Why do we live in SOUTH KOREA and not CANADA? 🇰🇷|🇨🇦 International couple's dilemma

[@monicastamant]

I’m American and my husband is Korean and we live in Daejeon and it’s amazing! Cheaper rent, MUCH less traffic/parking issues, great healthcare, plenty to do, and it’s in the center of Korea, so we can get just about anywhere in a few hours. We are expecting our second child soon and raising kids in Korea (specifically Daejeon) is great! I never have to worry about school shootings here or driving long distances to do things, like I would in my very small hometown. My son gets colds frequently from preschool, and the doctor is right down the road from our house and there is usually not that long of a wait and we are in and out with meds for less than $8. In the states, I only ever went to the doctor if something was really wrong, and the wait time is long, the cost is high, and then you have to drive to a pharmacy and wait again for expensive meds. Because we are not a traditional Korean family, I really never worry about the pressure of endless hagwons or which university my kids will attend. My son is bilingual and if he wants to go abroad for college, that would be totally fine. We have a lot of popular universities here in Daejeon, too, and I doubt many parents here really care if their kids get into a SKY school. Hagwons are popular because elementary school gets out SO EARLY here the first few years, so parents who work end up sending their kids to things to keep them from just going home to be alone for hours. It’s not as much of a competitive thing, though I do see that angle as well. Korea is safe, small, and still cheaper than the US (we visited recently and prices/tipping has gotten so out of hand!) and we live in a huge city compared to where I grew up. I’m around a lot of other international families, as well, and not many of them talk about going back to their home country. Obviously it depends on your circumstances, but for us, Korea is the best option for sure. I run a small business and my husband also owns a business and is a musician in his free time and I doubt those things would be at all feasible if we moved to the US.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Definitely sounds like a great alternative (compared to Seoul) when it comes to choosing a place to raise a child in Korea :)

[@forexdragon]

Daejeon is a great city, as are most of the most of the mid sized cities in Korea including Gwangju (my hometown). Friendlier people and less hectic.

[@jamiek1714]

I have fond memories of Daejon when I visited my cousins. Great central location and beautiful city. If I lived in Korea, that's where I would live.

[@lampadaticasco7563]

대전이 살기 좋은 도시긴 하지...

[@jowkerWoW]

I live in taejeon also❤

[@haddylinnah]

As a Canadian + Korean couple, we lived in Toronto for years and now Seoul. I guess we are still determining our feelings, experiences, and perspectives on these topics, but these are all really good points! Speedy health care, food, transportation, and the insane accessibility of beautiful trips (because Korea is so small, you can have an incredible trip in 2.5 hours) that you couldn't get in Toronto, are all standouts for me. Thanks for the videos and taking us along on your journeys!

[@2hearts1seoul]

Thanks for watching! ☺️

[@chloe7100]

I am Korean who used to live in the UK for 12 years and moved back to Korea with my British husband. I can not agree more with u guys. The UK is exactly the same with Canada when it comes to healthcare system and weather. I've experienced the winter blues there and it is not healty. Mental wise. We appriciate so much about having four expected seasons in Korea. Over there is so unexpected and we heard the summer is getting so hot but A/C is not found anywhere. The transportation in London or accross the nation is not on time and get delayed ALL the time. And the funny thing is, people don't complain. They just got used to it. Honestly, no country is perfect but there is a country where it meets your needs and expectation, that's all u need. Korea ticks all the boxes for us.

[@Ace2k2c]

I live in Southern Ontario and our health care system was collapsing before the pandemic, but now it is barely functioning. I definitely agree with the complete lack of preventative care. It just took me two months to get my asthma inhaler prescription renewed AND I was only able to because pharmacists have recently been given the authority to issue prescriptions for certain things themselves.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Two months to get a prescription renewed is absolutely ridiculous… I did see on the news while in Canada that pharmacists have recently been given the go-ahead to issue prescriptions for certain things, since the doctor shortage/wait times are so bad…

[@missOhdrey]

Omg Sarah you're so right when you said Canada healthcare system has no sense of preventative care anymore. I'm in Quebec but I lost my family doctor like 6 -7years ago and I havent been able to get a new one. I was finally able to get an appointment to a clinic after years of no seeing any medical professionals (during covid they were literally saying to people if you're not dying don't bother) and I asked for a general blood test (I've had those done before) and I was told, literally, by the doctor oh we don't do those anymore. I was like what? He said if you don't have any symptoms it's not happening. Having my aunt die of cancer recently only 3 months after finding out she had it (because her symptoms weren't severe enough at first and not a single screening was done before it was too late), that whole mentality really disgusts me and it's scary not gonna lie. I looked into visiting a 'private' clinic for a general blood test and it was over 500$. I've been having acne recently and seeing a 'private' dermatologist is 250$ for a 15 min appointment. With how expensive rent has been getting, its just impossible to afford these appointments. I'm glad the situation is so much better in SK. Stay there! ahah Sorry for rambling

[@2hearts1seoul]

Omg, I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt :( It TERRIFIES me that my family is living in a place where they can’t get the health care and preventative screening they need. I can’t believe you’ve been waiting 6-7 YEARS for a family doctor…that’s unacceptable.

[@kirkjong2748]

As a Vancouverite, I’m nodding my head on everything you said about Canada.

[@forexdragon]

Same here, as a Vancouverite! Here's what posted: I'm a Korean Canadian who has lived in Canada for nearly 50 years. Me and my wife moved to Korea last year and I visit Korea quite regularly. I can tell you this from living here: - Korea has much cheaper rents. - Korea has cheaper real estate if you look outside of Seoul. You can also buy a two bedroom apartment in a 'villa', which is a low rise apartment here that will cost you less $150K CAD as well BRAND NEW. This an hour or so south of Seoul or if you don't mind more pollution and traffic, Incheon. - Korea has a better healthcare system. You can literally see a specialist in an hour by walking in. In Canada, try a few months to a year. It's cheap too even without coverage as are the prescription drugs. - Consumer goods are of better quality and value here. Dollar stores in Canada sell mostly junk and can't compare to what Daiso offers. - Service is much better here and there's no stupid tax or tip on eating out. I work remotely in live in a city of a few hundred thousand 2 hours southwest of Seoul and I actually enjoy it here more than Vancouver, my hometown. If you do not need to live in Seoul, Korea is a more convenient, cheaper place to live. You can literally rent a one bedroom apartment for 1/3 of what you would pay in Vancouver. The biggest plus about living in Korea is no stupid tax or tip on eating out. You can enjoy a decent meal for under $10 CAD flat. You can barely get a Big Mac for that price in Canada right now. Oh and gas is cheaper here too. My Canadian dollar goes a lot farther here.

[@ZoeGX]

It's the same in the UK and in Australia :( You have to wait for sooo long, whether you are in a small or large city. I agree so much with what you said 'what's the point of it being free' - it's so bad that even with private health insurance, it's so hard to get an appointment. Asia does it right.

[@ICDeadPeeps]

A lot of rich Chinese elites has been buying up properties in Canada, U.K. , U.S. and Australia either as investment or to flee from China (their economy is tanking right now). This has driven up housing costs for those respective countries significantly.

[@mollyapteros]

NHS Scotland has always been great in my experience. No delays in getting appointments, picking up prescriptions, or emergency services.

[@2hearts1seoul]

I’ve heard not so great things lately about the NHS in the UK, but had no idea about Australia :(

[@hannahk650]

Things are really bad in Toronto too 😔 I have gut issues and have been denied by all specialists, referred to a scope by my family doctor and told by the scope doctor not to do the scope. I'm going into debt trying to find solutions outside of the medical system so it doesn't feel very "free" anymore. I'm sorry to hear it's so bad in Nova Scotia for your family and friends too! It's great to hear that the Korean system is so efficient and that there are better ways to go about it. I hope Canada can follow because change is sorely needed right now.

[@2hearts1seoul]

I’m so sorry you’re going through this :( I have a family member (in N.S) with gut issues as well who keeps getting denied to even see a specialist by her family doctor. It’s so frustrating.

[@hannahk650]

@@2hearts1seoul Thank you, I hope she gets help and answers soon!

