South Korea: the new trending destination for Digital Nomads
Digital Nomads Korea has been organizing workations in various locations in Korea: in Busan, Jeju, Hongseong... Maria shares her experience of the 2023 Winter Workation in Seoul.
Written by Maria Noel de la Paz
At the end of last year, I was lucky to be selected by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Digital Nomads Korea Community to participate in their Winter Workation in Seoul.
This week was a total immersion in Korean life and culture, sharing experiences with 9 other digital nomads from Europe and North America. The agenda was packed with enriching activities. It included Korean language classes (where I learned to say 안녕하세요, 저는 마리아 노엘입니다), tastings of delicious local food (by Hanseek, a startup led by three stunning women), traditional market tours, K-pop classes, and work sessions at the cozy Hoppin House, a coworking and coliving space led by Jeong-hyun Cho.
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The event culminated in a roundtable discussion among all of us, participants, members of the Korean government, and other key allies. This meeting was an invaluable opportunity to share our experiences and provide feedback on how South Korea could develop an even more attractive program for digital nomads like us.
As this was my first year as a remote worker, in that session I learned a lot about the metrics and realities of digital nomadism that I was completely unaware of:
- There are currently an estimated 35 million digital nomads worldwide, a remarkable growth from approximately 10 million in 2020.
- Most digital nomads are between the ages of 25 and 45, with a relatively even gender balance, albeit slightly skewed toward males.
- Predominant sectors include technology (software development, web design), digital marketing, content writing and editing, and consulting.
- More than 40 countries now offer specific visas for digital nomads.
- Popular destinations include Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal and Spain.
Finally, in January 2024, South Korea joined the trend with its new visa for digital nomads.
The visa allows a stay of up to 2 years (with a 1+1 year extension), including spouses and children. Application can be made through the Korean embassy in your country or at an immigration office in Korea.
However, the requirements for this visa can be somewhat challenging, especially for the reality of Latin American digital nomads:
- Minimum income of 66,000 USD per year (85 million KRW)
- At least 1 year of experience in the industry
- Health insurance coverage of USD 77,000 (KRW 100 million)
The salary requirement has generated some controversy in the community, especially in comparison to destinations such as Thailand (USD 18,000 per year), Spain (EUR 25,500 per year) or Mexico (USD 19,500 per year), where the requirements are usually significantly lower.
We will have to see the results of the first year of this visa and if there is any review by the government to make it more flexible.
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Without a doubt, the week in Seoul was a unique experience that allowed me to connect with professionals who, like me, are passionate about culture and new ways of working. It was great to be able to share with others who have the same curiosity and feel like I was part of a movement that is growing. After spending four months in Seoul, I believe that it is an excellent destination to enjoy as a remote worker.
This program was the perfect complement to the research on the innovation ecosystem that I was doing during the 4 months I lived in Seoul. It helped me confirm that South Korea is betting big to become a great power in technology and entrepreneurship, not only in terms of startups but also in terms of remote workers. I will be very attentive to sharing how this story evolves and how the country continues to build its identity based on its own values and culture. I trust it will lead them to continue gaining ground in the global market.
About the author
Maria is one of the members of Digital Nomads Korea. Enthusiastic, full of energy and ideas, she joined the special workation we organized with the Korean government in Seoul back in 2023. She shared her experience in a blog post in Spanish that we translated here.
South Korea: the new trending destination for Digital Nomads
Digital Nomads Korea has been organizing workations in various locations in Korea: in Busan, Jeju, Hongseong... Maria shares her experience of the 2023 Winter Workation in Seoul.
Written by Maria Noel de la Paz
At the end of last year, I was lucky to be selected by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Digital Nomads Korea Community to participate in their Winter Workation in Seoul.
This week was a total immersion in Korean life and culture, sharing experiences with 9 other digital nomads from Europe and North America. The agenda was packed with enriching activities. It included Korean language classes (where I learned to say 안녕하세요, 저는 마리아 노엘입니다), tastings of delicious local food (by Hanseek, a startup led by three stunning women), traditional market tours, K-pop classes, and work sessions at the cozy Hoppin House, a coworking and coliving space led by Jeong-hyun Cho.
The event culminated in a roundtable discussion among all of us, participants, members of the Korean government, and other key allies. This meeting was an invaluable opportunity to share our experiences and provide feedback on how South Korea could develop an even more attractive program for digital nomads like us.
As this was my first year as a remote worker, in that session I learned a lot about the metrics and realities of digital nomadism that I was completely unaware of:
- There are currently an estimated 35 million digital nomads worldwide, a remarkable growth from approximately 10 million in 2020.
- Most digital nomads are between the ages of 25 and 45, with a relatively even gender balance, albeit slightly skewed toward males.
- Predominant sectors include technology (software development, web design), digital marketing, content writing and editing, and consulting.
- More than 40 countries now offer specific visas for digital nomads.
- Popular destinations include Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal and Spain.
Finally, in January 2024, South Korea joined the trend with its new visa for digital nomads.
