Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAIT

Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor's of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master's of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn't in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.

SOS Book Club Pick: Nuclear Family

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Welcome, book lovers and South of Seoul community! This month, our book club dives into “Nuclear Family” by Joseph Han. It’s a novel that explores the life of a Korean American family caught in the throes of personal and political turmoil. Han’s unique narrative style blends realism with a touch of the surreal, making “Nuclear … Read more

Overview of Renting in Pyeongtaek

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Looking for a home in or near Pyeongtaek-si? Understanding your rental options in the area of Pyeontaek may feel frustrating due to the different types of rental systems, competitive market, language barrier, cultural differences, and so much more. In this article, we will dig deeper into the rental systems in Pyeongtaek. This will include how … Read more

Managing Your Korean Credit Rating

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If you plan to live in Korea for a long period, you may want to understand your Korean credit rating (Credit Score). Here are a few things you may need to know to put yourself in a good position to access credit like credit cards, car loans, or a house loan. About Credit Rating Systems … Read more

Expat Guide to Navigating Credit Cards in Korea

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As an international resident, building a life in South Korea can feel complicated, especially managing finances. So let’s learn about getting a credit card in Korea. The personal experiences in the following blog post include E and F-visa holders in South Korea. Getting a Credit Card May Feel Scary Learning a new financial system while … Read more

Multi-Resort Season Ski and Snowboard Pass for Korea

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Want to buy a multi-resort season ski and Snowboard Pass for Korea but the details seem a little fuzzy? We purchased ours for the first time this year and wanted to share our experience. The following post may help clarify the X5 process and share a few tips and tricks we wish we had known. … Read more

Making Jang (장) for Kimjang (김장)

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Want to learn more about making jang for kimjang? The following post is one of a series that seeks to capture aspects of this verbal tradition in English. The following post focuses on the sauce or ‘jang’. The information is for international families who wish to start their own community kimjang or English-speaking Koreans living … Read more

Traditional Kimjang with Sue at the Songtan Market 2023

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Would you like to participate in a traditional family-style Kimjang? (FYI, if you love cooking and Korean food the answer is, “YES!”) Then, sign up immediately for this 2-day traditional cooking event at the Songtan Traditional Market. Come learn how families work together to prepare their kimchi for the year. This is an all-inclusive event that includes snacks, … Read more

Starting a Plant-Based, Vegan Pantry in Korea

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Moving to South Korea as a vegan and wondering how you will survive? Well, it’s not actually that hard these days. Plant-based foods continue to grow in popularity across Korea and many can be shipped right to your house. This will likely be a blog in progress that gets updated over time. Getting Started on … Read more

Plant-Based Vegan Seafood Options in Korea

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Looking for plant-based alternatives to regular seafood? Korea has a variety of vegan seafood options for you to try. Here are options we’ve come across during our shopping adventures. It’s all part of the South of Seoul Plant-Based Food Initiative. Plant-Based Tuna (비건 참치) Plant-based tuna is a vegan or vegetarian alternative to traditional tuna … Read more

10 Vegan Korean Side Dishes

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Looking for vegan Korean side dishes? Did you know Korea has a strong tradition of plant-based foods so you have quite a few options? Here are 10 side dishes traditionally made without meat or animal products. Keep in mind, many modern Korean recipes do add meat to some of the following items but you can … Read more