# State of Dev in South Korea 2026 — results

166 developers answered: 25 Korean nationals living in Korea, 106 international residents of Korea, 35 living outside Korea.

Anonymous survey, aggregates only. Percentages use the number of
people who answered each question, so n varies by question. Answers
from fewer than three people on open questions are grouped as Other.
Data processed 2026-08-01.

Published under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Quote, chart and
build on these figures freely, including commercially; credit
"State of Dev in South Korea 2026, Dev Korea" and link to https://dev-korea.com/state-of-dev/2026/results.

## Who answered

### Where respondents live

n=166, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Seoul | 74 | 45% |
| Gyeonggi | 21 | 13% |
| Incheon | 4 | 2% |
| Daejeon | 2 | 1% |
| Busan | 2 | 1% |
| Daegu | 1 | 1% |
| Ulsan | 1 | 1% |
| Sejong | 2 | 1% |
| Gangwon | 1 | 1% |
| Chungnam | 3 | 2% |
| Jeonbuk | 1 | 1% |
| Outside Korea | 54 | 33% |

### Residency status

n=166, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Korean citizen | 25 | 15% |
| F-2 Long-term resident | 21 | 13% |
| F-4 Overseas Korean | 4 | 2% |
| F-5 Permanent resident | 5 | 3% |
| F-6 Marriage | 20 | 12% |
| E-7 Specialized work | 11 | 7% |
| D-8 Corporate/startup investor | 3 | 2% |
| D-10 Job-seeking | 3 | 2% |
| H-1 Working holiday | 6 | 4% |
| D-2/D-4 Student/language | 13 | 8% |
| Living outside Korea | 40 | 24% |
| Other | 15 | 9% |

### Nationality

n=166, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| United States | 16 | 10% |
| Spain | 4 | 2% |
| France | 13 | 8% |
| Korea (South) | 25 | 15% |
| India | 24 | 14% |
| Pakistan | 3 | 2% |
| Russian Federation | 7 | 4% |
| Uzbekistan | 15 | 9% |
| Brazil | 3 | 2% |
| South Africa | 3 | 2% |
| United Kingdom | 4 | 2% |
| Italy | 3 | 2% |
| Romania | 3 | 2% |
| Nepal | 5 | 3% |
| Other | 38 | 23% |

### Gender identity

n=166, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Man | 131 | 79% |
| Woman | 33 | 20% |
| Non-binary or gender non-conforming | 1 | 1% |
| Not listed | 1 | 1% |

### Age

n=166, one answer, median answer 20–29

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Under 20 | 4 | 2% |
| 20–29 | 81 | 49% |
| 30–39 | 73 | 44% |
| 40–49 | 8 | 5% |

### Years of professional experience

n=166, one answer, median answer 4–6

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| <1 | 31 | 19% |
| 1–3 | 37 | 22% |
| 4–6 | 42 | 25% |
| 7–9 | 23 | 14% |
| 10–12 | 17 | 10% |
| 13–15 | 6 | 4% |
| 16–20 | 6 | 4% |
| 20+ | 4 | 2% |

### Years lived in Korea

n=166, one answer, median answer 1–3

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| <1 | 61 | 37% |
| 1–3 | 28 | 17% |
| 4–6 | 25 | 15% |
| 7–9 | 22 | 13% |
| 10–12 | 2 | 1% |
| 13–15 | 3 | 2% |
| 16–20 | 6 | 4% |
| 20+ | 19 | 11% |

### Education & qualifications

n=166, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Short-cycle/associate | 8 | 5% |
| Bachelor's | 93 | 56% |
| Master's | 58 | 35% |
| PhD | 5 | 3% |
| Coding bootcamp | 15 | 9% |
| Professional certification (정보처리기사, AWS, CISSP…) | 20 | 12% |
| None of these | 10 | 6% |
| Other | 9 | 5% |

