Where Korean Expats Live in HCMC: Little Korea, PMH and Beyond

If you’re a Korean family, a corporate assignee or relocation manager, the practical question isn’t “is there a Korean community in HCMC?” — there clearly is — but where it actually concentrates, how close the Korean school and daily-life services are, and whether anywhere else competes. This guide answers that, with current 2026 detail and an honest read on the one real alternative, Thao Dien. (If you’re weighing the Japanese community instead, see our companion guide on where Japanese expats live in HCMC — the two communities don’t cluster the same way.)

The short answer: Phu My Hung is the main Korean hub

Phu My Hung (the well-known township in the former District 7, now spanning current wards including Tan My and Tan Hung) is the strongest Korean-family hub in HCMC. That conclusion rests on infrastructure, not ethnicity: a Korean-curriculum school, a Korean business association, Korean supermarkets and a deep Korean dining scene all sit within the same area. Two honest caveats up front:

• “Korea Town” is a colloquial label — there’s no official “Koreatown” ward or boundary, and the Korean feel is stronger around certain retail and dining pockets (the Sky Garden side, for example) than across every tower.
• Phu My Hung is not “mostly Korean.” The wider population remains largely Vietnamese; there’s no reliable current figure showing Koreans are a majority, so treat it as a well-served community hub, not an ethnic enclave.

Phu My Hung: the main Korean cluster

What makes Phu My Hung work for Korean households is the combination, all in one walkable township:

• The school anchor — the Korean International School (more below), the single biggest reason Korean families settle here.
• Groceries — Lotte Mart District 7 (a large Korean-owned supermarket on Nguyen Huu Tho, Tan Hung Ward) plus several K-Market branches (a Korean-food specialist) around the township.
• Dining — a dense Korean restaurant scene; the Hanmaeum BBQ chain, for instance, opened its first Vietnam branch in Phu My Hung. (Korean food has since spread citywide, so plenty of Korean restaurants exist outside PMH too.)
• Business and community — KOCHAM, the Korean business association representing thousands of Korean companies, has its HCMC office on the Phu My Hung side, reflecting how much Korean corporate life is rooted here.

It suits a Korean family that wants school proximity and Korean daily-life services in one place, and it’s an easy commute for South HCMC, logistics and industrial-park roles. It’s less convenient for central or East HCMC offices — so test the commute before deciding.

Korean schools in HCMC

School is usually the deciding factor, and it’s the clearest reason Phu My Hung leads.

The Korean International School HCMC (KIS) is the officially recognised overseas Korean school, founded in 1998 and located at 21 Tan Phu Street, Tan My Ward — in the heart of Phu My Hung. For households wanting Korean-curriculum continuity, this is the key anchor. You can confirm current details on the school’s official site — and you should: admissions availability, fees, bus routes and language support change year to year, so verify them directly rather than relying on any guide.

There’s also Korea Global School (KGS), a separate Korean-oriented international school (a Korean/English/Vietnamese model) — not the same institution as KIS. It has been expanding in HCMC, but confirm its current campus location and admissions with the school directly before factoring it into a housing decision.

Korean groceries, dining and services

Day-to-day, Phu My Hung makes Korean life easy:

• Supermarkets: Lotte Mart District 7 (general large-format, Korean-owned) and K-Market branches (Korean-food specialist) — handy for Korean pantry staples, fresh items and household goods.
• Restaurants: a wide Korean dining scene from BBQ to everyday meals. We won’t rank “the best” — ownership and quality change — but the breadth is real.
• Business & community: KOCHAM for corporate and association links.
• Clinics: general clinics operate in the township (CarePlus has a clinic at Crescent Plaza, Tan My Ward, with KOCHAM links), and there are Korean-oriented aesthetic clinics. One caution: don’t assume Korean-language medical staff are available at every appointment — verify, and for real medical decisions use a proper hospital/clinic. See our healthcare guide for how to actually access care.

One thing we couldn’t confirm: a currently-operating Korean-language church in Phu My Hung with a verified address. If that matters to you, ask the community directly rather than trusting an old directory.

