How Much Do Foreigners In Korea Make? [Seoul] | Street Interview

[@expatanna]

I’m the editor! Thank you for the opportunity to share a little bit of my perspective on life in Seoul. Loved hearing about everyone’s experiences here. 😊

[@kowboyinkorea]

Hi! Where from the states are you from? I find the cost of living lower here in the states, so curious to hear more about your experience.

[@samis7427]

work-life-balance is where it's at. good work is usually rewarded with more work.

[@eashgha]

한국 생활에 밝으시면 아시겠지만 한국에서 월 $2,000 초반대를 급여로 받는다는 것의 의미는.. 누구나 할 수 있는 일을 한다는 것을 한다는 것입니다. 한국인과 결혼한 외국인들도 영주권 이상을 취득하고 지인, 정보도 생기면 한국돈으로 월 250만원~300만원은 교육수준과 상관 없이 잘 찾아 갑니다.. $2,000은... 사실상 착취, 교육 수준도 보지 않고, 학력도 의미 없고, 누가 와도 대체 가능한 일을 해도 보장 받는 법적인 최저임금을 말합니다.. 이는 사실상 자신의 직업적 가치를 전혀 평가 받고 있지 못하고 있는 임금입니다. 저는 서울에 있는 외국인들의 급여 수준을 듣고..... 충격을 받았습니다... 미국 변호사분이 그냥 평범한 중견기업에서 일하고 있는 저보다도 연봉이 낮아요.. 한국 제가 알고 있는 변호사분들은 $100,000 이상의 연봉을 받습니다. 보통 대기업 다니시는 분들이나 전문직은 서울에서 그정도는 받거든요.. 왜일까 생각해보면... 한국은 전세계 최저의 출산율을 기록하고 있고, 정말 많은 외국인 노동자들을 들여오려고 노력하는 상황이라.. 상대적으로 한국어를 읽고 쓰는 것에 능숙하고 한국의 상황을 알고 99%가 고등학교 이상의 학력, 60%이상이 대학 이상의 학력을 갖고 있고 한국인들의 취업율을 사실상 원하면 직업을 갖는 0%에 수렴합니다. 현실적인 외국인 노동자를 구하는 이유는 한국인들이 기피하는 일자리를 상대적으로 저임금으 구하기 때문에, 취업비자를 내어 주는 경우가 대부분입니다. 그러면서 영주권도 주지 않고, 대부분 자국으로 돌아갑니다.. 이런 현실을 알면, 여행하기는 $대비 원화 가치가 평가 절하 되어 있는 수출중심국가라.. 좋지만, 취업하고 살기에는 만만치 않을 것 같다고 생각합니다.

[@adamoliver4094]

I enjoyed your interview the most. I appreciated your honesty. I liked the idea of writing things out and evaluating your expectations. I worked overseas in central Asia in my late twenties and while I viewed it as a mostly positive experience, I had some rough days too!

[@expatanna]

@@kowboyinkorea hi hi! Thanks for your question. :) I'm originally from the Chattanooga, TN area where the average rent alone is about $1,400/month. Also, I LOVE budgets so here's your warning to save yourself while you can. This is gonna be... thorough. In Seoul, I pay about $475/month for rent, utilities are around $100, and phone/internet is $40. I don't need a car since I have plenty of public transportation options (no car payment or insurance), eating out is typically about $8-$10 per meal (no tips, hallelujah amen), I spend around $150-$200 on groceries a month, health insurance is $75/month, and if I do need to visit the doctor its typically less than $15 for the visit and prescription. Since this is Korea, of course I regularly lose my mind at Olive Young, Daiso, and nights out at noraebang. All-in, my monthly expenses are just over $1,000 and I'm able to save a pretty good chunk of my paycheck. Of course, everyone is different. But if I were to copy/paste this same budget AND standard of living to Chattanooga or a similar city, I would barely be able to rent a room in someone's house and wouldn't be able to get sick -- ever. So that's the perspective I was coming from in my answer. Again, thanks for engaging in this topic and I would love to hear more about your experience!

[@mariainkorea]

Thank you so much for having me. It was very interesting to watch the other people who were also interviewed!

[@yoyaserdx]

안녕하세요🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️

[@Stevepledge]

I would love to move to Korea

[@aspirationavenue]

I really enjoyed your responses! I feel you gurl haha one day at a time

[@mariainkorea]

@@aspirationavenue haha thank you!!

[@dominicbinder584]

It was really nice to hear some honest words like " I tought I would have my life together when I´m 30 " - Your´re not the only one out there - I hope everything turns out in your favor :D

[@d2master2040]

I am the computer business guy in the video. It was very interesting to see other people’s responses. Great video!

[@mondaynightlove3875]

Great to listen to your story. It inspired me as my situation is a little similar to yours currently. I was wondering if you can explain a simple outline on how you started your business or if not are you hiring? Lol I have Cyber Sec and Networking background. Also legally allowed to work in S.K.

[@d2master2040]

@@mondaynightlove3875 Thanks for following! My story is long but I did an interview 4 years ago on a different channel that details my journey: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jomvaoVqi6qbadU

[@rigelr5345]

Ohh was just thinking I wish I could ask him more specifics about what his business is about. What exactly is it you're selling or earning money from? Kind of curious. If you don't mind the question ofc.

