Korean Lease Break-Up? Your Guide to Ending a Contract!
Hello! It’s your favorite Korean language booster, [Maeil Hangeul], here to upgrade your real-life Korean skills!
Ever found yourself in a situation where you need to move out before your rental contract is up? It can be a stressful thought! But don’t worry. Today, we’re going to learn the essential Korean phrases and procedures for terminating a lease early. Lately in Korea, with job markets shifting and people moving more frequently, this is a super useful topic to master. Knowing how to navigate this situation will make you feel much more confident living in Korea. Let’s dive in!
Core Expressions You Must Know
Here are the key terms you’ll need to discuss ending your lease.
- 한국어 표현: 중도 해지 (jungdo haeji)
- 발음 [로마자]: Joong-do hae-ji
- 영어 뜻: Early termination / Mid-contract cancellation
- 상세 설명: This is a formal term used in contracts. 중도 (jungdo) means “in the middle” or “midway,” and 해지 (haeji) means “cancellation” or “termination.” You use this phrase when you officially want to tell your landlord you need to break the contract before the official end date.
- 한국어 표현: 보증금 (bojeunggeum)
- 발음 [로마자]: Bo-jeung-geum
- 영어 뜻: Security Deposit
- 상세 설명: This is the large sum of money you give to the landlord at the beginning of the contract. Getting your 보증금 back is your main goal when you move out. In Korea, this amount can be very high, so it’s a very important word to know!
- 한국어 표현: 위약금 (wiyakgeum)
- 발음 [로마자]: Wi-yak-geum
- 영어 뜻: Penalty fee / Cancellation fee
- 상세 설명: This is the fee you might have to pay for breaking the contract. 위약 (wiyak) means “breach of contract” and 금 (geum) means “money.” Usually, tenants try to avoid this by fulfilling certain conditions, which we’ll discuss later!
- 한국어 표현: 다음 세입자를 구하다 (daeum seipja-reul guhada)
- 발음 [로마자]: Da-eum se-ip-ja-reul goo-ha-da
- 영어 뜻: To find the next tenant
- 상세 설명: This is the most common way to avoid paying the 위약금 (penalty fee). In Korea, it’s customary for the tenant who is leaving early to find a replacement tenant to take over their lease. 다음 means “next,” 세입자 means “tenant,” and 구하다 means “to find” or “to look for.”
Example Dialogue
Let’s see how these expressions are used in a real conversation between a tenant (A) and a landlord (B).
A (Tenant): 안녕하세요, 집주인님. 드릴 말씀이 있어서 연락드렸어요. 제가 갑자기 지방으로 발령이 나서 이사를 가야 할 것 같아요. 계약을 중도 해지해야 할 것 같습니다.
(Hello, landlord. I’m contacting you because I have something to discuss. I got suddenly transferred to a different region for work, so I think I have to move. It looks like I’ll have to request an early termination of the contract.)
B (Landlord): 아, 그러세요? 아직 계약 기간이 6개월이나 남았는데요. 다음 세입자를 구해주시면 위약금 없이 보증금을 바로 돌려드릴 수 있어요.
(Oh, is that so? There are still 6 months left on the contract. If you can find the next tenant for me, I can return your security deposit without a penalty fee.)
A (Tenant): 네, 알겠습니다. 그럼 제가 부동산에 바로 연락해서 다음 세입자를 구해볼게요.
(Yes, I understand. I’ll contact the real estate agency right away and try to find the next tenant.)
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive
The Unwritten Rule: It’s Your Job to Find a Replacement!
In many Western countries, breaking a lease usually means paying a set penalty fee. However, in Korea, the common practice (관행 – gwanhaeng) is a bit different.
As you saw in the dialogue, the landlord will almost always ask you to find the next tenant (다음 세입자를 구하다). Why? This ensures the landlord doesn’t lose any rental income. If you successfully find someone to take over your lease, you can usually avoid the penalty fee (위약금). The new tenant signs a new contract with the landlord, and you get your 보증금 back once they move in.
Pro Tip: The real estate agent’s commission fee (중개수수료 – junggaesusuryo) for finding the new tenant is typically paid by you, the person breaking the lease, not the landlord. This is considered the “cost” of leaving early. So when you budget for your move, don’t forget this expense! Knowing this small detail will make you look like a Korean local!
Wrap-up & Practice Time!
Great job today! We learned that while 중도 해지 (early termination) can seem complicated, it’s manageable if you know the process. The key is to communicate with your landlord and understand your responsibility to 다음 세입자를 구하다 (find the next tenant) to get your 보증금 (security deposit) back safely without a 위약금 (penalty fee).
Now, let’s test your knowledge!
Practice Question:
Imagine you have 3 months left on your lease, but you need to move out. Fill in the blank in the sentence you would say to your landlord.
“제가 계약을 ___________해야 하는데, 위약금 없이 보증금을 돌려받으려면 어떻게 해야 하나요?”
(I need to ___________ my contract. What should I do to get my security deposit back without a penalty fee?)
Leave your answer in the comments below using the expressions we learned today! Fighting