[@sachinpersaud7037]

So sorry this is your experience. I have gut issues and live in Toronto as well and fortunately I haven't been denied by specialists and medication has been effective. But public health insurance does not cover my medication and some of my medical procedures, so if I didn't have private insurance via my employer, I would be paying out of pocket and it's not cheap.

[@debcokinis]

Love your videos and thanks for sharing! I agree with you Sarah regarding the winters! I live in Minnesota and the winters are unbearable. 🥶❄️. Korea is a beautiful country and everyone is so polite and respectful! ❤️😽

[@forexdragon]

I'm a Korean Canadian who has lived in Canada for nearly 50 years. Me and my wife moved to Korea last year and I visit Korea quite regularly. I can tell you this from living here: - Korea has much cheaper rents. - Korea has a better healthcare system. You can literally see a specialist in an hour by walking in. In Canada, try a few months to a year. It's cheap too even without coverage as are the prescription drugs. - Consumer goods are of better quality and value here. Dollar stores in Canada sell mostly junk and can't compare to what Daiso offers. - Service is much better here and there's no stupid tax or tip on eating out. I work remotely in live in a city of a few hundred thousand 2 hours southwest of Seoul and I actually enjoy it here more than Vancouver, my hometown. If you do not need to live in Seoul, Korea is a more convenient, cheaper place to live. You can literally rent a one bedroom apartment for 1/3 of what you would pay in Vancouver. The biggest plus about living in Korea is no stupid tax or tip on eating out. You can enjoy a decent meal for under $10 CAD flat. You can barely get a Big Mac for that price in Canada right now. Oh and gas is cheaper here too and it's all premium grade. In Canada, you need to pay and extras 13 to 16 cents for premium. My Canadian dollar goes a lot farther here.

[@pattroise7088]

I have heard Canada’s current government is encouraging publicly assisted suicide for financial reasons.

[@ctgctg1]

That could change though with the aging of the population and the low birth rates. You are also paying in Canadian dollars which may be more favourable. Do you think would still be the case if you only had Korean currency and an income based on this? Buying a house in Seoul is probably like buying a house in Vancouver and Toronto. The part about the health care system sounds amazing though.

[@forexdragon]

Even if the Canadian dollar drops 20% against the Korean won we are still ahead. Korea is unique in that you can live rent free by placing a large deposit on a place or 'jeonse'. You can also buy a two bedroom apartment in a 'villa', which is a low rise apartment here that will cost you less $150K CAD as well BRAND NEW. I can tell you there is no way you can buy a brand new 2 bedroom apartment in any of the top 5 biggest cities in Canada for that price. That MIGHT get you a one bed unit, in a 30 year old building a hour from downtown Vancouver. My wife is also fortunate to have recently started working in Korea as well, so we are less affected by exchange rate fluctuations. Healthcare and prescription drugs are cheap even if you don't have coverage here as well. You can't generally buy the overpriced big pharma drugs here. I had a serious ear infection treated for like under $20 CAD by an ENTD, the drugs were about $6.

[@ctgctg1]

@@forexdragon sounds amazing. I think health care varies regionally in Canada and wait times vary. I am fortunate that I work in healthcare and have access to really good care that is affordable. But it sounds like this is the exception, rather than the rule. I am grateful for this. South Korean healthcare sounds amazing.

[@jamiek1714]

Just curious. Are you a professional forex trader?

[@NewFoundLands]

I just moved my family from Nova Scotia to Jeju island a month ago. I have zero regrets. I grew up in Nova Scotia and we tried to make it work, but honestly it is just too expensive, access to healthcare is insufficient, even the powergrid is unreliable in Nova Scotia. There are too many barriers. So far, we are so happy with our choice!

[@fghjjkjjj]

Wow~ welcome to jejudo

[@2hearts1seoul]

Enjoy Jeju! Such a stunning place! 🍊🌊

[@MidnightBlueOwl]

I live in Montreal, QC and we also have our fair share of healthcare system issues, including the ones you listed for Nova Scotia. It's truly frustrating and feels like it just keeps getting worse every year. I've heard similar stories from all of my friends and family, but I've also looked it up in KZbin and found so many horror stories from all over Canada. When I see your videos about how quick and easy it is to get the help you need in Seoul, it always reminds me of way back when I was a child and a teenager, of how quick and efficient the system was back then. I truly believe the healthcare system is in dire need of an overhaul. Oh! And Montreal has a subway and bus system too! Though, the Korean public transpo looks 10x better than ours. 😅 Anyway, great video! I think you should stay in Korea and continue to live happily (and healthy) there. 😁

[@2hearts1seoul]

YES. When I was child, it feel like it was so much more efficient and no one had to wait that long. It’s really gotten so bad over the years :(

[@domingofamily7475]

I'm in Toronto and inflation is super high. Any meal, even in food court is about $20 per person. As for wait time for doctors or specialists, it's the same as Nova Scotia. sometimes we exaggerate our symptoms just so that we can be seen by a specialist. If we didn't have children, we might have considered living in Korea. Thanks for posting this video!

[@2hearts1seoul]

I can’t even imagine how expensive it is in Toronto when Halifax is this expensive :(

[@pinetworkminer8377]

What's your reason for ruling out S. Korea AFTER having children?

[@slashkeanu]

I have always wondered why you chose to stay in Seoul. Well, it is a beautiful city but, at some point, choosing between cities was definitely a discussion between you two. So it's interesting to hear the points you considered in that process. Thank you.

[@hih-meh1344]

Many thanks both for your in depth answers and for telling us in all honesty ❤ keep it up 🙏

[@mjmj734]

모든 사람은 각자에게 맞는 도시가 따로 있다고 생각해요. 한국에서 태어나고 자랐지만 한국에서의 삶보다는 다른 나라에서의 삶이 더 만족스러운 사람이 있듯이 규호세라님 두 분은 두 분에게 잘 맞는 국가와 도시를 고르신 거라고 생각해요😊 저는 여행은 많이 다녔지만 해외에서의 삶은 경험해보지 못했기 때문에 외국살이에 대한 로망이 있던 적이 있어요. 근데 정말 사소한 삶의 부분들 때문에 캐나다/미국에서 한국으로 역이민 하는 분들을 꽤 봤고 실제로 사는 것과 여행하는 것의 차이는 분명히 크다는 것을 느꼈어요. 나중에 캐나다 밴프로 여행 가보는 게 버킷리스트 중 하나라서 영어 공부 열심히 하고 있답니다ㅋㅋㅋ 항상 좋은 주제들을 균형 있게 다뤄주셔서 감사합니다💚그나저나 두 분 앉아계신 잔디가 꼭 찰리와 초콜릿 공장에 나오는 잔디같이 폭신폭신하고 맛있어 보여요ㅋㅋㅋ😂

[@2hearts1seoul]

항상 시청해주시고 이렇게 댓글도 남겨주셔서 감사해요 🥰 여행과 직접 거주하는 문제는 정말 다른거 같아요. 저도 캐나다는 여행만 가기 때문에 항상 환상이 있는데 세라 부모님 말씀을 들어보면 또 캐나다도 여러가지 문제들이 있더군요. 어디든 완벽한 나라는 없다는걸 또 느껴요. 캐나다가 땅이 넓어서 한국에선 경험해보지 못하는 또 다른 것들을 엄청 느끼실 수 있을거예요. 나중에 꼭 캐나다 여행하시며 좋은 추억 남기셨으면 해요 ☺️ 앉아 있는 잔디는 세라네 부모님 집 뒷마당이랍니다. 장인어른께서 잘 가꿔주셔서 진짜 폭신해요 ㅋㅋ

[@bukhansan9483]

시애틀 에서 한달정도만 머물다 올 계획이였는데 7일만에 서울로 도망치듯 왔네요 미국 음식만 3일이상은 도저히 못먹겠고 제데로됀 신선한 김치 중독성은 끝까지 나를 괴롭히더군요 ㅎ

[@mjmj734]

⁠@@bukhansan9483저도 해외여행 가면 힘든 것 중에 하나가 음식이어서 공감합니다ㅎㅎ특히 밀가루, 고기가 주식이거나 버터 베이스 음식들이 많은 나라는 식사 몇 끼 하고나면 너무 더부룩하더라고요😢

[@hybolk]

네 저도 사람에 따라 다르다고 생각해요.. 토론토에서 15년 살다 부모님땜에 한국에 들어온지 1년 됐는데 전 캐나다가 훨씬 더 저에겐 잘 맞더라구요. 토론토 렌트가 미친듯이 몇년전부터 올라서 그게 좀 힘들긴 하지만요

[@araverse]

Wow this is going to be very helpful for those who are in the process of deciding their move. But in the end till you live by yourself it’s hard to understand all of it. For both Sara and Kyuho who have lived here long enough to def know the difference to be able to share it well. Thank you for doing this!!!