### English proficiency

n=166, one answer, median answer Fluent

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| None | 3 | 2% |
| Basic | 4 | 2% |
| Conversational | 15 | 9% |
| Business | 13 | 8% |
| Fluent | 88 | 53% |
| Native/bilingual | 43 | 26% |

### Korean proficiency

n=166, one answer, median answer Basic

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| None | 24 | 14% |
| Basic | 62 | 37% |
| Conversational | 37 | 22% |
| Business | 12 | 7% |
| Fluent | 6 | 4% |
| Native/bilingual | 25 | 15% |

### Employment status

n=166, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Permanent employee | 68 | 41% |
| Contract employee | 12 | 7% |
| Part-time | 1 | 1% |
| Internship | 2 | 1% |
| Freelance/self-employed | 17 | 10% |
| Founder/executive | 10 | 6% |
| Student | 21 | 13% |
| Not employed — looking | 34 | 20% |
| Other | 1 | 1% |

## Work & employment

### Korean with colleagues

n=77, one answer, median answer Rarely

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Never | 32 | 42% |
| Rarely | 10 | 13% |
| Sometimes | 5 | 6% |
| Frequently | 9 | 12% |
| Always | 21 | 27% |

### English with colleagues

n=77, one answer, median answer Frequently

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Never | 7 | 9% |
| Rarely | 8 | 10% |
| Sometimes | 9 | 12% |
| Frequently | 16 | 21% |
| Always | 37 | 48% |

### Hours worked per week

n=77, one answer, median answer 41–45

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| <30 | 3 | 4% |
| 31–35 | 1 | 1% |
| 36–40 | 22 | 29% |
| 41–45 | 29 | 38% |
| 46–50 | 9 | 12% |
| 50+ | 13 | 17% |

### Where people work

n=77, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Company office | 49 | 64% |
| Coworking space | 12 | 16% |
| Café | 12 | 16% |
| Dedicated private office | 3 | 4% |
| Dedicated home room | 28 | 36% |
| Common home room | 11 | 14% |
| Other | 2 | 3% |

### Searching for a new job

n=77, one answer, median answer No, but would consider

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Yes | 35 | 45% |
| No, but would consider | 25 | 32% |
| No | 17 | 22% |

### Discrimination experienced at work

n=77, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Race | 6 | 8% |
| Religion | 1 | 1% |
| Age | 2 | 3% |
| Political views | 1 | 1% |
| Caregiving status | 1 | 1% |
| Country/citizenship | 6 | 8% |
| Appearance/body | 2 | 3% |
| None of these | 55 | 71% |
| Other | 2 | 3% |
| Prefer not to say | 9 | 12% |

### Job satisfaction

n=77, one answer, median answer Satisfied

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Very dissatisfied | 4 | 5% |
| Dissatisfied | 11 | 14% |
| Neutral | 22 | 29% |
| Satisfied | 32 | 42% |
| Very satisfied | 8 | 10% |

### Employer type

n=77, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Korean company | 39 | 51% |
| Korean subsidiary of a foreign company | 12 | 16% |
| Foreign company, remote (no Korea office) | 19 | 25% |
| Sole proprietorship | 2 | 3% |
| Other | 5 | 6% |

### Employer tier

n=77, one answer, median answer SME or startup

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| SME or startup | 54 | 70% |
| Mid-size | 13 | 17% |
| Large conglomerate (Samsung, Naver, Kakao…) | 6 | 8% |
| Not applicable (freelance/independent) | 4 | 5% |

### Industry

n=77, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| SaaS | 30 | 39% |
| Finance | 11 | 14% |
| E-commerce | 8 | 10% |
| AI | 28 | 36% |
| Cloud computing | 5 | 6% |
| Advertising | 1 | 1% |
| Consulting | 4 | 5% |
| Gaming | 1 | 1% |
| Crypto | 2 | 3% |
| Education | 5 | 6% |
| HR | 2 | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 11 | 14% |
| Other | 21 | 27% |

