Over Baggage Fear and LBC Express to the Rescue

Saturday, a day before our flight we have to wake up early to clean the apartment by throwing all the garbage and washing the bedding. I also threw my old shoes and slippers as I can't bring them anymore even I like too. My bag is already full, I have two luggage, one backpack, one body bag, one computer bag and camera bag to my husband's irritation because they are too many to carry and I might be in over baggage.

It took me time to get out of our apartment because of too many bags I have to carry. My husband didn't help me until we get out our apartment building, my husband repetitively asked me how can I carry my things when we travel as he will not help me if I am expecting a help from him.

Left no choice I tried to contact Edelyn while we are in the bus going to Incheon if they are open during Saturday, unfortunately they are not.  With her help,  I am able to connect with their new employee (ate Marlene) and I think with their boss permission they are able to open their  office. I was relived and thankful to them, although at first I am thinking of leaving the bag to Edelyn or to someone in Korea that wanted it, it is better than leaving the things in the hostel. My husband agreed with my idea as it will save me paying for the box fee.

To cut the story short, after reaching our hostel we immediately went back to the airport where the hostel employee pick us up after we arrived from Icheon.  We took the subway to Hyehwa, my husband carrying the small bag and me a plastic bag with towel, toiletries bag and my personal documents. The trip took so long and it was quite tiring for me to hold the bag so it accidentally slip to my embarrassment because my things was thrown in the floor train. Ha-ha

My husband was already annoyed with me because instead of resting he is traveling with me to Hyehwa, and when we reached Hyehwa he was more agitated because there are lot of people and traffic on the cross street. When we finally reached the LBC office I was happy to see Edelyn and ate Marlene, they are very friendly and helpful. I am little embarrassed for disturbing them on their rest day, and a sign of being grateful I would like to give them chocolates but they declined. I don't know how to pay their kindness, so I just say my sincere thank you again. Nothing new, because it is already my habit giving token to someone, I originally would like to give them souvenirs but I already sent them home so I was left no choice.  Thanks again sis Edelyn and Ate Marlene!

Well, the box should be shipped on Friday but due to unseen problems it was moved the next week, and today it should be a week already since it was shipped if the shipping was made last week.

LBC Korea branch is located at: 1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea. Jumbo Box size – 73 x 52 x 73 Hotline/Contact #: 1661-5899

Sending a Balikbayan Box from Korea to the Philippines with LBC Korea

With less than five months left before we leave Korea, we had already started packing the things we no longer used. Instead of waiting until the last minute, I decided to slowly send some of our belongings back home to the Philippines.

A few days ago, I mailed one box through EMS, but I still had three more boxes waiting to be sent.

I had already sorted everything into different boxes. The first box contained souvenirs and travel magazines, the second was mostly clothes, while the third was a mixture of everything else—books, shampoo, lotions, and other personal items.

Trying LBC Korea for My Balikbayan Boxes

The other day, I decided to try LBC Korea instead of using EMS again. I called their hotline and ordered two large boxes for my belongings.

I decided to give LBC a try because of my previous experience with EMS. The last few boxes I had sent through EMS had been opened, and unfortunately, some items were missing. Even the box I had mailed just a few days earlier was still in transit at that time.

Because of that experience, I thought it might be worth trying another courier service. Since we were already preparing to leave Korea, I wanted a more convenient way to send our things home to the Philippines.

I decided that I would write about my LBC Korea balikbayan box experience once everything arrived. I was especially curious about how long the shipment would take and whether everything would arrive safely.

Thankfully, my experience turned out well. My boxes were shipped to the Philippines, and when my family received them, all of my items arrived complete. That was a huge relief!

LBC Balikbayan Box vs. EMS

One thing that caught my attention about LBC Korea was the way they charged for the shipment.

With EMS, shipping costs are generally based on the weight of the package. With LBC's balikbayan box service, the price was based on the size of the box and the destination, rather than simply charging by the kilogram.

At the time I sent my boxes, I was quoted ₩120,000 for one large/jumbo box going to Manila and Luzon, while shipments to Visayas and Mindanao cost ₩140,000, regardless of how heavy the box was.

For someone sending a lot of belongings home, this seemed like a more practical option because I could fill the box without worrying about every additional kilogram.

Sending Our Things Home Before Leaving Korea

Moving from one country to another is not easy, especially after living somewhere for several years. You accumulate clothes, books, souvenirs, personal items, and so many little things that you don't realize how much you have until it's time to pack everything.

With only a few months left in Korea, sending our belongings home little by little made the move feel more manageable.

It was also a little emotional going through those boxes. Some contained things I had collected during our years in Korea—souvenirs, magazines, clothes, and other memories from the life we had built there.

At that point, sending balikbayan boxes wasn't just about getting our belongings from Korea to the Philippines. It was also a reminder that our six-year chapter in Korea was slowly coming to an end.

LBC Korea Branch

At the time of my original post, the LBC Korea branch I used was located at:

1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

The hotline number I called was 1661-5899.

Note: These branch details, telephone numbers, and shipping rates are from the time of my original experience and may have changed.