[@Lee_Marion]

Korean husband and I (French) live in Calgary, Alberta, since last December. We haven't been able yet to see a family doctor, and I've read a few testimonies of new immigrants finally getting a family doctor after about 50 weeks or more... 😫 Calgary is known to be a quite cheap city among the biggest Canadian cities, thanks to the very low provincial taxes in Alberta. Even though, prices have increased in the last few years, maybe caused by the covid and the waves of newcomers from other provinces or foreign countries. For example, for our 2 bedroom condo apartment, we pay 1700cad a month, but I have seen the exact same apartment from the same building complex being rented at 2k just 2 months after we moved in! 😅 We are not even sure we will be able to renew our contract next December if our owner asks for more rent... we will certainly have to move to a smaller basement apartment 😭 After living in Korea for almost 10 years, I miss Seoul so so much!! (Not only for the cost of living)

[@2hearts1seoul]

Omg, it seems like 2k+ has become the new norm for rent in Canada, but wages have stagnated and can’t keep up :(

[@Lee_Marion]

@@2hearts1seoul it seems like it, yes :(

[@angelicamarasigan6471]

I live in Toronto and I couldn't have agreed more! The prices are crazy here 😵‍💫. Also, based what you've said, I think Korea's healthcare system is more effecient.

[@annegvall]

I lived in New Brunswick and I'm now living in Quebec, if anything it's worse. It took me 2 years to get to see a doctor for a chronic illness, I still don't have a family doctor and by the time I get one I'll probably be moving again... I appreciate that it's free, but it's becoming less and less accessible

[@2hearts1seoul]

2 YEARS, omg :(

[@kaylee9298]

I live in Victoria, BC (Vancouver Island) and the health care is horrible. Even as someone with a family doctor, it takes on average 2 weeks to see my family doctor and almost always they only allow you to have a phone call with the doctor. You can't even see your doctor in person unless it is essential, and that is honestly decided by the receptionist sometimes. Then of course it takes anywhere from 6-12-24 months to be able to see a specialist. Walk-in clinics are not even walk-in anymore. You need to call in the morning and wait on the line to make an appointment with the clinic doctor, and if all the spots fill up regardless of you being on hold for over an hour, you won't get an appointment. You need to call again the next morning and hope to get an appointment. I really do miss Korean health care.

[@marrhatt]

In the US I think it depends on your health plan. I don't pay a premium, don't have to wait for regular appointments and preventative care is encouraged. My previous health plan I paid a small monthly premium, didn't have to wait for regular appointments and preventative care was encouraged. For specialist appointments for both plans the wait was zero to three months if you choose any available doctor.

[@arizonaforever3654]

My health plan is excellent, and I get appointments fairly quick, too. Their video made me appreciate American healthcare; but granted, I’m privileged to have my job and its benefits.

[@svenable567]

@arizonaforever3654 I never knew how good Medicare would be until I went on it last year. I'm on a blue cross advantage plan thru Medicare and my former company will pay those monthly premiums till I die. There's much about the US that I hate now but not Medicare yet.

[@daehoonkim931]

As Korean-British couple who recently came back to Korea from UK, I can so much relate to this video. We lived in share house in the outskirts of London and paid 1,100 pounds (1.8m won) per month all inclusive. Now, we pay 400 pounds for a loft room in the outskirt of Seoul. Also, To renew my visa in the UK, it costs 2,500 pounds which is valid only 2 years and 9 months. We thought there's no chance we can save up and buy the house in the UK and decided to come back to Korea. We can relate every other things mentioned such as transportation, medical and inflation.

[@TheBiggerestDave]

This has also been our experience as a Korean-British couple. We had to move outside of London to make life more affordable and even have a chance of getting on the property ladder. We are on the final ILR application now though but its still insanely expensive, visa's in Korea are way cheaper. That said, I was shocked by the prices in 김밥천국 when we visited in May this year though! Prices in restaurants have changed a lot in Korea since 2018 when we lived there previously.

[@daehoonkim931]

@@TheBiggerestDave Ikr, it has gone up a lot in Korea as well. Still figuring out how to save up here 🤣. Hopefully, ILR goes well!!!! You are almost there :)

[@MMike35]

South Korea may be better with public transportation systems, easy access to health care facilities, huge selections of dining experience, and so on but Canada has many things to offer at the same time, such as beautiful and vast nature, great air quality, non-homogeneous culture you can experience at the same time, various avenue of events, and so on. Cost of living could be difficult to compare these days since your living cost could be totally different depending on which part of country you live. If you live in mega cities, naturally things are quite expensive. Meanwhile if you live in suburban areas, many farm related items might be cheaper. Thus, if you love being in nature, Canada may have many things to offer. By contrast, if you love being in urban life style including succinct governmental services, easy access to health care, conveniences urban life style can offer, South Korea may be better. Actually you can experience anything you want within a day's travel in South Korea. If you want to enjoy beach life style, you drive to, or high-speed train to beach areas within 5-6 hours. If you want country life style experience, you can high-speed train down to rural areas within 2-3 hours. If you want to experience 24/7 sleepless night life, you can stick around urban areas of Seoul. I live in Ontario and if I want to enjoy some beach life style, my closest choice would be to cross the border to get to NY or drive to or fly in to New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, which takes a good 4-5 hours flight. I love both to be honest.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Yes! That’s the thing-neither country is perfect and each have their pros and cons. It’s just all up to personal preference, really :)

[@blackswan934]

I agree with you. I'm from Aurora, Ontario where we have natural beauty, modern amenities and nice people. Touch wood I've not faced any issues with medical care so far. I needed an endoscopy to be done and it was done swiftly. If my family doctor isn't available then I go to a walk in clinic. Of course situation may differ for different people but in general I believe it's not as bad.

[@williamkim1198]

THANK YOU for mentioning this thoughtful comment. I currently live in London, ON (but have also lived near Winnipeg as I grew up near Winnipeg and also have lived in the States before). It doesn’t matter where you live - each place has their pros and cons, so really, it’s up to you on where you feel most happy and comfortable. It drives me crazy seeing so many comments of people assuming so easily the grass is greener on the other side. Thank you, Sarah and Kyuho, for sharing your opinion on all this while acknowledging that everyone has different preferences and that is OK. While London definitely has its problems, as does Canada, I personally still love the clean air quality, the friendly people, the safety, and its central location in relation to other cities in Canada and the US. And I have family over in Korea too, so every time I go over to visit I’m always taken aback by how bad the air quality can get there compared to home in Canada.

[@dolcemaddalena]

I am a nurse in the province of Quebec. It is the same in Montreal, long wait times, etc. There are a number of issues, lack of nurses and doctors. Another issue in my opinion is the BUREACRACY!! Get rid of these overpaid administrators that do jack sh*te and invest in front line workers! It was so bad in Quebec during COVID our emergency rooms closed because we didn't have nurses working in them. A third of them were on burn out leave or got sick with COVID! Many of them who did not return to the profession as they were fed up. I too, am almost sick of it at times. I am lucky I found another position and work 40 hours in three days so I can have the rest of the week off. During COVID I worked 80/hours a week without relief until a year ago! I am originally from Italy and worked as a nurse there, the UK(Northern Ireland), and now Canada. Comparing all three, Italy would be first, UK second, Canada third in terms of quality, wait times, overall access and preventative care. Italy and the UK (Northern Ireland) are also free by the way. I hate to admit this but when I go back to Italy for holidays, I go see a doctor there for a full on physical and any necessary routine preventative testing. Even being a nurse in Canada I have to wait! I don't have a GP but I am lucky to know what I need and just tell the doctor I work with and he writes me a script or does the requisition for a specialist which I never see. I end up waiting too long and just do it when I go to Italy. My Korean friends who are nurses do the same as me and just go home and have their medical exams done. One told me it was cheap to see a doctor in Korea without her coverage than paying privately in Quebec (you have this option). She said she is better off waiting and having her medical visits and testing there. She says it will be thorough and quick. Her parents live far from Seoul and she said the healthcare is still superior there than here!

