Newcomer
환영합니다! Willkommen!
I'm Magali Sandmann, and I look after the newcomers at Deutscher Club. You're warmly invited to email me your questions or suggestions. I'll try to assist you as quickly as possible. If you'd like, we can also arrange a personal meeting.
New to Korea?
Deutscher Club is here to help!
Q&A/Ratschläge
General
A: Important numbers include the 119 Medical Helpline (24 hours, English) and the Dasan Call Center (02-120) for general tourist information and travel grievances.
In case of issues with the police or other authorities, the German Embassy can provide assistance.
A: Visit the Seoul Global Center (http://global.seoul.go.kr/) for free language courses and other support for foreigners in Korea.
A: Yes, the German Embassy provides a list of doctors. Link to the list of doctors. Link zur Ärzteliste
A: Use the website www.aqicn.org/city/seoul/ for current air quality information.
Here are some useful apps that can be helpful in Seoul:
Transport and Navigation
1. NaverMap - A comprehensive app for Seoul's subway network, including route planning and real-time schedule information.
2. KakaoTaxi oder UBER - Allows you to quickly and easily call a taxi.
Language and Communication
3. Papago - A translation tool from Naver that is specifically optimized for the Korean language and also supports voice input.
4. HelloTalk oder Tandem - Language exchange apps that allow you to practice Korean with native speakers while also helping others learn German.
Daily Life and Shopping
5. Coupang - One of the largest e-commerce platforms in Korea, similar to Amazon, with fast delivery.
6. Gmarket - Another popular online shopping portal that offers a wide range of products.
Food and Delivery Services
8. Baedal Minjok (Baemin) - One of the most popular food delivery apps in Korea.
9. Yogiyo - Another widely used app for food delivery, featuring a large selection of restaurants.
Social Networks and Communication
10. KakaoTalk - The most widely used messaging app in Korea, similar to WhatsApp or Telegram.
Health and Fitness
11. AarogyaSetu - A health monitoring app that also provides information on COVID-19 and vaccinations.
A: Use the T-money card for the subway, buses, and many taxis. It's available at convenience stores or subway information counters and is more cost-effective than single tickets.
A: Cash deposits to any account can be made at most Korean post offices. Note that banking transactions are only possible until 4:00 PM.
A: Yes, with a passport that includes the deregistration stamp from Germany. At the German Embassy, you can then obtain a stamp indicating "Residence: Seoul."
A: Have the German Embassy translate your German driver's license, then take it to the licensing office with 3 passport photos, ARC card, German passport, and 10,000 WON. Your German driver's license will stay at the licensing office and can be retrieved with any foreign flight ticket and passport at least 2 weeks before departure.
Shopping Tips
- Look for Advent calendars and Stollen at Costco starting in October, also increasingly available in major department stores like Hyundai or Shinsegae.
- Applesauce
- Baking and cake ingredients can be found in Bangsan Alley for Baking Supplies and at some LotteMart and HomePlus stores (though expensive), as well as at High Street Market and the Foreign Market in Itaewon.
- Bread baking recipes
- Eggnog
- Gelling sugar, Gelling agent
- Mulled wine spice mix
- Semolina
- Honey, solid (liquid honey is available but expensive or diluted)
- Potato dumpling dough
- Poppy seeds for baking
– Mon Cherie
- Wheat starch (corn, sweet potato, and potato starch are available, e.g., at Homeplus)
- Muesli, limited selection and expensive
– Nutella, very expensive
- Wafers
- Canned fruit: cherries, raspberries, cranberries, with some stores offering seasonal frozen fruits
- Plums (Dried plums and apricots are available)
- Pudding powder (available in the Shinsegae department store's gourmet food section)
- Powdered sugar is available, known as "Confectioner’s Sugar" or Powder Sugar, at the baking market.
- Red cabbage is available at Baker's Table.
- Salad dressing, limited selection and expensive, often very sweet (available at Foreign and High Street Market).
- Sauerkraut is reportedly available at Costco, likely in large quantities, and also at Baker’s Table.
- Chocolate: certain brands are available, like Lindt and Ritter Sport, but Milka is not!
- Chocolate sprinkles
- Mustard: more expensive and usually sweetened or sold in large bottles (at Costco) (no Thomy products)
- Canned asparagus
- Soups: Maggi and Knorr products are not available.
– Tee allgemein ist teuer, viele aromatisierte Früchtetees enthalten Schwarztee, tolle grüne Tees!
– Wein, Sekt und Bier im Verhältnis teurer als in Deutschland
- Adventskalender und Stollen: Schau ab Oktober bei Costco und in großen Department Stores wie Hyundai oder Shinsegae.
- Deutsche Backzutaten: Findest du in der Bangsan Alley for Baking Supplies, bei LotteMart und HomePlus (teurer), im High Street Market und im Foreign Market in Itaewon.
- Spezielle Lebensmittel: Dinge wie Apfelmus, Gelierzucker, Grieß, Mohn zum Backen, Nutella (sehr teuer), Puddingpulver, Sauerkraut und mehr sind in bestimmten Geschäften erhältlich, aber möglicherweise teurer als in Deutschland.
- Kleidung: Dongdaemun Markt, Kaufhäuser „Lotte Fit in“ und „Doota“, sowie in den Departmentstores von Lotte und Shinsegae, obwohl diese teurer sind.
- Kinderkleidung: Bis 5/6 Jahre am Namdaemun Markt und in der Nähe von Shinsegae.
- Schuhe: Im Dongdaemun Markt, achte auf die Größenunterschiede (z.B. Gr. 38 = 240 in Korea).
Medikamente: Viele sind in Korea rezeptpflichtig. Es wird empfohlen, regelmäßig benötigte Medikamente mitzubringen. Erkältungsmedikamente und Schmerzmittel wie Aspirin und Paracetamol sind frei verkäuflich.
Schulmaterial: Füller, Tintenroller, Geodreieck, Karteikarten, Schreibhefte für das 1. Schuljahr sind wichtig. Schüler der Deutschen Schule bekommen das Schreibmaterial gestellt, bis auf Füller und Tintenroller. Materialien sind im Alpha (z.B. auf dem Namdaemun Markt) verfügbar.
- Supermärkte: Costco (nur mit Mitgliedschaft), Homeplus, Itaewon Foreign Food Market, Lotte Mart, E-Marts und Kim’s Club sind beliebte Einkaufsorte.