### Meeting hours per week

n=77, one answer, median answer 1–5

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| 0–1 | 17 | 22% |
| 1–5 | 40 | 52% |
| 5–10 | 13 | 17% |
| 10–15 | 6 | 8% |
| 15+ | 1 | 1% |

### Remote-work policy

n=77, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| No remote work | 34 | 44% |
| Hybrid | 13 | 17% |
| Up to employee | 8 | 10% |
| Fully remote | 17 | 22% |
| Not applicable (freelance/independent) | 5 | 6% |

### Employer size worldwide

n=77, one answer, median answer 20–99

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Just me | 2 | 3% |
| 2–9 | 19 | 25% |
| 10–19 | 10 | 13% |
| 20–99 | 20 | 26% |
| 100–499 | 11 | 14% |
| 500–999 | 5 | 6% |
| 1,000–4,999 | 3 | 4% |
| 5,000–9,999 | 1 | 1% |
| 10,000+ | 4 | 5% |
| Not applicable (freelance/independent) | 2 | 3% |

### Total annual compensation (KRW, before tax)

n=77, one answer, median answer ₩60–70M

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Under ₩20M | 2 | 3% |
| ₩20–30M | 0 | 0% |
| ₩30–40M | 6 | 8% |
| ₩40–50M | 12 | 16% |
| ₩50–60M | 10 | 13% |
| ₩60–70M | 10 | 13% |
| ₩70–80M | 5 | 6% |
| ₩80–90M | 5 | 6% |
| ₩90–100M | 2 | 3% |
| ₩100–120M | 8 | 10% |
| ₩120–140M | 2 | 3% |
| ₩140–160M | 6 | 8% |
| ₩160–200M | 2 | 3% |
| ₩200–250M | 2 | 3% |
| ₩400M+ | 1 | 1% |
| Prefer not to say | 4 | 5% |

### Income vs last year

n=77, one answer, median answer Increased

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Increased | 45 | 58% |
| Stayed the same | 26 | 34% |
| Decreased | 6 | 8% |

### Engineering practices

n=76, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Agile | 34 | 45% |
| Code reviews | 45 | 59% |
| Continuous integration | 51 | 67% |
| Continuous deployment/delivery | 50 | 66% |
| Automated testing | 34 | 45% |
| Infrastructure as code | 24 | 32% |
| Monitoring & logging | 37 | 49% |
| Pair programming | 1 | 1% |
| Blameless postmortems | 12 | 16% |
| Version control | 50 | 66% |
| Waterfall | 6 | 8% |
| None | 8 | 11% |
| Other | 7 | 9% |

### How people found their job in Korea

n=75, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| LinkedIn | 15 | 20% |
| Korean job board | 14 | 19% |
| Direct application | 10 | 13% |
| Recruiter | 3 | 4% |
| Referral | 12 | 16% |
| English-first platform | 1 | 1% |
| Other | 20 | 27% |

## Tech stack

### Programming languages

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| JavaScript | 71 | 54% |
| TypeScript | 63 | 48% |
| Python | 87 | 66% |
| HTML/CSS | 66 | 50% |
| SQL | 58 | 44% |
| Bash/Shell | 43 | 33% |
| Java | 26 | 20% |
| Kotlin | 13 | 10% |
| Go | 14 | 11% |
| Rust | 9 | 7% |
| Swift | 9 | 7% |
| C | 12 | 9% |
| C++ | 20 | 15% |
| C# | 13 | 10% |
| PHP | 7 | 5% |
| Scala | 1 | 1% |
| Elixir | 2 | 2% |
| Dart | 7 | 5% |
| Other | 10 | 8% |

