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Housing

Housing

Your deposit is usually the largest sum you’ll hand over in Korea. Here’s how jeonse and wolse work, and — most importantly — how to keep that money safe, for foreigners.

Featured · Jeonse vs WolseestimateAn illustration. Compare your own numbers in the full tool.
Jeonse deposit
KRW
vs a wolse of ₩20M deposit + 800,000KRW/mo
Jeonse
666,667
Wolse
866,667
Jeonse is cheaper per month
Open the full calculator

QJeonse, wolse, banjeonse — what’s the difference?

Jeonse is a large lump-sum deposit (often 50–80% of the home’s value) with little or no monthly rent, returned when you leave. Wolse is a smaller deposit plus monthly rent. Banjeonse sits in between.

Why is that — With jeonse the landlord uses your deposit instead of charging rent; with wolse you pay monthly. Which is cheaper depends on the deposit’s opportunity cost — the calculator above compares them for your numbers.

Quick guide
Jeonse Big deposit, little or no rent. Lower monthly cost, but ties up — and risks — a lot of cash.
Wolse Smaller deposit plus monthly rent. More per month, far less cash at risk.
standard lease practice As of 2026-03-01

QHow do I protect my deposit?

Right after signing, do two things: register your move-in (전입신고) at the district office and get a fixed-date stamp (확정일자) on your contract. Together they give your deposit legal priority if the landlord goes bankrupt — skip them and you can lose it.

Why is that — 전입신고 + 확정일자 create 대항력 (the right to stay) and 우선변제권 (priority to be repaid from the property before later creditors). Many deposit losses happen simply because tenants skipped these free, same-day steps. For extra safety, add 전세보증보험 (HUG deposit-guarantee insurance).

Do 전입신고 and 확정일자 the same day you move in. A delay can place you behind other creditors and weaken your claim.
Housing Lease Protection ActHUG As of 2026-03-01

QHow do I avoid jeonse fraud (전세사기)?

Before paying, read the property register (등기부등본) for existing mortgages, confirm the person signing actually owns the home, and be wary when the deposit is close to the property’s value. Deposit-guarantee insurance (HUG) adds a safety net.

Why is that — In recent years tens of thousands of tenants — many young or foreign — lost deposits to fraud where the home was already over-mortgaged or the “landlord” wasn’t the owner. The register and insurance are your main defenses.

Red flags
Deposit ≈ price If the deposit is close to the home’s value, there’s little cushion left if it’s sold off.
Owner mismatch The signer isn’t the registered owner, or pushes cash, urgency, or “skip the paperwork”.
You can check HUG/insurer eligibility before signing — if a property can’t be insured, treat that as a warning sign.
HUGproperty register (등기부등본) As of 2026-02-15

QRenting as a foreigner — fees and barriers

You can rent jeonse or wolse as a foreigner, and even get a jeonse loan under conditions. The agent fee (복비) is capped by a legal bracket. The main hurdles are Korean-language contracts and some landlords’ hesitancy.

Why is that — Brokerage fees are limited by price bracket, so an agent can’t overcharge — confirm the rate first. Bring someone who reads Korean (or an interpreter) to the signing, and keep every document and transfer record.

How it differs
E-7 / E-9 worker Jeonse loans are possible with enough ARC time left, employment, and an acceptable debt ratio.
D-2 student Often wolse, a share, or a goshiwon; loan options are narrower, so budget the deposit upfront.
Agent fees are capped by bracket — ask for the exact rate before you sign, and get a receipt.
Licensed Real Estate Agents Actbank jeonse-loan terms As of 2026-02-15

Related calculators

Common terms

JeonseLarge lump-sum deposit, little or no monthly rentWolseSmaller deposit plus monthly rent확정일자 (fixed date)A dated stamp on your contract — key to deposit priority전입신고 (move-in report)Registering your new address at the district office등기부등본 (register)Official record of a home’s ownership and mortgagesHUG insuranceDeposit-guarantee insurance that can repay you if the landlord defaults
See the full glossary →

Before you sign a lease

  1. Check the property register
    Read the 등기부등본 for mortgages and the real owner before paying
  2. Leave a deposit cushion
    Be wary if the deposit is close to the home’s value
  3. Register the same day
    After signing, do 전입신고 + 확정일자 on move-in day
  4. Consider HUG insurance
    Deposit-guarantee insurance adds a safety net
  5. Keep every record
    Save the contract and all transfer receipts

Frequently asked

Yes, including a jeonse loan under conditions (enough time left on your ARC, employment, a debt-ratio limit), though some landlords hesitate with foreign tenants.

With 전입신고 + 확정일자 you have repayment priority; HUG insurance can repay you; and you can apply for a lease-registration order (임차권등기명령). Get help early and don’t move out before it’s resolved.

The brokerage fee is capped by a legal price bracket, so an agent can’t exceed the maximum. Confirm the exact rate before signing and ask for a receipt.

This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Lease rules, protections and fraud tactics change — confirm with official sources and, for large sums, a qualified professional before signing.