[@2hearts1seoul]

80 hours a week is inhumane, especially in those high-stress conditions :( And you’re a nurse and can’t even get seen by a doctor in Canada…it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that you get a full physical when you visit Italy.

[@dolcemaddalena]

​@@2hearts1seoulOne more point I want to make in order for me to go on a PROPER vacation I have to give my notice, go on my holidays (2-3 months every other year) then come back and look for another position. Most places do not let you take your full holidays at once. It is more like a few days off here and there totalling what you are owed. Well it isn't uncommon to just quit and find another position just to get time off. At least being in such high demand I have an easy time finding a new position. I worked in medivac once. Pilots can only work a limited hours, guess what? Not doctors, nurses, paramedics, we are not protected by local labour laws. The health system is broken what's worse the health workers are burnt out which is very dangerous. Many medical errors happen due to lack of sleep/burnout. I thank God every single day I never made a fatal error due to fatigue and long work hours.

[@TatianaKurnosova]

Thank you so much for this video, it was really interesting to hear your opinion! I've been living in Korea since 2021 and I agree that it's really convenient in so many ways. I was born in Russia, but lived in Europe and Japan most of my life (before moving to Korea) and definitely felt that the health care system in Europe isn't that good... Japan is OK I would say. But surprisingly Russian healthcare system is really good too and way cheaper than both European and Korean (if talking about Moscow, sadly in smaller cities it's not that good I assume), especially if going to the private clinics. But I definitely feel that Korean insurance has a reasonable price and the services you get from it definitely worth it! Oh, and hearing you talking about raising kids in Korea and how they're spending their whole day studying has triggered me so much - it's an awful experience and reminded me my childhood too. I believe it all depends on the parents, but when I was growing up, I used to study until 9 -10 pm and felt like my childhood was so terrible to be honest. I was leaving my house at 7:30 am to get to school on time, then after the school I had different other classes, courses etc and got back home around 9:30 - 10:00 pm. It was exhausting... I wish some parents could give their kids more freedom wherever they are living... Again, many thanks for this video guys, loved it as always! :)

[@janavanbeelen8489]

I live in Halifax, and I miss the Halifax of 5, 10, 15 years ago. These past few years have been brutal. Our population is growing so much faster with no changes to infrastructure, healthcare, child care, or housing. We are a small city with big city problems and no solutions on the horizon. Also, we now have the issue of most of the rental companies will not accept pets (not even a cat), so our animal shelters are overflowing with peoples beloved pets because their owners have had to choose between a roof over their heads or being homeless with their animals. There is also less than 1% vacancy for rentals, so families are now living in tent cities, seniors living in their cars in the Walmart parking lots, simply because they can’t afford the rent prices and there are just no vacancies. Buildings are going up, but they are all luxury buildings, nothing the average person can afford. Our wages are the only thing that isn’t increasing. It’s a depressing time here in Canada. I used to be so proud to be Canadian, but it’s gone downhill so quickly. I wouldn’t recommend anyone move here the way it currently is.

[@2hearts1seoul]

You’re dead on :( I’ve noticed such a huge difference in Nova Scotia since I left over 10 years ago. Honestly have NO idea how people afford to pay rent and just live…

[@trauddien2250]

You are talking about Halifax in general so it’s not entirely true for the entire country.

[@suzieyi63]

In U.S. housing crisis is at max. In Southern California rent for studios are $1990 to $3000 depending on what city. The homeowners are renting out their rooms between $700 to $1500 month.

[@janavanbeelen8489]

@@2hearts1seoul I am a renter and I live alone. (Single income) Thankfully there is a temporary rental cap in place which is protecting me, but I’m absolutely terrified for when that ends. My apartment is affordable now, but when the cap is lifted, so many of us are going to be totally screwed. I also have no idea how people with large families are affording groceries at the prices they are at. My grocery bill for just myself is ridiculous.

[@janavanbeelen8489]

@@trauddien2250 read through the rest of the comments. It is happening all through Canada:(

[@svenable567]

I live in Tennessee. I worked 41 years for a huge company and I paid premiums thru them. They also carried my insurance after I retired. I turned 65 last year and insurance falls under Medicare which is fabulous. My old company pays my Medicare premiums every year so insurance is almost free to me now and fantastic coverage. Also, there's never been any waiting.

[@zachmiller9189]

I'm not sure what you mean by there's never been any waiting. You can't just walk into a doctor's office without an appointment in the US like you can in Korea. I'm an American who lived in Korea for 2 years and I can tell you it's night and day between the two countries when it comes to healthcare cost and service. And not everyone can get insurance in the USA unless you work full time for a company that provides you that benefit. And you still have to pay part of it. You are also not eligible for Medicare until you are 65 years old.

[@ICDeadPeeps]

Even though the Korean education system maybe too competitive, I feel it's the complete opposite in the U.S. where it's too relaxed. The quality of the public education system in the U.S. has declined significantly, and it's not a funding issue. There's a general lack of focus and prioritization of math and science these days. In cities like Baltimore, MD, you have kids graduating from high school that can't even read or perform basic algebra. There's got to be a healthy balance between letting kids be kids while still providing a good education. Korea's education system may not be perfect or provide for a happy environment, but at least you have the satisfaction of your kids growing up better educated than in the U.S. and better prepared as adults entering the workforce.

[@2hearts1seoul]

The private education in Korea we discussed is only for those who can afford it, and it’s not cheap. It’s multiple additional ‘private academies’ that Korean kids (especially in Seoul) attend after getting off of ‘actual school.’ Honestly, most of these private academies just focus on route memorization to pass tests rather than teaching critical thinking skills before entering the workforce.

[@ICDeadPeeps]

@@2hearts1seoul I 100% agree with your assessment on the private education rebuttal and memorization aspect of it. No arguments there. I'm strictly comparing the public education side of it between the U.S. and Korea. The U.S. public education system isn't what it used to be, and even if I couldn't afford to send my (imaginary) children to hagwons, they would still be bettered educated than going through the U.S. public education system. The parents here are literally protesting against the public schools to prioritize and focus on core academic subjects. They have little to no confidence in the education their children are receiving.

[@julieobrien4056]

Many of the people I know with children now are homeschooling their children rather than sending them to public schools. That used to just be the case in the more rural areas, but I live in Las Vegas and that is much more common here now too. Public education seems to be too interested in other things than educating the core topics. Many of the homeschooling families actually band together to share the work and give their children social experiences and opportunities to work in groups. When our children were in school (they’re both mid-thirties now) we had this discussion and kept them in school but I was in the classroom helping all the time when they were in elementary school, and very hands on even later, which was only possible because I was a stay home mom. If I had children now I would definitely explore other options in depth.

[@ICDeadPeeps]

@@julieobrien4056 I'm hearing more and more parents discuss homeschooling nowadays, because they have lost confidence in the public education system here in Maryland. Taxes are insanely high and you have some of these school administrators and bureaucrats making over $300k a year. If they were pumping out ivy league students, you could almost justify it, but they are producing mediocrity. Just type the keywords "Project Baltimore" into Google if you want to know more.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Yikesss, I feel that I got a great education in Canadian public schools 😳 No idea about the U.S, as I have no experience with it, but that’s a shame.

[@loriolsen957]

That’s horrible that it’s so bad in Nova Scotia. I’m in a small city in southern Ontario and my experience is completely the opposite. I’ve had no problems getting to see my family doctor and had only reasonable wait times for specialists so far as well as tests. Family members in Toronto have had immediate care for cancer or other serious issues and have not had trouble getting in to their doctors either. I know this system is not perfect. We definitely need more doctors and nurses, but after living in the US for 20 years I am nothing but grateful for Canadian healthcare. I hope this crisis so many are impacted by improves asap!

