Apartments now available in Suyu, Seoul. Fully Furnished Brand New Studio Apartments in Suyu, Seoul. Are you moving to Seoul and looking to set up your new life? These fully furnished apartments in Suyu, Seoul are furnished with a bed, table, air conditioner, closet, washing machine, cooker, fridge/freezer, Internet, bathroom and everything else you may [...]]]>

Apartment for Rent in Suyu, Seoul.

Apartments now available in Suyu, Seoul. Fully Furnished Brand New Studio Apartments in Suyu, Seoul. Are you moving to Seoul and looking to set up your new life? These fully furnished apartments in Suyu, Seoul are furnished with a bed, table, air conditioner, closet, washing machine, cooker, fridge/freezer, Internet, bathroom and everything else you may need when starting out. All the rooms are private rooms located in a newly built building in a popular area of Seoul. On the roof top of this apartment building there is a small garden where you can relax and take in the stunning views of Seoul and the mountains.  Each floor of this apartment block has rooms with different layouts and sizes. Suyu is located in Northern Seoul on line 4 (blue line). Suyu is a popular drinking area for students and foreigners with plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. See below for more pictures of the apartment.

Rent and moving in costs:

Looking for people who are willing to stay 6 months or longer. Rent is W650,000 per month with a Security Deposit of W650,000 needed when moving in. The Deposit will be returned when you move out with no damage to the apartment. Everything else is included in your monthly rent. Yes, that’s right. For the monthly rent of 650,000 won you get your own fully furnished private room with bathroom/shower, electricity, Internet, water and more. There are no other bills. 650,000 Won per month.

Suyu Apartment Location:

The apartments are located just 5 minutes away from Suyu station on Line 4. Leave exit 8 of Suyu station and head straight. Take your second left then your first right. The apartment will be on your right. For more details please look at the map below.

If you are interested in this apartment, please email Suyu Studios at [email protected]. Alternatively, you can find out more details and pictures on Facebook at Suyu Studios.

View of the Apartment from Outside

Floor layout. Every floor has a different layout.

View of one of the layouts of rooms available.

Private Toilet and Shower.

Study area and closet in apartment.

Kicthen Area in Room

Roof top view

This is a cheap apartment for rent in Seoul. Don’t hesitate to contact us as these cheap apartments will go quickly.

This page is about Guest Houses and Hostels in Korea.

Guest houses are quite similar to Hasuk jips and Goshiwons in Korea. Guest houses are usually aimed towards foreigners who are visiting Korea for a few days or few months. They are located in central areas. [...]]]>

Hostel in Korea

This page is about Guest Houses and Hostels in Korea.

Guest houses are quite similar to Hasuk jips and Goshiwons in Korea. Guest houses are usually aimed towards foreigners who are visiting Korea for a few days or few months. They are located in central areas. Many Koreans also live in guest houses as a way to meet and interact foreigners or if they are staying temporarily in that city or area. The main difference between a guest house and Goshiwon / Hasuk jip is that you can stay for a couple of days up to a couple of months and the utilities are included in the rent. There is usually a shared bathroom / shower and a kitchen. The rooms are usually a single private room. Other rooms available is the double room or a room for 4, great for people who are travelling with friends.

Hostels in Korea are a great way of saving money while travelling. Hostels are very basic and sometimes located a bit of a walk from the station or in residential areas. Most hostels remain cheap as up to 8 or 12 people share a mixed room splitting the costs. This can bring the price down to 15,000 won per night but it doesn’t give you much privacy. There are usually other rooms available at hostels with less people but for a higher price.

Most of the guest houses  and hostels in Seoul are located in the Hongdae, Sinchon, Itaewon, Myeongdong and Dongdaemun area.

Hotels in Korea use a different hotel rating system than in other countries. The system in Korea is called the Mugugnhwa Flower (National Flower of Korea) system and is based out of 5 Mugunghwa flowers. 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Hotels are given points based [...]]]>

Chosun Hotel Garden Seoul

Hotels in Korea use a different hotel rating system than in other countries. The system in Korea is called the Mugugnhwa Flower (National Flower of Korea) system and is based out of 5 Mugunghwa flowers. 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Hotels are given points based on numerous things. Below is a general list of requirements that the hotels will need to meet in order to get the points and in turn the Mugunghwa rating system. The more points the hotel scores the higher the rating.

