Apartment ads and Korean friends still talk in pyeong (평). Convert pyeong to square meters or square feet instantly, then see what "a 34-pyeong apartment" really means — and why the number on the listing is bigger than the space you actually get.
The formula
1 pyeong = 400 ÷ 121 m² ≈ 3.3058 m² ≈ 35.58 sq ft. To go the other way, multiply square meters by 0.3025. Pyeong comes from an old East Asian unit equal to a square of 6 ja on each side — roughly the size of two tatami mats.
Pyeong conversion table
| Pyeong | Square meters | Square feet | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 16.5 m² | 178 sq ft | Small one-room (wonlu) studio |
| 10 | 33.1 m² | 356 sq ft | One-room or small officetel |
| 15 | 49.6 m² | 534 sq ft | Two-room villa or 1.5-room officetel |
| 18 | 59.5 m² | 641 sq ft | "59 type" — marketed as 24–25 pyeong |
| 25 | 82.6 m² | 890 sq ft | Mid-size villa or small apartment |
| 25.4 | 84 m² | 904 sq ft | "84 type" — marketed as 33–34 pyeong, the classic family flat |
| 34 | 112.4 m² | 1,210 sq ft | Supply area of an 84 m² apartment |
| 40 | 132.2 m² | 1,423 sq ft | Large family apartment |
Exclusive area vs. supply area
This is where most foreigners get confused. Korean apartments list several areas:
- Exclusive area (전용면적, jeonyong): the space inside your front door — rooms, kitchen, bathrooms. This is the number to compare.
- Supply area (공급면적, gonggeup): exclusive area plus your share of hallways, stairs and elevators. "34 pyeong" usually refers to this.
- Service area: balconies, often expanded into living space and not counted in either figure.
So an apartment called "34 pyeong" usually has about 84 m² (25.4 pyeong) of exclusive area. Officetels often have a much lower exclusive ratio than apartments, so the same advertised size can feel noticeably smaller.
Frequently asked questions
How many square meters is 1 pyeong?
1 pyeong is 400/121 m², about 3.3058 m² or 35.58 square feet.
Is a 34-pyeong apartment really 34 pyeong?
Usually not inside. 34 pyeong is normally the supply area; the exclusive living area is about 84 m² (25.4 pyeong).
Why do Koreans still use pyeong?
Habit. Metric is mandatory on paper, but people, agents and even news reports still say "how many pyeong?" in conversation.
How big is a typical Seoul one-room?
Most one-room studios are 5 to 8 pyeong (16–26 m²) of exclusive area.
Related calculators
Sources: Measures Act (metric use in transactions); building register and apartment area definitions from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Conversions are exact; typical-home descriptions are general guides. Last checked October 2026.
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