A new home base near Gusan Station in Eunpyeong-gu |
My Seoul basecamp as a freelancer constantly traveling across Korea and overseas
Written by
Earth Village Field Mouse, a book-loving lifestyle and travel blogger/YouTuber
Hi,
I’m a freelance journalist and reporter who also works as a creator, and I go by the name “Earth Village Field Mouse.”
Since I live a freelance digital nomad life with regular reporting trips around Korea and overseas, my place in Seoul has naturally become much more than somewhere I just sleep.
This used to be a bedroom, but I opened it up toward the living room and turned it into my workspace.
This is where I’m currently based.
(I’m doing my best to keep it neat and tidy!)
It’s a private unit in a low-rise villa building, about 13 pyeong total, with the feel of a second-floor space.
– 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 kitchen, 1 balcony, 1 bathroom
It’s where I come back after a trip to unpack, write, and get ready for the next assignment. Sometimes it also works as a basecamp for fellow freelance creators staying briefly in Seoul, and very occasionally for foreign friends visiting Korea to see me.
Anyway,
as I set up this new home base in Galhyeon-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, within the Gusan Station area, 1) I decided to leave one room open as a share-room option.
And when I’m away on domestic reporting trips or overseas assignments, 2) I’ve arranged it so guests can use the entire home.
So, this space is run in two different formats through 33m2, the short-term rental platform.That’s how it works!
This is Unit 1,
and as you can see in the photos, it sits at about second-floor height, so it feels airy and comfortable 🙂
The first option is a “freelancer full-option private home” with exclusive use of the entire place.
The second is a “freelancer sharing private room,” where you use one separate bedroom on its own.
I set up this room specifically for the sharing option.
Because of how the 33m2 platform works, this is not a hotel or a professionally serviced stay with daily housekeeping. The most accurate way to think of it is as a real lived-in home that I actually use, occasionally shared in a well-organized condition for a set period.
Between city convenience and nature: Galhyeon-dong, Eunpyeong-gu
The house is near a main road, and even the streetlight right outside the gate is bright at night.
The reason I chose Eunpyeong-gu for this new space is simple: I’ve lived in this part of Seoul for more than 20 years, and it’s one of those rare neighborhoods where you can enjoy both city life and easy access to nature.
Around my place, you’ll find convenience stores and supermarkets, plus Daiso, Olive Young, and plenty of restaurants along the route from Gusan Station to the house. In other words, the everyday essentials are all close by.
There’s even GS25 Galhyeon Lucky Branch just a 20-second walk from the house!
I use it often because it has clean table seating that’s actually nice for a quick meal.
At the same time, one of the biggest perks is that a short walk takes you straight to walking trails connected to Bongsan and Maebongsan.
It’s the kind of neighborhood where you can take a morning walk in the hills, open your laptop and work during the day, then stop by Gusan Station in the evening to pick up whatever you need on the way home.
You’re just far enough from central Seoul’s chaos to breathe, but not so far that daily life feels inconvenient.
As you can see, the trail entrance is only about a five-minute walk away, easy enough that my parents or even my young nieces and nephews can head out for a stroll right away when they visit Eunpyeong-gu.
Eunpyeong-gu also has a great network of walking paths linking Bongsan, Aengbongsan, Bukhansan, Baengnyeonsan, and Bulgwangcheon, which makes it ideal if you want a mix of city living and light hiking in Seoul.
And then there’s the standout local landmark: Gusan-dong Library Village.
It’s about a 13-minute walk from the front gate.
Nearby, you’ll also find Eunpyeong-gu Gusan-dong Library Village, a public library well known for its unusual architecture and creative use of space. It’s a wonderful neighborhood spot if you want to read, work quietly, or just spend a peaceful hour indoors.
Option 1. Freelancer full-option private home
This option gives you exclusive use of the entire place.
The home includes 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 kitchen, and 1 bathroom. On paper it’s listed as a first-floor unit, but the actual height feels closer to a typical second floor, so there’s less concern about people looking in from outside, and the ventilation is quite good too.
Rather than decorating it in a flashy way, I kept the space minimalist and practical, with the essentials you actually need for daily living. It’s set up so that even a week-long Seoul business trip or short stay feels comfortable without much missing.
I also have a very large refrigerator,
and the washing machine is a brand-new model that both washes and dries.
The ideal number of guests is 2. That said, there’s 1 single bed, 2 sofa beds, and 1 extra topper, so depending on how you use the space, up to 4 people can stay here.
If you fold down this blue sofa bed and add the topper, it turns into a surprisingly great bed.
Ta-da! The sofa bed transforms into a clean single bed.
If you plan to use the sofa bed, you can place the premium topper that’s stacked on the bed mattress in the same room on top of the sofa, then add the pad over it.
Please place the single mattress topper on top of the sofa bed here.
If 3 to 4 people will be staying together, please contact me in advance, since the management conditions may vary depending on the number of guests and the length of stay.
In the living room between the two bedrooms, there’s a standing air conditioner sized for about 18 pyeong. If you leave the doors open, the cool air reaches both the living room and the bedrooms. I’ve also placed extra fans in each room.
You’re free to use the furniture and household items in the home as long as you return everything to its original place afterward. Personal food items, however, are not included.
