GBN expat secrets - South Korea: 'I got here and felt free - but there's a sinister aspect'

Ellie told GB News: "South Korea is so different from England and moving here just felt freeing."

For the expat, finding friends and settling in was relatively easy. She reassured potential expats that foreigners are treated very well by the locals, whom she described as friendly and welcoming.

She warned that Britons might be startled by the work culture though, issuing a warning to expats heading to South Korea before retiring age. She said: "The work culture is really tough. Work is so hard here."

She admitted: "You're expected to overwork. They say you aren't but you are."

As for holidays, workers aren't given the same amount of annual leave as they may be used to in the UK. Indeed, employees are granted 15 days of paid leave in their first year of work, to be increased with time spent at the place of work.

"You don't really get sick days either," Ellie added, "at least that's what I've experienced". She said: "When you're sick, you go to the doctor during your working day, then you go back to work."

But despite working hard, Ellie manages to enjoy herself thoroughly. She said: "Outside of work is fun. I wouldn't say people are friendlier - because British people are really friendly - but they're very helpful here. And they're warm.

"Koreans are good at English, especially in the capital, Seoul. They'll speak Korean first, but if you don't understand, they'll speak English."

But despite the friendliness of the locals, Ellie has found that most of her new friends in South Korea are expats like herself.

She said: "It's really easy to meet people, and there's a big expat community here."

There are plenty of ways expats can go about making friends. She said: "Seoul pub crawl is a weekly event where you can meet new people."

You can also look online. Ellie sought out fellow expats on Bumble BFF.

According to Ellie, Itaewon is a melting pot of expats. The trendy, lively Seoul neighbourhood "doesn't even really feel like Korea" because so many residents are foreigners. Ellie was even able to celebrate St Patrick's Day there back in March.

But while Ellie has not struggled to be social, she warned that not everyone has the same experience as her. "There's a big loneliness problem here," she revealed. "I saw on Reddit that people struggle to make friends because they don't always get on with the people they work with.

"And I understand that, because the work environment - in the schools anyway - is quite tough and high pressure. So I've been lucky."

She had a word of warning for tee-total expats though, claiming that it may be "harder" for them to make friends.

She explained: "Drinking is so huge here, and so casual - you drink with everything. It's more than in England, people get drunk on weekdays and then go to work the next day, it's a big thing.

"The liquor we have here - Soju - people just drink it straight and it's so strong. It tastes nice but it's dangerous because you get drunk so quickly."

The food culture matches the drinking culture in South Korea and makes up a big part of the social life.

Ellie said: "The food culture here is really big. When people hang out they go and eat, and everyone shares. There's lots of meat grilling and big soups for the table."

She gave an honorary mention to Korean BBQ, the communal dining experience that involves grilling marinated meat over a charcoal grill or gas grill. Think thinly sliced meat, fermented and pickled vegetables.

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The expat feels very safe walking around the city, much more so than she ever did in London.

She said: "I don't feel like I'm going to get attacked walking around by myself at 4am.

"Seoul is one of those places that is always open. There are always convenience stores and drinking places open. There are always people about so it feels very safe."

But while Ellie loves South Korea, and Seoul in particular, she alerted potential expats to a very sinister reality in the country.

She said: "There's a big issue with hidden camera filming. If you go to a public bathroom, a lot of the time there are holes in the door and they're filled with toilet paper because there used to be a camera there. The violence against women is very sneaky and underground.

"I do get worried about using public bathrooms because I know it is common and it freaks me out. I wouldn't even know if it had happened to me before."

But when asked whether she would recommend living in South Korea, Ellie said yes. The young expat said that it's great for the youth. She said: "The nightlife is so good, people are very friendly, and the younger generation is entering a new world of globalisation.

"The shopping is great, there's an old-style palace in the middle of Seoul where you can wear traditional Korean clothes, and the restaurants and bars are amazing too. I'd recommend going out in Hongdae and Itaewon."

Moving to South Korea

What you need to know

For expats considering moving abroad, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) shared the essential information they need to know, from taxes to welfare, to health to driving. The FCDO also encouraged Britons to extensively research their destination.

The latest information provided by the FCDO was that around 100,000 British nationals travel to South Korea each year and approximately 8,000 British nationals live and work there.

Britons thinking of relocating should consult the FCDO's guidance on living in South Korea as a British National.

According to the experts at Expat Arrivals, there is "absolutely no need" for a car in Seoul. They said: "The public transport system in Seoul is fast, efficient, affordable, safe and clean. The roads are full of cheap taxis that make personal cars even less necessary." The whole country is known for its gold-standard public transportation system.

English is widely understood in South Korea, along with Japanese and Mandarin. However, Britons can learn Korean through language-learning apps, or attending Korean language classes in person or online.

Recommended places for retirees

• Seoul
• Busan
• Cheonan
• Incheon
• Geoje Island

Why Britons choose to live in South Korea

• Excellent healthcare
• Creature comforts - apartments often come with a washing machine, floor heating and air conditioning
• Friendly locals
• Large expat community
• Low crime rates
• TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is a huge industry, and there are plenty of job opportunities

Possible pitfalls

• Extreme weather (winters and summers)
• Language barrier
• Hierarchical culture
• High-pressure working environment
• Being vegetarian/vegan can be difficult when eating out