What is a Seoul short-term rental?
A Seoul short-term rental is a fully furnished place you can rent week-by-week to a few months without a large deposit.
Unlike regular monthly leases, you can rent fully furnished studio or officetel units starting from 1 week. People use them for business trips, job moves, filling a move gap, temporary housing during remodeling, or trying out a month in Seoul.
Many people find these through specialist platforms like SamsamM2 and plott LIFE.
Seoul short-term rental vs regular monthly lease — what’s different?
Item | Regular monthly lease | Seoul short-term rental |
|---|---|---|
Deposit | ₩5,000,000–10,000,000 | ₩0–330,000 |
Contract period | 1 year or more | 1 week to several months |
Utilities & fees | Billed separately | May be included |
Full-option | Often not provided | Furniture & appliances included |
Legal protection | Covered by Housing Lease Protection Act | Temporary-use lease (often not covered) |
Immediate move-in | Often difficult | Possible |
Source: SamsamM2 & plott LIFE official websites (2025)
Who uses Seoul short-term rentals?
Demand breaks down like this.
① Business stays — staff sent to Gangnam, Yeouido, Euljiro for IT/finance work
② Gap between moves — staying 1–2 months when move-in dates don’t match
③ Try-before-you-sign — temporary housing while deciding on a long-term lease
④ Renovation stays — temporary housing during home remodeling
⑤ Medical outpatient stays — near Samsung Medical Center, Asan, Gangnam Severance for repeated visits
⑥ One-month Seoul trial — people from the provinces trying Seoul life
Based on a 200,000-user SamsamM2 survey: 38% for business, 24% for moving/renovation, 23% for travel/one-month stays.
Source: SamsamM2 press release (2025)
Compare Seoul short-term rental platforms — SamsamM2 vs plott LIFE
The main specialist platforms are SamsamM2 and plott LIFE.
SamsamM2 | plott LIFE | |
|---|---|---|
Deposit | ₩330,000 | ₩0 |
Contract period | Minimum 1 week | Weekly, no limit |
Utilities & fees | Varies by listing | All included in rent |
Full-option | Varies by listing | All furniture & appliances included |
Source: SamsamM2 & plott LIFE official websites (2025)
How much does a month in Seoul short-term rental cost?
Costs vary by area and conditions. Approximate ranges:
Gangnam / Yeoksam / Seolleung: ₩700,000–1,000,000 per month (including utilities)
Seongsu / Mapo / Hongdae: ₩550,000–800,000 per month
Euljiro / Jongno: ₩500,000–750,000 per month
Yeouido: ₩650,000–900,000 per month
Compared to long-stay hotels (₩1,800,000–3,000,000/month), specialist short-term rental platforms let you live in a residential space at less than half the cost.
※ These are rough ranges including utilities; actual prices vary by listing.
Recommended areas for Seoul short-term rentals
Purpose | Recommended area | Why |
|---|---|---|
IT/Startup business | Gangnam, Yeoksam, Seongsu | Company clusters, Line 2 access |
Finance/Broadcasting | Yeouido, Euljiro | Finance & media hubs |
One-month stay / workation | Seongsu, Hongdae, Hapjeong | Great lifestyle and cafes |
Medical outpatient stay | Gangnam, Songpa | Close to major hospitals |
Job move / temporary stay | Near your workplace / transit station | Prioritize commute |
FAQ — Seoul short-term rental
Q. Are there platforms besides SamsamM2?
A. Yes. plott LIFE is a specialist platform with zero deposit and all-in-one rent. Compared to SamsamM2 (₩330,000 deposit, fees vary by listing), plott LIFE lowers initial costs.
Q. How much is a month?
A. It depends on area and conditions. Core areas like Gangnam, Seongsu, and Jamsil typically cost ₩600,000–1,000,000. Whether utilities are included can change your monthly cost by ₩100,000–200,000.
Q. Are deposit-free studios real?
A. Yes. Specialist short-term platforms reduce deposit burdens. plott LIFE even offers zero-deposit listings.
Q. Why choose short-term rentals over Airbnb for a month?
A. For month-plus stays, cooking, laundry, and a desk matter. Airbnb can be expensive and inconsistent. Short-term rental platforms focus on fully furnished, residential listings — better for longer stays.
When searching, don’t just look at the monthly rent — compare deposit, utilities, contract period, and full-option contents together.
Comparing listings on platforms like SamsamM2 and plott LIFE before signing reduces trial-and-error.
plott LIFE — Seoul short-term rentals & temporary homes
Zero deposit · Weekly move-in · All-in-one rent · Full-option studios
If you’re searching in Gangnam / Seongsu / Yeouido / Mapo / Jamsil, plott LIFE will likely have the right options.