[@d2master2040]

@@rigelr5345 computer sales and repair. You can google the business name on the shirt I was wearing:)

[@ferryhongdaeoppa4978]

Hi, curios with your business, Im planning to do the same business concept here in Korea for Indonesian community here.

[@Mo-sv3tc]

I don't plan on moving to Korea, but this was interesting and informative. Thanks to all the individuals who shared their personal experiences and Asian Boss for posting this up.

[@virtjeon]

Yooo it’s phil. I got a computer from u like 3-4 years ago and u were so nice and accommodating!! Glad ur still doing great!

[@dannyo7376]

Same here! Phil was and is great!

[@Loki2010THAW]

Same here bro!

[@aaronissohot]

I like the vibe of the girl who's an editor/copywriter, very nice responses to the questions and very well detailed(?)?? haha great video overall guys!

[@koki_yoo]

she's very articulate.

[@mikeatback]

Same… but i could be biased because shes from the states and speaking with the english accent i can easily understand.

[@JimmyTulip1]

Me too. She was very clear and concise and provided a lot of insight.

[@carolinaho4602]

Wow! This is such an informative and relevant video to reality! Good questions and revealing answers! The situation sounds relatively similar to my country as well. Thank you for sharing!

[@Hardyier]

As an American who has lived all over the US (last in NYC) and now lives in Korea for the past 4 years, the most accurate thing in this video is the ridiculous price of fruits and vegetables at the supermarket. It’s no joke that grapes can be $20+ dollars. Vegetables are not as outrageous but the fruit prices are insane. That said, they are almost always delicious. In the US, it’s hit or miss no matter the cost. WRT housing, you can find cheaper and affordable places as long as you manage your expectations. For instance, it is possible to get a decent apartment for $800 per month but it won’t be in Gangnam and you still have to pay a big deposit but you get that back at the end. Over all, everything is much cheaper in Korea except for fruit and a cup of tea (another outrageous scam - it’s a bag of tea! why is it $6 ?!).

[@ellaa946]

How do you ensure to get your deposit back?

[@Hardyier]

@@ellaa946 there's a whole system, where it's registered by the local district and get documents as proof.

[@DMTHOTH]

I guess for instance, healthcare cost is extreamly low in south korea compare to the US.

[@NHJDT]

We visited Korea last fall and you're right, fruit really is expensive. Who can afford Starbucks with Korean salaries but the coffee shop is packed with Koreans. My husband and I earn are high earners in the US and even we won't waste money on Starbucks.

[@Msal19]

Shoutout to the Asian guy with glasses, getting married and having a kid at such a young age and creating a successful business.

[@MissyASTB]

I'm the first lady in the video! And the thumbnail❤ Such a dream to be in an Asian Boss video 🥰🥺💕

[@asl6304]

You are so beautiful! I think that's why you were the thumbnail ~

[@MissyASTB]

@@asl6304 aww thank youu

[@moinximoya]

Agree about the thumbnail. What a charming personality and :)

[@Stevepledge]

You look good

[@bi23]

You reminded me of Amal Coloney

[@andrewstewart5195]

I've been in Korea since 2002 (22 years). It's been as university instructor for 21 of those. If you get a job at a good university, you can make a good salary, and if you know your away around, the potential is there is earn much more... 8.5-9 million very much possible.

[@learndarijawithkawtar4075]

is it easy to work for a university? where do people apply?

[@andrewstewart5195]

Usually need a Master's degree and some teaching experience.

[@sagepirotess6312]

I worked all over Korea, including a university. It's ok, but can be a life trap. Saw a few fall in it. I wanted to see more of the world. Settled in Vietnam. Built a beachfront house in nha trang. Koreas good for saving and steady income. Now my house and stocks out perform my earnings.

[@denisng7423]

I respect the honesty from everyone. Really gives a good perspective of living in Korea. Thanks!

[@오해마-g2m]

Hello, I'm the first guy who passed by in the street while interviewing them on your video. Thank you for having me, Asian boss!

[@savfromsopn]

I lived in Korea for 2 years as an English teacher (2017-2019) and made around $1600 a month after taxes. Back in the US (still teaching), I make around $3000 a month after taxes and retirement savings. I miss the convenience and how much there was to do in Korea, but I could never financially justify going back. The cost of living was comparable to me between the US and Korea (of course my current place of living in the US is a lot nicer than where I lived in Korea, so it's more expensive), so the salary difference makes it so much easier to save for my future.

[@JohnT2088]

You must love korea to sacrifice the higher pay in america

[@eashgha]

최저임금을 받으셨네요. 4대보험을 제외하면 세금도 거의 내지 않는 수준이고, 10대가 집 근처 편의점 아르바이트도 한달에 그정도 받습니다...... 한국에서 영어교사의 입지를 보여주네요;;

[@Bluepanda555]

@@JohnT2088 easier to be an English teacher in Korea than America... 😊

[@isaacgove]

I've been here for 15 years and have my own academy now, but I really don't understand new young teachers coming here. Pay has went from 2,100,000 starting in 2009 to 2,500,000 in 2024. They barelyyyy make more than minimum wage but it's such a competitive market despite that.

[@krtz90]

I don't know where you worked. But man...that is the minimum wage. You can make much more doing part time jobs. As a Korean I thought foreign English teachers made much more.