### Web & backend frameworks

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Angular | 6 | 5% |
| Django | 20 | 15% |
| Express | 22 | 17% |
| FastAPI | 45 | 34% |
| Flask | 12 | 9% |
| HTMX | 7 | 5% |
| jQuery | 11 | 8% |
| Laravel | 2 | 2% |
| NestJS | 21 | 16% |
| Next.js | 48 | 37% |
| Nuxt | 2 | 2% |
| React | 65 | 50% |
| Spring / Spring Boot | 25 | 19% |
| Svelte | 3 | 2% |
| Vue.js | 12 | 9% |
| None | 22 | 17% |
| Other | 17 | 13% |

### Other frameworks & libraries

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| .NET | 13 | 10% |
| Apache Kafka | 16 | 12% |
| Flutter | 18 | 14% |
| NumPy | 45 | 34% |
| OpenCV | 26 | 20% |
| Pandas | 39 | 30% |
| PyTorch | 34 | 26% |
| RabbitMQ | 11 | 8% |
| React Native | 20 | 15% |
| Scikit-learn | 25 | 19% |
| TensorFlow | 23 | 18% |
| None | 31 | 24% |
| Other | 23 | 18% |

### Cloud platforms

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| AWS | 58 | 44% |
| Azure | 25 | 19% |
| Cloudflare | 27 | 21% |
| DigitalOcean | 4 | 3% |
| Firebase | 19 | 15% |
| Google Cloud | 37 | 28% |
| Heroku | 7 | 5% |
| Hetzner | 5 | 4% |
| Naver Cloud (NCP) | 4 | 3% |
| Supabase | 26 | 20% |
| Vercel | 30 | 23% |
| None | 27 | 21% |
| Other | 11 | 8% |

### Social media

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| LinkedIn | 117 | 89% |
| X/Twitter | 48 | 37% |
| Instagram | 88 | 67% |
| Facebook | 39 | 30% |
| Threads | 14 | 11% |
| Reddit | 38 | 29% |
| TikTok | 13 | 10% |
| Bluesky | 4 | 3% |
| Mastodon | 5 | 4% |
| KakaoTalk | 84 | 64% |
| None | 4 | 3% |
| Other | 13 | 10% |

## AI

### AI tools

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| ChatGPT | 87 | 66% |
| Codex | 49 | 37% |
| Claude | 94 | 72% |
| Claude Code | 95 | 73% |
| GitHub Copilot | 34 | 26% |
| Cursor | 38 | 29% |
| Gemini | 68 | 52% |
| Grok | 17 | 13% |
| Perplexity | 15 | 11% |
| Devin | 1 | 1% |
| v0 | 2 | 2% |
| DeepL | 6 | 5% |
| Midjourney | 3 | 2% |
| Stable Diffusion | 4 | 3% |
| Qwen | 15 | 11% |
| DeepSeek | 20 | 15% |
| Other | 9 | 7% |

### What AI is used for

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Code generation | 124 | 95% |
| Learning/research | 123 | 94% |
| Summarization | 98 | 75% |
| Text generation | 77 | 59% |
| Translation | 79 | 60% |
| Image generation | 44 | 34% |
| Speech recognition | 13 | 10% |
| Speech generation | 9 | 7% |
| Computer vision | 25 | 19% |
| Other | 9 | 7% |

### Share of shipped code that is AI-generated

n=130, one answer, mean 62.2, median 70, median answer 50–74%

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| 0% | 2 | 2% |
| 1–24% | 23 | 18% |
| 25–49% | 16 | 12% |
| 50–74% | 31 | 24% |
| 75–99% | 41 | 32% |
| 100% | 17 | 13% |

### How often AI generates their code

n=131, one answer, median answer Multiple times a day

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Never | 2 | 2% |
| A few times a year | 5 | 4% |
| Monthly | 5 | 4% |
| Weekly | 22 | 17% |
| Daily | 29 | 22% |
| Multiple times a day | 19 | 15% |
| Constantly | 49 | 37% |

