Whenever you’re looking for a home for rent in Seoul, Korea, space is one of the most important factors you need to look into. In this article, we’ll be discussing each one.
- Single room(“원룸”)
A single room is suitable for one person to live in, and it is the best choice for most couples in Korea. The area for a single room is generally about 12-25 square meters, it’s fully furnished, with a separate bathroom and kitchen. An ideal type of accommodation in rooms for rent in Seoul, South Korea.
The typical single room has two types:
- The open-type is the most common, this apartment has a bedroom/ living room and a kitchen in the same open space, this is also called a studio-type apartment. The space is relatively open, and the price is relatively low for single rooms.
- The separate type refers to an apartment where the living room and the kitchen are separated, and the smell of cooking will not enter the living room since it’s put in a different room. The kitchen is usually set near the entrance, which has a certain degree of blocking the sound from the hallway, creating a refreshing and quiet space overall. The price of a separate single room will be slightly higher compared to open-type single rooms.
- One-bedroom/Loft(1.5 rooms/Duplex)
A 1.5 room can be regarded as a one-bedroom and a large area(living space + kitchen). The living room and kitchen are usually combined into one big space, so the area is between 22-33 square meters.
A loft refers to a house structure in which the bedroom is on the upper floor, and the kitchen, living room and bathroom are on the lower floor. The upper floor is smaller than the lower floor and in some cases, it might be difficult to stand upright, because of the lower headspace. The upper floor mainly serves as a space for sleeping and storing clothes.
A 1.5 Single room is also more popular, because it is wider than a single room, and the price is cheaper than a double room. This kind of apartment is suitable for two people living together. However, listings of 1.5 rooms are less and more expensive compared to single-room apartments.
Lofts are usually located in high-rise commercial buildings. The price of a loft is also a bit more expensive. There is no floor heating on the upper floors, therefore, the loft in Korea is colder during winter. Although the loft has high popularity, in terms of having good structure and space, and is also very suitable for younger people’s preferences and needs, the pricey rent and winter warmth are also needed to be considered. However, in some high-end commercial buildings in Gangnam and Cheongdam-dong, there are lofts with spacious upper floors and/or heating, but the monthly rent will usually be more than 1.1 million won.
Note: Many foreigners are influenced by Korean dramas and may want to live in a rooftop apartment. A rooftop apartment is low-priced, sits on a high place, has a beautiful view, and comes with a balcony where you can have barbeque parties. But the shortcomings are also obvious, cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Winter could have a temperature of negative ten degrees and Summer temperatures of thirty degrees, life is not a TV series. If it is not saving money or having special equipment, non-locals should think about these factors first.
- Double room
The area of a double room apartment is typically about 33-50 square meters. Consisting of two bedrooms, usually one large and one small room, furnished and with separate bathrooms and kitchens.
Chain houses or individual real estate agencies can directly provide shared rent (a suite in an apartment). But in South Korea, neither the agency nor the housekeeper will directly let you rent one of the two rooms and one living room, and then find another person to rent the other room. If you want to share an apartment with someone, you’ll have to communicate with each other in advance first, and then find a korean real estate website or agency like Ziptoss, who will make a house-finding plan for you! In addition to the room type, the building where the house is located also has the following common types: General housing, and an Officetel.