[@dt21467]

Surprised how low the US qualified attorney's salary is.

[@michelleg7]

If he did freelance probably not but we don't really know what he does there

[@kenichi407]

well, lawyers are sort of dime a dozen... literally hundreds of law schools in the U.S. pumping out thousands of law school grads yearly. having a US law degree and moving/working in Korea isn't really the first option for many, but i guess times are tough...

[@Samosayummyyay]

In The Netherlands (extremely wealthy, west-european country), a state attorney makes even less. A couple of years ago, one female, young attorney decided to just go do only fans instead. Attorneys make here around 2.5-3k Euro/month after taxes. Pay does go up with decades of experience, but the starting pay just is sad. Also, taxes are absolutely brutal. If you make 70k or more, you already end up in the 50% bracket :/

[@sotecluxan4221]

How many hrs/day?

[@Bokgat]

Americans don’t know how good they have it. In Asia we import US’s crap inflation. Disgrace the US

[@wormemc]

I lived in Korea for 14 years. I love hearing these opinions and experiences. I really enjoyed my life in Korea.

[@lovenspired]

we need more of these interviews, thanks for sharing

[@anthonymc8361]

I lived in Korea for 2 years and earned enough to feel comfortable with my modest lifestyle. Many people I met chose to stay in Korea mostly for the experience. If you are ambitious and want to earn big bucks and have a better career path while exploring Asia, you wouldn't go to Korea, Japan, or even China, you would go to Singapore.

[@eashgha]

한국에서 월 $2,000 초반대를 급여로 받는다는 것의 의미는.. 누구나 할 수 있는 일을 한다는 것을 한다는 것입니다. 교육 수준도 보지 않고, 학력도 의미 없고, 누가 와도 대체 가능한 일을 해도 보장 받는 법적인 최저임금을 말합니다.. 이는 사실상 자신의 직업적 가치를 전혀 평가 받고 있지 못하고 있는 임금입니다. 한국은 전세계 최저의 출산율을 기록하고 있고, 정말 많은 외국인 노동자들을 들여오려고 노력하는 상황이라.. 상대적으로 한국어를 읽고 쓰는 것에 능숙하고 한국의 상황을 알고 99%가 고등학교 이상의 학력, 60%이상이 대학 이상의 학력을 갖고 있고 한국인들의 취업율을 사실상 원하면 직업을 갖는 0%에 수렴합니다. 현실적인 외국인 노동자를 구하는 이유는 한국인들이 기피하는 일자리를 상대적으로 저임금으 구하기 때문에, 취업비자를 내어 주는 경우가 대부분입니다. 그러면서 영주권도 주지 않고, 대부분 자국으로 돌아갑니다.. 이런 현실을 알면, 여행하기는 $대비 원화 가치가 평가 절하 되어 있는 수출중심국가라.. 좋지만, 취업하고 살기에는 만만치 않을 것 같다고 생각합니다.

[@ori5581]

글쎄 스윗해보이고 싶어하는 나라라서 외국인에게 또 좋은 직업을 할당해줄지도 몰라 ㅋㅋㅋ

[@sophiaisabelle027]

Well done, Asian Boss. Impressive coverage makes a huge difference.

[@pingpongdonkeykongkong]

As an expat in China I still think the salaries here are higher than in other parts of Asia. Especially for teachers. I live a very good life here, own a very nice car, go travel when I want to, go out when I want, never have to calculate what I spend, nice spacious apartment, able to save - all with money I earn here. I’d say China is a good option for those wanting to live and work in Asia, especially if you are a teacher - the salaries are competitive.

[@Huawei_Jiang]

so, how much did you earn in China?

[@Genericperson658]

But the cost of living evens it out - so ya’ll are all basically getting paid the same thing lol

[@tomking5290]

@@Genericperson658 no, the life he described sounds much more comfortable than that of an English teacher in Korea

[@chiamakawatanabe3199]

@@Genericperson658 Teachers are paid better in China, even taking into account cost of living. The market is much larger, and there is a general supply-demand imbalance, leading to competitive salaries. In addition, earning more money in a higher cost of living area is better than earning less money in a lower cost of living area, as your money goes much further when you move around. That being said, there is a lot of compromise when you work in China. The money is better, but you give up a lot in terms of freedom, access, and work-life balance.

[@chiamakawatanabe3199]

@@Huawei_Jiang Currently, teachers in tier 1 cities can easily find positions for 25-30k RMB a month, with good benefits like housing subsidies, insurance, travel stipends, etc. Entrepreneurial-minded individuals can supplement that with part-time work like tutoring, making 200-300 RMB / hour on the low end. Even in the smallest cities, teachers can still make 15-20k/month, where the cost of living is a fraction of those in larger cities. Many foreigners have left China after the COVID-years debacle, therefore supply of teachers has dwindled. Plus, while the private sector is willing to bend over backwards for them, the government has treated foreign nationals with increasing animosity over the years.

[@Razear]

If a company uses # of work hours as the primary criterion for awarding promotions rather than tangible accomplishments and productivity, all that contributes to is further bureaucratic fluff. Valuing the perception of hard work over actual results will only hamper the company's own bottom-line.