[@2hearts1seoul]

I’m so glad to hear you’ve had such good experiences recently 🥺 At least there are still some places where it’s working the way it’s supposed to.

[@ctgctg1]

This is my experience as well in Toronto.

[@ryadeninkorea]

Thanks for pros and cons! Health care system is a really big part for me, so we’ve been discussing a lot whether to live in Canada or Korea or possible other countries. Your video helped a lot! Thank you!

[@punx676]

From Ottawa, Ontario. Shortages within the health care system. Wages for RN/RPN & PSW aren't proper for the need. The wait times in ERs (sometimes they are closed due to staff shortage) are horrible. Most of the time, you need a family doc to do most of anything. RX refills (depending on the meds) can cause issues, including flag you. To get a family doctor is hard to find. Specialist appointments is a min. 6 months wait just to book an appointment. It can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for the actual appointment. Not much preventative care unless you got a family doc and have major health problem(s). For me, a young adult... took me a total of 4 years to find out I had 3 slipped disc in my back (after many doc visits, specialists, tests, procedures) I found out via a physio therapist. Been telling my doc for years I may have PCOS and a prolapse. Took PCOS confirmation about 8 years and the confirmation including next steps for the prolapse about 8 years as well. Been dealing with active IBS flare ups but took 3 years of doc visits, medical leave, 8+ meds, procedures and specialist to be told its just IBS and nothing could be done. I went and did the research and reached out to a CBD clinic. I have my IBS managed. So while the health care is free, it has large holes and many are falling through the cracks, especially if you don't present as an emergency type or elderly or child. Its sad to say but breaking a bone is easier treated than mental health too. Low funding and studies with evidence of new knowledge is another tick in the cons section.

[@sandrac1313]

Yes! Prices have just gone up so much,for it seems,everything! Great video guys.Nice to hear some of the differences in our big ol world.

[@samanthaanne2212]

I live in the UK and we have universal healthcare (NHS) and it sounds exactly the same as the Canadian universal healthcare issues :(. We’re always waiting months and months (6 months on average), lack of staff due to the pay, they’re always striking for more pay (which they do deserve to be paid more). Massive waiting lists they’re massively under pressure. No preventative healthcare exists. A lot of people have to pay privately just to get seen urgently :(. I understand totally.

[@PS-rl7wz]

I’m a doctor in UK. I could talk for days about the issues with the healthcare system all the improvements that could be made. Trust me when I say clinical staff are even more frustrated than the public but I just wanted to say we’re not ‘always striking for more pay’. Doctor strikes have only been going on since March 2023, lasting between 48-120 hour walkouts in March, April, June and July so far. And obviously because hospitals never shut there must always be adequate cover, it’s just the responsibility of the Trusts to ensure this during strike times. The issues with long waiting lists have been going on for many, many years before any of us went on strike. Waiting times were much better prior to Covid and even better before Conservative Government coming in 2010. A first year doctor earns just £14/normal working hour. Only reason pay becomes slightly liveable is due to working nights, weekends and more hours (averages to 40-45hrs/week when including time off/annual leave but often can be rota 60+hrs/week). Doctor pay has eroded by more than 35% since 2008 and most of my colleagues have student loans of £100k+. The Gov continues to vilify doctors and clinical staff despite then eroding staff levels so much that we often have to work in place of 2-3 doctors. They publicise that they are increasing medical school places but fail to inform no change has been made to training places. That being said, there are so many incredible things about the NHS that the public won’t realise or appreciate, particularly with actual emergency/life threatening care, until it goes away and gets replaced with a private only system.

[@jenxr6518]

$30 for high quality prescription eye glasses in Korea. $800-$1100 for the same prescription glasses in the U.S.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Nice!

[@flashbang217]

zenni, eyebuydirect, even costco have glasses for so much cheaper and good quality. You'd have to be a fool with your money to spend that much on glasses nowadays or just really need a logo on the side of your glasses.

[@jenxr6518]

yeah - all cheap stuff - I got titanium frames prescriptions in an hour. And costco in the bay area stopped selling prescriptions 2 years ago. You can buy stuff like you get online for $5 over there both in japan and korea without seeing an optometrist and going through insurance - but hey.. you do you man. good luck ... @@flashbang217

[@2hearts1seoul]

Pretty sure my parents also get theirs at Costco in Canada and they get great deals :)

[@jenxr6518]

we can only get reading glasses here in California - lucky you still have opto services up there in Canada @@2hearts1seoul

[@리레이첼-j1k]

솔직히 한국의 인종차별이나 교육열이나 과다경쟁같은건 구조적인 문제도 크지만 소시민으로 살면서 본인 마음먹기에따라 큰 문제가 되진 않을수도 있음.( 선진국출신 백인이라면 특히)근데 당장의 물가나 의료문제 교통문제 집값은 타격이 커서 지금캐나다같은 상황이면 살고 싶지 않을거 같음,,다만 한국이 인구가 빠르게 감소하고 이민 정책은 더디고 의료상황도 헬이고 (의사도의사인데 간호사 미친듯이 감소하고 있음) 해서 한국에서 받는 편리한 서비스가 10년 20년뒤에는 어찌될지모름 ;;;그리고 기후변화에따라 식량난 터질때 한국처럼 자급률떨어지는 나라는 인구수줄어도 문제임 ,,,한국에서 너무 오래정착하지 않는게 답일수도

[@pinetworkminer8377]

아무리 못해도 서울은 의료상황 좋지 않을까요? 서울이 일종의 블랙홀이잖아요. 즉, 시간이 흐르면 흐를수록 서울은 계속 비대해지고 있움,

[@itshoneybii]

As a Canadian, I feel the pain for all these points. Canada is no longer a good place to live. Quality of life is terrible if you don't have a split income where both of you are making 100k+ 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@NorabelRamos-f2b]

Happy Sunday 😊. Coffee ☕️ time………Sending love 💕 and blessings your way……😊😊😊😊😊

[@2hearts1seoul]

Awww, thank you for watching ☺️

[@lucidgravityy]

서울에 살면 자동차를 안 사도 된다는게 엄청난 장점이죠. 감가 포함한 자동차 유지비만 해도 매년 거의 천만원입니다. 즉, 자동차를 사면 매년 천만원을 쓰게 됩니다.

[@rosannewysocki]

I live in Ottawa, Canada's Capital city, and my doctor retired 2 years ago. I'm still waiting for an available family doctor, and I'm just about 60 years old. Thankfully, I'm active and healthy, but I do not like the insecurity of being without regular medical care. Also, as with all other provinces, the emergency rooms and walk-in clinics are over-run and you can often wait all day before being seen. It was already bad before the pandemic, but that has pushed the crisis over the brink. :(

[@2hearts1seoul]

Omg…even in Canada’s capital 😞 I was expecting Ontario (or at LEAST Ottawa) would far better, but gosh :(

[@pinetworkminer8377]

@@2hearts1seoul Sorry to intrude, but are you both Canadians?

[@2hearts1seoul]

@@pinetworkminer8377 I (Sarah) am Canadian 🇨🇦 Kyuho is Korean 🇰🇷

[@teeconsigliano7631]

Thanks for the video! Great points for considering whether to live in South Korea. Hope you're able to buy a home someday, perhaps in a smaller city if not Seoul.

[@mwintersweet3538]

I live in Germany and was comparing healthcare system with my Korean friend who also lives here. They are basically very similar. Perhaps a little more efficient and with cheaper monthly payments in Korea tho. I thought maybe that 3rd place for you guys could be some North European big and international city. Easy travel to very different destinations, a lot closer to Canada, good healthcare and social system too :) not to say its perfect at all, but maybe a good option

[@bobbyboo2860]

yeah I'm canadian and I rlly feel you, I'm really so luck to have a family doctor but my sister and my friends use walk-ins or pay out of pocket for online medical prescribers or nurse practitioner clinics. It's rlly unbelievable that we pay taxes towards healthcare but still many ppl can't access it or even have to pay with their own money to get medical help. and it also sucks for sure that I have to drive everywhere, esp during the winter to go to a drug store, im lucky to have a car but if you dont and live in the suburbs, then you're good as trapped. I also struggle with seasonal affective disorder so i got a LED therapy light from Costco cause our winters here are just that brutal. the light didnt even work 🤣

[@marenhumblebee2736]

That thumbnail 😍 is chef's kiss ❤!!!!!!

