly has its advantages when it comes to socializing. From making friends more easily to advancing in your career development, incorporating the Korean lifestyle into your daily habits is a winning move! That is why in this article we have listed some habits that you might want to pick up while in Korea or that you have already formed unconsciously during your stay.  And remember the golden rule: when in Korea, do as the Koreans do!

1. Korean Food

Photo: TravelTrix

As many of you have probably noticed, food culture in Korea is taken rather seriously. Therefore, even if you were not typically a big eater prior to coming here, the constant focus on eating you must have experienced at some point has probably changed that. To begin with, the countless options of unfamiliar dishes available when you first arrive here are as exciting as they are shocking. Since taste varies from person to person, some expats fall in love with Korean food (hansik) at first bite. Others, however, have a difficult time adapting to that kind of menu due to various specifics of the local cuisine. 

In any case, adjusting your tastebuds is necessary because Korean food is the most available and, therefore, the cheapest meal alternative around here. English-speaking cooking classes in Seoul are easy to find, so you can even prepare hansik at home once you learn the ropes of it. In addition, sharing food is the most common type of bonding in Korea, so both foreigners and Koreans alike are expected to at least occasionally eat in a group with their colleagues or classmates. In situations like this, the usual food preference is, you guessed it, hansik. That is why most expats have assimilated this type of meal into their daily eating habits and even those who are not that fond of the local specialties have at least one favored Korean dish in case of economic or social emergencies. 

2. Traveling More 

When living in Korea, the concept of travel can range from walking around a different neighborhood in the same city to going for an adventure in a neighboring Asian country. One of the positive changes expats experience after moving to Korea is the abundance of new cities and places waiting to be explored. Depending on where you are going, travel options can range from a short trip by train to a several-hours-long plane ride. Even when you have been living here long enough and think that there are fewer exotic discoveries to be made, there will always be a local shop you have never seen before or a pretty restaurant that serves exquisite local food. 

No matter what it is, the real possibility of getting out of your daily life’s routine is what affects our daily actions. Living in Korea will teach you that it is time to embrace new opportunities and experiences that they can go hand in hand with everyday life. While in many places traveling is considered a luxury, Korea provides many options for expats to do it for free. For example, it is not uncommon for provinces outside of the capital area to invite foreigners and grant them an experience of their local culture as a form of social media marketing, aiming to boost tourism in the region. Even if you are not interested in group traveling, a domestic summer vacation for those living in Korea is usually on the affordable side. Being able to live like that has taught even the lazier of expats to search for more culturally enriching experiences rather than spend their free time couch potatoing.

3. Flexible Learning

Even people who have never even been to Korea are familiar with its study craze but only expats truly understand how intensive the learning experience here actually is. You are constantly exposed to new knowledge about the local culture, language, and history. While some might argue that this is a common trait of living anywhere abroad, it is important to keep in mind that Koreans are especially proud of their national achievements. That is why, most of the activities catered to foreigners rely heavily on the K-factor which is a clever way of combining entertainment, education, and social integration.

Although having “Koreanness” constantly emphasized and exclusivized around you might be overwhelming, most expats grow to find out that this is, in fact, valuable knowledge and experience. Thus, purposely searching for more museums, books, study courses, or field trips to learn from is a positive habit gradually formed when living in Korea. If you are new to expat life in Korea and feel somewhat excluded from the society, remember that even a visit to the nearest store or a simple conversation with locals will significantly enrich your understanding of the country, which is always a step in the right direction! Moreover, expats here come to realize that real life skills are hard to learn from a book or online. Once having moved to Korea, we all inevitably encounter people and situations that we are not used to or have never experienced before, but these help us grow and become a better version of ourselves.

4. Mixing Languages

Speaking a language is certainly not the same as riding a bike: most expats will agree that when you find yourself in an environment that limits the use of your native language, you begin to forget even basic words. Of course, you will never forget it completely but small slips of the tongue should not surprise you. On the bright side, you will begin to comprehend the Korean language better and more naturally than before, to the point where you will be catching yourself accidentally eavesdropping on random conversations around you. It is amazing how quickly the human brain can learn to decode foreign speech. After a  couple more months of living in Korea, you might already start thinking in the same language that seemed impossible to grasp when you first arrived. However, although the environment contributes to improving your language skills, dealing with too much information at once might be confusing and that is why we recommend you consider a Korean language class.

To add to the confusion, it is not only Korean that you will start mixing with your native language. Many of the foreigners in Korea are not native English speakers and it is not uncommon to meet trilinguals in the foreign community. And if you are not yet one of those, don’t worry: believe it or not, expat life increases your chances of learning an extra language. For example, if you have only spoken English before moving here, Korea is a great place to learn not only Korean but also some of the languages of your friends who come from non-English speaking countries. The latter is also likely to happen spontaneously, especially if you are hanging out with representatives of the bigger diasporas in the country such as Chinese, Russians, or Vietnamese. On the other hand, if you didn’t have time to practice English at home because you were too busy mastering Korean, the variety of the local international community will certainly give you the chance to do so, so don’t be afraid of any barriers and jump right into the language pool! 

5. Saying Goodbye

As sad as it might sound at first, similar to those residing in other parts of the world, expats in Korea often get used to saying goodbye easily, because goodbyes have become a natural part of our lives. At first, you say goodbye to your family and loved ones every time you take a plane back to Korea. The thought that in the place that was once called home, life goes on without you, is unimaginable to those who have no experience living abroad. However, expats know that nothing really changes dramatically. Perhaps a couple of new restaurants have opened, some of your friends have changed jobs or bought an apartment, and you, having made sure that everything is in order with your loved ones, return to your new residence with a calm heart.

You also get to discover what is like to be the one left behind since close friends or even partners also tend to leave. Especially in Korea, many foreigners do not come to stay but rather to achieve a specific goal such as completing a degree or experiencing a working holiday. Although farewells do not occur daily per se, they gradually become a vital part of expat life here and once you find the inner strength to overcome the stress of this, you will realize that having to occasionally part ways with those closest to you, actually keeps your social circle growing. After a while, you adapt to the situation, and tears and hugs are soon replaced by a simple "bye". If you are still struggling with being separated from someone you miss, try to remember that having multiple places in the world where there are people who will be happy to see you, is actually a positive thing!