[@uludak8468]

probably a subjective, biased view of that lady who thinks the quality of her work is better than that of her local co workers

[@rickyayy]

Lol welcome to Asia

[@BuffPomsky]

Yup, welcome to asian culture. You're also expected to stay later than everyone else if you're younger. Auto respect to all older ppl as well. It's why even though im korean, id never wanna live nor work in korea. My kids will def go to school in America as well. Korean food though is undeniably the best haha

[@p1890sd]

And here we are in the US clamoring for 4 day work week lol

[@bonnolog]

Interesting to put things into perspective for us living across the world.

[@SJ-mo1fs]

Both my son and I are teachers. After graduating in South Africa, he went to Korea. He earns almost 3 times my salary and I am a department head. I don't want him to return home as a teacher's salary in South Africa sucks.

[@demri123]

See this is the irony of paper currencies. An American teacher in korea is earning minimum wage or less in USD (1.8-2k/mo) but a South African or Filipino is earning quite a bit compared to their local currency

[@massimokim]

"When I am 30, I will have my life together", this hit me hard, turning 31 this year 😅

[@qqwsssdd]

한국의 고소득 직종은 대기업과 의사 변호사 같은 직업에 몰려 있습니다. 여기 나오는 변호사분이 한국 변호사 자격이 있는지 모르겠네요 한국 변호사 자격이 없다면 스스로 개업을 할 수 없고 다른변호사의 보조적인 일만 도울 수 있기때문에 한국변호사보다 소득이 매우 낮습니다. 영상에 나오는 사람들의 직업으로(다수가 학원강사로 추정) 받는 급여나 편의점 풀타임 아르바이트 급여나 큰 차이가 안납니다. 법적으로 정한 최저시급보다 살짝 더받는 정도일거 같네요

[@gregory4154]

Ok man, I'm hooked. Many of us, myself included, appreciate the information you are sharing. This is an awesome channel.

[@jlee324]

I’m stunned. These salaries (as well as per the Japan interview) are terribly low, as if salaries have been stagnant for years. I would hope people are taking time to gain financial literacy towards a more secure future, especially as most the jobs these ppl work will be redundant as technology scales across economic sectors.

[@ファンp]

The situation is different in Japan and Korea. In Japan, the salary has hardly changed since 30 years ago, but South Korea has more than doubled in the past 30 years.

[@simonsimon935]

Well, it's because the media often shows us the sucessful ones, so we tend to think that others live better, richer lives.

[@azraelthebomb]

@@ファンp not for foreigners. Pay for English teachers stagnated for 20+ years or went down in some instances. It recently started to go up because the minimum wage was increased and teachers would have been earning below minimum wage.

[@user-uskxnfiw729]

Salaries are low for foreigners because the jobs are limited for them. On the other hand, if they interviewed at a different city where tech companies are, their salaries would have been much higher. Koreans make double of Taiwanese and also more than Japanese in general.

[@supertotoro]

Yes, the salaries are no where near keeping up with inflation. Our salaries are shrinking every year that passes :(

[@goonerdoy]

Great video team - the American teacher was very articulate and I totally agree, Work-Life balance FTW❕️❕️❕️ Anyone know where the Asian guy in glasses is from ❓️

[@d2master2040]

Computer guy is from New York City

[@goonerdoy]

@@d2master2040 cheers, looks like a chinese background❓️

[@Nomadsou]

It's quite interesting to watch this video after seeing that job posting from Asian Boss, looking for a video editor or something similar, with extensive experience, fluent in English and based in Seoul, for a minimal salary...

[@NHJDT]

My son is half korean/white and speaks korean pretty well as a high schooler. He loves korean culture and language and i suggested after he graduates college, living in korea as an English teacher. He said "mom, why would i work there as a teacher and barely make any money? I would rather make money in the US and just go there on vacation" Ok, i had no idea what teachers made there

[@vkkl6213]

Hmm surprised how so many foreigners are keen to work in Korea when the pay is pretty low (based on what they are sharing from these interviews). The expats in my home country (Singapore) usually gets paid way more than the locals in contrast - at least 5 digits (USD) or high 4 digits (USD)

[@lxcites]

This is a common misunderstanding that foreign expats gets paid more in Singapore. As a business owner in Singapore. It is actually incredibly challenging to hire foreigners against locals in the same job field. Also, you have to sort of prove that you aren't able to hire locals to fill up those roles. Employment pass and levies will kill the employers first (in the high thousands per month for each expat), so Singaporeans in general actually get a much higher take home pay than foreigners in the same job. I'm thinking the regulation is about the same in Korea in this case, just that their average income is a lot lower.

[@XingShang-b6s]

Korea is the country with the highest minimum wage in Asia. It has been 10 years since Korea surpassed Japan in minimum wage. And in Japan, foreigners' salaries are fixed, but in Korea, foreigners receive the same salary as Koreans.

[@XingShang-b6s]

Singapore is not a country.

[@vkkl6213]

@@XingShang-b6s"Singapore is not a country". What??

[@XingShang-b6s]

@@vkkl6213 yes Singapore is not a country

[@polster2]

Even the lawyer makes a very small salary ($4,450/M) compared to the same job in America! Its all relative to the cost of living but that lawyer if he had the same salary in America would be considered lower middle class.

