Paid bilingual housing help · EN/KR

Rent an Apartment in Seoul With Bilingual Local Help

We help foreigners shortlist suitable homes, arrange viewings, communicate with Korean realtors and landlords, and prepare for move-in.

Check My BudgetView Pricing

For foreigners planning a long-term move to Seoul. Service available before and after arrival.

We are an independent bilingual assistance service. Licensed Korean real-estate agents handle property brokerage, and we receive no commission from landlords.

From ₩390,000 · prices shown upfrontFree 15-minute consultationEN/KR · JA, ZH, RU on requestReply within one business day

Why renting in Seoul is hard from the outside

The problems we solve

⌕

Listings you can't trust

Many apartments on Korean property apps are already rented or posted as bait. We call first and only show you what's available.

한

Realtors and landlords speak Korean

Most agents don't work in English. We handle the calls, texts and conversations — in the room or on the phone.

₩

Deposits and rules that feel unfamiliar

Key money deposits, maintenance fees, registries and fixed dates. We explain each one before you pay anything.

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Viewings on a tight timeline

Arranging viewings from abroad — or in your first jet-lagged week — is hard. We schedule them around your arrival.

Services

Three ways we can help

Most requested

Apartment Search Support

Requirements consultation, written housing plan, shortlist support, viewing coordination and bilingual assistance — including the contract appointment. Already have listings? Choose Viewing Assistance.

  • Realistic housing plan for your budget
  • Available listings confirmed with licensed agents
  • Viewings in person or by live video
₩690,000 · Viewing Assistance from ₩390,000 →

Complete Relocation

Housing help, move-in preparation, utilities and essential settling-in tasks.

From ₩990,000 →

Landlord & Move-In Help

Communication about repairs, appointments, utilities and practical move-in issues.

From ₩70,000/hour →

How it works

Four steps from inquiry to keys

  1. 1

    Tell us your move

    Move date, monthly budget, deposit and the areas you're considering. Takes 3 minutes.

  2. 2

    Check your budget and fit

    A free 15-minute call on what's realistic. Paid search packages then start with a written housing plan.

  3. 3

    View properties with us

    We book the viewings and interpret on-site — or by live video if you're still abroad.

  4. 4

    Sign and move in

    We interpret the contract appointment and help with move-in, utilities and the landlord.

Sample deliverable

What your housing plan contains

Included with Apartment Search Support and Complete Relocation. It's a written document you keep, built around your budget, dates and daily commute.

Example for: arriving in 6 weeks · ₩1.5M rent · ₩20M deposit · near Gangnam. Figures are illustrative.

  1. 01

    Realistic neighborhoods

    Yeoksam and Seolleung fit the budget; Seocho is a strong alternative; Apgujeong is a stretch at this price.

  2. 02

    Expected rent and deposit

    ₩1.3M–₩1.6M per month with a ₩10M–₩20M deposit for a newer one-bedroom or 1.5-room.

  3. 03

    Likely property types

    Officetel (오피스텔) or 1.5-room in a newer low-rise villa; full-size apartments start well above this budget.

  4. 04

    Maintenance-fee expectations

    Around ₩150,000–₩250,000 per month for officetels here — we confirm what each fee covers.

  5. 05

    Recommended search timeline

    Plan in weeks 6–5, video viewings in weeks 3–2, in-person viewings and contract in arrival week.

  6. 06

    Viewing schedule

    Day 1: Yeoksam & Seolleung (5–6 properties). Day 2: Seocho plus second viewings of the top two.

  7. 07

    Questions to ask the realtor

    Does the registry show a mortgage (근저당)? What does 관리비 include? Earliest move-in date? Can the deposit and rent be adjusted?

Packages & pricing

Clear prices, clear scope

Every package lists exactly how many viewings, hours, districts and support days are included.

Smaller option

Viewing Assistance

From ₩390,000

Best for: You already have listings or an area in mind and need a Korean-speaking person at the viewings.

  • 30-minute planning call (video or phone)
  • 1 viewing day — up to 4 hours on-site, up to 5 properties
  • 1 district (e.g. Mapo-gu or Gangnam-gu)
  • We call the realtors and book viewings for your listings
  • Interpretation at every viewing, plus written notes and photos of each property
  • 7 days of message support after the viewing day
  • Not included: Shortlisting and area planning
  • Not included: Contract appointment (add-on ₩140,000)
Choose Viewing Assistance

Recommended for people moving from abroad

Apartment Search Support

From ₩690,000

Best for: You need help choosing where to live and finding options that are actually available.

  • 60-minute requirements consultation
  • Written Seoul housing plan: realistic areas, price ranges and deposit strategy
  • Shortlist sourced through licensed realtors in up to 2 districts
  • 1 shortlist revision
  • 2 viewing days — up to 8 hours total, up to 12 properties
  • Live video viewings while you are still abroad
  • Contract appointment: clause-by-clause interpretation and landlord Q&A (up to 2 hours)
  • 14 days of message support
  • Not included: Move-in day and utilities setup
Choose Apartment Search Support

Premium option

Complete Relocation

From ₩990,000

Best for: You want one team from the first search until you are settled in.

  • Everything in Apartment Search Support, across up to 3 districts
  • Pre-arrival checklist: documents, deposit transfer, timeline
  • Move-in day — 3 hours on-site: condition check, photos of existing damage, meter readings
  • Utilities & internet setup: electricity, gas, water, internet, building management office
  • Address registration guidance and help booking your ARC (immigration) appointment
  • Settling-in help: phone plan, bank appointment, transport card (up to 3 hours)
  • 30 days of landlord & building communication support
Choose Complete Relocation

The displayed price covers the scope listed in each package. Additional districts, viewing days, travel outside the listed service area and extra interpretation hours are quoted before work begins. Prices in Korean won; unusual cases get a custom quote.

