Landing in Seoul: SIM Cards, Transit, First Groceries

A step-by-step relocation coach’s guide to surviving—and thriving—your first 30 days in South Korea.

Moving day is emotional whiplash: one minute you’re hugging family goodbye, the next you’re trying to decode airport Wi-Fi instructions in Korean while a K-pop soundtrack blasts from a duty-free speaker.
I’ve shepherded dozens of movers through that exact disorientation, and today I’m handing you my entire playbook—packed with checklists, budget tables, and the tiny cultural cues that rarely make it into glossy relocation brochures.

Whether you’re transferring with Samsung, starting language school, or simply chasing the best fried chicken on Earth, this guide ensures your landing in Seoul is smooth, connected, and delicious.

Contents

1. Pre-move Preparation Checklist
2. Arrival Week Must-Dos
3. Budgeting Tips for the First Month
4. Tools and Local Resources
5. Final Thoughts & Next Steps

(Grab a pen—or tell Siri to take notes.)

1. Pre-Move Preparation Checklist

Think of this as your “flight plan.” The more boxes you tick before boarding, the fewer headaches you’ll nurse after touchdown.

1.1 Visas & Documents

• D-series (student & language) vs E-series (employment) vs H-1 (working holiday)—each has different bank statement requirements. Confirm twice with the consulate.
• Apostilled diplomas and police checks are mandatory for most English-teaching visas. Processing can take 4–6 weeks.
• Digital backups: Scan passports, visa grant notices, degree certificates, vaccination cards to a cloud folder labeled “Seoul-Move.”

Pro tip: Immigration officers love crisp printouts. One fast way to show respect—and speed the queue—is to hand documents in a transparent folder, not crumpled in a hoodie pocket.

1.2 Housing “Bridge”

Unlike Tokyo or Paris, Seoul lets you sign a lease within days of arrival, but you’ll need a crash pad first.
Options:

• Incheon Airport’s Capsule Hotel (ideal for late-night flights)
• Goshiwon (tiny, furnished student rooms; pay weekly)
• Airbnbs in Mapo and Gangnam have monthly discounts.

If you’ve read our piece on finding short-term rentals in Lisbon, you know the golden rule: never sign unseen. Same applies here—book only the first week, then scout neighborhoods in person.

1.3 Money & Banking

South Korea remains semi-cash, semi-card:

1. Notify your bank: Korean ATMs occasionally reject foreign cards with overzealous fraud filters.
2. Bring ~₩300,000 cash (~US $220) for taxis, first groceries, coin-laundry.
3. Download Wise or Revolut for fee-friendly KRW transfers until you open a local account.

1.4 Connectivity Prep

• Unlock your phone.
• Check if it supports Band 28 (700 MHz) and Band 78 (3.5 GHz 5G).
• Reserve an Incheon Airport eSIM online (cheaper than walk-up).
• Bookmark Hi Korea immigration portal and Papago translation app.

1.5 Cultural Homework

• Practice saying “Annyeonghaseyo” (hello) and “Gamsahamnida” (thank you).
• Remember: Shoes off indoors, lift bowls when eating rice, and never stick chopsticks upright in a bowl (funeral symbol).

Ticked every box? High-five. Let’s board.

2. Arrival Week Must-Dos

Stepping into Incheon’s spotless terminal feels like entering a K-drama set—minus the subtitles. Here’s your sequence.

2.1 Clear Immigration Like a Local

Have your Q-Code (health declaration) QR on screen, your address-of-stay filled (the goshiwon will do), and that tidy folder ready. Average queue time: 20–40 min.

2.2 Grab a SIM (or eSIM)

There are three mainstream options:

Why I prefer eSIM: You scan a QR, phone reboots, done. KT’s 30-day 50 GB eSIM runs about ₩49,500—no kiosk line, no passport photocopy.

Insider note: Some kiosks upsell a “tourist SIM” limited to 90 days. If you’re on a long-term visa, tell them you’ll switch to a resident plan later. They’ll nod knowingly and skip the hard sell.

2.3 T-Money Transit Card

After SIMs, find the bright purple T-money vending machine or any 7-Eleven. Card costs ₩4,000; load ₩20,000 to start.

• Valid on subways, buses, some taxis, and even convenience store snacks.
• Tap in/out on Seoul Metro—the beep of success is oddly satisfying.

2.4 Ride into the City

Options from Incheon Airport (ICN):

1. AREX Express (43 min) – ₩9,500, non-stop to Seoul Station.
2. All-Stop AREX (59 min) – ₩4,350, good for western suburbs.
3. Airport Limousine Bus – ₩17,000, handy if luggage is heavy and your Airbnb is near Gangnam hotels.
4. Taxi – ₩70,000–90,000; use only official lines. Midnight surcharges exist, but no tipping.

