The Ultimate Guide to Korean Housing & Real Estate Terms

Living or traveling in Korea can feel like opening a door to a whole new world of vocabulary. From renting a place to chatting with neighbors, there are countless expressions to explore. If you’re completely unfamiliar with Korean, don’t worry—every small step in learning makes daily life much smoother.

Basic Housing Terms

When searching for a place to stay, you’ll encounter a variety of Korean words that can seem confusing at first. Below are a few essentials:

1) 집 (jip, meaning “home”): This term covers any type of dwelling. You can say 집이 정말 아늑해요 (jipi jeongmal aneukhaeyo) to express that the house feels cozy.

2) 방 (bang, “room”): In listings, numbers are crucial. For instance, 3방 (sam-bang) indicates three rooms. You might also hear 방 몇 개예요? (bang myeot gaeyeoyo?), meaning “How many rooms are there?”

3) 아파트 (apateu, “apartment”): Modern apartment buildings are quite popular. You may hear something like 새 아파트가 생겼어요 (sae apateuga saenggyeosseoyo), meaning “A new apartment building has been built.”

4) 빌라 (billa, “villa”): These are smaller, low-rise apartment buildings. Locals might say 빌라가 더 저렴해 (billaga deo jeoryeomhae), suggesting that villas are cheaper.

5) 원룸 (wonrum, literally “one room”): Popular among students or single residents. If you see a sign saying 원룸 구해요 (wonrum guhaeyo), it means “I’m looking for a single-room place.”

6) 투룸 (turum, “two rooms”): Often suitable for small families or a little extra space. You might come across 투룸 찾고 있어요 (turum chajgo isseoyo), which translates to “I’m searching for a two-room apartment.”

Renting And Purchase Systems

Korea’s housing market features some unique systems that can sound unusual if you’re new to them:

• 전세 (jeonse): A large deposit allows you to stay without monthly rent. Neighbors might ask, 전세로 찾고 있어요? (jeonse-ro chajgo isseoyo?), meaning “Are you looking under the jeonse system?”

• 월세 (wolse): Monthly rent. You’ll commonly hear statements like 월세가 부담스러워 (wolsega budamseureowo), which means “Paying monthly rent feels burdensome.”

• 보증금 (bojeung-geum, “deposit”): A security fee you pay when renting. You might ask your landlord, 보증금 얼마예요? (bojeung-geum eolmaeyeyo?), or “How much is the deposit?”

• 관리비 (gwanlibi, “maintenance fee”): Covers building upkeep. A listing might mention 관리비 포함 (gwanlibi poham), indicating the maintenance fee is included in the rent.

Common Contract Terms

In housing contracts or real estate offices, you’ll frequently encounter:

1) 계약 (gyeyak, “contract”): E.g., 계약서 작성했어요? (gyeyakseo jakseonghaesseoyo?), meaning “Have you already signed the contract?”

2) 잔금 (jangeum, “final payment”): People often ask, 잔금 언제 내요? (jangeum eonje naeyo?), which translates to “When is the last payment due?”

3) 중개 수수료 (junggae susuryo, “real estate commission”): If you’re feeling bold, you can say 수수료 좀 깎아주세요 (susuryo jom kkakkajuseyo), or “Could you lower the commission a bit?”

Expressions On The Street And In Offices

Even if you’re just strolling around, certain Korean phrases pop up in everyday chatter:

• 급매 (geummae, “urgent sale”): If you see 급매 물건 있어요? (geummae mulgeon isseoyo?), it means “Is there any property on urgent sale?”

• 층수 (cheungsu, “floor number”): You might say 3층 이상 원해요 (samcheung isang wonhaeyo), or “I want the third floor or higher,” to ensure more sunlight.

• 남향 (namhyang, “south-facing”): Houses facing south often get better light. You might hear, 남향이면 좋아요 (namhyangimyeon johayo), meaning “It’s great if it’s south-facing.”

• 방음 (bang-eum, “soundproofing”): Sometimes, neighbors whisper complaints like 여기 방음이 안 좋아요 (yeogi bang-eumi an johayo), or “The soundproofing here isn’t good.”

Extras And Advertisements

Below are a few more words that come up in real estate ads:

• 매물 (maemul, “property on the market”): E.g., “For sale or rent.”

• 입주 가능 (ipju ganeung, “ready to move in”): If a sign says 입주 가능, you can move in right away.

• 풀옵션 (pul-opsyeon, “fully furnished”): Commonly asked about in small apartments, like 풀옵션 원룸 있어요? (pul-opsyeon wonrum isseoyo?), or “Is there a fully furnished studio available?”

• 주차 가능 (jucha ganeung, “parking available”): Watch for these signs if you drive a car.

1) 가성비 (gaseongbi, “value for money”): Real estate agents like to say 가성비 좋아요 (gaseongbi johayo), meaning “It’s great value for the price.”

2) 실평수 (silpyeongsu, “net area”): You might hear someone brag: 실평수가 넓어요 (silpyeongsuga neolbeoyo), i.e., “The net area is quite spacious.”

3) 환급형 (hwangeup-hyeong, “refund type”): Sometimes mentioned in deposit discussions, implying you can eventually get your deposit back under specific terms.

Conclusion

Finding a home in Korea goes beyond signing a lease—learning these words and phrases will ground you in everyday conversations and help you feel more confident. Whether you’re scoping out a new place or casually chatting with locals, picking up real estate lingo is a valuable step toward feeling comfortable in a new cultural setting. And if you need extra support, consider talking to local real estate agents or asking Korean-speaking friends to join you on your housing hunt. Good luck discovering your perfect spot!