Add-ons

  • Contract appointment₩140,000
  • Additional viewing hour₩70,000
  • Additional viewing dayQuoted based on time and location
  • Landlord communication₩70,000 / hour

Not included

  • Rent and deposit
  • Realtor brokerage fees
  • Legal advice
  • Visa or immigration representation
  • Moving-company charges
  • Utility and internet provider fees

Payment & cancellation

No payment is required for the introductory consultation. If you choose a package, we confirm the scope and total price in writing before payment.

Cancellation and rescheduling terms are provided before payment. No work begins until you approve the written scope. Cancellation policy

Why trust us

Specifics, not slogans

Who helps you

A Seoul-based team of professional Korean–English interpreters who already accompany international clients to appointments where details matter, including medical consultations.

Languages

English · Korean · Japanese, Chinese & Russian on request

Areas covered

Gangnam-gu, Seocho-gu, Songpa-gu, Yongsan-gu, Mapo-gu, Seongdong-gu, Jongno-gu & Jung-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu. Others by quote.

Licensed agents only

Brokerage is done by licensed Korean real-estate agents (공인중개사). We are not an agency and take no commission from them.

Response hours

9:00–21:00 KST, 7 days. Every inquiry gets a reply within one business day.

Straight answers

If your budget or timeline doesn't fit the area you want, we tell you before you pay — not after.

Is this for you?

An example customer journey

Example client

“Arriving in Seoul in six weeks, ₩1.5M monthly rent, ₩20M deposit, looking near Gangnam.”
Move
6 weeks
Rent
₩1.5M / mo
Deposit
₩20M
Area
Near Gangnam
  1. Week 6 · Clarify the budget. We confirm what ₩1.5M + ₩20M rents near Gangnam, including 관리비, and whether a one-bedroom or officetel fits.
  2. Week 5 · Shortlist realistic areas. Yeoksam and Seolleung within budget; Apgujeong is a stretch, Seocho a good alternative.
  3. Weeks 3–2 · Video viewings. We confirm listings with licensed agents and walk through the best options live on video.
  4. Arrival week · In-person viewings & contract. Two viewing days, then interpretation at the contract appointment.
  5. Move-in · Settle in. Condition check, meter readings, utilities and internet — and help talking to the landlord afterwards.

FAQ

Before you book

Can you help before I arrive in Korea?

Yes. The planning call, housing plan and shortlisting all happen remotely, and we can run live video viewings — a team member walks through the property with you on a video call and asks the realtor your questions. Most landlords prefer to sign in person, so many clients book short-term accommodation for their first 1–2 weeks and sign after arriving.

Do I need a Foreigner Registration Card?

Not to view or sign a lease — a passport is normally enough. You apply for your Residence Card (ARC, 외국인등록증) at immigration within 90 days of arrival, and your signed lease is usually your proof of address. An ARC does make internet, phone and banking contracts easier, so we plan the order of those steps with you.

Are you a real-estate agency?

No. We are a bilingual coordination, interpretation and relocation assistance service. Listings and brokerage are handled by licensed Korean real-estate agents (공인중개사). You pay us directly and we take no commission from realtors or landlords, so we are on your side of the table.

Do you provide apartment listings?

We don't run a listings website. In the Search and Relocation packages we source currently available options through licensed agents in your target areas and confirm them by phone before you spend time on them. Many listings on Korean property apps are already taken or used as bait (허위매물) — filtering those out is part of the job.

Are realtor fees included?

No. The realtor's brokerage fee (중개보수) is paid by you directly to the licensed agent and is capped by law. For example, a lease with a ₩20M deposit and ₩1.5M monthly rent has a maximum fee of about ₩510,000 (plus VAT where applicable). We tell you the expected fee before you commit to a property.

How many viewings are included?

Viewing Assistance: 1 day, up to 4 hours and 5 properties. Apartment Search Support and Complete Relocation: 2 days, up to 8 hours and 12 properties. Extra viewing time is ₩70,000 per hour.

Can you negotiate with the landlord?

We put your requests to the landlord and agent clearly in Korean — a lower deposit for higher rent, a move-in date, repairs before move-in, furniture or appliances — and make sure you understand the answer. Formal brokerage of terms stays with the licensed agent.

Do you review lease contracts?

We are not lawyers and don't provide legal review. We translate and explain each clause, walk through the standard checks the agent should show you — the property registry (등기부등본), the landlord's identity and any special terms (특약) — and flag anything worth asking about. If you want legal advice we can refer you to a lawyer.

What happens if I do not find an apartment?

Our fee covers planning, coordination and interpretation time — no one can guarantee a lease, because availability depends on the market and the landlord. A realistic plan at the start is what prevents this. If your included viewings don't produce the right place, we revise the plan with you and you can add viewing time at ₩70,000/hour.

Which parts of Seoul do you cover?

Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa, Yongsan (including Itaewon and Hannam), Mapo (Hongdae, Hapjeong, Gongdeok), Seongdong (Seongsu), Jongno, Jung-gu and Yeongdeungpo (Yeouido). Other Seoul districts and nearby cities such as Pangyo or Incheon are available by custom quote.

More questions about deposits, fees and leases →

Moving to Seoul soon?

Tell us your dates and budget — we’ll tell you honestly what’s realistic.

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