### Biggest AI pain points

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Hallucinations/inaccuracies | 75 | 57% |
| Poor generated code | 48 | 37% |
| Lack of context | 42 | 32% |
| Misunderstood prompt | 38 | 29% |
| Integration difficulties | 17 | 13% |
| Privacy concerns | 24 | 18% |
| Training-data concerns | 16 | 12% |
| Ethical concerns | 14 | 11% |
| Cost | 46 | 35% |
| Environmental impact | 18 | 14% |
| Other | 3 | 2% |

### "AI makes me more productive"

n=131, one answer, median answer Agree

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Strongly disagree | 4 | 3% |
| Disagree | 1 | 1% |
| Neutral | 26 | 20% |
| Agree | 46 | 35% |
| Strongly agree | 54 | 41% |

### "AI is a threat to my job security"

n=131, one answer, median answer Neutral

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Strongly disagree | 22 | 17% |
| Disagree | 34 | 26% |
| Neutral | 37 | 28% |
| Agree | 31 | 24% |
| Strongly agree | 7 | 5% |

## Life in Korea

### Friend group

n=131, one answer, median answer Mostly non-Korean

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| All Korean | 10 | 8% |
| Mostly Korean | 15 | 11% |
| Mix | 37 | 28% |
| Mostly non-Korean | 48 | 37% |
| All non-Korean | 21 | 16% |

### Hobbies

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Arts & crafts | 20 | 15% |
| Camping | 24 | 18% |
| Cooking | 31 | 24% |
| Electronics | 37 | 28% |
| Gardening | 10 | 8% |
| Language learning | 53 | 40% |
| Movies/TV | 66 | 50% |
| Music | 61 | 47% |
| Programming | 78 | 60% |
| Reading | 48 | 37% |
| Sports/exercise | 78 | 60% |
| Tabletop gaming | 19 | 15% |
| Video games | 64 | 49% |
| Woodworking | 1 | 1% |
| Other | 13 | 10% |

### Best things about life in Korea

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Career | 21 | 16% |
| Compensation | 5 | 4% |
| Convenience | 87 | 66% |
| Cost of living | 14 | 11% |
| Food | 41 | 31% |
| Healthcare | 44 | 34% |
| Infrastructure | 51 | 39% |
| Nature | 15 | 11% |
| Pop culture | 5 | 4% |
| Culture & history | 14 | 11% |
| Safety | 63 | 48% |
| Adventure | 7 | 5% |
| Collectivist culture | 4 | 3% |
| Other | 3 | 2% |

### Hardest things about life in Korea

n=131, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Cultural barriers | 31 | 24% |
| Language barrier | 65 | 50% |
| Visa uncertainty | 40 | 31% |
| Work culture | 38 | 29% |
| Pressure to conform | 23 | 18% |
| Compensation | 21 | 16% |
| Cost of living | 16 | 12% |
| Housing | 33 | 25% |
| Isolation | 25 | 19% |
| Limited career growth | 33 | 25% |
| Food | 3 | 2% |
| Other | 7 | 5% |

## Korean developers & global companies

_Only asked of respondents in this group: koreanInKorea._

### Interest in an English-first / global company

n=25, one answer, median answer 5 — Very interested

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| 1 — Not interested | 0 | 0% |
| 2 | 0 | 0% |
| 3 — Neutral | 1 | 4% |
| 4 | 3 | 12% |
| 5 — Very interested | 21 | 84% |

### Would take a mostly-English role

n=25, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Yes, eager | 12 | 48% |
| Yes, if comp is right | 10 | 40% |
| Hesitant | 3 | 12% |

### Interest in remote work for an overseas company

n=25, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Already do it | 1 | 4% |
| Very interested | 21 | 84% |
| Somewhat | 3 | 12% |

### Biggest draws of a global employer

n=25, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Higher pay | 17 | 68% |
| English environment | 11 | 44% |
| Work culture/balance | 10 | 40% |
| Global career path | 20 | 80% |
| Equity/stock | 1 | 4% |
| Learning & growth | 10 | 40% |

