πͺͺ Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The ARC (μΈκ΅μΈλ±λ‘μ¦, Alien Registration Card) is your most important document in Korea. Without it, you can't open a bank account, get a phone plan, or sign up for health insurance.
ARC β Everything You Need to Know
Who needs it
- Foreigners staying 90+ days
- Anyone on a work or student visa
- Working holiday visa holders
What to bring
- Passport + visa
- Passport-size photo (3.5Γ4.5cm)
- Completed application form
- β©30,000 fee
Find your nearest Immigration Office
Search μΆμ κ΅κ΄λ¦¬μ¬λ¬΄μ on Naver Maps. Major offices: Seoul (Seoul Station, Mapo), Incheon, Busan, Daegu. Some larger community centers (μ£Όλ―ΌμΌν°) also process applications.
Apply within 90 days of arrival
You must register within 90 days of entering Korea (or within 90 days of your visa start date). Late registration results in a fine up to β©200,000.
Wait 2β3 weeks
Processing takes 2β3 weeks. You can check status online at hi.korea.go.kr. The card is mailed to your Korean address or can be picked up at the immigration office.
Carry it at all times
Technically required to carry your ARC (or passport) at all times in Korea. Police rarely check, but you'll need it for hospitals, banks, phone stores and more.
ποΈ Trash Sorting in Korea
Korea has mandatory trash sorting β violations can result in fines. The system takes a few days to learn but becomes routine quickly.
Food Waste (μμλ¬Ό)
Yellow designated bags. Sold at convenience stores. Weighed by volume β you pay per bag used.
Recyclables (μ¬νμ©)
Paper, plastic, cans, bottles β separated. Put in the colored bins by your building or on the street on designated days.
General Waste (μΌλ°μ°λ κΈ°)
Non-recyclable trash only. Must use official designated garbage bags (μ’ λμ λ΄ν¬) β sold at GS25, CU etc.
Large Items (λννκΈ°λ¬Ό)
Furniture, appliances β require a special sticker purchased at the local community center (μ£Όλ―ΌμΌν°) before disposal.
Glass (μ 리)
Separate from other recyclables. Bottles are sorted by color in some areas. Check your building's rules.
πͺ Convenience Store Life
Korean convenience stores (νΈμμ ) β GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Emart24 β are remarkable. They're open 24/7 and serve as a one-stop shop for daily life.
What You Can Do at a Convenience Store
- Eat: Fresh kimbap, triangular μΌκ°κΉλ°₯, hot dogs, ramen cooked in-store (they have hot water dispensers and microwaves)
- Bank: ATM that accepts foreign cards, T-money top-up, pay utility bills, receive packages
- Shop: Toiletries, medicine, snacks, alcohol (until 11pm in some areas), phone chargers, stationery
- Print: Many convenience stores have multifunction printers β scan, print, copy documents
- Send packages: CJ LogisTown, GS Postbox β ship packages domestically for β©3,000β6,000
- Pay for tickets: Concert tickets, transportation passes, online order pickups
π° Realistic Monthly Budget (Seoul)
| Category | Budget Living | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent + utilities) | β©450,000 | β©900,000 | β©1,500,000 |
| Food (cooking + eating out) | β©250,000 | β©450,000 | β©700,000 |
| Transport | β©60,000 | β©80,000 | β©120,000 |
| Phone plan | β©15,000 | β©45,000 | β©70,000 |
| Health insurance | β©79,000 | β©100,000 | β©130,000 |
| Personal care / misc | β©80,000 | β©150,000 | β©250,000 |
| Entertainment / dining out | β©100,000 | β©200,000 | β©400,000 |
| Total / month | ~β©1.0M | ~β©1.9M | ~β©3.2M |
π€ Korean Culture & Etiquette
β Do
- Use two hands when giving/receiving items
- Remove shoes when entering homes
- Pour drinks for others before yourself
- Say μ λ¨Ήκ² μ΅λλ€ before eating
- Address elders and seniors respectfully
- Bow slightly when greeting someone older
- Stand on the right side of escalators
- Be quiet on public transport
β Don't
- Write someone's name in red ink (associated with death)
- Tip at restaurants β it can be awkward
- Talk loudly on the phone on the subway
- Blow your nose at the table
- Sit in priority seating (λ Έμ½μμ)
- Pass food chopstick-to-chopstick
- Leave chopsticks standing upright in rice
- Start eating before the eldest person at the table
πΌ Korean Workplace Culture
What to Expect
- Hierarchy matters: Address superiors formally β use their title (λΆμ₯λ, νμ₯λ) not their name
- Working hours: Official hours may be 9β6, but staying late (λμΉ β reading the room) is common in traditional companies
- νμ (Hoesik): Team dinner/drinking events are semi-compulsory in many workplaces β important for bonding
- Business cards: Receive with two hands, read it, don't write on it or stuff it in your pocket immediately
- Age: Koreans often ask your age early β it determines how they speak to you and the relationship dynamic
- Startup vs. conglomerate: Startups and international companies are much more relaxed than traditional Korean chaebols (μΌμ±, LG, Hyundai etc.)