[@2hearts1seoul]

Thank you 🥹 It took a while 😅

[@zurinevigara9193]

European viewers watching this comfortably 😊

[@2hearts1seoul]

😂😂

[@Theoryofcatsndogs]

For S.A.D, you can get a special light, usually a desk lamp, so you turn it on after you wake up in morning. And the strong light will make your brain think it is summer time. It works on me. I don't expect the rent to be so much cheaper in Seoul, I live in Calgary but I am not renting. Still I know the rent is very expensive now.

[@ctgctg1]

You could probably afford a home in Canada if you live outside big cities or you lived on the prairies. Alberta and Saskatchewan have cites between 500,000- million and these have rental apartments in the range of 1200/month rent for a one bedroom condo. Houses are less than 500K. You are right you need a car in most places in Canada. As for Toronto, you need to know when to buy. Health care is not good in the Canadian Maritimes. Ontario and Alberta probably the best provinces for health care and even though these systems aren’t that great. COVID made that terrible. However I agree with you about the wait times for surgery. It’s bad.

[@2hearts1seoul]

The prairies are too cold and isolated for us-we’re too soft for that kind of environment 🥶

[@레몬에이드-x1d]

In Korea, there are three rooms in Seoul or the Seoul metropolitan area, 300,000 won for rent, and two rooms and 15 horse won for national rent.

[@Nora915]

I know the US healthcare has a bad reputation because of pricing but I think the care we receive cannot be rivaled. If you have insurance through your job (which is one of the most common ways people are insured), your monthly premium does vary and can be horribly expensive for a family. Also, not all jobs offer insurance, so people need to buy it from the marketplace which is also expensive. For single people or couples, the premiums are reasonable if you have a decent job. In a large city, I am able to get in with any specialist I need sometimes within a couple of days or at most a couple weeks. My primary care clinic has open appointments during the day or afterhours and I can always get seen same day for any issues. I am confident that if I go to the ER, with something serious, I will be treated promptly. I guess here it's expensive but available.

[@flyhigh9318]

really love this kind of video because I learn something new everytime I watch thisss thank you!

[@2hearts1seoul]

Thanks for watching!

[@Budams-heydays]

I like this video. I live in Toronto, and I do not enjoy the lifestyle here. I am stuck because of school but I agree with everything you guys said about a certain lifestyle you can have in Seoul. As long as you have a job, you can go anywhere, but the question is, can you afford living?? Can you live without worrying about the bills?? There are many questions i want to ask for myself, for a better life and just live my life in special moments.

[@abigailsara]

That's how I feel about the U.S. Healthcare. It's expensive and far from perfect but I can go see a doctor when I want I can get second opinions, I don't have to wait. I can get health screenings to catch something early, before it's too late. People try to act like insurance in America is outrageously expensive but there are so many options. Yes, hospital bills can be huge but most hospitals do have charity care and they will take whatever you can give them a month. If I had to wait to see my G P to get a referral to a specialist, I would have been dead before my liver disease was ever diagnosed. I got sick suddenly, I was able to go to the Emergency Room and within hours of being there, I was already being seen by specialists.

[@pinetworkminer8377]

Charity care? Isn't that only for Americans below the poverty line?

[@cherylglasgow7676]

I live in British Columbia, Canada. Health care is definitely in crisis here….

[@jinroh01]

Seoul experiences a summer characterized by tropical heat and monsoon rain, as well as a winter with Siberian cold. It is quite rare to hear someone say they chose to live here because it's better than their home country, so I have great respect for your decision.

[@forexdragon]

Weather is not everything but yes. Korean summers are getting hotter and longer.

[@JoeChanTV]

Come to Singapore! We have excellent healthcare and straight to specialists, just pay more. Food is aplenty and super cheap. Rent is crazy but if you are PR you live good. And like in Seoul, our MRT is world class. In fact the best in the world (🤭) and we are a multi racial society and our weather will suit Sarah perfectly, it is summer thru out. Our work landscape support content creators. Everybody speaks at least two languages here. Travel wise, SIA fly straight into NYC direct and of cos to S Korea it is just hours away.

[@2hearts1seoul]

We looove Singapore and would love to live there for an extended time someday-but the rent costs 🥲

[@JoeChanTV]

@@2hearts1seoul Stay on the outskirts of SG becos this island is tiny. The metro will get u anywhere that way rental will be manageable 👍🏽 And occasionally you can still visit Malaysia. Or become a Permanent Resident :) The sun here be waiting for ya!

[@2hearts1seoul]

Omg…👀 It is super tempting. I wonder how difficult it would be to become a permanent resident 🤔

[@JoeChanTV]

I wonder too... I supposed it is very much case to case basis : )

[@ctgctg1]

Singapore is amazing. That is where I want to live for sure when I am able to retire. I don’t love Malaysia as much, although my spouse has Malaysian citizenship. Hard to get PR in Singapore. I hear public housing rent prices may not be as crazy for rental prices and if you are willing to live in the outskirts and take the LRT it’s all good. As for Toronto, it is much better to buy a condo than rent a condo in terms of monthly payments. But (and this is a big but), it sadly does depend on your mortgage rate and how big of a down payment you can make because condos are not cheap.

[@marlenedeleeuw5508]

Thank you for such a clear reasoning .

[@Laurefin]

The healthcare reason got to me. My husband isn’t Canadian so we’re always wondering if we should move. I’ve waited 10hrs and left from the hospital without seeing anyone because I just couldn’t wait anymore. I had glass stuck in my foot and I couldn’t get it out by myself. I live in a major city (Montreal) and I agree with Sara. It’s mostly that you don’t get preventative medicine. It’s only if you’re already very sick that they pay attention to you.

[@2hearts1seoul]

That is so horrible, omg :( Yeah…the thing is, by the time they finally take you seriously, it’s often too late. So scary.

[@xingxing85]

It’s so lovely see this couple! Wish to see their videos more often 🎉

[@jimmyy4667]

It will be interesting to see how retirement options look like in 20-25 years when it comes to healthcare, insurance options, and housing

[@2hearts1seoul]

Exactlyyy.

[@KIMSEOKDOMVLOGS]

I enjoyed this segment, I love the talk enjoyed it, maybe we have same personalities as living in the present too or not thinking much of the retirement or something, I love it whatever you do or wherever you go for as long as it make you happy & will be sustainable go for it❣️❣️❣️

[@samkim6889]

Would you guys consider visiting Vancouver BC to film and do a short stay? That would be interesting and I think you guys would like the urban setting with much diversity in culture + food.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Depends if we can afford it. Those plane tickets to N.S alone now cost double what they did just 2 years ago 💀

[@zanpsimer7685]

I’m 62 and living in The States. I’m fortunate to live in my paid for home. I do not understand how young people can even live with inflation throughout the world running mad like it is. Also, now that I have Medicare Health Insurance I can go to any Dr or specialist I wish, but employer healthcare which I paid a portion for was very restrictive.

[@carefulconsumer8682]

Informative video. I'd move to Seoul just for the food and people alone. The health care in USA also has problems; you can be seen right away but it costs$$$$$. Luckily, we have some top docs across the border in Mexico who charge 1/5th to 1/10th what they charge in USA. I remember when houses were relatively cheap in Canada, pre-1990. I'm looking forward to your other videos.

[@kyungshim6483]

Thanks for the great video. My only issue with living in Korea is the dust storms that come from China. Air in Canada is very clean (except for the occasional smoke from forest fires). Clean water and air are absolutely essential for me.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Agreeee, that’s a huge con for me as well. The drinking water is clean here, but we do worry about the fine dust situation.

[@ctgctg1]

Well the air quality is definitely getting worse though with all the forest fires this year in Canada.

[@2hearts1seoul]

@@ctgctg1 Sadly this is true :( BC and the Northwest Territories were on fire pretty much throughout our whole stay in Canada.