### Biggest hesitation about a global employer

n=25, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Job security | 7 | 28% |
| Unfamiliar culture | 2 | 8% |
| English requirement | 7 | 28% |
| Relocation/visa if abroad | 8 | 32% |
| Other | 1 | 4% |

## International developers in Korea

_Only asked of respondents in this group: internationalInKorea._

### What first attracted them to Korea

n=106, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Adventure | 34 | 32% |
| Career | 35 | 33% |
| Family | 17 | 16% |
| Food | 18 | 17% |
| Friendship/romance | 18 | 17% |
| Infrastructure | 18 | 17% |
| Language | 21 | 20% |
| Nature | 14 | 13% |
| Pop culture (K-pop/K-drama) | 17 | 16% |
| Culture & history | 30 | 28% |
| Safety | 28 | 26% |
| Other | 18 | 17% |

### Biggest friction getting hired in Korea

n=106, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Visa sponsorship | 41 | 39% |
| Korean-language bar | 63 | 59% |
| Postings only in Korean | 17 | 16% |
| Salary below expectations | 29 | 27% |
| Companies hesitant about foreigners | 51 | 48% |
| Hard to find English-friendly companies | 56 | 53% |
| Recruiting process | 13 | 12% |
| Other | 5 | 5% |

## Developers abroad

_Only asked of respondents in this group: livingAbroad._

### Interest in working in Korea

n=35, one answer, median answer 5 — Very interested

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| 1 — Not interested | 0 | 0% |
| 2 | 0 | 0% |
| 3 — Neutral | 1 | 3% |
| 4 | 7 | 20% |
| 5 — Very interested | 27 | 77% |

### When they might move

n=35, one answer, median answer 1–3 years

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Within a year | 16 | 46% |
| 1–3 years | 11 | 31% |
| Someday, no timeline | 7 | 20% |
| Just curious | 1 | 3% |

### What attracts them to Korea

n=35, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Adventure | 14 | 40% |
| Career | 25 | 71% |
| Family | 8 | 23% |
| Food | 16 | 46% |
| Friendship/romance | 10 | 29% |
| Infrastructure | 23 | 66% |
| Language | 19 | 54% |
| Nature | 14 | 40% |
| Pop culture (K-pop/K-drama) | 13 | 37% |
| Culture & history | 19 | 54% |
| Safety | 18 | 51% |
| Other | 4 | 11% |

### Biggest barriers to making the move

n=35, multiple answers allowed

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Visa / sponsorship | 25 | 71% |
| Korean language | 20 | 57% |
| Salary level | 4 | 11% |
| Don't know where to look | 14 | 40% |
| Unsure companies will hire me | 21 | 60% |
| Cost / quality of life unknowns | 3 | 9% |

### What would most help them move

n=35, one answer

| Answer | Count | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| A clear job pipeline | 10 | 29% |
| Visa support | 18 | 51% |
| Relocation support | 2 | 6% |
| Korean-language help | 1 | 3% |
| Community / network | 3 | 9% |
| Higher salary | 1 | 3% |

## Cross-tabs

### English and Korean proficiency by group

Grouped by respondent group. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Fluent or native English | Conversational Korean or better |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Korean, in Korea | 36% ±19 (n=25) | 100% ±0 (n=25) |
| International, in Korea | 90% ±6 (n=106) | 48% ±10 (n=106) |
| Living abroad | 77% ±14 (n=35) | 11% ±11 (n=35) |

### Median compensation by years of professional experience

Grouped by Years of professional experience. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median total compensation |
| --- | --- |
| 0–3 years | ₩40–50M (middle half ₩30–40M to ₩40–50M, n=19) |
| 4–6 years | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩50–60M to ₩70–80M, n=22) |
| 7–9 years | ₩80–90M (middle half ₩60–70M to ₩120–140M, n=12) |
| 10+ years | ₩90–100M (middle half ₩60–70M to ₩140–160M, n=20) |

