Inside Korea | Korea vs US Life

  I started by checking Korea’s official international student data. The increase was larger than I expected. Walking through Korean cities these days, it is hard not to notice how many international students there are, and that made me want to look at the numbers behind what I was seeing. The number of international students in Korea rose from 208,962 in 2024 to 253,434 in 2025. That represents an increase of about 21.3% in one year. Korean music and dramas may create the first interest. However, culture alone does not explain an academic decision. Tuition, scholarships, Korean-language ability, part-time work and employment prospects matter just as much. This guide examines those factors separately. Table of Contents 1. How Fast Is Korea’s International Student Population Growing? Korea’s international student population has moved beyond a small exchange market. Official education statistics counted 208,962 international students in 2024. The number increased to 253,434 i...

  Ask anyone moving to the US the same question: "Is American health insurance really that expensive?" In Korea, the premium comes out of your paycheck automatically. You barely think about it. But when you actually look at real US bills, the numbers are bigger than most people expect. So we compared real hospital bills and patient stories from both countries. In Korea, seeing a doctor is usually a quick, routine errand, so reading about U.S. hospital bills made me want to put the two systems side by side. One ER Visit, One Massive Bill A Korean expat took his wife to a local ER for a persistent cough. The visit lasted just over two hours. Blood work, a CT scan, an EKG, an X-ray. Nothing serious was found. Then the bill arrived. $17,007. That's roughly 22 million Korean won. The CT scan alone cost over $6,000. Blood work came to more than $5,000. Thanks to insurance, the family only paid $250 out of pocket. But that same insurance was already costing them close to $...

I imagined preparing for a trip to the United States. After flights, the next thing I typed into the search bar was where to stay in the U.S. At first, I thought choosing accommodation would be easy as long as I checked hotel prices. But when I compared hotels and Airbnb listings one by one for a few days in Los Angeles, the room price was not the only thing to consider. I had to look at the location, check parking, and weigh taxes and extra service conditions as well. According to U.S. Department of Commerce data, about 1.647 million Koreans visited the United States in 2025, making Korea one of the major overseas markets for U.S. travel. So what criteria should travelers from Korea use to choose where to stay? This time, I pretended I was actually preparing a U.S. trip and followed the process step by step, from searching for accommodation to making the final choice. Table of Contents 1. Starting the Search with U.S. Hotels The first thing that comes to mind is, of cour...

In Korea, you can roughly predict the cost of a meal just by looking at the menu price. At a U.S. restaurant, however, it is hard to predict the final amount from the listed price alone. While looking into American tipping culture, I calculated the cost of a $25 menu item myself. After adding sales tax and a tip, the total rose to about $32. It was not simply a matter of paying more; there was a real cultural difference between Korea and the U.S. in how people see tipping. As someone used to paying exactly what the menu says in Korea, the idea of adding tax and a tip at the table felt unfamiliar enough that I wanted to work it out myself. Table of Contents 1. Why Are Koreans Surprised by U.S. Restaurant Bills? In Korea, many people assume the cost of service is already included in the food price. Taking orders and bringing food to the table are seen as basic services provided by the restaurant. In the U.S., the menu price and sales tax are separate, and there is a culture i...

  While reviewing Korean and American holiday customs, one familiar scene caught my attention. Before Chuseok, Korean stores suddenly fill with large, carefully packaged gift sets. Chuseok is one of Korea’s most important traditional holidays. It is sometimes described as “Korean Thanksgiving,” but the comparison has limits. American Thanksgiving focuses strongly on family gatherings and food. Most American year-end gift shopping, however, is associated with the wider winter holiday season, especially Christmas. This article does not claim that Chuseok and Christmas are equivalent. It compares how Koreans and Americans use seasonal gifts to express appreciation. While checking consumer surveys and gift categories, I found a clear difference. Korean Chuseok gifts often emphasize relationships, usefulness and formal presentation. American holiday gifts tend to emphasize each recipient’s interests and choices. Table of Contents 1. Why Do Chuseok Gift Sets Appear Everywhere? Chus...

 The best hiking trails in Korea for foreigners range from easy urban walks to full-day summit routes. Mountains are part of everyday life in Korea. On weekend mornings, it is common to see hikers in full gear on the subway, heading to trailheads right inside the city. I instinctively look toward the surrounding mountains. Korea’s mountains are unusually close to everyday life. A subway ride can lead directly to a trailhead. A morning hike can finish before an afternoon city tour. However, choosing the correct route is not always easy. The same mountain may have several entrances. Difficulty can change depending on the selected course. Public transportation, weather and seasonal restrictions also matter. The seven routes below differ in difficulty, access, scenery, and the time needed to complete them. Distances and times are approximate. Always check official conditions before departure. Table of Contents Quick Trail Comparison: How I Would Choose a Route If a friend from ...