[@veritush]

i find it so curious that the question is always "why don't you move to canada?". why do people find it strange that people want to live elsewhere?

[@2hearts1seoul]

I wonder if we lived in Canada, would we get the question “Why don’t you live in Korea?” just as often? 🤔

[@glitterstarbeau]

​@@2hearts1seoulno one asks why don't we live in Korea, as we live in South Carolina, USA. Literally no one. Not even Koreans.

[@MelissaLearns]

I am in South Western Ontario (just over an hour from Toronto) and I completely agree on so many levels with your points. Long comment coming!!! The only thing keeping me in Canada is really my family & boyfriend. My family has medical problems and if I was abroad and needed to be home quickly, the flight would possibly cause me to arrive too late (as I would most likely live in Japan). The costs of houses has gone insane... sadly I've just bitten the bullet and bought a house but dread the mortgage payment I will now have to deal with for the next 5 years. I HATE our transit system. I have access to a vehicle (my boyfriends) but I would LOVE to be able to have real transit. Thankfully my area does have a light rail system and decent buses, but to go to other cities and places it's just ridiculous in multiple ways. Being super slow and costly. Canada won't invest in the type of transit other countries have (like Europe/Asia) because we are so spread out so it won't pay off in less than 5 years... but if they just built the infrastructure people would definitely start using it. Especially as it would probably take over a decade and by then who knows what the climate crisis would be or the cost of fuel... maybe people would ditch more vehicles by then. Health care - 100000% agreed. It drives me crazy and I feel for the workers who are still trying because they are passionate about helping people. I've been a victim of the wait times of multiple types of doctors. I've needed MRIs, neurologists, sleep studies, ultrasound for gallbladder and still waiting for my consultation for surgery to remove my gall bladder which isn't for another 10 months and THEN I will get a date for surgery. There is a few things I want to get checked out but I know the wait time to see my family doctor and then convince her to send me to a specialist to get checked... is just crazy. Inflation - just... *tears*! lol

[@andyy0305]

For real government should pay more attention to health care system, Mexico has the same situation as Halifax, we wait for the family doctor appointment and then they say you can or not see the specialist, but the appointment might be months later. If you can afford it or have major medical expenses insurance provided by your company makes a huge difference but that is not the case for most people.

[@FranHutchison]

I live in Toronto Ontario. It is expensive to live here. I live in Co-Op Housing it was built in 1997 it's also the last Co-Op to be built in the City. I live with my two older sisters and moved in here 10 years ago. I am on the Waitlist for my own Unit and have been for 10 years. My sisters and I live in a two bedroom Unit until a unit becomes available. We are basically living on top of eachother but we are making it work. I live near the St Lawrence Market and all around me are Condos and more being built everyday. Housing is so expensive here. Grocery prices are through the roof. Our Healthcare is hanging by a thread since Ontario is under Conservative Power.

[@nicolegordon129]

This was interesting. I had no idea about Canada’s medical system. I’m sorry that those that you know and love have experienced neglect from the healthcare system. And while I understand that there is a shortage of doctors, no one should have to live that way.

[@mikejung1582]

I hope people that watch this video take something from it to apply to their lives and future because everything you have said is well thought out and maybe there is room for disagreeing but it is only 1%. Present day as compared to 40, 50 years ago with the high inflation it would be very hard for a mother to stay home or to provide everything you would want and wish for your child on one income. You've already figured out with the trend both Canada and Korea would be prohibiting to retire on a fix income. Enjoy life!

[@bethmikituk3415]

We have similar problems in Saskatchewan. So many people with no family doctors, specialist don't want to come here because they can get paid a lot more in Alberta, etc. For example even though Saskatoon has a very new children's hospital (opened in fall of 2019) our city only has 1 pediatric allergist and she can't take any more patients so people are being referred to Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg and waiting sometimes years to get in if it's not an emergency.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Omggg, that’s a long way to travel! Not everyone can afford that :(

[@nukem384]

It's kinda an urban vs suburban thing. For your guys lifestyle, it makes way more sense to do the urban thing. Plus yeah, then you guys can take us on cool journeys around Seoul and Korea. Us Westerners love to see all the cool architecture and totally different style Korea has to offer. You ain't finding that around here lol. It's crazy you mention that the universal health care is so bad. Never realized even though everyone has the same access, that also means there can be major overcrowding like you're seeing. That's scary and some of the stories you mentioned is unfortunate, but I perhaps makes sense with the overcrowding. Hope the gov't can figure that out, cause that ain't happenin. I've always looked at universal health care as superior to our co-pays here in the states. But if it's not executed correctly, it sounds like there are more problems :(.

[@AlexisBii]

Wow, I’m an American who’s been watching you for years and this video made me realize how much I’ve really been romanticizing Canada 😱 As an American, we get doctors bills for thousands of dollars all the time and we always say “damn, if only we were Canadian.” Lol. I heard about the wait times in Canada but had no idea they were that bad! 😮 I really hope someone can make a change there because unfortunately, those problems will only get exponentially worse with time.

[@stc9866]

코로나 때 전세계 정부가 돈을 풀면서 부동산 가격이 엄청나게 오른건 알았지만 월세가 한국의 3배 수준일 줄은 몰랐네요. 한국은 전세 제도가 집값 폭등을 지탱해주는 제도임에도 월세보다는 저렴한게 살 수 있게 해준다는게 아이러니하네요.

[@susanspence3029]

Thanks for this, very informative. When it comes to having children in Korea, it is a very different system. The pressure is crazy. We have hosted Korean students for the last 10 years. I believe the balance of school and life is better in Canada.

[@skatingcanuck9837]

It would have been interesting to compare your situation to that of Minho and his wife who moved back to NS.

[@tanzanable]

Thanks for another excellent and informative video! I'm fortunate to have received raises to keep up with the higher prices from inflation. Are KZbin and your other employers in Corea increasing compensation for their workers to properly meet or exceed inflation?

[@celinaduguay6484]

I live in Windsor, ON and if I could I would move to a different. If I were to go see my family doctor at the clinic, most likely he isn't going to be there because he also works at the hospital and only works at the clinic maybe 3 days a week. Back in 2021, I had swollen tonsils and it took my mother maybe a month or longer to actually call the clinic in October, we had to wait to 2 weeks because the family doctor wasn't in the clinic so we had to wait for a day when he was there to call him to book an appointment to go to the clinic because walk-ins weren't allowed (other than going to the clinic, I had to go to Costco to get the prescribed meds, and I went to 2 other buildings on different to get 4 vials of blood taken and an ultrasound on my neck). For public transportation, there is only the city bus which has not really changed in 50 years, and these slow, ugly, and the most uncomfortable metal seats with just a piece of fabric. Currently, a single bus ride with a 2-hour transfer costs $3.25 in my city, however, a 10-minute car ride is about a 1-hour bus ride. I've taken the VIA Rail train once from Windsor to London and it took 2 hours but by car, it's the same amount of time, the trains are 50 years old or so, slow and rusty. Shopping in the grocery store is crazy despite being able to price-match another store's grocery flyer. I eat salads a lot and the cost of a 6 pack of lettuce made in the US costs $9 for only 6 skinny romaine hearts. The price of milk is weird and different at all stores, I don't drink milk just flavored milk sometimes because of lactose. Skincare isn't cheap and neither are feminine products. I don't spend money on make-up because I've never worn it before. Name-branded clothing is crazy expensive unless you're shopping in the clearance section. Sensodyne toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, and deodorant are not cheap if not on sale. Going to the dentist or orthodontist in Canada costs an arm and a leg. I need braces and a tooth surgery which cost 10k which I won't be getting any time soon, not sure how people cough up the money for that. I wonder how much metal braces cost in Korea. I don't know if the KZbin vlogging culture exists in Canada, or just isn't popular or doesn't exist where I live because it feels like everyone is staring or giving weird looks.