[@svvardhan1997]

The amount of money the pharmaceutical companies doctors and surgeon make is crazy and as well as scary we prefer to travel to home country to get treatment In Usa for me the most hated thing is it healthcare system it really sucks

[@lbell9695]

He makes the same amount as me and I'm fresh out of university T T

[@kenichi407]

well, you have to take into consideration the sample set here. these are foreigners in korea, a land where "normal" jobs aren't easily given to foreigners. most foreigners surviving in korea do so by either : teaching, working in an "english" related job (i.e. editing), or freelancing. most korean firms will not even hire foreigners unless you're super fluent in korean and have specialized skills. unfortunately, the reality is many foreigners who make it to korea are those still "figuring out their calling", and sorta killing time.

[@jiminswriter4209]

@@kenichi407You need to be fluent in the local language or have specialized skills to get a good job in any country.

[@Chriseyasuo]

My Little lover in usa you cant call and ambulance for less then 300$ 😂😂 in korea Is all free

[@yor519]

There’s not one Filipino migrant worker interviewed. I wonder why.

[@raymakbutwithmoustache6413]

Im the microphone, thank you for having me AsianBoss

[@PieceMeals]

It seems like every female westerner who goes to Korea is a model, whereas opportunities in the West would be much more limited. Many of these people have lived in Korea for a loooonnnnngggg time. I guess there must be something to recommend it if people are staying 5+ years. I thought it would be very hard to find a job outside of teaching over there, so I'd like to know how they got their jobs, how they found working and living over there for so long.

[@Alcsaar0]

I mean, its probably not a great thing. They probably go to SK because expectations in SK are lower. To be a successful model/actor in the west you really have to be standout, but if an agency in Korea needs a western model/actor, their expectations are going to be much lower because the supply is much lower. One of the prime examples you'll see is in Korean dramas if they need a western character portrayed, it'll generally be some one from Russia/Belarus/etc because they're much less expensive than a more typical american/european actor.

[@NonPensavo]

When you move to Korea, or rather Seoul, you need to accept the idea of having to rent all your life and that its reality for everyone. If you want to buy a house of your dreams, it wont be in Seoul or any other attractive place. Rent is cheaper than other developed countries (deposit is returned 100%, and often reduced if you explain you are foreigner, no guarantor or key money or other weird things to pay), and especially for OVER-developed country like S. Korea. Lived & worked there as Software Engineer (~7m) for 7years before moving to Japan.

[@demri123]

All the ppl saying these salaries are so low ---- KRW has lost about 40% vs USD since Rona. So, everything will look very low in dollar terms. Same situation in Japan. You have doctors and lawyers making 3k a month (but high amount in yen)

[@MikeCo-ge7nz]

American: we are over worked and underpaid! Foreign Americans: First time being overworked and underpaid? We are barely able to get by.

[@JohnT2088]

Japan is even more overworked than america lol. Like way way more

[@mmfong297]

Asian Americans in the US should be grateful what they are making in the US..

[@missalicesmiles]

Salaries in America are probably one of the highest in the world. People in western Europe and Canada would probably find 200k TC in tech to be on the higher end. I imagine that would be amazing for Korea? Not so much here

[@NikkuJaga]

coming from singapore, it definitely is a shock to see how the locals in my own country are complaining of low salaries and rising costs. Travelling to korea and seeing the costs there and thinking how i would cope with the salary from this video is tough man.

[@XingShang-b6s]

Korea is the country with the highest minimum wage in Asia. It has been 10 years since Korea surpassed Japan in minimum wage. And in Japan, foreigners' salaries are fixed, but in Korea, foreigners receive the same salary as Koreans.

[@NikkuJaga]

@@XingShang-b6s but the average is still pretty low man

[@민-t6z]

@@XingShang-b6s 외국인들 좀 한국 안왔으면 좋겠음 ㅋㅋ 중국 일본 대만 싱가포르로 떠나세요 한국에 제발 오지마세요

[@Evangelly06]

Thank you for all your hardwork! Really interesting info. =D

[@Royalbob123]

I fee for the Italian guy who want to have some Vegitables and fruit. In India food items are so cheap as we grown everything in abundance. Salaries are very less compared to Korea but housing and other expenses are less too. Bonus is staying with your friends and family. 😊

[@hithisiscameronsmom]

2:36 "I'm a commercial model." LOLOLOLOL 😂 What is it that compels people to think they can be influencers? Why would she think she can launch her own fashion brand?

[@Ersanba]

The salary is low, it is not cheap livinb in korea

[@sagepirotess6312]

I taught English all over korea. 2.2 to 2.7m kindy to university, 6 years. Left, worked all over. Eventuality settled in Vietnam, built a beachfront house in nha trang. And now days Vietnam pays more than korea.

[@hannahannah650]

I'm not sure why, but lawyers in SK always mention their income after tax. His income is 6 million per month after tax, which means he earn approximately 100 million won per year before tax, approximately $73,321. And won value is terribly low right now, so..

[@MartyrShadow]

I am glad I am paid in USD here 😂

[@BlackHoleSpain]

That's *twice* the salary of a white-collar professional in Spain before taxes: engineers, doctors, HS teachers... but normal tax is 37% and jumps to 45% as soon as you reach €60k !!! You need to spend 7 years on average for a case to reach court over here. A lawyer is *NOT* a good position to hold.

