Balcony vs Veranda vs Terrace in Korean Apartments: What 발코니, 베란다, and 테라스 Actually Mean
Walk into any Korean apartment listing and you'll hear three words used like they mean the same thing: 발코니, 베란다, and 테라스. Realtors swap them freely. Your in-laws call the laundry nook a 베란다. The builder's brochure says 발코니 확장. And somewhere in there is a rule that decides whether you can legally knock out that wall and gain three pyeong of living room — or whether doing so turns your home into an illegal structure with a demolition order attached.
Walk into any Korean apartment listing and you'll hear three words used like they mean the same thing: 발코니, 베란다, and 테라스. Realtors swap them freely. Your in-laws call the laundry nook a 베란다. The builder's brochure says 발코니 확장. And somewhere in there is a rule that decides whether you can legally knock out that wall and gain three pyeong of living room — or whether doing so turns your home into an illegal structure with a demolition order attached.
The words matter. Not because of grammar, but because Korean building law treats each space differently. One can be expanded. One cannot. One barely exists in real apartments. This guide untangles all three, in plain language, with the actual law and the actual numbers.
Quick Answer
- 발코니 (balcony) is a buffer space attached to a building's outer wall above the first floor. It's the only one of the three you can legally expand into living space — and that legalization happened with the December 2005 Building Act amendment.
- 베란다 (veranda) is the leftover roof area created when an upper floor is smaller than the floor below it. Expanding it is illegal because you'd be building on top of someone's roof (or your own roof line). Most Koreans call their balcony a "베란다" — it's almost always wrong.
- 테라스 (terrace) is a ground-level (usually first-floor) outdoor space built up from the soil with tile, brick, or wood, connected to the living room or kitchen. It has no ceiling above it and sits slightly below indoor floor level.
- Why it matters: Korean law (건축법 시행령) only recognizes 발코니 as expandable, and even then only up to a 1.5m width that gets excluded from your floor-area calculation. Knowing which space you actually have decides whether expansion is legal, free of extra tax, and safe.
If you remember one thing: the thing you call a 베란다 is almost certainly a 발코니, and that distinction is the whole ballgame.
What is the actual difference between 발코니, 베란다, and 테라스?
These three spaces look similar from a sofa. They are not the same in the eyes of an architect or a building inspector. The difference comes down to where the space sits, how it's formed, and whether anything is above it.
Here's the clean version, drawn from Korea's National Institute of Korean Language and the building code.
| Term | Korean | Where it is | How it's formed | Ceiling above? | Expandable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balcony | 발코니 | 2nd floor and up | Juts out from the building's outer wall | Yes (the floor above) | Yes — legally, up to 1.5m |
| Veranda | 베란다 | Where floors step back | Roof of the lower floor, exposed because the upper floor is smaller | No | No — illegal to expand |
| Terrace | 테라스 | Ground / 1st floor | Built up from soil, paved with tile/wood/brick | No | Restricted (counts toward floor area if over 1m or roofed) |
The single cleanest test: look up. If there's a floor directly above your outdoor space, you have a 발코니. If the space exists only because the apartment above yours is set back and you're standing on its roofline, you have a 베란다. If you can walk out onto it at ground level and it's open to the sky, you have a 테라스.
The National Institute of Korean Language's Standard Korean Dictionary (표준국어대사전) keeps these as three separate headwords, and the architecture community has spent years trying to get the public to use them correctly. A 2023 Newsis feature on confusing construction terms put it bluntly: the words get mixed up constantly, and the mix-up has real consequences when money and permits are involved.
Why does everyone in Korea call their balcony a 베란다?
Because for decades, nobody corrected it.
In a standard Korean stair-type or tower apartment, the space off your living room — the one with the drying rack, the kimchi fridge, and the floor drain — is a 발코니. It's attached to the building's exterior wall, and there's another unit's floor directly above it. By every legal and architectural definition, that's a balcony.