### Median compensation by employer type

Grouped by Employer type. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 92% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median total compensation |
| --- | --- |
| Korean company | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩60–70M, n=38) |
| Foreign, remote | ₩100–120M (middle half ₩90–100M to ₩140–160M, n=17) |
| Foreign subsidiary | ₩90–100M (middle half ₩60–70M to ₩140–160M, n=12) |

### Median compensation by residency status

Grouped by Residency status. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 79% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median total compensation |
| --- | --- |
| Korean citizen | ₩80–90M (middle half ₩50–60M to ₩120–140M, n=15) |
| F-2 Long-term resident | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩70–80M, n=18) |
| F-6 Marriage | ₩100–120M (middle half ₩60–70M to ₩140–160M, n=14) |
| E-7 Specialized work | ₩40–50M (middle half ₩30–40M to ₩60–70M, n=11) |

### Median compensation by hours spent in meetings

Grouped by Meeting hours per week. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 90% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median total compensation |
| --- | --- |
| 0–1 | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩70–80M, n=16) |
| 1–5 | ₩60–70M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩90–100M, n=37) |
| 5–10 | ₩100–120M (middle half ₩50–60M to ₩120–140M, n=13) |

### Discrimination reported at work, by employer type

Grouped by Employer type. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 91% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Report discrimination on any ground |
| --- | --- |
| Korean company | 26% ±14 (n=39) |
| Foreign, remote | 0% ±0 (n=19) |
| Foreign subsidiary | 25% ±25 (n=12) |

### Job satisfaction and Korean at work, by employer type

Grouped by Employer type. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 91% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Satisfied or very satisfied | Use Korean frequently or always |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Korean company | 38% ±15 (n=39) | 49% ±16 (n=39) |
| Foreign, remote | 68% ±21 (n=19) | 5% ±10 (n=19) |
| Foreign subsidiary | 67% ±27 (n=12) | 58% ±28 (n=12) |

### AI-written code and belief in AI, by years of experience

Grouped by Years of professional experience. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median share of shipped code written by AI | Agree AI makes them more productive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0–3 years | 70% (n=56) | 82% ±10 (n=57) |
| 4–6 years | 80% (n=29) | 72% ±16 (n=29) |
| 7–9 years | 70% (n=17) | 76% ±20 (n=17) |
| 10+ years | 65% (n=28) | 68% ±17 (n=28) |

### Korean proficiency by years lived in Korea (international residents)

Grouped by Years lived in Korea. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 94% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Conversational Korean or better |
| --- | --- |
| Under 1 year | 24% ±16 (n=29) |
| 1–3 years | 44% ±19 (n=27) |
| 4–6 years | 52% ±20 (n=23) |
| 7–9 years | 71% ±19 (n=21) |

### Residency status by years lived in Korea

Grouped by Years lived in Korea. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 94% of respondents to the question.

| Group | On a long-term or permanent status | On a work, study or job-seeking visa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under 1 year | 3% ±7 (n=29) | 34% ±17 (n=29) |
| 1–3 years | 26% ±17 (n=27) | 48% ±19 (n=27) |
| 4–6 years | 57% ±20 (n=23) | 39% ±20 (n=23) |
| 7–9 years | 86% ±15 (n=21) | 5% ±9 (n=21) |

### Work and pay by highest qualification

Grouped by Education & qualifications. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 88% of respondents to the question.

| Group | In work rather than job-hunting | Median total compensation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Master's | 86% ±10 (n=49) | ₩70–80M (middle half ₩50–60M to ₩140–160M, n=27) |
| Bachelor's | 70% ±11 (n=70) | ₩60–70M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩90–100M, n=37) |
| No qualification | 75% ±30 (n=8) | not enough answers |

