I live in a satellite city near Seoul and commute to Gangnam, Gwanghwamun, and sometimes as far as Pangyo.

The distance means waking up at 5 AM is just part of the deal. I usually arrive between 8 and 9.

I could take public transit, but standing on a packed subway for over an hour during rush hour? That kind of physical drain—I just can't do it anymore. So I drive. It's been about three, maybe four years now.

Here's what I've learned about surviving as a driver in Korea.

1. The Parking Struggle

The challenge starts before you even leave. If someone double-parked in front of your car, you have to push their car out of the way. Touch someone else's car wrong, and you might end up with a scratched door—or worse, a confrontation.

And if they didn't leave their car in neutral with the shift lock off? You're calling them to come down. If they're not nearby, your car isn't moving.

Even once you're moving, it doesn't get easier. You squeeze through alleyways lined with parked cars on both sides. The bigger your car, the more stressful it gets. When a pedestrian suddenly appears between parked cars, your heart stops.

Korea doesn't have a nationwide garage certification system (except in Jeju), so street parking in alleys is everywhere. With land prices this high and parking spaces this scarce, it's just the reality.

2. Good Intentions, Rough Fit

Some traffic regulations make sense in theory but struggle in practice.

Take the right-turn stop rule. You're supposed to come to a complete stop before turning right. But the moment you pause, horns start blaring within two seconds. It's not that people are rude—it's that Korea runs on "ppalli ppalli" (hurry hurry) culture. Two seconds of stillness feels like an eternity.

Same with school zone speed limits and pedestrian protection laws. The intent is obviously good—protecting children and pedestrians. But in a country where narrow roads mix cars and people together, just lowering speed limits doesn't feel like a complete solution. Maybe it needs to come with better road design and pedestrian education.

3. The Shadow of Ppalli Ppalli

You're approaching an intersection and the light is blinking red. What should you do? Obviously, stop at the line and wait.

But in Korea, stop there and you might get honked at from behind. This isn't because people are bad. It's because everyone is busy, everyone is exhausted. In a country where everything is concentrated in Seoul, millions of people move in the same direction at the same time every day. There's no room for leisure.

If you're in a lane that allows both going straight and turning right, and you're waiting to go straight while the car behind you wants to turn right—you feel the pressure. Driving in Korea means being aware of the car behind you at all times.

4. No Cruising on the Highway

On the highway, I'd love to maintain a comfortable following distance and cruise. But in Korea, that's hard. Leave some space in front of you, and someone will immediately cut in. Before you know it, you're tailgating again.

Commercial vehicles—buses, trucks—tend to follow closely because of their cab-over design with short front ends. Express buses have a 110 km/h speed limit, so when they want to go faster but can't, the frustration might explain the tailgating.

Near Seoul, the bus-only lane is often in the leftmost lane, so you'll sometimes see highway buses in the fast lane. It's confusing, and I get why it happens.

5. Commuting at 8 km/h for 40 km

Even on the highway, Seoul's traffic is so bad that I barely need to touch the accelerator. I stay in the first lane, take my foot off the gas, and crawl along at 8 km/h. Cars that brake constantly, cars that don't, EVs, trucks, buses, taxis—all mixed together, inching forward.

Seoul is suffocating, honestly. Too many people, too much traffic, too much exhaustion.

But what can you do? Jobs are concentrated in Seoul. People flow toward Seoul. Roads get clogged. Everyone gets impatient. It's not even unique to Korea—any country with rapid economic growth and urban concentration goes through this.

You just have to get used to it. Not letting it stress you out, adapting to the situation—that's ultimately how you survive as a driver in Korea.