What Bad Airbnb Guests Taught Me About Hosting in Korea — And Why I Now Run My Own Rentals (2025 Update)
What Bad Airbnb Guests Taught Me About Hosting in Korea — And Why I Now Run My Own Rentals 🇰🇷
(2025 Update)
If you're planning a trip to Korea and looking for vacation rentals or Airbnb accommodations, this is a story you definitely want to read before you book.
I’ve been a professional host in Seoul for years. While most guests are kind and respectful, sometimes things go very wrong. Today, I want to share some real behind-the-scenes stories from my hosting experience — and also explain why major changes are happening to Airbnb in Korea in 2025.
Why Korean Vacation Rentals Are Different from Hotels
When you stay at an Airbnb or vacation rental in Korea, you're usually staying in a residential apartment where local Korean residents actually live. Unlike hotels, these buildings are shared with long-term residents, families, and elderly neighbors.
Because of this, Korean hosts ask guests to:
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Be mindful of noise.
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Avoid causing damage.
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Follow strict Korean recycling laws (which can lead to government fines if not followed properly).
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Respect check-in and check-out times.
These rules exist to protect both the residents and you as a traveler.
My Real Experience: Two Difficult Guests
Even though I rarely accept short-term stays, during Korea’s busy summer vacation season (June, July, August), I sometimes open up my calendar for short bookings. Recently, I hosted two short stays — one for 3 days, another for 7 days — and both became very stressful.
1️⃣ Late Checkout Disaster
The first guest overstayed their checkout time by more than 1 hour.
You may wonder: Why is that a big deal?
Because after checkout, I have a very short window to fully clean and reset the room before the next guest arrives at 3 PM. Cleaning takes 2-3 hours:
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Full ventilation
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Complete disinfection
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Replacing all bedding
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Restocking supplies
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Multiple loads of laundry, which takes half a day
Usually, my family helps: my parents, my husband, and sometimes extra cleaning staff if needed.
After they finally left, I entered the apartment — and I was shocked.
Trash everywhere, sticky surfaces, stains — all after just a 2-night stay.
2️⃣ The Ultimate Disrespect
One week later, another guest checked out on time, but left the room in an even worse condition:
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Trash scattered everywhere
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Food waste filling the refrigerator
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Towels thrown around like rags
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Dirty floors (it looked like they wore shoes inside — very rude in Korea)
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Broken items
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And worst of all — blood stains on bedding and chair cushions from menstruation, without any message or apology
Accidents happen. In the past, one guest had a similar situation but informed me immediately, and I was very understanding. But when guests leave everything dirty without saying anything, it feels extremely disrespectful.
Do Hosts Check Nationality After Bad Experiences?
Honestly — yes, many hosts do.
It’s not about discrimination, but patterns sometimes develop.
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The first guest was from China.
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The second guest was from the U.S.
Over time, some hosts become more careful about accepting certain types of short bookings depending on their past experiences.
For example, I now rarely accept 2-3 day bookings from Chinese tourists because of multiple bad experiences.
Interestingly, the second guest seemed to visit Korea for K-pop. I found lots of K-pop merchandise scattered in the room. Sometimes I even think:
"Oh, this is what this idol’s fan culture looks like..."
Of course, most K-pop fans are wonderful and respectful. But these little things stay in a host’s memory.
Thankfully — Most Guests Are Amazing ❤️
Luckily, these kinds of guests are rare.
Most of my guests:
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Leave the house clean
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Follow house rules
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Bring small gifts or handwritten thank-you notes
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Treat the space with great respect
When guests behave this way, both the host and guest enjoy a perfect experience.
Travel Etiquette: What You Should Know Before Booking Airbnb in Korea
If you plan to stay at an Airbnb or vacation rental in Korea, follow these simple rules to make your host LOVE you:
✅ Respect check-in and check-out times
✅ Take off your shoes inside the house
✅ Follow Korea’s strict recycling rules
✅ Be honest and communicate if something happens
✅ Treat the space like your own home
✅ Use the space responsibly for the next guest
Korean hosts truly want you to enjoy your trip — and a little respect makes a huge difference.
What If You Need to Check Out Late?
If your flight schedule makes it difficult to check out on time, don't worry — we have a solution!
✅ You can store your luggage safely inside the apartment storage room after check-out.
✅ The building has a secure door-lock system and CCTV on every floor for your safety.
✅ Or, you can leave your luggage at my parents’ office, which is just 1 minute away from the apartment.
✅ You can pick up your luggage anytime you want before heading to the airport.
This way, you can fully enjoy your last day in Korea without worrying about your bags!
⚠️ The Big Change Coming to Airbnb in Korea (October 2025 Update)
Starting from October 2025, due to new government regulations in Korea, one-room apartments and studio apartments can no longer be registered on Airbnb for short-term rental.
That means:
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Many great apartments will disappear from Airbnb soon.
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Travelers will have fewer options on the Airbnb platform, especially for affordable studio-type stays.
For 9 years, I was a Superhost on Airbnb — without missing even one single month.
But because of these new rules, I’ve now built my own direct rental platform where you can still book my fully legal, high-quality vacation rentals directly — without worrying about platform limitations.
🔗 Want to Book My Place in Korea?
If you’re planning to visit Korea and want to stay in my trusted, carefully managed accommodations, feel free to check availability directly on my website:
I’ll do my best to give you the most comfortable, local, and safe experience during your stay in Korea 🇰🇷
