• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

  • Home
    • My Disclosure Policy
    • My Privacy Policy
    • Contact Me
  • Advertise
  • The SWCL Shop
  • Duty Stations
  • Want to Write a Guest Post?
  • Fort Campbell
  • So Your Spouse Just Deployed??? Click Here!!!
  • The Military Spouse’s Directory Of Military Discounts
You are here: Home / Duty Stations / Living in Korea

Living in Korea

June 20, 2011 by Guest Writer 15 Comments

My next guest poster is Megan who blogs at Megan Dub-Yuh.  She is an Army wife & Math teacher living in Korea right now. Thanks so much for the post Megan!

living in koreaLiving in Korea

We have lived in Korea for a year now.  Adam had been here a year before that,  unaccompanied.  We were drawn to the promise of 2 full years together without that big D word looming over our heads after Adam was sent here to heal from a broken ankle he received while training for the big D to Iraq.  (I am very grateful for that rod and 6 screws in his leg.)

Living in Korea
It has been a new challenge almost daily to live in country whose culture is so different from our own.  It can be very frustrating at times but when all is said and done my husband comes home at night and almost works regular hours (with the exception of a few TDYs).  When put in to that perspective I will deal with any cultural or language frustration.

When I began thinking about this post on what it is like to be stationed in Korea I began thinking about posts I have already made.  {If you would like to read any of them check out posts under the label Korea.  It has been pretty entertaining at times.}  But in the end I have decided to poll my followers on Twitter and see what they wanted to know about being stationed here.  Below are those questions and my answers to them (most of the answers apply to my experience with our location and the Army).

How hard is it to bring animals over?
It is a challenge but not impossible.  We have three yorkies and we decided to not bring them but left them with my parents.  When deciding whether we were going to bring them we took a few things in to consideration: housing, travel, and vet services.

Even though Adam was here already they wouldn’t let him get housing for the both of us until I was physically in the country.  I was coming in during the peak time for PCS and so we didn’t know if we would be living on post (where they have very strict animal noise regulations), in an apartment off post or what.  There was no telling if we would be able to find a place that was three yorkie friendly.  Also, there are no yards anywhere in Korea so if you have a pet that requires one don’t bring them.  Most Koreans, that do have pets, have small dogs since most Koreans live in apartments.

I was flying here via a 20 hour commercial flight.  The thought of taking my babies on that was overwhelming plus they only allow one dog per person in the cabin.
Finally, the vet services on post weren’t well established when we started to plan our move here.  They have become more established since getting here but we would probably have had to try and find an English speaking Korean vet regardless.
Lastly, if there is to be a civilian evacuation there are many regulations and very specific things you have to have done in order for you to get your pet evacuated.  They will be evacuated at a lower priority than you and your stuff so once you leave them in the pet area you won’t know about them again for a while.  More stress I wouldn’t want to deal with in the event of an evacuation.

What if you don’t like Korean food?
If you don’t like Korean food then you can eat on Post.  There is all of your normal food court fare.  BUT you are bound to find some Korean food that you like.  It isn’t all kimchi and spicy fish… even though that is a large part of their diets.  My favorite is Samgyupasal, or Korean bacon, cooked on a table grill and served with Kimchi, salad and roasted garlic.

Is it hard for the spouse to find a job?
Yes, it is very hard.  They do not have jobs for spouses on post and any jobs available that you may be qualified for are given first priority to Koreans because of the agreement we have with their country.  Korea has a ridiculously high unemployment rate and to get a job on post is amazing for them.  Before you get upset at this discrimination just keep in mind they will live here in this country that it is impossible to get a job in even if with a specialized degree and you are here temporarily.  Working off post will require you to get special work permissions added to your Visa and if it is a job that a Korean can do, again, they probably will deny you the permission.

What kinds of schools are available for kids?
If you are Command Sponsored (and I would recommend you only come here with your husband if you are Command Sponsored) there are the DoDDs schools on post.  Otherwise you will have to enroll your child in a Korean or International School which could cost you a lot of money.

How is the TriCare system there? Dentists?
There is a medical shortage here and it takes FOREVER to get an appointment on post and they only book two weeks out so hopefully whatever time they have available works for you else you will have to call back over and over again.  They also have very little equipment on post and if you have to have any tests done they probably will send you off to a Korean partner hospital, which is a whole new experience (not necessarily bad) of its own.
Once you get an appointment or if you have to go to the after-hours care clinic (ER) then you will have a short waiting room wait and very friendly, efficient service.
As for the dentists, I’m ashamed to say that I have yet to figure out how to make a dentist appointment.  It seems to be very convoluted and everyone I talk to tell me a different thing.

Are the locals friendly toward military families?
We have not encountered any animosity towards us.  If anything the woman are always telling Adam how handsome he is even if I am standing right there.  They also like to dig in your shopping cart if you are at their grocery stores.  They are just super curious to see non-Koreans most of the time.  In fact, a friend of mine had an old man tell her that although he had seen it on tv he didn’t believe people really had round eyes.

