When preparing to go to Korea for high school study abroad, it can be hard to know what you should and shouldn't take with you. Only so much can fit in a single 50-pound suitcase! Let us help you make the tough decisions for you with the following advice:
TIP - Pack Light
I know - this is easier said than done.
But I promise that you don’t need nearly as much stuff for 6 weeks in Korea as you think.
Just remember that lots of people live their entire lives in Korea, and yet are able to get everything that they need right here!
There are a few exceptions that will make your life a bit easier, though.
What to Bring to High School Study Abroad Program in Korea
EpiPen, inhaler, prescription medications
Always bring any essential medical supplies that might be difficult to obtain or require a prescription in Korea. Make sure that your medications are legal in Korea, keep the medications in their original bottle or packaging, and register your medications with customs prior to arrival if necessary.
OTC medications
Advil, Zzzquil, Lactaid, etc. and similar alternatives are available in Korea, but it might be more comfortable and convenient for you to have access to the versions you are familiar with.
Tampons and Feminine Hygiene Products
They do exist in Korea, but the selection is limited and leaves much to be desired. Korean women tend to use pads, but many of these are scented and may cause irritation or allergic reactions if you’re not used to them.
Deodorant or Antiperspirant
Many Koreans have a gene that prevents them from having body odor, so it used to be extremely difficult to buy deodorant in Korea. It’s no longer functionally impossible like it was a decade or so ago, but the local brands tend to be much weaker than their US counterparts. No one wants to be (or be next to) that stinky foreigner on the subway at rush hour - so just do yourself a favor and bring your preferred brand.
Curly hair products
It’s safe to say that most Koreans are utterly unfamiliar with the Curly Girl Method. Creams, oils, shampoos, conditioners, and other products meant for naturally curly hair will be much more difficult to find in Korea, so if you use these often I recommend that you pack them in your suitcase.
Cosmetics for darker skin
Most people that live in Korea are ethnic Koreans, and most Koreans’ skin tones don't get much darker than the “natural” shade shown below.
If you have darker skin and you like to wear makeup, I recommend that you bring products that match your complexion so you can look and feel your best during your time in Seoul.
Comfortable shoes
You will be doing a LOT of walking and exploring during your time in Korea, so make sure that you are able to do so comfortably!
If you wear women’s shoes and are above a US size 8 (250 in Korea), you might have a hard time buying shoes locally, so bring two to three pairs that you can wear in most situations.
Leave the stilettos and dress shoes at home; there almost certainly be zero situations where you need to “dress up” in the American sense during your summer abroad.
Even in the freak occurrence that you are invited to a wedding, graduation, ceremony, or similar event, you can rest assured that dress codes for these events in Korea typically do not go above business casual.
Big Towel
Towels are usually a lot smaller in Korea, so if you like to wrap your body or hair in a big towel after getting out of the shower, you should bring one with you.
Bonus Points
A Journal
You can buy a cute one here (there are tons of stationery stores in Korea!) but if you want to use one notebook to chronicle your experiences before, during and after your time abroad, you can bring one with you!
Gifts for your homestay family (if applicable).
First impressions are important, and you can give a good one by giving your hosts something from your home country or culture! Some suggestions include:
Unique snacks and candy → You can enjoy these together even if your Korean language skills aren’t perfect when you arrive. Items from Trader Joe’s in particular seem to be a hit!
A picture book or calendar showing off your hometown, state, or country → You can buy one or make one yourself. Showing your hosts a piece of your life will help them get to know you better and learn about a new place and culture!
An American football → These don’t really exist in Korea, so it could be a cool novelty gift, especially for families! You could get to know them by showing them how to throw and catch it in a local park.
Figurines or souvenirs depicting local landmarks → The Golden Gate Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Disney World, the Space Needle… Anything that shows who you are and where you are from would be appreciated.
What NOT to bring to High School Study Abroad Program in Korea
Large Amounts of Cash ($250+)
A lot of parents send their kids with wads of cash to exchange for Korean Won locally. I do NOT recommend this, for a number of reasons.
First of all, it’s inconvenient - most foreign credit and debit cards that have overseas spending enabled should work in Korea, and a lot of cards charge low or no overseas transaction fees.
Secondly, it’s not cost-effective - It can be difficult to determine whether a particular currency exchange kiosk is reputable, and even if it is, the difference between the exchange rate at the local currency exchange and your bank is unlikely to exceed $20 for the entirety of your stay unless you are spending huge amounts of money.
Thirdly, if your cash is misplaced or stolen, you are out of luck - there’s no way to get it back. If you lose your bank card, however, you can freeze it and get a new one issued to Korea within a week.
Hair Dryers
Korea uses different plugs and voltage than the United States, and trying to plug something like a hair dryer (which requires large amounts of electricity) into a Korean socket could result in fire, electrical failure, or your device melting or malfunctioning.
Leave the Dyson AirWrap at home and either borrow someone else’s hair dryer or get a cheap one at a local store - any hair tools that you bring from abroad are no match for hot and humid Korean summers anyway.
Paper Books
Full disclosure: I have been known to lug 40+ pounds of books around the world and back again myself - but I have learned my lesson!
As much as you might love your books and want them to come with you to Korea, I recommend that you leave all but the essentials (maybe 2 to 4 language books) at home. I promise that you are going to be way too busy to read them anyway.
If you have a book that you really really want to bring with you but aren’t sure about whether you can spare the extra weight in your suitcase, you can scan it into a PDF at your local library or using your phone and upload it to Google Drive for safekeeping.
Digital copies of lots of books can be found online, but be sure to steer clear of resources where you can download books for free, such as libgen, b-ok, z-lib, and others.
Tons of Clothes
Like the ever-relatable Lizzie McGuire, most of us are outfit repeaters. And that’s okay! Good, even.
Despite having closets full of clothes at home, you probably wear the same outfits over and over again, right? Most of us are no Carrie Bradshaw or Elle Woods and this is unlikely to suddenly change when you get off the plane in Incheon. Even if we were, (doing so in real life) would be incredibly impractical when you only get 23 kg (50 pounds) of checked baggage.
Do yourself and your luggage handler a favor and don’t bring more than 10 to 12 days’ worth of culturally appropriate clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident.
You’ll want to leave room for all the souvenirs you’re going to buy while you're in Korea anyway!
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