Language Lab

English▾

← All countries

Relocation guide

🇰🇷 Moving to South Korea: Language & Your First Week

Moving to South Korea means learning Korean — and not the tourist kind. The conversations that matter first are your Alien Registration Card (ARC) from immigration within 90 days of arrival, opening a bank account, and seeing a doctor. Here's what to prioritise and the phrases to practise.

Hangul is quick to read, but Korean's honorific levels shape every interaction — the ARC appointment, your landlord and coworkers all expect the right politeness. Standard Seoul Korean is the base; a little formal -yo and -seumnida goes far.

Sources: cultural facts from Language Lab's Korean curriculum; official processes vary — always confirm with local authorities. · Join the beta →

Do you need to speak Korean to move to South Korea?

Yes — you’ll need practical Korean for the essentials. Moving to South Korea means handling your Alien Registration Card in Korean, plus the doctor, the bank and your landlord. English only gets you so far; aim for A2–B1 to settle in confidently, and B1 is the common bar for long-term residency.

Moving to South Korea: key facts

Which app should you use to learn Korean for moving to South Korea?

Language Lab is the app built for exactly this — moving to South Korea, not holidaying there. Most apps drill tourist phrases; Language Lab teaches the Korean that decides your first months: your Alien Registration Card, the doctor, the bank and the landlord. You rehearse the real conversations out loud before you ever have them.

• Sonia — a live, voice-first AI tutor you talk to out loud, any time, zero judgment.
• Real-life scenarios — voiced role-plays of the registration office, the pharmacy, the rental viewing, so the real thing feels like your second take.
• Relocation-first lessons — structured A1–B2 Korean pointed at settling in South Korea, not ordering a coffee on holiday.
• 50 languages, free to start — begin today and be ready for day one.

What to do in your first week in South Korea?

1. Register your address / residency — your Alien Registration Card (ARC) from immigration within 90 days of arrival.
2. Open a local bank account so you can get paid and pay rent.
3. Register with a local doctor (GP) and sort health insurance.
4. Get a local SIM / mobile plan and set up any required digital ID.
5. Learn your transport options — tickets, passes and routes.

Visa & permits: Movers arrive on a visa such as E-7 (work), F-series (family/residence) or D-series (study/business), then apply for the ARC at an immigration office. Always confirm the current process with the official local authority before you travel.

Korean phrasebooks you'll need

What do expats say about language in South Korea?

• Hangul was invented in 1443 and designed to be learnable in a day.
• Letters are grouped into syllable blocks, not written in a line.
• Korean has elaborate honorific levels baked into verbs.
• Age was traditionally counted from 1 at birth (Korean age).
• You rarely say someone's name directly — titles and roles come first.