Biotech and life sciences occupiers in Seoul typically cluster in Seongsu, plan ~320 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out ($180–260/sqft), and pay around 142000 KRW/sqft ($34 USD) on Class A.
Biotech and life sciences occupiers in Seoul typically cluster in Seongsu, plan ~320 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out">fit-out ($180–260/sqft), and pay around 142000 KRW/sqft ($34 USD) on Class A.
Biotech and life sciences occupiers in Seoul typically anchor in Seongsu. Fashion, design, tech-creative, advertising, hospitality.
Class A rent in Seoul runs 142000 KRW/sqft ($34 USD) on a 5-year lease with 6 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index.
Typical biotech and life sciences fit-out targets high-end specification at $180–260/sqft. Branded reception, full client-facing programming, premium furniture, and specialist AV are standard.
Plan around 320 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount biotech office in Seoul typically targets 32,000 sqft of leasable area.
Cluster effects are decisive: PhD-grade talent concentrates near academic-medical anchors and translational research institutes. Deepest tech (Samsung, LG, Naver, Kakao) and finance talent pool in Korea. Average all-in compensation indexes 82.
Headline corporate tax: 24.2%. Standard 5-year lease (often 3+2). Rent + management fees billed separately. Large jeonse (lease deposit) common — 10-20x monthly rent. Reinstatement contractual.
| city | Seoul |
|---|---|
| industry | Biotech and life sciences |
| naics | 541714, 541715, 325412 |
| preferredSubmarket | Seongsu |
| preferredFitoutSpec | High-end |
| fitoutBand | $180–260/sqft |
| sqftPerSeat | 320 |
| classARentLocal | 142000 KRW/sqft/yr |
| classARentUsd | $34/sqft/yr |
| vacancyPct | 5.2% |
| typicalLeaseYears | 5 |
| typicalRentFreeMonths | 6 |
| talentIndex | 82 |
| corporateTaxPct | 24.2% |
Reviewed by Kenji Watanabe — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.