2.5 Register Your Address & ARC Appointment

Within 90 days (sooner for peace of mind):

• Visit Hi Korea website → “Foreigner registration reservation.”
• Nearest immigration office depends on district—Seoul Southern, Seoul Sejongno, etc.
• Bring 2 passport photos (3.5×4.5 cm), ₩30,000 fee stamp, rental contract or goshiwon receipt.

Expect a 2-week wait for ARC pickup. The card is your life: bank account opener, phone contract gateway, museum discount card.

2.6 Stocking the Kitchen—First Groceries

You’re jet-lagged, hungry, and one wrong chili pepper away from meltdown. Here’s what to buy:

1. Basic condiments
2. Guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce)
3. Gochujang (red chili paste)

4. Sesame oil

5. Always in the fridge

6. Pre-cut kimchi pouches (₩3,000)
7. Tofu blocks (₩1,200)

8. Pre-washed spinach (₩1,800)

9. Snack survival kit

10. Honey butter chips
11. Banana uyoo (milk)
12. Onigiri-style triangle kimbap (₩1,300)

Where to shop first:

Pull-quote:
“Your first bowl of instant tteokbokki at 2 a.m. will taste like triumph—and capsaicin.”

3. Budgeting Tips for the First Month

I’ve watched newcomers either clutch every won like a rare Pokémon or burn through cash faster than a BLACKPINK encore. Balance, people.

3.1 Typical First-Month Costs (Single Relocator)

3.2 Hidden Costs People Forget

1. ARC Fee & Photos – ₩33,000
2. Key Money Interest – If you loan jeonse deposit, the 2–3 % bank interest hits monthly.
3. Bedding – Korean apartments come unfurnished. Expect ₩120,000 for mattress toppers, pillows, duvet.
4. Trash Bags – Neighborhood-specific, color-coded, and not free. Buy at CVSs.

3.3 Money-Saving Hacks

• Lunch menus (jeomsim teuk) at local eateries drop bulgogi sets from ₩9,000 to ₩6,500.
• Order produce via Coupang Rocket Fresh—free dawn delivery over ₩25,000 basket.
• Visit local ward offices (gucheong) for second-hand furniture bulletin boards.
• Museums are free on Culture Day (last Wednesday monthly).

Remember how we advised creators to tap grant programs in our article on artists relocating to Paris? Seoul has an equivalent: Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture (SFAC). Worth bookmarking if you’re in the creative field—and partial to neon hanbok.

4. Tools and Local Resources

Gear up your smartphone; it’s now your Swiss Army knife.

4.1 Transport Apps

• Kakao Metro – Real-time train positions, exit maps.
• Kakao T – Uber equivalent; English interface; set card payments.
• Naver Map – Better walking routes than Google.
• Seoul Bike (Ddareungi) – City bike share; ₩1,000/hour.

4.2 Language Helpers

• Papago – Best Korean ↔ English translator; photo OCR for menus.
• HelloTalk – Language exchange; locals will help decipher gas bills.
• Naver Dictionary – Rich example sentences.

4.3 Daily Life Platforms

• Coupang – Amazon of Korea; Rocket delivery before dawn.
• Karrot Market (Danggeun) – Hyper-local Craigslist for used furniture.
• Baedal Minjok (Baemin) – Food delivery; set address pin carefully to avoid handing fried chicken to your neighbor.

4.4 Emergency & Health

• Dial 1330 for tourist police, lost property help, interpretation.
• 119 is ambulance/fire; basic English spoken.
• Pharmacies (약국) carry over-the-counter meds; acetaminophen = “타이레놀” (Tylenol).

Coach’s reminder: Korea’s national health insurance kicks in after ARC registration if you’re on most visa types. Until then, carry travel insurance—you don’t want to foot a ₩150,000 clinic bill for “the common cold that felt apocalyptic.”

5. Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Landing in Seoul isn’t just a geographical shift; it’s a sensory upgrade—LED crosswalks at midnight, tactile pavement humming underfoot, the warm umami of kimchi jjigae on a freezing Tuesday. Yes, there will be bureaucratic lines and the occasional confusion over which trash bag is for “food waste.” But armed with the checklist above and BorderPilot’s data-powered relocation roadmap, you can trade overwhelm for curiosity.

Feeling ready to live those K-drama montages instead of just streaming them?
Create your free BorderPilot relocation plan today and receive custom timelines, visa reminders, and a neighborhood comparison tool tailored to your priorities—coffee shops within 300 m included.

See you in Seoul. Your first honey butter chip is on me.