But Koreans have called it a 베란다 for two generations. The habit is so deep that even interior brands and realtors use the wrong word in casual speech. The LX Z:IN style guide — published by one of Korea's biggest interior-materials companies — devotes an entire beginner article to correcting this, stating plainly that "발코니 확장이 맞는 표현" (balcony expansion is the correct term), not veranda expansion.
The 2025 explainer from Zippoom, a Korean real-estate content platform, makes the same point: your apartment's "veranda" is, in nearly every case, actually a balcony.
So why care, if everyone knows what you mean? Because the moment you sign a renovation contract or check a property's legal status, the wrong word can hide a real problem. A true 베란다 cannot be expanded. A 발코니 can. Calling them by the same name is how people end up paying for illegal construction without realizing it.
The "노대" you'll see on legal documents
If you read the actual building code, you won't find the word "발코니" in older statutory text — you'll find 노대(露臺), the Korean legal-architectural term that covers balconies and similar projecting platforms. The NamuWiki entry on 발코니 walks through how "노대" is the umbrella term and "발코니" is the specific projecting type. When you see 노대 on a building register (건축물대장), it's referring to this family of spaces.
What does Korean law say a 발코니 is?
This is where the fuzzy daily language gets a hard legal definition.
The Enforcement Decree of the Building Act (건축법 시행령) defines a balcony as:
"건축물의 내부와 외부를 연결하는 완충공간으로서 전망이나 휴식 등의 목적으로 건축물 외벽에 접하여 부가적으로 설치되는 공간"
In plain English: a buffer space that connects the inside and outside of a building, attached to the exterior wall, installed for views or rest. That definition is confirmed on Korea's official easylaw.go.kr legal-information portal and echoed across architecture references like midascad.com.
Two things flow from that definition:
- A balcony is 부가적 (supplementary) — it's bolted onto the main structure, not counted as part of your core living area by default.
- Because it's supplementary, the law gives it special floor-area treatment, which is exactly what makes expansion possible.
| Legal attribute | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Buffer space (완충공간) | Sits between indoor and outdoor; not "rooms" |
| Attached to outer wall (외벽에 접하여) | Must touch the building's exterior, above floor 1 |
| Supplementary (부가적) | Doesn't count as your registered floor area on its own |
| Service area up to 1.5m | This width is excluded from floor-area calculation |
That last row is the one that built the modern Korean apartment.
When did balcony expansion (발코니 확장) become legal?
December 2005. That's the date that changed how Korean apartments are built and renovated.
Before then, expanding a balcony into living space sat in a legal gray zone — widely done, technically not sanctioned. The December 2, 2005 amendment to the Building Act Enforcement Decree (건축법 시행령) formally legalized converting a residential balcony into living room, bedroom, or storage use. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport published a full explanatory document on the new standard, archived as a primary-source PDF on CODIL, Korea's construction-information library. Korea's government policy site korea.kr carries the official policy briefing on the same change.
The mechanics matter. The amendment didn't just say "go ahead." It set the 1.5m rule:
When calculating a building's floor area, you subtract from each balcony the length of its longest exterior-facing wall multiplied by 1.5 meters.
In practice, that means up to 1.5m of balcony depth is treated as "service area" (서비스 면적) — it doesn't count toward the registered floor area you're taxed and regulated on. So when a builder advertises a "84㎡ apartment with full balcony expansion," the lived-in space is meaningfully larger than 84㎡, because the expanded balcony depth rode in for free under this rule.
The detailed procedures live in a separate ministerial notice, 발코니 등의 구조변경절차 및 설치기준 (Balcony Structure Change Procedures and Installation Standards), available in full on Korea's national law portal. If you're planning a real renovation, that's the document your contractor should be able to cite.
For the full cost and step-by-step process of doing this in a real unit, see our companion guide on Korean balcony expansion (발코니 확장): costs, rules, pros and cons.
Why can't you expand a 베란다?
Because you'd be expanding onto a roof.
A 베란다 only exists because the floor above yours is smaller than your floor. The "veranda" is literally the exposed top surface of your unit's footprint — the lower floor's roof, left open because the upper floor stepped back. There is no floor above that open space. There is sky.
