This is what I packed for a ten months of a research Fulbright to Seoul, South Korea.

If you’re new here, and stumbled upon this blog through the mythical powers of the Internet, welcome! I know a lot of visitors to my website are people who randomly come upon this website through search engines like Google, but I also do have a lot of visitors who come back. Regardless: my name is Ashley, and I started this blog in order to keep track of everything I’m coming across in the world.

I wanted to make this blog post to kickstart a new series on my blog: I’m going on a Fulbright to South Korea! I kind of applied on a whim after what happened with my last Fulbright, got a full-time job, then never actually expected to get it. Turns out everything in life worked out somehow and I’m shortly flying to Korea!

This post is on what I packed for this trip (with some things omitted for privacy reasons). I felt pretty confident going into this round of packing, but I had some goals.

Because the research stipend can be a little tight, and I have to pay rent for my own apartment, I decided I was going to try and bring the essentials I was going to need in order to avoid paying for them upfront in Korea. Some things I know are cheaper in Korea, so I ended up deciding to not buy these items in the States.

This list is informed by my past experiences in Korea as well. I previously studied abroad in Seoul through the NSLI-Y scholarship in 2018, where I lived with a host family in Anyang, and then in Busan in 2024 through the Critical Language Scholarship. Having spent four months in Korea combined through these experiences made me pretty comfortable with navigating life in Korea, plus I’m aware of what I can buy there.

That said, I also have my own apartment. I opted for a long-term AirBnB over a full-on regular apartment because I found one I really liked in a neighborhood I wanted to be in, had some discretionary income due to savings from full-time work for five years, and I did not want to deal with starting from nothing then having to get rid of furniture, linens, etc. at the end of the ten months. It was, however, a little more expensive, but I found it worth it for me.

All of that said, this is what I packed. At the end of my grant I might do a follow-up post on what I wish I brought versus what wasn’t as useful. To note, I have two big suitcases, a carry-on suitcase, and a backpack with me—so that’s what I was working with.

Clothing, Apparel, and Shoes

In this category, I didn’t want to overpack, but I also didn’t want to bring too little. If you’re curvier or above a size medium in the United States, I highly recommend packing your basics. I’m a size medium and find a lot of one-size-fits-all clothes do not fit me because of my height or body shape. I also planned to buy a bulkier winter jacket while in Korea due to the lack of suitcase space.

Here’s what I brought:

6 t-shirts, 4 dressier tops, 2 thermals
5 pairs of trousers (nicer—this is what I tend to wear), 2 pairs of shorts
1 pajama set, 2 pajama pants
1 cardigan
1 nicer long-sleeve blazer, 1 short sleeve blazer that doubles as a top
Jackets: 1 rain jacket, 1 slightly warmer jacket
Shoes: 1 pair of hiking shoes, 1 pair of running shoes, 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of Crocs, 1 dressier pair of flats
3 necklaces, 4 rings, 1 anklet, 1 bracelet
1 Baggu crescent bag (medium)
1 scarf that doubles as a hijab/shawl

Equipment, Technology, and Research Materials

Laptop
Adaptors for SD cards
Camera + 4 camera batteries + camera bag
Portable laptop stand
Portable keyboard
2 writing notebooks
Adaptors for chargers
Airpods + Noise cancelling headphones

Everyday Items

Basic skincare items (face wash, cleanser, moisturizer, toner, sunscreen)
1 shampoo + conditioner, 1 contact solution, 1 body wash
1 small compact hairbrush
3 deodorants (a bit harder to find in Korea at a higher strength)
Portable French press
2 stuffed animals
Basic medicine supply (Tylenol, Advil, Melatonin, Mucinex)
Large reusable water bottle + carabiner for hiking
40L Patagonia bag for travel
1 pear scented hand soap
1 Reusable Razor with a supply of the razor heads
1 pair of backup glasses
Box of contacts
1 small blanket from home

Food and Drinks

I know going into this that I was going to bring more than the average person in this category, but here’s why: food is a big part of my life, and I prefer to cook the vast majority of my meals due to dietary restrictions and health reasons. The last time I lived in Korea I did not have access to a kitchen, was in Busan, and found myself wanting my culture’s food so much. Iranian food is tough to find in Korea, let alone acquire the ingredients.

So it is important to me that I bring ingredients and can make certain foods when I want. I absolutely love Korean and pan-Asian food, but part of alleviating homesickness for me is making kabobs, or ghormeh sabzi, when I want to eat it.