[@charleslewis375]

19:50 Leaving aside this video,there are many countries in the world that require much more than a degree if you want to stay there and find a job.Sometimes you can't even find an average level job

[@XeclipseXZ]

Are the numbers people are saying before tax or after tax? For example in Japan people tend to give numbers in gross salary as in 基本給与. What about South Korea ?

[@João_Rodrigue_s]

I think if it‘s monthly salary, it‘s net, and if it‘s yearly income, it‘s usually before tax. So here people often say ‚after university, you can only expect 2.5mil Korean won usually, which means after tax 2.5mil korean won

[@worldcollides4197]

稅後. After tax.

[@grow1820]

If they are talking about monthly income it is usually after tax, yearly income it is before tax.

[@DrTinKorea]

Good video…. More of these!

[@bryantsherman7263]

Very interesting interviews. Rents seem to be a big problem set against wages everywhere.

[@JoseReyes-yn3xj]

I moved to Korea about two months ago now. At first, it was awful. The learning curve from working in politics to teaching in a hagwon was crazy. But I made it work, and things seem to be going alright now :)

[@hellenoreilly3110]

I’m considering doing the same. What are your top tips? What areas would you suggest to live in, or not live in?

[@JoseReyes-yn3xj]

@@hellenoreilly3110 If you’re considering teaching English. I recommend going through the EPIK process the government has if you’re eligible. If you’re still thinking about in the first steps of looking at jobs I’d recommend looking at different recruitment agencies (how most people get hired) too if you don’t qualify for EPIK. Otherwise I’d recommend to stay in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. Anywhere else that is rural will be hard to adjust to and meeting people will be next to impossible.

[@sarvarbeknumonjonov15]

It is so good for native speakers to work in South Korea as English teacher because working doesn’t care about the background and they made monopoly

[@aaat4873]

So, they all moved there without doing any research!

[@emet17s]

Shocked by the low salary, tbh. And the COL doesn’t differ much from the US (excl NY & CA)

[@demri123]

The local currency (krw) has lost a lot of value since 2020. So, all the salaries are low in USD terms

[@Alcsaar0]

Thats my concern as well... My position in SK would be worth about 1/2 in USD as its worth in the US, but rent/property ownership is not that much less expensive. In a lot of cases owning property in SK is probably even more expensive. Don't see how I could ever afford a home in SK if thats the case.

[@darcos-i6s]

USA will decline. Putin will work on it bro

[@donjiedonjiedonjie]

why do I keep hearing My Heart Will Go On in the background across interviewees multiple times?

[@d1am0nds]

😅😅😅😂😂😂😂

[@deboraleggerini5729]

Ok, the British girl who is an entertainer said that she can put down a deposit for a house with £5.ooo GBP (!). In England she said?? I live in England and we are clearly talking about two different countries.

[@yuchan063]

1:01 Bro's hair style is definition of non-Korean Asian

[@crimson_sky]

19:48 does this include completing a Korean language program at university or just normal degrees?

[@Huawei_Jiang]

I think, probably, is the normal degree.

[@DMTHOTH]

since when did we count 'attending language program' as 'degree'?....

[@eddy41617]

As American, where does she spend more than avg Koreans on groceries? Koreans spends 28% of their budget on groceries, which almost 3x more than avg Americans.

[@Genericperson658]

What if she doesn’t eat like an average American ?

[@eddy41617]

@@Genericperson658 Well she should be super obese if that's the case.

[@BigHeadAvenger]

I learned long ago, to never go anywhere without the means to go back home. That way, you won't be forced to endure situations you desparately need to get out of.

[@BlueIcebergz]

I'm a viewer of the channel and this video was completely normal.

[@seanlennart4740]

Thank you for the interviews, I would be so interested to hear from the export consultant how much the Indonesian / Korean trade in her view develops.

[@preciosatt]

The US attorney working in Korea must love his job because in the US he would make so much more than that if he worked in big law.

[@CatalinaJH]

It's super realistic. I used to make about 1.500.000-2.000.000 krw a month as a master's student who was working freelance as a marketer and content creator. on my last interview I got a job offer about 3,000,000 krw a month for full time but couldn't get the visa as I didn't finish master's yet.

[@dengist8172]

LOL 0:34 the Italian guy really speaks with his hands

[@paoslice]

Celine Dion in the background 😂

[@phs2Chelsea]

I am impressed because I feel like everyone was so honest and in these type of videos everyone usually lies in every answer. Great job!

[@더블치즈버거-k7b]

in Korea Minimum Wage is about 8 dollars. I don't know how you make less than 1000 a month.

[@darcos-i6s]

you can work less than 40 hours a week. also it can be an unofficial work without taxes

[@더블치즈버거-k7b]

@@darcos-i6s I mean when I was a college student, I worked at the starbucks 3-4 times a week 8 hours a day and I still made more than one thousand a month.

[@CyberMew]

What’s the minimum wage to get a visa sponsorship there? The guy didn’t mention it or the reporter didn’t ask

[@mementomori8685]

I really like the topic of the interview. I have always wondered how all these foreigners can survive in this country doing what. Korea have become popular and attract lot of foreigners from all over the world, but without having steady income they can not survive in Korea. The topic itself is a very sensitive issue, but this channel dealt the topic in a sincere manner and attitude.