What size are the houses on base/post and off post? Will a kingsize bed fit?
The houses are super small.  Korea is a very crammed place and the people are generally pretty efficient and Spartan.  But if you think about it the country has a population of about 49 million people in the size of the state of Kentucky.  So, when trying to figure out what to have the packers send to your new home in Korea go with the bare minimum.  We lucked out and got a larger than average home outside the city we live in.  They have super small closets, cabinets, etc.  We brought a lot more than we needed and if we had moved in to the apartment that we originally thought we were going to then we wouldn’t have had enough room (we only brought about 1/3 of our HHG from our 2000 sq ft home in Texas).  As for a king size bed the answer is yes but there may not be any room for anything else in your bedroom if you do.

Is the water potable, or should you drink bottled water?
The tap water is safe to drink but it isn’t recommended.  It is full of extra minerals that we were told have caused Americans to have allergic reactions.  We cook with and bathe in it with no problem but for drinking we have a water filtration system that our land lords installed and that we pay about $20 a month to have.  It is serviced by a funny little lady every 3 months.  It also has instant hot water which is awesome.  I want one when we get back to the States.

How expensive is it to take vacations (not CONUS) to other countries?
To travel to other countries in Asia is pretty inexpensive.  Since you are so much closer the airfares are cheaper.  One thing to keep in mind is that many countries require for Americans to have Visas purchased and approved before traveling.  Some of these Visas are expensive (China is about $200 a person).

Traveling within Korea is infinite and also very cheap especially if you can stay on one of the many military installations throughout the peninsula or off the beaten tourist path.  There is relatively low crime here.  There is occasional pick-pockets, etc, in the touristy areas of the big cities but you really don’t have too much to worry about.  If you decide to stay in one of the “love” hotels which can be nice, inexpensive accommodations you could see human trafficking, which is a very real problem here.  So, just be careful.

Is it worth shipping your car over or should you buy one there?
Yes, it is worth shipping your car over here.  Cars are very expensive unless you can get one of the many OLD beaters on post, which if you need a second car you will have to do that.  Traveling by car is a lot more convenient than traveling by the vast public transportation systems that are available here and all of the signs are in Korea.  If you do drive in Korea you should definitely invest in an English-speaking GPS, it is well worth the money.  Driving here is a lot like playing Grand Theft Auto and you are guaranteed to get lost or miss your turn many times.

Living in Korea

What are no-nos in Korean culture that are fine in American?
For more information check out the book Rude American, Rude Korean.

What we do…

  • Writing someone’s name in Red ink.
  • Pointing
  • Sticking your fork in your food to rest it when not using it.
  • If you use the middle finger they won’t know you are insulting them.

 

What they do…

  • Cut in line.
  • Not make lines at food carts they just yell out their order.  So don’t wait your turn.
  • Run red lights.
  • Drive on the sidewalk.
  • Walk out in front of moving cars while holding their hands out expecting you to just stop.
  • Stare like you are a rare zoo animal.
  • Their version of the middle finger is to ball their hand up in a fist and point their thumb at you.
  • They don’t make their children behave and be quiet in public… they basically ignore them.
  • Park anywhere… even in the middle of a busy street.
  • Old ladies will grab children’s butts… even your children that they don’t know.
  • Pretend like they don’t understand you whether you are speaking English (and they do, too) or you are speaking Korean.

 

Last Updated on July 17, 2020 by Writer

Support Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life

Filed Under: Duty Stations, Guest Post, Military Life, Pcs, Stationed Overseas Tagged With: duty station, guest post, Overseas

Previous Post: « Top 25 annoying Army Deployment Questions and Comments
Next Post: Dinosaur Deploys »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan Dub-Yuh

    June 20, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    It's been a pleasure filling in!! I just noticed I had a typo… all the signs here are in ENGLISH AND KOREAN. My bad. Thanks again!
    My recent post Day 10- A Silly Photo Of Me

    Reply
  2. Jessica

    June 20, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    Wow, what a great post! Thanks Megan!

    Reply
  3. lovemyfam72

    June 20, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    Love the post! Great job! Sounds like you've got your hands full though!!
    Stephanie @ http://northernsunshine72.blogspot.com
    My recent post Does God Have A Doctrine

    Reply
  4. Jenny

    June 20, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    Wow. Sounds like you have had a very different experience in Korea than I did. We were there for 2 years and loved it. Here are a few of the ways our experiences differ – just for a different perspective. There are quite a few American restaurants in Korea (although, you'll still most likely get served kimchi as a side) and we had a big apt (bigger than anything for our pay grade at the other 5 posts we've been to) at Yongsan and a decent size (and REALLY nice) apt in Uijeongbu. As far as schools, also keep in mind that there are also a lot of homeschoolers in Korea (and a good-size support group) and that if you put your children in a private Korean school, you will many times get a discount because Koreans want native English-speaking students at their schools. As far as jobs are concerned – they are definitely hard to get. If you want one, your best bet is to get involved (volunteer) on-post. It's much easier to get a job in a military community if you know "somebody" – so volunteer in the area you want to work. (And I'm totally with you on your perspective re: Koreans working on post) Driving in Korea – if you don't have a GPS – do a google search for directions from post to post (i.e. Yongsan to Camp Stanley) – there are a lot of directions posted with pictures. I'm terrible with directions and I always made it around okay. Hope that helps you out some and that you enjoy it there.

