How a Korean Expat Family Navigated Schooling and Healthcare in Anhui: Case Study
Table of Contents
1. Background: The Park Family’s Move from Seoul to Hefei
In January 2024, Min-Jun Park, a 44-year-old senior engineer at a Korean display panel manufacturer, was transferred from the company’s headquarters in Paju, South Korea, to their production facility in the Hefei High-tech Zone (合肥高新区). Hefei is home to BOE Technology Group, one of the world’s largest display panel manufacturers, and numerous Korean and Taiwanese companies in the display industry supply chain have established operations in the city to be close to BOE’s massive Gen 10.5 factory — the largest display panel production facility in the world. Min-Jun’s role involved process optimization and quality control for the company’s Hefei plant, a three-year assignment that would bring the entire Park family — his wife Ji-Yeon (42), their daughter Soo-Jin (13), and son Min-Ho (9) — to Anhui Province for the first time.
The Parks were not new to international living. They had previously completed a two-year assignment in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, from 2018 to 2020, and had spent one year in Ho Chi Minh City before that. They understood the rhythms of expatriate family life and had developed systems for managing cross-cultural transitions. However, relocating to Hefei presented unique challenges: Hefei does not have a Korean international school (unlike Suzhou, which has one, or Shanghai and Beijing, which have several), the city’s Korean expatriate community is smaller than in the major eastern Chinese cities, and the city’s international healthcare infrastructure, while growing, is less developed than in Suzhou or Shanghai. The family’s experience navigating these specific challenges offers valuable lessons for Korean and other Asian expatriate families considering a move to Anhui Province.
The Parks’ previous experience in China was advantageous. Ji-Yeon spoke conversational Mandarin (HSK 3 level) from their time in Suzhou, and the children had attended a bilingual international school there, giving them basic Mandarin comprehension. The family also had relationships with several Korean colleagues who had previously transferred to Hefei, providing a warm welcome and a pre-existing social network that substantially accelerated their transition.
2. Schooling Decisions: International School Selection and Transition
The education of Soo-Jin and Min-Ho was the Park family’s highest priority during relocation planning. In Seoul, the children had been attending a prestigious private school with a rigorous academic program. Hefei does not have a Korean international school following the Korean national curriculum, so the Parks evaluated three options: an international school following a Western curriculum, a local Chinese public school with international programs, or an online Korean curriculum supplemented by a local school.
Option 1: Canadian International School of Hefei (CISH) — Hefei’s largest international school, following the Alberta (Canada) curriculum with English instruction. Approximately 400 students from 25 nationalities, excellent facilities including modern science labs, a performing arts center, indoor swimming pool, and extensive sports facilities. Annual tuition was approximately RMB 120,000 per child. The school includes 15–20 Korean students, providing a peer support group.
Option 2: Hefei No. 1 High School International Division — A Chinese public high school with an international program offering the British Columbia (Canada) curriculum. Lower tuition (RMB 60,000 per year) but only offered secondary-level programs, not suitable for Min-Ho in grade 4.
Option 3: Korean Online Curriculum + Local school — Some Korean families use the Korean government’s EBS online school for the full Korean national curriculum, supplemented by local school attendance for social interaction. This offered curriculum continuity but required significant parental involvement and created dual-school workload challenges.
| Criteria | CISH | Hefei No. 1 Intl. Div. | Korean Online + Local |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | Alberta (Canada) | British Columbia | Korean national |
| Language of instruction | English | English (bilingual) | Korean / varies |
| Annual tuition per child | RMB 120,000 | RMB 60,000 | Free + RMB 50-100K |
| Korean peer group | 15–20 Korean students | 5–10 Korean students | None at local school |
The Parks chose CISH for both children, driven by its established track record, stronger Korean peer group for social support, and comprehensive extracurricular program. CISH’s English as an Additional Language (EAL) support program was critical: Soo-Jin attended intermediate EAL three times per week for her first semester, while Min-Ho attended daily beginner EAL for his first two months. Soo-Jin struggled initially with the Alberta curriculum’s emphasis on critical thinking and class discussion, but improved from C+ to B- by end of semester. Min-Ho adapted quickly through play-based learning and formed his first friendship with a German-Korean classmate within the first week.
3. Healthcare Navigation: From Routine Care to Emergency Services
The Parks’ primary healthcare provider became the International Medical Center (IMC) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University (安徽医科大学第一附属医院). The IMC offers English-speaking physicians, a comfortable waiting environment, and direct billing with most international health insurers. The Parks’ comprehensive international insurance through Min-Jun’s employer covered outpatient visits, inpatient care, dental care, and emergency evacuation.
