🇰🇷 South Korea · City guide
Moving to Seoul: Language & First Steps
South Korea's hyper-connected capital; you'll need an Alien Registration Card (ARC).
Living in Seoul
South Korea's hyper-connected capital; you'll need an Alien Registration Card (ARC) for most services. Expats cluster in Itaewon, Hongdae, Gangnam and Mapo; the subway is superb, and some Korean helps a lot beyond international areas.
To settle into Seoul you'll need Korean — and the practical kind: your Alien Registration Card (ARC) from immigration within 90 days of arrival, opening a bank account, and seeing a doctor. Here's what to do first and the phrases to learn.
Sources: Language Lab's Korean curriculum & culture notes; city/official processes vary — confirm with Seoul's local authority. · Join the beta →
What to do in your first week in Seoul?
- Register your address / residency — your Alien Registration Card (ARC) from immigration within 90 days of arrival.
- Open a local bank account so you can get paid and pay rent.
- Register with a local doctor (GP) and sort health insurance.
- Get a local SIM / mobile plan and set up any required digital ID.
- Learn your transport options — tickets, passes and routes.
Korean phrasebooks for Seoul
For the full country picture, see our guide to moving to South Korea.
Arrive in Seoul ready.
Language Lab teaches the Korean you actually need to settle in — with a live AI tutor. Coming soon.
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