### Median compensation by programming language used

Grouped by Programming languages. Groups with fewer than 10 answers are not shown; these cover 93% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median total compensation |
| --- | --- |
| Go | ₩100–120M (middle half ₩70–80M to ₩120–140M, n=10) |
| Bash/Shell | ₩80–90M (middle half ₩50–60M to ₩120–140M, n=30) |
| Python | ₩60–70M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩100–120M, n=45) |
| SQL | ₩60–70M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩100–120M, n=30) |
| Java | ₩60–70M (middle half ₩50–60M to ₩80–90M, n=13) |
| JavaScript | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩70–80M, n=36) |
| TypeScript | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩100–120M, n=39) |
| HTML/CSS | ₩50–60M (middle half ₩40–50M to ₩60–70M, n=34) |

### Languages used, by whether people are working

Grouped by Employment status. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Use Python | Use TypeScript |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Currently working | 59% ±11 (n=76) | 54% ±11 (n=76) |
| Studying or job-hunting | 76% ±11 (n=55) | 40% ±13 (n=55) |

### How much AI writes, by respondent group

Grouped by respondent group. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Median share of shipped code written by AI | Use AI to write code constantly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Korean, in Korea | 90% (n=25) | 72% ±18 (n=25) |
| International, in Korea | 60% (n=105) | 29% ±9 (n=106) |

### Which AI tools each group reaches for

Grouped by respondent group. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Use Claude Code | Use GitHub Copilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Korean, in Korea | 88% ±13 (n=25) | 12% ±13 (n=25) |
| International, in Korea | 69% ±9 (n=106) | 29% ±9 (n=106) |

### What is hardest, by Korean proficiency (international residents)

Grouped by Korean proficiency. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Name the language barrier | Name work culture |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Korean or none | 75% ±12 (n=55) | 22% ±11 (n=55) |
| Conversational or better | 45% ±14 (n=51) | 37% ±13 (n=51) |

### Friend groups by Korean proficiency (international residents)

Grouped by Korean proficiency. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Friends are mostly or all non-Korean |
| --- | --- |
| Basic Korean or none | 73% ±12 (n=55) |
| Conversational or better | 55% ±14 (n=51) |

### Hiring friction by Korean proficiency

Grouped by Korean proficiency. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Name the Korean-language bar | Name visa sponsorship |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Korean or none | 67% ±12 (n=55) | 45% ±13 (n=55) |
| Conversational or better | 51% ±14 (n=51) | 31% ±13 (n=51) |

### Hiring friction by years lived in Korea

Grouped by Years lived in Korea. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 94% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Say companies hesitate over foreigners | Name the Korean-language bar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under 1 year | 62% ±18 (n=29) | 55% ±18 (n=29) |
| 1–3 years | 37% ±18 (n=27) | 67% ±18 (n=27) |
| 4–6 years | 43% ±20 (n=23) | 70% ±19 (n=23) |
| 7–9 years | 43% ±21 (n=21) | 48% ±21 (n=21) |

### Barriers by how strongly they want to come

Grouped by Interest in working in Korea. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Name visa or sponsorship | Name the salary level |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Interested | 25% ±30 (n=8) | 38% ±34 (n=8) |
| Very interested | 85% ±13 (n=27) | 4% ±7 (n=27) |

### Barriers by how soon people plan to move

Grouped by When they might move. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Name visa or sponsorship | Don't know where to look |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Moving within a year | 81% ±19 (n=16) | 50% ±25 (n=16) |
| Later or undecided | 63% ±22 (n=19) | 32% ±21 (n=19) |

### Appetite for global work by English proficiency

Grouped by English proficiency. Groups with fewer than 8 answers are not shown; these cover 100% of respondents to the question.

| Group | Eager to take a mostly-English role | Name the English requirement as their biggest hesitation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Below fluent English | 31% ±23 (n=16) | 44% ±24 (n=16) |
| Fluent or native English | 78% ±27 (n=9) | 0% ±0 (n=9) |