Option 2. Freelancer sharing private room
The second option is a room-share setup where you use one private room of about 4 pyeong on your own.
It’s the private room at the very end.
As you can see, the private room is used independently by the guest, while the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and balcony you saw earlier are shared with the host/freelancer roommate.
As many of you probably guessed, I’m male and usually based here, so please make sure you’re fully comfortable with that before booking. People from abroad are often more used to co-sharing culture, but in Korea this can understandably feel more sensitive.
Some people assume I’m female based on my name, but I’m 100% male 🙂
I also bought a sofa bed for this room.
Since I and the freelance digital nomad friends who occasionally visit me are often away from Seoul for regional or overseas schedules, there’s actually a high chance the overall space will stay very quiet.
Still, if you book through 33m2 as a shared-room stay rather than a full private home, it’s best suited to someone who’s comfortable respecting each other’s routines and privacy.
It’s a great fit if you prefer a simple, low-key stay.
If you come for the room-share option, I’ll of course provide an extra fan in summer, and in winter I plan to place a separate heater in the room.
Gusan Station access with flat roads and easy bus connections
From Gusan Station on Seoul Subway Line 6, it takes about 13 minutes on foot to reach the house for an average adult. Most importantly, there are no steep hills on the way, so the walk is very manageable.
A lot of residential areas in Eunpyeong-gu have slopes and uphill streets, but this route is entirely flat, which makes it much easier if you’re moving with a suitcase or carrying bags.
Near the house, there’s the Seonjeong Middle and High School bus stop, where you can take buses 707, 702A, and 702B.
There’s also a Shinjin Transportation bus terminal about a four-minute walk away, so you can choose between subway and bus depending on your schedule.
[No parking available]
Since no parking space is provided, this place is better suited to guests using public transportation. There’s no elevator in the building, but the stair climb is only about 1.5 floors, and the actual unit height feels like a typical second floor, so it still feels open and comfortable.
Who this place is a good fit for
Anyone who needs to stay in Seoul for a business trip of a week or longer,
anyone coming for short-term training or an educational program,
freelancers and digital nomads,
and domestic or international travelers who want to stay in Seoul for a while while preparing for their next trip.
I can also communicate at a basic level in English and Japanese. So if you know a foreign friend looking for a short-term rental in Seoul, feel free to recommend my place!
English conversation is available.
Japanese conversation is available.
When I’m away on domestic or overseas reporting trips, move-in may be handled contact-free. Once your stay is confirmed, I’ll send you the check-in instructions and door lock code individually.
This is not a hotel.
It’s the home I actually live in.
This space is not a hotel or a daily serviced accommodation. It’s a real home that I and my family actually use when we come and go in Seoul.
Because of that, disposable or personal hygiene items like toilet paper, wet wipes, shampoo, and toothpaste may not always be provided depending on the situation. Please bring any toiletries and consumables you personally need.
Trash must be sorted according to Eunpyeong-gu recycling rules. General trash should go in standard pay-as-you-throw bags, and food waste should go in designated food-waste bags, then be placed out at the instructed location along the main road at the proper time.
And as most Koreans already know, other households live in the building too, so please follow basic apartment etiquette: no loud noise late at night, no excessive noise at the shared entrance, and no phone calls on the stairs.
Bedmate-U black mica weighted blanket sleep core blanket calming comforter
Bedmate-U
naver.me
Please read carefully
This space is for non-smokers only.
If indoor smoking is confirmed, or if cigarette butts or smoke odor are found after check-out, you agree that you may be asked to leave immediately and that the ₩330,000 security deposit registered on 33m2 will be deducted to cover special cleaning costs.
(1+1) Smoking Up nicotine-removal cigarette filter holder cigarette pipe quit-smoking smoking gift 100 pcs BLUE100
Dasseunda Mall
naver.me
Also, unfortunately, no pets are allowed indoors regardless of size or type, even though I personally love cats and dogs. If an unauthorized pet is brought in, the same ₩330,000 security deposit will be deducted and you may be required to leave, so please apply only if you fully agree to this rule.
A small Seoul basecamp created by a traveler
To me, a good place isn’t the one filled with expensive furniture. It’s the one where daily life flows naturally for the person staying there.
I wanted to share the kind of place where you can come back from a work trip and truly rest, take a walk and then get a little work done, prepare for your next journey, do your laundry, and reorganize your bags. It’s a kind of convenience I know firsthand because I actually live this way myself.
If you want a Gusan Station short-term rental where you can handle your Seoul schedule by subway and bus, then come home to somewhere quieter than the city center, this may be a great fit. And if you’re looking for a Gusan Station short-term rental near Bongsan or Maebongsan where you can walk in the morning and work quietly during the day, feel free to reach out.
I hope this place becomes more than just a room to sleep in for a few days. I hope it can be a small basecamp in Seoul where someone catches their breath before starting the next chapter of their trip.
Ondasoop healing solid deodorizer 330g for bathroom, smoke smell, home, indoor, bachelor room odor removal, oolong tea scent, set of 3
Ondasoop
naver.me
Written by
Earth Village Field Mouse, a reading-loving travel and daily life blogger/YouTuber
Thank you.
I’ll keep uploading my travel videos on YouTube, so until next time, happy travels everyone.
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