    Reply
    • Megan Dub-Yuh

      June 20, 2011 at 8:26 pm

      Yes, we are not up in the Seoul Area but a few hours down the peninsula in a much, much smaller area.

      Reply
  5. Megan Dub-Yuh

    June 20, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    Sure, you can definitely use this information… you can email me at Megandubyuh(at)gmail(dot)com too for more info.
    My recent post Day 10- A Silly Photo Of Me

    Reply
  6. Adrienne

    June 21, 2011 at 3:50 am

    We just got to Germany from Korea in April, and I can confirm what Megan is talking about!

    Off Post there are SMALL apartments, and there are LARGE apartments. The apartment we had was fairly Americanized, and it was three bedrooms. The master bedroom was HUGE and YES, you could fit a FEW King Sized beds in there! haha.

    When looking for an apartment off post it if fairly easy (at least where we were, next to Camp Humphreys). We got a realty lady who helped us, she was amazing, and showed us almost 10 apartments!

    They all were fairly Americanized, but you will want to look at the Bathrooms, some of their shower heads are very small, and we had to look for an apartment with a tall shower head (my husband is over 6 feet tall!). In some apartments they will not have bathtubs, and some will have the shower head and no shower area (it would spray onto the toilet).

    I knew a lot of people who drove in Korea, however, I wouldn't want to. They are kind of crazy drivers, as in all traffic 'rules' were… "optional". ha. I also knew quite a few people who were involved in accidents. However, the public transit is VERY easy and VERY cheap! They have buses, subways, trains and taxis. Taxis could get spendy, depending on where you were going, and sometimes they would try and rip you off, especially the on post taxis. If you are not command sponsored, you are not allowed to have a vehicle, unless you had children (but that rule depends on the unit, or whatever).

    But if you have children, I do not recommend going to Korea without command sponsorship, unless you intend to homeschool or put your kids in Korean schools.

    Korea is great, if you have an open mind, and get out of your apartment!
    My recent post Im FAMOUS! not

    Reply
    • Megan Dub-Yuh

      June 21, 2011 at 8:02 pm

      My hubby loves the Korean style open shower because he claims you are cleaning the toilet, etc, while you shower. Multi-tasker that he is. 😀

      Driving hasn't been too bad but you have to be on your toes and totally defensive at all times.
      My recent post Day 10- A Silly Photo Of Me

      Reply
  7. Megan Dub-Yuh

    June 21, 2011 at 7:58 pm

    Yeah we are way down in Area 4.
    My recent post Day 10- A Silly Photo Of Me

    Reply
    • Megan Dub-Yuh

      June 21, 2011 at 8:01 pm

      And I have thoroughly enjoyed this last year so I can't wait to see what the next year holds… despite my occasional frustration with cultural and language barriers.
      My recent post Day 10- A Silly Photo Of Me

      Reply
  8. Megan Dub-Yuh

    June 21, 2011 at 8:00 pm

    They also believe if you write them a note in red ink they will die. As a teacher this is so hard for me when grading papers. I have "killed" a few students now. They also believe that if you let a fan blow in your face it will steal your breath and you will die.
    My recent post Day 10- A Silly Photo Of Me

    Reply
    • Laura

      June 22, 2011 at 7:36 pm

      Thanks Megan! I will email. Yes, I agree, when I was a teaching assistant, I too liked the red, because it was easier to make out the comments I wrote from the students'. So how serious is it taken? I mean is it like here in the U.S. if you step on a crack (on sidewalk) you break your mother's back? Or how you hold your breath when driving by the cemetery?
      My recent post The Weighting Game

      Reply
      • Megan Dub-Yuh

        June 23, 2011 at 12:47 am

        Well, I made the mistake of writing a girl's name in Red on the Smartboard and they all gasped. Some believe and some don't… like any superstition.
        My recent post My Song

        Reply
  9. Laura

    June 22, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    That's so interesting! I didn't know that.
    My recent post The Weighting Game

    Reply
  10. rechtsschutzversicherungtest24.de

    July 13, 2013 at 7:25 am

    Hi there, constantly i used to check weblog posts here early in the morning, because
    i love to learn more and more.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Support Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life!

Buy Me a Coffee

Sign up for your FREE Guide to the First 30 Days of Deployment!


Thank you!

Check your email for confirmation! 

.

About Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life

 

Welcome to Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life! I am so glad you are here.

My name is Julie and I first became a military spouse in 2005 when my husband of 3 years re-joined the Army. Then, in 2014, he joined the National Guard. In January of 2024, he retired from the National Guard after 21 years of service.

During our time in the military, we got to spend 4 years in Germany as well as Tennessee where we now call home.

We have three boys and have been through four deployments together.

I hope that you can find support for your own deployments, PCS moves, or anything else military life brings you through my articles and social media posts.

 

Archives

Copyright © 2025 Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life on the Foodie Pro Theme

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT