🏠 Living in Korea — Renting an Apartment in Korea (Jeonse, Wolse & One-room Guide)

Renting an apartment in Korea — scene: key money Jeonse and Wolse options, foreigner checking a studio room

Moving to Korea is exciting… until you start seeing strange words like 전세 (jeonse), 월세 (wolse), and confusing contracts. This guide walks you through the whole process step by step — from understanding rental types and using trusted apps, to checking the room and protecting your deposit like a local.

🎯 Learning Goal

Understand the difference between Jeonse, Wolse, and one-room rentals in Korea.
Learn which apps and platforms are most useful and safer for foreigners.
Follow a time-ordered checklist from outside the building to the contract on paper.
Know key Korean terms and phrases related to renting, so you can talk with agents and landlords.

📚 Table of Contents

Key Vocabulary: Jeonse, Wolse & One-room Basics
Useful Expressions for Viewing & Contracts
Practice Dialogue: At the Real Estate Office
Quick Check Quiz
Teacher’s Tips: Foreigners’ Common Mistakes
Say What? — 깡통전세 (Kkangtong Jeonse)
Did You Know? — Jeonse, Interest Rates & Trends
It’s Your Turn — Plan Your Own Viewing

📝 Key Vocabulary: Jeonse, Wolse & One-room Basics

Before you open any app, it helps to understand the three big words you will see everywhere in Korea: 전세 (jeonse), 월세 (wolse), and 원룸 (one-room).

전세 (jeonse) —
전세 / jeon-se / key-money lease
You pay a very large deposit (often 50–80% of the property value) and little or no monthly rent. At the end of the lease, the landlord must return your full deposit.
월세 (wolse) —
월세 / wol-se / monthly rent
You pay a smaller deposit plus a fixed monthly payment. This is easier for most foreigners and feels similar to Western-style renting.
원룸 (one-room) —
원룸 / won-rum / studio-type room
Small studio units popular with students and expats. Many one-rooms are fully or semi-furnished and close to universities or subway stations.
보증금 (bojeung-geum) — deposit
보증금 / bo-jeung-geum / deposit
관리비 (gwanlibi) — maintenance/management fee
관리비 / gwan-li-bi / maintenance fee
등기부등본 (deung-gibu deungbon) — official real estate register document
Used to check who owns the property and whether there are loans or seizure records.

🇰🇷 Korean explanation:
전세는 큰 보증금을 맡기고 월세가 거의 없거나 적은 방식이고, 월세는 보증금 + 매달 내는 임대료를 의미합니다. 원룸은 보통 원룸텔, 오피스텔, 작은 스튜디오 형태의 집을 말하며, 단기 거주·학생·유학생·외국인에게 인기가 많습니다.

💡 If you are new to Korea, starting with a small wolse one-room is usually safer than jumping straight into a big jeonse contract. Later, you can upgrade once you understand the system better.

💬 Useful Expressions for Viewing & Contracts

Use these phrases when talking to a real estate agent or landlord.

전세인가요, 월세인가요?
jeonse-ingayo, wolse-ingayo?
Is it jeonse or wolse?
보증금이랑 월세가 얼마인가요?
bojeunggeum-irang wolse-ga eolma-ingayo?
How much are the deposit and the monthly rent?
관리비에 무엇이 포함되어 있나요?
gwanlibi-e mueosi poham-doeeo innayo?
What is included in the maintenance fee?
등기부등본을 확인할 수 있을까요?
deung-gibu-deungbon-eul hwakin-hal su isseulkkayo?
Can I check the real estate register (ownership document)?
계약 기간은 보통 몇 년인가요?
gyeyak giganeun botong myeot nyeon-ingayo?
How many years is the contract period usually?
조기 퇴실하면 위약금이 있나요?
jogi toesil-hamyeon wiyakgeum-i innayo?
If I move out early, is there a penalty?
사진이랑 하자 상태를 계약서에 같이 적어 주세요.
sajin-irang haja sangtae-reul gyeyakseo-e gachi jeogeo juseyo.
Please write the photos and damage condition together in the contract.

🔗 Related: For more everyday phrases, you can also review your TOPIK Beginner expressions and practice describing your house or room in Korean.

🙋 Practice Dialogue: At the Real Estate Office

Dialogue 1 — Asking about deposit and monthly rent

A (Agent):
오늘 보실 집은 전세도 가능하고, 반전세도 가능합니다.
oneul bosil jib-eun jeonse-do ganeunghago, ban-jeonse-do ganeunghamnida.
This place can be full jeonse or half jeonse (mixed with monthly rent).

B (You):
보증금이랑 월세가 어떻게 되나요?
bojeunggeum-irang wolse-ga eotteoke doenayo?
How much are the deposit and monthly rent?

A:
전세는 보증금 1억 5천이고, 반전세는 보증금 5천에 월세 70만 원입니다.
jeonse-neun bojeunggeum il-eok o-cheon-igo, ban-jeonse-neun bojeunggeum o-cheon-e wolse chil-sib-man won-imnida.
For jeonse, the deposit is 150 million won. For half-jeonse, it’s a 50 million won deposit with 700,000 won monthly rent.

Dialogue 2 — Checking management fees and facilities

A (Agent):
관리비는 월 8만 원이고, 수도·엘리베이터·청소비가 포함되어 있습니다.
gwanlibi-neun wol pal-man won-igo, sudo·ellibeiteo·cheongsobi-ga poham-doeeo itsseumnida.
The management fee is 80,000 won per month and includes water, elevator, and cleaning.

B (You):
전기랑 가스는 따로 내야 하나요?
jeonggi-rang gaseu-neun ttaro naeya hanayo?
Do I have to pay for electricity and gas separately?

A:
네, 전기·가스·인터넷은 세입자님이 따로 내셔야 합니다.
ne, jeonggi·gaseu·inteonet-eun seipja-nimi ttaro naesyeoya hamnida.
Yes, you need to pay for electricity, gas, and internet separately.

📝 Quick Check Quiz

Test yourself with these short questions.

In Korea, which system usually has a very large deposit and little or no monthly rent: jeonse or wolse?
You want to ask “What is included in the management fee?” in Korean. Which sentence is correct?
A) 관리비가 얼마예요?
B) 관리비에 무엇이 포함되어 있나요?
C) 월세가 얼마예요?
What document should you check to confirm the landlord’s ownership and loans on the property?

Show Answers

Jeonse (전세).
B) 관리비에 무엇이 포함되어 있나요? — “What is included in the management fee?”
The 등기부등본 (deung-gibu deungbon) — the official real estate register.

👩‍🏫 Teacher’s Tips: Foreigners’ Common Mistakes

Only looking at pretty photos.
Always check noise, mold, and drainage in person. In Korea, semi-basement units can look bright in photos but feel damp in real life.
Ignoring 관리비 (management fee).
Cheap wolse can become expensive if 관리비 is high and includes many hidden items. Ask clearly: “관리비에 무엇이 포함되어 있나요?”
Not checking 등기부등본.
If there are heavy loans or seizure records, your deposit may be at risk. Ask the agent to print the latest document and check the owner’s name.
Paying large cash without a clear contract.
In Korea it’s common to use bank transfers. Keep all records and make sure the contract lists the exact deposit and payment schedule.

📌 If this is your first time renting in Korea, you can also combine this guide with a simple checklist in your phone. Use the same order every time: outside → common areas → inside → documents.

🌀 Say What? — 깡통전세 (Kkangtong Jeonse)

You may see news articles about 깡통전세 (kkangtong jeonse).

깡통 literally means an “empty can.” 깡통전세 is a jeonse where the property value is similar to or lower than the deposit. If the landlord cannot return the deposit or the property is sold cheaply, the tenant may lose a large part of the money.

🇰🇷 Korean explanation:
깡통전세는 집값보다 전세 보증금이 비슷하거나 더 비싼 위험한 전세를 말합니다. 등기부등본, 시세, 대출 금액을 꼭 확인해서 깡통전세를 피하는 것이 중요합니다.

📌 Did You Know? — Jeonse, Interest Rates & Trends

In Korea, the popularity of jeonse vs. wolse changes with the interest rate environment.

When interest rates are low, landlords earn less from savings, so jeonse can be attractive as they can use the large deposit in other ways.
When interest rates are high, some landlords prefer monthly rent (wolse), and tenants also negotiate to reduce the deposit and pay more each month.

🇰🇷 Korean tip:
금리 상황에 따라 전세·월세 비율이 달라집니다. 집을 볼 때 “요즘 이 동네 전세·월세 분위기가 어때요?”
(yojeum i dongne jeonse·wolse bunwigiga eottaeyo?) 라고 물어보면, 중개사에게 실제 시장 분위기를 들을 수 있습니다.

📝 It’s Your Turn — Plan Your Own Viewing

Choose a real listing in your area (from Zigbang, Dabang, or Naver Real Estate) and write down the deposit, monthly rent, and management fee in English and Korean.
Make a short checklist for your next viewing: at least 3 items for outside, 3 for common areas, 3 for inside the room, and 2 for documents.
Practice saying 3 sentences from the “Useful Expressions” section out loud, and try using them with your Korean friends or your teacher.
If you already live in Korea, compare your current rent system with jeonse & wolse and think about what you might choose next time.

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💬 Stay Connected

If this guide helped you, please bookmark this page, share it with a friend who is moving to Korea, or leave a comment with your own renting experience. Your questions can become the next lesson topic!