For routine pediatric care, the Parks registered with the IMC’s pediatric department, which had two English-speaking pediatricians — one UK-trained and one Chinese-American. Both children received school-required physicals, vaccination updates, and vision screenings. The cost for a comprehensive pediatric checkup was approximately RMB 500 (covered by insurance), compared to approximately KRW 150,000–200,000 in Seoul.
Ji-Yeon’s asthma required careful management, particularly during winter when air quality can be affected by coal-fired heating. Before leaving Seoul, her pulmonologist prepared a detailed English-language medical summary with diagnosis, medication regimen, and emergency protocol. The Parks brought a six-month supply of medications from Korea. They purchased three high-quality air purifiers for their apartment and monitored the AQI daily. On severe pollution days (AQI above 150), they limited outdoor exercise. Ji-Yeon’s asthma remained well-controlled throughout their first winter.
In March 2025, Soo-Jin sustained a wrist fracture during a school basketball game. The IMC emergency department examined her, ordered an X-ray (20-minute turnaround), confirmed a non-displaced buckle fracture, and applied a short-arm cast — all within 90 minutes. The total cost of RMB 1,850 was covered by insurance with a RMB 200 co-pay. The Parks learned that the IMC was the appropriate first stop for all medical situations involving their children.
An unexpected positive experience was Ji-Yeon’s exploration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Suffering from seasonal allergies in spring 2025, she visited the Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The TCM practitioner diagnosed “lung qi deficiency” (肺气虚) and prescribed a customized herbal formula. Her allergy symptoms reduced significantly within two weeks, and she now recommends that Korean families consider integrating TCM into their healthcare routine.
| Healthcare Service | Provider | Language | Cost (Out-of-Pocket) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General checkup | IMC, Anhui Medical University | English, Chinese | RMB 400–800 |
| Pediatric checkup | IMC Pediatric Department | English, Chinese | RMB 400–600 |
| Dental cleaning | IMC Dental Clinic | English, Chinese | RMB 300–600 |
| TCM consultation | Anhui Provincial TCM Hospital | Chinese (interpreter recommended) | RMB 100–300 |
| Emergency care (24-hour) | First Affiliated Hospital ER | Chinese (limited English) | RMB 500–3,000 |
Key Takeaways for Korean and Other Asian Expat Families
Q: Is Hefei suitable for Korean families with school-age children?
A: Yes, with the understanding that educational options differ from Seoul or Shanghai. International schools like CISH offer strong academic programs with good university placement for North America and the UK. The Korean community in Hefei is supportive but small (approximately 100–150 families). Families with high school children should carefully evaluate curriculum alignment with university aspirations.
Q: How do Korean families manage healthcare language barriers?
A: The IMC provides English-speaking physicians. A small number of Korean-Chinese (朝鲜族) doctors practice in Hefei — the Korean Association maintains an updated list. For major procedures, many families travel to Shanghai by high-speed train (2 hours) to access international clinics. The Parks used this option once for a specialist appointment.
Q: What cultural adjustments did Korean children face at an international school in Hefei?
A: With fewer Korean peers than in Suzhou, the children integrated more quickly with non-Korean students but had less Korean-language social support. The Parks addressed this by maintaining Korean-only use at home and enrolling children in weekend Korean classes organized by the Korean Association.
Q: What practical advice do the Parks have for Korean families moving to Anhui?
A: Join the Hefei Korean Association WeChat group before arrival; bring a year’s supply of prescription medications; prioritize proximity to CISH when choosing housing; set up Korean-language VPN before leaving Korea; budget for quarterly trips to Shanghai for specialist medical care; and approach the move with an open mind.
Conclusion
The Park family’s experience demonstrates that a Korean family can successfully relocate to Anhui Province with careful planning, realistic expectations, and active engagement with both the local Korean community and the city’s international infrastructure. Key success factors include choosing the right international school with language support, establishing healthcare relationships at the IMC early, maintaining Korean language at home while embracing English and Chinese, and leveraging the Hefei Korean Association as a support network. While Hefei lacks the breadth of Korean-specific infrastructure found in Shanghai or Suzhou, its advantages — lower cost of living, less competitive schools, a tighter-knit expatriate community — create a family living experience many Korean expatriates find genuinely rewarding.