Tips to stay warm during Winter in Korea

1. Long padding 롱패딩
In the chilly Seoul winters, you'll often spot everyone wearing the same outfit outdoors - that long, black, puffy coat that makes us all look like the michelin man. It looks ridiculous, but it truly is a life saver, especially during a cold windy day. 

2. Heattech
Heattech or other thermal wear are game changers. They provide significant warmth without adding bulk to your attire. Many brands, such as BYC and Topten, offer their own line of thermal wear. Personally, I prefer to wait for Uniqlo's sales and grab their Ultrawarm Heattech innerwear. Warning: It might not be a good idea to sleep with this on as you might overheat.

3. Hot packs 핫팩
I'm not entirely sure about the science (or magic) behind these little wonders, but they do an amazing job of keeping your hands warm. You can easily find them in convenience stores, Olive Young, or online. Lately, there are even electronic hot packs available that double as power banks. Warning: when you slip one into your pocket, be mindful to keep it away from your phone to avoid overheating.

4. Heating vests 발열조끼
This is a relatively recent discovery. Heating vests use technology similar to electronic hot packs and utilize wires to warm up the vest. You can power them with your power bank and enjoy warmth for about 4-8 hours.

5. Winter Gloves
As a tropical human... I was not not equiped to survive winters. While I'd seen them in movies and knew of their existence, I never thought of them as a necessity (until I experienced frozen fingers). However, I've learned my lesson since then. You can get an affordable pair at a subway station shop or even at Daiso. Some gloves also come with special materials that allow you to use touch devices without removing them.

6. Grab a warm drink 
Warmth can also come from within. You'll find an array of warm drinks available at convenience stores and cafes all over Korea. Take your pick from hot chocolate, teas, coffee, and more to keep yourself cozy on those chilly days.

Keep your Room warm

Keeping your room warm without relying solely on a heater can help you save energy and reduce heating costs.

1. Heating Mats 전기장판
Without a doubt, one of the BEST winter investments (right up there with long padding). Heating your entire room can be both energy-intensive and costly, with heaters or ondol systems running for hours. Take the plunge and get yourself a heating mat. You can find them online at places like Gmarket or Coupang for around 25,000 to 40,000 won. Warning: Always remember to unplug these when not in use, as leaving them on for too long can pose a fire hazard. Another word of caution: It might make it harder to get out of bed in the morning because your bed is incredibly comfy and warm. Just be careful not to overheat it to the point of discomfort.

2. Bubblewrap your windows
I'm not entirely sure if this makes a massive difference, but many Koreans swear by this method to insulate their rooms during winter. Some Korean men even claim they learned this trick during their military service. It's simple – spray a bit of water on the windows and then stick on the bubblewrap. They should stay in place and provide some insulation.

3. Block air from the outside
Those small gaps around doors and windows can let chilly air creep in and drastically affect the room's temperature. You can purchase silicones or draft stoppers from Daiso to help seal up those gaps effectively.

4. Curtains
Curtains are a smart way to keep your room well-insulated. They add an extra layer that helps trap warm air indoors while keeping the cold air at bay. Plus, they can help you sleep better by blocking out external lights.

5. Keep your room humid
Humid air can make the temperature feel warmer because the water vapor slows down the evaporation of sweat from our skin, making it harder for us to cool off. At least, that's what I've heard. Korean winters can be exceptionally dry, so having a humidifier is a good idea. If that's not in your budget, hanging your laundry indoors can also help increase humidity.

6. Hot water bottle
Hot water bottles aren't just for the sick or those dealing with cramps. Keeping one under your blanket can be a cozy way to stay warm while you sleep.

7. Warm Cozy Blankets
Arguably the fourth-best investment for winter (following long padding, Heattech, and heating mats). The softness and warmth of a good blanket are incredibly comforting and can help you sleep better at night.

8. Position your as far as possible from the windows
The coldest part of the room is probably the ones close to the window or the outer wall. If you can rearange your room and move your bed away from this location. You would be exposed to the cold a bit less and would be a bit more comfortable

Other Winter Tips

1. Keep water running
In older buildings, letting a bit of water flow is one solution to keeping your pipes unfrozen. However, take this tip with a grain of salt, ask your landlord first before you do this as some buildings would flood if water is kept running.

2. Keep your ondol on 외출

3. Don't do the laundry during very cold days
This may cause some flooding in the floors below you as some pipes would not drain well and freeze.

4. Wear Snow shoes
Roads tend to become very slippery after it snows (especially if there's a huge temperature shift and the melted snow freezes). Be sure to wear snow shoes, report roads which are slippery so the Gu can spread materials that can make it less slippery.

5. Temporary cover roads before snow falls
Rather than shovel the snow from the pavement, cover it before it snows and then remove the covering and the snow afterwards. This can save you time and keep roads from becoming slippery.

6. Keep Moisturised
Winters in Korea are very dry, so keep your skin from cracking by using lotion or moisturiser.