1. Entrance, lobby, corridor segments (120 points)
2. Rooms Division (130 points)
3. Restaurant and Kitchen Division (160 points)
4. Division of Facilities Management and Operations (160 points)
5. Jongsawon welfare and tourism sector’s contribution (80 points)
6. Parking Division (70 points)
7. Construction and Equipment Division (100 points)
8. Electricity and Telecommunications sector (80)
9. Fire Protection and Safety Division (100 points)

A total of 700 points. Any hotel that gets 630 points or more will get the prestigious 5 Mugunghwa rating similar to 5 stars. Currently in Seoul there are 19 hotels with the 5 Mugunghwa rating.

In Korea while looking for hotels and booking rooms you will notice many different types of fancy names for the rooms. The most basic type is usually the standard. The next one up are the deluxe rooms and super deluxe. There are many other different names such as luxury room, superior rooms, presidential rooms, executive rooms, the list goes on and on. The best way to find out what the room is like is to check the website for pictures and find out information like room size and amenities. Another type of room available is the traditional Korean bedroom with heated floor. The room is also called an ondol room. This is a great way to experience Korean culture when staying in Korea. However there is no bed in this room. You must sleep on a futon.

To find hotels in Korea, do a quick google search. There are tons of sites available for booking hotels in Korea.  The best site I have found is http://www.hotelnjoy.com/main/main/ They have many great discounts, are based in Korea and the website is available in English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese. They even have an iphone app.

First of all before you start your search for an apartment in Korea, the size of apartments in Korea are measured in Pyeong. Pyeong is a Korean measurement system that has been used for a long time. The Korean government enacted a new law in 2007 that will replaced the use of pyeong to square [...]]]>

Apartments in Korea

First of all before you start your search for an apartment in Korea, the size of apartments in Korea are measured in Pyeong. Pyeong is a Korean measurement system that has been used for a long time. The Korean government enacted a new law in 2007 that will replaced the use of pyeong to square meters in official documents however all real estate agents and apartment agencies use Pyeong. One pyeong is 3.3 sq. meters = 35 sq. feet. The average size apartment would be about 10 to 15 pyeong.

In Korea, apartment building usually have more than 15 floors. The size of the apartment depends on the price and location. The closer you get to the city the smaller and more expensive the apartment becomes. Apartments have a kitchen and living room usually shared, a toilet / bathroom and one or two rooms. Again this is only a rough guide as there are thousands of different style apartments in Korea.

How to go about getting an apartment:

The best way is to search the Internet or visit a real estate agent in person. When you find an apartment, enquire about it and pay a visit. If you are happy with the apartment, it is time to negotiate rent and make a contract. When renting an apartment,  Deposit / Key Money is needed. This can be anywhere from 1,000,000 won to 50,000,000 won generally about 10,000,000 won. This will be refunded after you move out. Some owners will let you pay a smaller deposit but at a higher monthly rental fee.

Next is Wolse (월세) this is the monthly rent cost and will be negotiated with the owner.

Some owners will need a guarantor (보증인 Bojeungin). This person should be someone close to you who has a stable job and income. Sometimes your school or company will act as your guarantor. If you should fail to pay monthly rents, damage your aprtment or flee, your guarantor will be held responsible. Being someones guarantor in Korea is a big thing and only close friends should be asked.

The benefits of getting an apartment in Korea:

You will have a lot more privacy in an apartment than living in an officetel, Hasuk Jip or Goshiwon. You will have a lot of space to move around and even bring some friends over for parties. If there are any problems with something in your apartment or neighbours, you have the management to take care of these things. Usually on the first floor of the apartment will be some restaurants and shops. Apartments are usually located near train stations, shopping centres and schools etc.

Drawbacks of getting an apartment in Korea:

There is usually a very high deposit, key money and fees when renting an apartment. You must sign contracts for 1 or 2 years which ties you down to one area. On top of the rent there will be management fees and utilities such as gas, water and electricity. Sometimes you may hear your neighbour next door or live beside a neighbour with kids who play and scream everyday.

All apartments are unfurnished, however some come with refrigerators and microwaves.

If you have anymore questions send us an email or leave a comment below.

Goshiwon, Hasuk jip and one rooms / officetels are very similar types of accommodation in Korea. I will start off by explaining Goshiwon.

Goshiwon:
Goshiwon (고시원) is usually a very small room rented monthly by students or workers. Goshiwon is very similar to dormitory lifestyle. Everybody has there own room and the bathroom and [...]]]>

Goshiwon in Korea

Goshiwon, Hasuk jip and one rooms / officetels are very similar types of accommodation in Korea. I will start off by explaining Goshiwon.