[@zaireyljedgelua4995]

I’ve recently watched vlogs of Filipino factory workers in Korea and they make 2-3million won/month, sometimes almost 4M when they work overtime. It’s high compared to the wages in the PH but I thought that maybe it’s still low in Korea’s standard, and those in the other industries are earning better. But this video showed me that they’re earning pretty much the same.

[@XingShang-b6s]

Do you think the salary is low at Korean standards? Korea is the country with the highest salaries among well-established countries in Asia. They even receive higher salaries than in Japan. In Japan, the salary for foreigners is fixed, while in Korea, foreigners and Koreans receive the same salary. Are you still dissatisfied?

[@LianaBuzea]

Wow, the English woman (beautiful, by the way) was so open with her income. And, as a freelancer (in coaching in my case) I can relate to the income she mentioned. Even though I don't live in Korea. I very much appreciate this video. Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@Kevin-br6wd]

I think since usd is very strong now, the converted price from krw to uds looks pretty low. However if you think about the average price of korea, their salary is average.

[@viviankwan1101]

As a Singaporean, I wouldn’t move to South Korea. I love South Korea. But the pay is lower and cost of living is much higher compared to my home country. I’ll make do with the short holiday visits instead 😅

[@ssvinny2536]

they living the dream in korea !!!

[@armena8199]

Wow those salaries are insanely low.

[@demri123]

In USD, yes. But if u are from Argentina, Philippines, etc....pretty high

[@krtz90]

that is more than you can make in China or Japan. Highest in Asia if you are planning to live in Asia.

[@czemuczemuczemu1958]

It’s eye-opening

[@kowboyinkorea]

I’m curious where that American girl is from in the states when she says the cost of living is higher there. In my experience, housing, groceries, petrol, taxes are all lower in the US in many states and cities. I agree with her that eating out is cheaper in Korea, but groceries (especially meat and produce) are cheaper in the U.S. So if your disciplined enough to cook at home, US is cheaper in that category. Excluding the major cities, I’d think US is lower cost of living. Definitely in Texas it is. And salaries are way higher.

[@jlee324]

But the equivalent to Seoul would be the major cities for comparison - centers for business and culture - eg NYC, LA, SF. In that regard, Seoul is cheaper for most things. In any case, common to all these cities is a growing divide between the rich (getting richer) and the dwindling middle class. Government is broken and corrupt in both the US and Korea.

[@JohnT2088]

That depends on which city. Major cities like in california or new york would be more expensive than seoul korea. A tiny house in california cost like x2 combine to a house in texas. I know a few california people that sold 1 house, a small house in San francisco and use that money to buy two bigger house in texas and had spare money to live on….

[@kowboyinkorea]

@@jlee324 I agree that if you were trying to find the living situation that is most comparable to Seoul in the US, you would pick a big city. That is not how she framed her answer though. She just said in a blanket statement that the US in general has a higher cost of living. There are plenty of place in the U.S. where she could do her same job, make more money, and have a lower cost of living.

[@jlee324]

@@kowboyinkorea No, you misread. The original commenter concluded that the US is cheaper aside from major cities. But that’s irrelevant - which is my point - as a fairer comparison would be major cities eg Seoul vs NYC, LA, or SF. Of course you could live in the boondocks in the US, and it’d be cheaper. But major cities eg NYC or LA are closest to compare Seoul as business (and cultural) markets for cost of living between the two countries.

[@kowboyinkorea]

@@jlee324 I am the original commenter. I think you are misunderstanding my original comment. I stated that I am curious where the girl in the video is from in the U.S. because she is making blanket statements that Seoul is cheaper than the US. She did not say “when comparing similar cities”. There are plenty of cities in the US or suburbs of cities in the U.S. with lower cost of living than Seoul that are not in the boondocks.

[@kenichi407]

i guess the editor doesn't eat fruits and vegetables...while the italian dude does

[@PWiddly]

That Italian bro was passionate about his groveries

[@beltrangarrote1982]

As a Spaniard I totally get him. We are used to fresh veggies for a bargain

[@bmsnow]

If you saw the price of fruit here (coming from Europe at least), you would probably be too

[@butter5144]

😂​@@bmsnow

[@anthonymc8361]

Coming from a country where fruits and veggies are considered poor-people food because how cheap they are here, being in Korea for 1 year was an absolute madness for me. The prices of agricultural products there are just..... bad. The guy's response is justified.

[@czemuczemuczemu1958]

Imagine not being able to chose your favorite greens! 😢

[@dudoji85]

In Korea, people often quote their salaries AFTER taxes. And the general rule for living cost conversion for Korea to USA is 1.5X. So the US attorney in Korea is making the equivalent of around $125K/salary in USA.

[@kalmtraveler]

What's interesting is when I plug my US city vs Seoul average costs of living in, Seoul is only about 10% cheaper but the salaries are around 1/2 to 1/4 average.

[@dudoji85]

@@kalmtraveler its closer to 30% cheaper. I suspect the methodology you used is converting real estate prices, like $/sqft. The average 1,500sqft apartment in Seoul is around a million USD. But rents are quite cheap, like $800/month for a nice studio in downtown Gangnam.