If you wall that in and roof it over to make it indoor space, you've:
- Built a new enclosed structure on a roof that wasn't designed to be enclosed
- Added registered floor area that was never permitted
- Created an 불법건축물 (illegal structure)
The National Institute of Korean Language's reference materials and Korean architecture explainers are consistent here: a 베란다 is service area like a balcony, but the absence of a ceiling above it means enclosing it is illegal construction. Get caught, and you're looking at administrative penalties — fines (이행강제금), a restoration order to tear it back down, and a flag on your building register that can wreck a future sale.
This is the entire reason the 발코니 vs 베란다 distinction is worth your attention. In a typical flat-plate apartment, you have a balcony, and expansion is on the table. In a stepped/terraced building or a top-floor unit where the roofline opens up, you may genuinely have a veranda — and there, expansion is a legal trap.
| Question | 발코니 (balcony) | 베란다 (veranda) |
|---|---|---|
| Floor above the space? | Yes | No |
| Service area (서비스 면적)? | Yes | Yes |
| Can you legally enclose/expand it? | Yes (since Dec 2005) | No — illegal |
| Risk if you expand anyway | None, if done to code | Fine + demolition order |
When you tour an apartment and the agent says "베란다 확장 다 돼 있어요" (the veranda's already expanded), what they almost always mean is the balcony was expanded — which is fine. But if a unit genuinely has a stepped-back roof terrace that someone enclosed, that's the one to investigate before you buy.
What exactly is a 테라스, and is it the same as a patio?
A 테라스 is the ground-game version of outdoor space — and it's the rarest of the three in standard Korean apartments.
The LX Z:IN guide defines it as an outdoor space on the first floor, built up from the soil (성토) and finished with tile, brick, or wood so you can live on it without stepping on dirt. It connects directly to the living room or kitchen, sits a bit below indoor floor level, and is open to the sky. The Standard Korean Dictionary describes a similar space — typically built about 20cm lower than the indoor floor, used for chairs, sunbathing, or as a play area for kids.
How is it different from a patio or a deck? The terms overlap, but the rough Korean usage breaks down like this:
| Term | Korean | Typical surface | Connected to house? | Raised above ground? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrace | 테라스 | Tile/brick/wood on built-up soil | Yes (living room/kitchen) | Slightly (soil built up) |
| Patio | 파티오 | Paving, often a courtyard | Usually | At grade |
| Deck | 데크 | Wood planks on a frame | Sometimes | Often raised on posts |
For terraces, the floor-area rules differ again. Per the LX Z:IN guide, a terrace area within 1m of the outer wall is generally excluded from floor-area calculation; go beyond 1m, or put a roof over it, and it starts counting. That's why first-floor "terrace homes" (테라스하우스) are marketed as a premium — the usable open space is real and, within limits, doesn't inflate your registered area.
In most mid- and high-rise Korean apartments, you simply don't have a terrace. You have a balcony. Terraces show up in first-floor units, low-rise 빌라, townhouse-style developments, and penthouse 테라스 units where the roof steps back on purpose.
How does balcony expansion actually change a Korean apartment?
Once you know you have a true 발코니, expansion is one of the highest-impact moves in Korean interior work — which is why it's nearly universal in new builds.
The payoff is space and warmth. Korean real-estate guides like houseinfo.kr describe the core benefits: you gain usable square footage by folding the balcony into the room, and a properly expanded balcony with new double-glazed windows (이중창) and added floor insulation actually cuts heating costs by sealing out cold air that a single-pane balcony used to leak.