Is Thao Dien a Korean-expat area?

Thao Dien (officially An Khanh Ward, on the city’s east side) is the one genuine alternative — but be clear about what it is. It’s a broadly international, globally mixed expat neighbourhood with growing Korean grocery access: there’s a K-Market in Thao Dien, and a new An Phu branch opened in 2026. What it does not have is a Korean-school or Korean-association anchor equivalent to Phu My Hung.

So Thao Dien is a secondary international-expat option with Korean shopping access — not a second Korea Town. It can be the better choice for a Korean household that prioritises an East HCMC or metro-side commute, a more globally mixed lifestyle, or a different international school, while still wanting occasional Korean groceries. For the wider picture of that area, see living in Phu My Hung (for the PMH side) and our international schools guide for school-led location planning.

Rent snapshot: what Korean families may see in Phu My Hung

Phu My Hung isn’t one price point. As an asking-rent snapshot from mid-2026 listing portals (asking prices, not completed deals — and not a “Korean” rate):

Newer premium buildings (e.g. the Midtown area) sit higher within those ranges. Treat these as starting points only: furnishing, tower, floor, age, building management, size and lease length all move the number, and management fees, parking and utilities are charged separately. Verify the actual building and fees before you commit.

How to choose a building

Once you’ve shortlisted the area, the building decision comes down to a few practical tests:

1. The school run — time it from the exact building at weekday peak, both directions.
2. The work commute — trial it on a normal morning; PMH to a central/East office can be long.
3. The daily-life radius — how far to your groceries, clinic and the community you actually want.
4. Building management & family fit — bedroom sizes, child-safe balconies/windows, lift wait, maintenance responsiveness.
5. Lease & paperwork — confirm who handles your temporary-residence registration and the deposit terms.

For the family-specific unit checklist (layout, balcony safety, amenities), see how to choose a family-friendly apartment.

Frequently asked questions

Where do most Korean expats live in HCMC?

Phu My Hung (former District 7, now wards including Tan My and Tan Hung) is the main Korean-family hub, thanks to the Korean International School and a concentration of Korean groceries, restaurants and business services. Thao Dien is a secondary option with Korean shopping but no equivalent Korean-school anchor.

Is Phu My Hung still “Korea Town”?

It’s still the city’s main Korean-community hub, but “Korea Town” is a nickname, not an official area — and Phu My Hung is not majority Korean. The Korean feel is concentrated around certain retail and dining pockets rather than across the whole township.

Where is the Korean International School in HCMC?

The Korean International School HCMC (KIS) is at 21 Tan Phu Street, Tan My Ward, in Phu My Hung. Confirm admissions, fees, bus routes and language support on the school’s official site, as these change yearly.

Is Thao Dien good for Korean families?

It can be — it’s a popular international neighbourhood with Korean grocery access (K-Market) and other international schools. But it lacks a Korean-curriculum school and Korean association hub, so it’s best seen as an international-expat alternative rather than a second Korean community.

How much is rent in Phu My Hung in 2026?

As a mid-2026 asking-rent snapshot: roughly USD 600–680 for a furnished 1BR, around VND 16–32.6m for a 2BR, and about VND 21.6–49.2m for a 3BR — wide ranges driven by building grade, size and furnishing, and excluding management fees, parking and utilities.

Where can Koreans buy Korean groceries in HCMC?

Lotte Mart and the K-Market chain are the main options. K-Market specialises in Korean food and has several Phu My Hung branches plus a Thao Dien presence; Lotte Mart District 7 is a large general supermarket. Check current branch hours before going.

Key takeaways

Find your apartment in Phu My Hung or Thao Dien

We help Korean families and other expats find the right building — near the school, the commute and the services that matter — and as tenant-side agents we charge you no fee. Browse Phu My Hung (District 7) and Thao Dien apartments — including buildings like Masteri Thao Dien and Gateway Thao Dien — or tell us your school and workplace and we’ll shortlist it.

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Related guides:

• Living in Phu My Hung
• Where Japanese Expats Live in HCMC
• International Schools in HCMC: Where to Live