Living in Korea
The practical first-month list for a foreign teacher in Korea — bank account, phone plan, hospitals, delivery apps, and roughly what the first month costs.
2 articles
- Living in Korea2026-08-18 — 6 min read
How do I set up a bank account and phone in Korea as an E-2 teacher?
You can open a Korean bank account and get a phone number within your first week if you have your ARC. Expect to spend ₩150,000–₩250,000 in your first month on deposits, plans, and essentials before your first paycheque arrives.
- Living in Korea2026-08-12 — 3 min read
Your first two weeks in Korea: ARC, bank account, phone, and the order to do them in
The first two weeks in Korea run in a fixed order because each step unlocks the next: you arrive and start work, you apply for your Alien Registration Card, the ARC lets you open a proper bank account, the bank account lets you get a phone contract, and the phone number lets you register for almost everything else. Doing them out of order is where new teachers get stuck.