Goshiwon:
Goshiwon (고시원) is usually a very small room rented monthly by students or workers. Goshiwon is very similar to dormitory lifestyle. Everybody has there own room and the bathroom and kitchen are shared. The room is very basic and small. Usually included in the room is wireless Internet, a TV, a bed and a desk. Goshiwons can be found on the Internet, links below but all in Korean. Goshiwons are usually in the city centre or located near universities and train stations. They are usually on the 4th or 5th floor of a building and the 1st few floors are usually businesses of some type or apartments. Goshiwons can be loud if they are located in a party area or beside a bar, restaurant or phone shop. The price rage is anywhere from 200,000 ~ 600,000 won which might include a private toilet or shower if you’re lucky. Usually Goshiwons are clean however there is a reason why some of the rooms are so cheap. Nearly every Goshiwon has a kitchen with basic appliances and free rice, kimchi and seaweed. If you are fortunate you might get some free noodles as well.

Hasuk Jip:
Hasuk Jip (하숙집) is very similar to Goshiwon. The rooms are private and small but the kitchen and bathroom are shared. The main difference between Goshiwon and a Hasuk Jip is that with the Hasuk Jip you are provided with two meals a day. Usually the Ajumma (Korean Lady) lives in the same building or nearby and cooks two meals a day usually breakfast and dinner. Some places even do your laundry for you. Hasuk Jips can be found on the Internet however the best way to find them is to go out and look for the HASUK JIP sign (하숙집). You can find it in student area like Sinchon and Hyehwa. Most of the Hasuk Jips are run by elderly ladies who don’t have any websites or advertise at all which makes them cheaper than the rest but you have to search to find them.

One Room / OfficeTel:
An officetel (오피스텔) or one room in Korea is a single room apartment with a toilet / shower and kitchen. The rent is quite reasonable ranging from 300,000 – 600,000 per month but there is a huge deposit and real estate agent’s fees to be paid. The one room /  officetel is great if you plan to stay for a long time in Korea. Most people don’t have money for a deposit or are only studying for a semester in a different city. In this case the Hasuk Jip or goshiwon are a better match.
For an officetel or one room in Korea the deposit is can be anywhere from 1,000,000 won up to 10,000,000 won. You will always get the deposit back when you leave if you have kept the place in reasonable condition. If not, the damage will be deducted from your deposit. With officetels and one rooms you will usually have to pay a monthly management fee , water, gas and electricity bills.

Links to Goshiwon websites.

http://www.goshipages.com/ – Search for accommodation in Korea in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.

All websites below are in Korean.
http://www.gosi1.net/
http://www.gosione.net/
http://www.gosiwon4u.net/

Link to Officetel website:
http://www.officetel114.co.kr/article/index.asp?kind=oneroom

If you have any questions please leave a comment below:

Holiday Park Korea is a company that run inexpensive caravan holiday parks. There are a few locations around Korea and prices are cheap at 120,000 won a night per caravan.

I stayed at the Holiday Park in Dobongsan. It is located at the foot of  Dobongsan Mountain. There are 3 caravan homes at this site. [...]]]>

Holiday Park Korea

Holiday Park Korea is a company that run inexpensive caravan holiday parks. There are a few locations around Korea and prices are cheap at 120,000 won a night per caravan.

I stayed at the Holiday Park in Dobongsan. It is located at the foot of  Dobongsan Mountain. There are 3 caravan homes at this site. Each caravan is fitted out with 2 beds, cable tv, a kitchen, toilet and shower. In front of the caravan there is a BBQ area.  The caravan can house up to 4 people. It works out at a very reasonable price of 30,000 won per person per night. At the holiday park there is a basketball and tennis court. A minute walk from the holiday park there is a river and waterfall. If you are interested in hiking , Dobongsan Mountain trail is a minute away. From here you can visit the Royal Tombs, a temple and follow the scenic mountain trail.

Holiday Park is a great place to get away from the city, relax with the family and take in the beautiful views that Mount Dobongsan has to offer.

To make reservations please visit their site at Holiday Park.

How to get to Holiday Park in Dobongsan:

Holiday Park is a 10 minute walk from Dobongsan station on Line 1. Leave exit 1 and head straight and make a left turn before the Army Base and walk straight until you find the camp site.