But there's a non-negotiable safety rule baked into the law. When you expand balconies in an apartment of 4 floors or higher where each unit can't reach two separate emergency stairwells, the code requires a 대피공간 (evacuation space). The numbers, confirmed on Korea's easylaw.go.kr portal and architecture references like midascad.com:
| Evacuation space requirement | Spec |
|---|---|
| Minimum area — per household | 2㎡ or more |
| Minimum area — shared with adjacent unit | 3㎡ or more |
| Wall separation from interior | Fire-rated partition (방화구획) |
| Door | 60-minute fire-resistance rated (방화문) |
| Air | Must be open to outside air |
There are alternatives the law accepts instead of a fixed evacuation room — a lightweight breakthrough panel in the wall to the next unit (경량구조 경계벽), a connecting escape hatch, or a downward escape hatch in the balcony floor (하향식 피난구). Any competent Korean contractor will know which one your building uses. If they shrug at the words 대피공간 or 방화문, find a different contractor — start with our guide on how to hire and vet a Korean interior contractor.
Real-world before/after examples are easy to find. Korean interior platforms like Ohouse-style case galleries show balcony expansions turning a cramped living room into a bright, full-width space with a window wall — the most-photographed renovation in the Korean apartment world. For the trend side of what people are doing with that newly opened space, see our roundup of Ohouse best living room trends translated for 2026.
What you keep, what you lose
Expansion isn't free of downsides, and the honest version matters.
| You gain | You give up |
|---|---|
| 3–5 pyeong of usable space (25-pyeong unit, full expansion) | A semi-outdoor laundry/storage zone |
| Brighter, wider living room | The "buffer" that blocks summer heat and winter cold |
| Lower heating bills (with proper insulation + 이중창) | Higher upfront cost (demo + insulation + windows) |
| Higher resale appeal | A built-in drying area; you'll need an indoor solution |
The "3–5 pyeong" figure is a commonly cited rule of thumb from Korean renovation guides for a roughly 25-pyeong unit with all balconies expanded; your actual gain depends on your floor plan. The critical technical step every source agrees on: insulate the floor and swap single-pane windows for double-glazed (이중창) before you finish the space, or you'll create a cold, condensation-prone room. Materials from window and glass makers like LX Hausys, KCC Glass, and system-furniture giant Hanssem are the standard go-tos for these upgrades.
Which spaces count toward your apartment's official size?
This is the question that ties everything together, because "official size" decides your taxes, your management fees, and what the property register says.
Korean apartments are sold by area, and the headline number (e.g., 84㎡ 전용면적) is the exclusive/registered area. Service areas — balconies within the 1.5m rule, terraces within 1m — sit on top of that number without inflating it. That's the magic of the 발코니 확장 system: builders hand you extra usable space that doesn't show up as taxable floor area.
| Space | Counts toward registered floor area? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 발코니 (within 1.5m depth) | No | Excluded as service area (Dec 2005 rule) |
| 발코니 (depth beyond 1.5m) | Yes | Excess counts |
| 베란다 | No (as-is) — but illegal to enclose | Enclosing = illegal floor area |
| 테라스 (within 1m, no roof) | No | Excluded |
| 테라스 (beyond 1m or roofed) | Yes | Counts |
So when you compare two listings of the "same" 84㎡, the one with full legal balcony expansion genuinely lives bigger — and that difference is baked into Korean pricing. For a deeper read on how these floor plans translate, see Korean apartment floor plans vs American.
One more practical note for renters: if you're on a 전세 or 월세 lease, you generally can't make structural changes — including balcony expansion — without the owner's consent, and you'll want it in writing. Our guide on Korean jeonse apartment interior rules and restrictions covers what tenants can and can't touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the laundry space off my Korean apartment living room a 발코니 or a 베란다? Almost certainly a 발코니. If there's another unit's floor directly above that space, it's a balcony by legal definition — even though Koreans habitually call it a 베란다. The only common exception is a top-floor or stepped-back unit where the space is actually the roof of the floor below; that would be a true veranda. As the LX Z:IN guide states, "발코니 확장" is the correct term for what people call veranda expansion.
2. Can I legally expand my balcony in any Korean apartment? Balcony expansion has been legal since the December 2, 2005 Building Act Enforcement Decree amendment, documented in the Ministry of Land's official standard. But "legal" comes with conditions: in apartments 4 floors and up that lack dual emergency stairwells, you must provide a compliant 대피공간 (evacuation space) — 2㎡ per household or 3㎡ shared, with a 60-minute fire-rated door. Renters also need the owner's consent.
