How do foreigners find an apartment in Korea, and what do agents charge?

Most people rent through a licensed real estate agent (공인중개사). The agent's fee is negotiable up to a legal cap, and you pay only your own share. What to do 1. Pick a lease type: jeonse (one large deposit, no monthly rent), wolse (a deposit plus monthly rent) or banjeonse (a mix). 2. Browse listings online if you like, but see the home in person and sign through a registered agent office. Seoul warns of scams where someone who isn't the landlord shows a place listed online, uses a fake agent's name and takes the deposit. 3. In Seoul, try a Global Real Estate Agency. The city designates agent offices that help foreign residents; languages vary by office and can change. 4. Check that the office is registered (in Seoul, look it up on land.seoul.go.kr). 5. Agree on the fee before you sign. Each city or province sets the caps, every office must post its fee table, and you can refuse anything above the cap. Seoul's current table is linked below. Good to know • A provisional deposit (가계약금) paid to hold a room may not come back if the main terms were already agreed. Official sources • Seoul, Find Housing: https://global.seoul.go.kr/hmpg/finf/hous/hsng/contPageDetail.do?conts_no=FEEA64C9DD70464C8870059B1AB60A57&lang=en • Seoul Global Real Estate Agencies: https://land.seoul.go.kr/land/broker/globalbrokerInfo.do • Seoul brokerage fee table: https://land.seoul.go.kr/land/broker/brokerageCommission.do You can also search Verihood for real estate agents that reviewers say work in English. This is general information, not legal advice. Checked by the Verihood team on October 3, 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you act.