The visa allows a stay of up to 2 years (with a 1+1 year extension), including spouses and children. Application can be made through the Korean embassy in your country or at an immigration office in Korea.
However, the requirements for this visa can be somewhat challenging, especially for the reality of Latin American digital nomads:
- Minimum income of 66,000 USD per year (85 million KRW)
- At least 1 year of experience in the industry
- Health insurance coverage of USD 77,000 (KRW 100 million)
The salary requirement has generated some controversy in the community, especially in comparison to destinations such as Thailand (USD 18,000 per year), Spain (EUR 25,500 per year) or Mexico (USD 19,500 per year), where the requirements are usually significantly lower.
We will have to see the results of the first year of this visa and if there is any review by the government to make it more flexible.
Without a doubt, the week in Seoul was a unique experience that allowed me to connect with professionals who, like me, are passionate about culture and new ways of working. It was great to be able to share with others who have the same curiosity and feel like I was part of a movement that is growing. After spending four months in Seoul, I believe that it is an excellent destination to enjoy as a remote worker.
This program was the perfect complement to the research on the innovation ecosystem that I was doing during the 4 months I lived in Seoul. It helped me confirm that South Korea is betting big to become a great power in technology and entrepreneurship, not only in terms of startups but also in terms of remote workers. I will be very attentive to sharing how this story evolves and how the country continues to build its identity based on its own values and culture. I trust it will lead them to continue gaining ground in the global market.
About the author
Maria is one of the members of Digital Nomads Korea. Enthusiastic, full of energy and ideas, she joined the special workation we organized with the Korean government in Seoul back in 2023. She shared her experience in a blog post in Spanish that we translated here.
South Korea: the new trending destination for Digital Nomads
Digital Nomads Korea has been organizing workations in various locations in Korea: in Busan, Jeju, Hongseong... Maria shares her experience of the 2023 Winter Workation in Seoul.
Written by Maria Noel de la Paz
At the end of last year, I was lucky to be selected by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Digital Nomads Korea Community to participate in their Winter Workation in Seoul.
This week was a total immersion in Korean life and culture, sharing experiences with 9 other digital nomads from Europe and North America. The agenda was packed with enriching activities. It included Korean language classes (where I learned to say 안녕하세요, 저는 마리아 노엘입니다), tastings of delicious local food (by Hanseek, a startup led by three stunning women), traditional market tours, K-pop classes, and work sessions at the cozy Hoppin House, a coworking and coliving space led by Jeong-hyun Cho.
The event culminated in a roundtable discussion among all of us, participants, members of the Korean government, and other key allies. This meeting was an invaluable opportunity to share our experiences and provide feedback on how South Korea could develop an even more attractive program for digital nomads like us.
As this was my first year as a remote worker, in that session I learned a lot about the metrics and realities of digital nomadism that I was completely unaware of:
- There are currently an estimated 35 million digital nomads worldwide, a remarkable growth from approximately 10 million in 2020.
- Most digital nomads are between the ages of 25 and 45, with a relatively even gender balance, albeit slightly skewed toward males.
- Predominant sectors include technology (software development, web design), digital marketing, content writing and editing, and consulting.
- More than 40 countries now offer specific visas for digital nomads.
- Popular destinations include Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal and Spain.
Finally, in January 2024, South Korea joined the trend with its new visa for digital nomads.
The visa allows a stay of up to 2 years (with a 1+1 year extension), including spouses and children. Application can be made through the Korean embassy in your country or at an immigration office in Korea.
However, the requirements for this visa can be somewhat challenging, especially for the reality of Latin American digital nomads:
- Minimum income of 66,000 USD per year (85 million KRW)
- At least 1 year of experience in the industry
- Health insurance coverage of USD 77,000 (KRW 100 million)
The salary requirement has generated some controversy in the community, especially in comparison to destinations such as Thailand (USD 18,000 per year), Spain (EUR 25,500 per year) or Mexico (USD 19,500 per year), where the requirements are usually significantly lower.
We will have to see the results of the first year of this visa and if there is any review by the government to make it more flexible.
Without a doubt, the week in Seoul was a unique experience that allowed me to connect with professionals who, like me, are passionate about culture and new ways of working. It was great to be able to share with others who have the same curiosity and feel like I was part of a movement that is growing. After spending four months in Seoul, I believe that it is an excellent destination to enjoy as a remote worker.
This program was the perfect complement to the research on the innovation ecosystem that I was doing during the 4 months I lived in Seoul. It helped me confirm that South Korea is betting big to become a great power in technology and entrepreneurship, not only in terms of startups but also in terms of remote workers. I will be very attentive to sharing how this story evolves and how the country continues to build its identity based on its own values and culture. I trust it will lead them to continue gaining ground in the global market.
About the author
Maria is one of the members of Digital Nomads Korea. Enthusiastic, full of energy and ideas, she joined the special workation we organized with the Korean government in Seoul back in 2023. She shared her experience in a blog post in Spanish that we translated here.