3. What happens if I enclose a 베란다 to gain indoor space? It becomes an illegal structure (불법건축물). Because a veranda has no floor above it — it's an exposed roof surface — enclosing it adds unpermitted floor area. Penalties can include enforcement fines (이행강제금), a restoration order, and a flag on the building register (건축물대장) that complicates resale.
4. How much extra space does balcony expansion actually add? Korean renovation guides commonly cite roughly 3–5 pyeong of added usable space for a 25-pyeong unit with all balconies fully expanded, though the real number depends entirely on your floor plan and how many sides have balconies. The space comes "free" under the 1.5m service-area rule, meaning it doesn't increase your registered floor area.
5. Do balconies, verandas, and terraces count toward my apartment's official square footage? Within the legal limits, no. Balcony depth up to 1.5m and terrace depth up to 1m (unroofed) are excluded from registered floor area as "service area." That's why a fully expanded 84㎡ apartment lives noticeably larger than its number suggests. Exceed those limits — or put a roof on a terrace — and the excess starts counting.
Related Guides
- Korean Balcony Expansion (발코니 확장): Costs, Rules, Pros and Cons
- How to Hire and Vet a Korean Interior Contractor
- Ohouse Best Living Room Trends Translated for 2026
- Korean Apartment Floor Plans vs American: A Translated Comparison
- Korean Jeonse Apartment Interior Rules and Restrictions
This article explains Korean building regulations for general educational purposes and is current as of 2026. Building codes change, and local enforcement varies by district (구청). Before any balcony expansion or structural renovation, confirm requirements with a licensed Korean contractor and your local building office (구청 건축과). This is not legal advice.
Sources:
- National Institute of Korean Language, Standard Korean Dictionary (표준국어대사전) — https://stdict.korean.go.kr/main/main.do
- LX Z:IN, "테라스, 발코니, 베란다 구분법" (definitions) — https://www.lxzin.com/styling/style-guide/detail/484
- Korea Easy Law (찾기쉬운 생활법령정보), 발코니 확장공사 — https://easylaw.go.kr/CSP/CnpClsMain.laf?popMenu=ov&csmSeq=1222&ccfNo=2&cciNo=1&cnpClsNo=2
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 발코니 관련 기준 해설 (2005, primary PDF, CODIL) — https://www.codil.or.kr/filebank/moct2014/200512/MOCT800_1.PDF?nserialno=800
- Korea.kr policy briefing, 발코니 관련 건축법 시행령 — https://www.korea.kr/news/policyNewsView.do?newsId=115085938
- 발코니 등의 구조변경절차 및 설치기준 (ministerial notice, National Law Portal) — https://www.law.go.kr/%ED%96%89%EC%A0%95%EA%B7%9C%EC%B9%99/%EB%B0%9C%EC%BD%94%EB%8B%88%20%EB%93%B1%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B5%AC%EC%A1%B0%EB%B3%80%EA%B2%BD%EC%A0%88%EC%B0%A8%20%EB%B0%8F%20%EC%84%A4%EC%B9%98%EA%B8%B0%EC%A4%80
- MidasCAD, 발코니의 정의와 대피공간 — https://www.midascad.com/cad_archive/terrace
- Newsis (2023), 베란다·발코니·테라스 차이 — https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20230507_0002293264
- Zippoom (2025), 베란다·발코니·테라스 의미와 차이점 — https://zippoom.com/content/detail/317
- NamuWiki, 발코니 — https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EB%B0%9C%EC%BD%94%EB%8B%88
- HouseInfo, 아파트 발코니 확장 장단점과 비용 — https://houseinfo.kr/blog/0392-apartment-balcony-extension/
- Homify Korea, 아파트 발코니 확장 인테리어 사례 — https://www.homify.co.kr/ideabooks/6730294