Korea- Decorating on a Budget

When you're an expatriate for a short while, it's wasteful to splurge on furniture and art. Your ticket home is like your ticket to heaven. You can't bring your stuff with you.

That doesn't mean you can't personalize your place for cheap. My apartment is looking cute, for about 60,000 W (60 USD). Here's how:

Plant - 2.70$, HOME PLUS
Striped rug- 2$, dollar store at South Gate

Computer desk- approx. 30$, HOME PLUS

Candle- 1.30$, HOME PLUS. The holder was a gift.
Frames- 4$ for two, HOME PLUS

Dresser: 0$ (found it on the side of the road.) Same with my bookcase. It's spring!

Framed poster: 20$, HOME PLUS
Coat hanger hook: $1, at any stationary store

Grand Total: 61$ USD

Apartment Rental, Korea

Over half the population of South Korea lives in high rise apartment buildings. Americans dream of white picket fences and Koreans dream of a condo overlooking heaven, err, bottleneck traffic insanity.

I'm an exception and live down here, with "the people":

The majority of teaching contracts include a rent free furnished apartment. If you wish to find alternative accommodation, for whatever reason, you receive a monthly housing bonus of approx. 300 USD.

There are three rental systems in Korea: Jonsei (which means money in full) and 2 types of wolse system. About 68% of the rental market is under the Jonsei system. No monthly rent is paid; the tenant gives the landlord "key money" amounting to 25- 70% of the property value. At the end of the agreement, money is returned in full.

The wolse system involves monthly payments, but key deposits are required-- between 10-20x the monthly rent. The larger your deposit, the smaller the monthly payments.

Landlords profit through investments.

For Family and Friends (My Apartment)

I found that 7ft. tall bookshelf on the side of the road.

"Korean bathroom floors are always wet. There's a drainage hole in centre of the floor, where water drains down to the sewage.The advantage is you never have to clean the bathroom. You just take the shower hose, and spray everything down. One minute later, voila, shiny and clean." - (thank you Anonymous) / F.Y.I: I discuss this in my post Arrived in Korea Last Night.

Why does anyone NOT have heated floors?

Dryers are non-existent in Korea.