[@김광일-f7t]

한국은 임플란트 한개에 한국돈 100만원 한다고 보면 됩니다..물론 더 저렴한곳도 있지만 위의 가격이 보통 가격이라 보면 됩니다..한국은 나름 의료보험 제도가 잘되어 있다고 생각되지만 공짜는 아니기에 치료가 아닌 미용등의 목적으로 시술되는것은 약간의 가격은 나간다고 봐야합니다..의료보험이 있다면 감기를 기준으로 10달러 미만일것입니다..없다해도 20~40달러 미만일것입니다

[@МорозоваЮлия-ч2у]

It's obvious why you live in South Korea. South Korea has very low crime and is safe. In South Korea, there are no homeless people or drug addicts loitering in city centers, but in Canada there are. South Korea has clean, well-developed and safe public transport. South Korea has inexpensive health insurance and affordable healthcare, including inexpensive and high-quality dentistry.

[@charliechoi2946]

I live in Vancouver area. First of all, you can not find family doctor. After the pandemic, lots of Canadian doctor went down to USA. SO SAD!

[@2hearts1seoul]

From the comments here, sounds like it’s officially a coast to coast problem :(

[@nasiakanais]

You are 1 of the very few digital creators living in Seoul who admits that being a digital content creator is “more” successful being in Korea instead of moving back to your home country, as is easier to approach organizations, brands and just a simple café.

[@2hearts1seoul]

For the type of digital content WE prefer to make, as we said. We like to be able to travel quickly and easily, we’re foodies, and most importantly, Korea has really widespread, developed tourism and cultural organizations-those are the projects we’re most passionate about. Sadly Canada really doesn’t have many programs like this. If they did, and if we were both more the ‘outdoorsy’ style (into camping, hiking, winter sports, etc.) Canada would be a great choice :)

[@christianecoward3298]

Good stuff!!! Love the content

[@drj4608]

A meal for $10/person would be amazing. I need about $15-20 USD for a descent lunch in the DC area if I don't bring lunch to work. Easily multiply that by x2 for dinner. This is of course the price of eating out. Cost of living has become unmanageable unfortunately.

[@loveseoul7305]

두분의 앞날을 응원합니다

[@sk-pb9vk]

와우!! 여기 댓글 다른나라 의료사정을 들으니 정말 놀랍네요!! 한국에서는 있을 수도 없는 일이네요...최근에 언니가 고관절이 뿌러져서 병원에 갔는데 큰병원에 20분내로 갔고 바로 수술받아서 입원 일주일 하고 지금은 멀쩡하고 의료비도 저렴해서 정말 한국이 최고라는 생각이 들었습니다.. 심지어 또 다른 언니는 난소암이었는데 수술하고 입원해도 기껏해야 백만원 남짓 나왔어요.. 우리는 몇배는 더 예상했거든요... 너무 감사하더라고요!! 이 모든 것이 아주 빠르게 추진되는 나라!!!ㅋ빠른데 의료수준이 엄청나게 고퀄리티!!!거기다가 저렴하기까지!!!!저는 다른 나라 전혀 안부러워요!!😁 요즘 과일값이나 외식값은 좀 올랐는데,, 근데 그런거는 조금 덜 먹음 되는 거잖아요.. 갑자기 아플 때,, 국가시스템이 얼마나 나를 돌봐주느냐가 제일 중요한 거 같아요.^^ 그것이 내가 살 곳을 결정하는 듯!!!

[@badguy9869]

그렇게 좋은 시스템을 현 정부가 말아먹고 있어요ㅠ 모든 분야에서 국민이 피해보는 방향으로 가는중입니다

[@lion5150]

윤정부는 탄핵이 답이죠 ㅜ

[@직쏘-h2t]

극단적인 노동인구 감소와 고령화 사회 진입으로 인해 건강보험 시스템은 빠른 시일 내로 붕괴 될 가능성이 큽니다

[@badguy9869]

@@직쏘-h2t 그렇게 안될겁니다 우리 시스템이 그리 허술하지 않아요

[@직쏘-h2t]

@@badguy9869 저도 그러길 바랍니다

[@amikuko]

I live in Vancouver and it is impossible to find a family doctor as well.

[@ucs2836]

즐거운 추석 되세요❤🎁

[@MrsGrumpy4]

Healthcare should not be so difficult to obtain....anywhere. U.S. here. I pay $820/mos. (through my job) for insurance. Broke my arm last year and needed surgery (shoulder replacement). Could not get in to see a specialist (in a major city) for 3 months - with said insurance. Also, the spot you picked for today is so peaceful.

[@RedCanyonWolf]

And I’m sure even with $820 a month you STILL had to pay copays and deductibles yeah?

[@MrsGrumpy4]

@@RedCanyonWolf Yup. $3000 up front before they would schedule the surgery, and my insurance is “good” insurance. My arm was broken straight across the humerus

[@RedCanyonWolf]

@@MrsGrumpy4 😭 that is so upsetting.

[@2hearts1seoul]

JEEZ, $820 a month?!? 😱

[@troybee7815]

I would love see what you guys would do with six months in NYC.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Us too! Love NYC 🗽

[@astroboy3507]

Yep Sydney Australia is the same on 2 points expensive property and shocking wait times at hospitals!!!!! 😞

[@2hearts1seoul]

I’ve been reading that in the comments :(.

[@kimckawa]

Goodness never knew Canadian healthcare was this bad. Now I am feeling bit better about our American healthcare if that’s even possible! Despite our dysfunctional and scammy healthcare system one thing you’ll never get is ‘denial of services’. It’s rather opposite in the States, we’re overprescribed w unnecessary medication and services thus leaving us w bloated hospital bills! SKorea in current form seems perfect place to leisure and retire since you’re off the toxic work/education treadmills

[@Pharphette]

I live in southern Ontario and I’m too poor to move anywhere - even in town or to a “cheaper” place in Canada. I have a rare condition and seeing a specialist takes over a year.

[@zoimz401]

You guys should come to Thailand! Good food, good healthcare system, affordable high-end condo etc!

[@2hearts1seoul]

I have a friend who’s been living in Thailand for several years and he LOVES it. Tempted 👀

[@bofenglin]

Thank you for the insight, love your channel! Btw what do you use to make the country-size comparison?

[@michellepanlilio7952]

Have y’all considered moving to America?Minnesota is right under Canada and it beautiful here. Health care is really good also.

[@2hearts1seoul]

Honestly, the prevalence of gun violence there scares us way too much :(

[@mollyapteros]

Immigrating to a new country where neither partner is from is so much harder than picking one of their countries. Speaking from experience, unfortunately.

[@tessat1656]

Thank you for such an unbiased look at Canada's health care system. Here in the US everyone screams they want universal but few realize there are problems with that system too. I knew first hand as being in the US on the Canadian border - we saw many Canadians who would come to us for knee and hip replacements because the wait time was so long in Canada. .

[@skatingcanuck9837]

From what I've heard it seems the average income per capita is lower in Korea. I'm surprised how affordable the rent is there even in a large city like Seoul.

[@lisaanderson8235]

I have wondered about this! Thanks for making this video for all of us Nosy Noodles. 🤭❤️

[@2hearts1seoul]

Hahaha, no worries 😂

[@missyrust4736]

It's not lost on me that you are sitting in your spacious, lush, green yard - gorgeous surroundings with fresh air to breathe. I am not even an "outdoorsy" person, but it's interesting that this isn't a huge factor. ;-)

[@2hearts1seoul]

We can only sit in and enjoy this beautiful backyard from around late June through September-the vast majority of the year is way too cold to do this-and the grass wouldn’t even be green 🥲 Wish it could be for at least 6 months of the year 😭

[@seykadagmar]

What's more interesting, Asian cultures really prioritize holistic medicine aswell as western. Holistic medicine seems to be in abundance so you're not without options. If you want to choose holistic doctors in America you're paying completely out of pocket and it's expensive, in addition to paying for your health insurance. What's really frustrating, every year in America, it's getting harder to meet the goal posts to see specialist. Insurance companies *purposely* do this hoping they can make you wait until the new year comes around so your deductible resets, then they don't habe to cover anything.

[@justsandy4381]

Every time I shop, I keep picking up things, see the price, and putting it back. The prices are unreal. Used to be 2 for 5. Now 2 for 7 or 8. (In NYC)

[@2hearts1seoul]

Two bags up chips are now 2 for $9 (the sale is 2 for $8) in Canada 🥲