[@kalmtraveler]

@@dudoji85 it really just depends on the areas. You can check for yourself, compare Salt Lake City to Seoul cost of living.

[@9y2bgy]

@@kalmtraveler Why SLC? Is it the most expensive place in the US? I ask bc Seoul is the most expensive place in SK as far as I know, at least in terms of the real estate...

[@dudoji85]

@@kalmtraveler fair enough, but i was comparing NY/SF/LA to Seoul. I would compare SLC to like Busan.

[@elbowyeish]

it's cool how foreigners can discuss their salary openly with no shame, be it a lot or moderate... it's kinda "taboo" within the korean community

[@francislee7770]

The Canadian dude is so chill

[@2oqp577]

It's hard to take a decision to move here. I make above 100k$ in Canada. I don't think I can get this here. (I am on vacation in Korea right now). At my age, retirement funds, almost guaranteed job, I don't think Korea can offer me that. I haven't looked in fact. But it's hard to imagine that my skillset isn't available in the Korean population right now, hence foreseeable difficulties to get a working visa.

[@Bagellatte]

Very low salary for foreigners in korea 😅..although cost of living is lower compared to other countries but it's relative because you earn less you spend less

[@claporga]

I had no idea you could have a comfortable life with the wages I am hearing in this video. I will be moving to Korea soon!

[@wendyshoowaiching4161]

Korea is a very expensive place. The work salary may look high but they force you to speed work 2 person work and the food is very expensive where the salary don't match even if you eat out at the cheapest food restaurant, your salary won't able to cover for the month expenses. And the room rent is very expensive too. That is why everyone cook and eat at home. And only comes out weekends to eat a good meat meal.

[@gavingreenhorn]

I would also like to hear how the people earning south of 5000 USD a month are staying in Korea in terms of legalization. As far as I am aware the requirement for digital nomad Visas is about 5-6k USD provable income.

[@harihariuk]

They're not on Digital Nomad Visas. English instructors will be on E2, Entertainers will be on the entertainment visa, and the freelance/self-employed would be on one of the F's. The others would be on one of the other E visas. Digital Nomad visas aren't for people employed by Korean companies. They require a contract with a company paying around what you mentioned per month before you can apply for the visa and start remotely working in Korea.

[@gavingreenhorn]

@harihariuk well... never too late to become an entertainer, I guess. :D

[@harihariuk]

@@gavingreenhornAt the wages they’re earning no thank you 😂

[@shosmyth1454]

I don’t care how much the foreigners in Korea!! I Love Korean People!!!

[@TheSaneMongrels]

Yo, is that Danny from DKDKTV @3:30?

[@Mokawoo]

No…..he’s talking about how he’s strugggling in Korea and dktv get a lot of income from their vidoes lol

[@TheSaneMongrels]

@@Mokawoo Nah, Danny took a break from KZbin and DKDKTV a while ago.

[@TheSaneMongrels]

@@Mokawoo Although, now that I'm looking into it, it looks like he started running a video production company with a friend where they've recently made K-Pop music videos among other things. So, I guess not teaching.

[@mrfst_eng]

The Indian girl is insanely pretty So is the English girl I hope it's appropriate to say

[@johnlesoudeur3653]

Yes they are but with make up...what about without. They seem very nice people though.

[@kimchee411]

What you said is not inapprorpriate. ^ This guy though... 🙄

[@skylinec83]

White lady from US - her comments are on point and educated responses.

[@derrickdu]

Are the salary before tax? How much do you get tax in Korea? Thanks.

[@백수-x7d]

대체로 15%정도

[@kristinef.petersen1728]

Salaries are low compare to Scandinavia, when you think about that food in Korea and in Scandinavia cost same prices. But lodgement prices are lower, I guess.

[@instaves]

Korea food is pretty cheap when I went there, which country specifically in Scandinavia? I heard it was expensive over there?

[@XingShang-b6s]

In exchange for a high salary, you have to pay a lot of taxes in your country.

lol no its not tax tax tax 50% on some europe country vs korea dont go to europe its trash place

[@angloedu5499]

Seeing her panhandle name is Peterson, it would have to be my grandmother’s home land, Sweden. Peterson, Anderson, Olsen, Larson, Nilsson, Erickson, Johansen, and Gustaveson pretty much the most common names.

[@anngo4140]

Dang, considering the cost of living, they're doing alright, no? Especially that one dude making like $7400 a month.

[@d2master2040]

I'm doing alright. I have two kids from a previous marriage so I am not driving around in a Lambo.

[@JimmyTulip1]

A couple of smart people you interviewed here! I'm surprised how little they make in absolute numbers, it would have been interesting to hear about the actual cost of living, especially rent. Can't be as high as I imagine from the interviews, when they make less than 3000$ a month.

[@_ifrit]

they're getting 7k usd a month and having issues with surviving and im here surviving barely on like 2500

[@Lekritze]

Is this before or after taxes?

[@grow1820]

if you ask koreans, salary is much higher, because they are doing jobs that pays a lot. These foreigners are doing jobs that pays less.

[@XingShang-b6s]

In Japan, salaries for foreigners are set separately, but in Korea, foreigners receive the same salary. That's why foreigners say it's better to earn in Korea than in Japan.

[@Austin-gb1cq]

If you have a passive income, do you have to work to live in Korea?