This article covers the benefits of a Wise account, including how you can send money internationally, spend in Korea by card, and how to receive payments from abroad. There’s also information about who can get a Wise account, what currencies you can use, and how to spend and send money.

I’ll also share the best ways to send money from abroad to Korea (including the US and UK) and how to send money out from Korea to other countries, too. These include Korea-based banks and banking apps that you can use as an expat in Korea to send and receive money with lower fees than banks charge.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is Wise And How To Use It In Korea

In the words of Wise, their service is “an international money transfer service designed to make cross-border transactions more affordable, transparent, and efficient.” Wise utilises peer-to-peer technology to offer the mid-market rate for international transfers and currency exchanges, which helps to reduce currency conversion costs for you. Revolut offers a similar service.

Basically, you can send, receive, and spend money internationally at rates that are better than what you’d find at airport money exchanges and offered by banks for international transfers. You can use the app or website to send and receive money internationally and also get a physical or digital card to spend in shops, restaurants, hotels, attractions, and elsewhere.

Here are some of the benefits I’ve discovered of having a Wise account and getting a Wise card:

How To Use Wise In Korea

If you want to get a Wise account to spend money in Korea or make international transfers, you’ll need to make sure you sign up for a Wise account before you travel to Korea. Unfortunately, you can’t create a Wise account from inside Korea. You’ll need to confirm your identity by phone when you create an account, therefore, do it in your home country before going to Korea.

Once you have a Wise account though, you’ll discover a world of international banking that is much easier than using local banks in each country and, in my experience, much cheaper, too. If you travel internationally a lot, or visit other countries on holiday from time to time, you’re sure to find that a Wise account can make spending your money more convenient and less risky.

There are several ways you can use Wise in Korea as an expat or traveller. I use Wise to do all of these things and more, as I’ll show you in the following sections.

Learn more: For full details about how to use Wise and the many benefits of using a Wise card to pay for things in Korea, check out my article all about how to use Wise in Korea. For details about how to plan your travel money and what methods of payment are accepted in Korea, check out my article about ways to pay in Korea and you’ll discover the best travel money mix for you.

If you’re interested in getting a Wise account, you can use these links below to find your local Wise site:

How To Use Wise To Send Money To Korea

This section will show you how to use Wise to send money to Korea in two different situations, based on who is sending the money and who is receiving the money. The first situation deals with how to transfer money to Korea from your own account using Wise, while the second details how someone else can send money to Korea from other countries into your Wise account.

1 – How To Transfer Your Own Money Using Wise

This situation is for expats living in Korea or people travelling to Korea. It assumes you already have a Wise account that you created before going to Korea to live or travel. You need to open a currency account in Wise for whatever currency you want to transfer into Korean won – this is really easy and you just have to select the currency in the app and choose ‘open’. It takes ten seconds.

Step 1 – Add money to your Wise account in your own currency: I have a UK bank account, so I add money from my UK bank account to Wise. You can add funds by credit card, debit card, bank transfer, or Swift transfer. To add money, select the currency you want to add in the app and click on the big green button that says ‘Add‘ and follow the instructions. The money usually transfers instantly.

Step 2 – Convert your currency into Korean won: You can convert money into Korean won in the Wise app in two ways. Firstly, click on the button that says ‘Convert‘ in the currency you just added (GBP in this case) and choose to convert to Korean won. Secondly, go to your Korean won account in the app and select ‘Add‘. There’s a small fee to convert money, as shown in the image above.

Step 3 – Spend the money in Korea using your Wise card or withdraw cash from an ATM: Once you’ve converted your money into Korean won, you can use your Wise card to spend in Korea at most shops, restaurants, hotels, etc., or withdraw cash from a ‘Global ATM’. I recommend using the card as there’s no fee to pay by card but the Korean ATMs will charge a fee to withdraw cash.

2 – How To Send Money To Wise For Someone Else

This situation is for people outside of Korea who want to send money to people in Korea who have a Wise account. You (the person sending the money) don’t need to have a Wise account yourself, but the person receiving the money should have a Wise account. You will be sending money in your own currency and shouldn’t have to pay any fees to transfer the money.

Step 1 – Ask for the Wise account details of the person you want to send to in Korea: When you create a currency account in Wise (e.g. GBP or USD), you will receive a bank account number, along with details including your Sort Code, IBAN, SWIFT, or BIC numbers. You can find these account details by going to that currency in your Wise app and clicking on the account number (as shown below).

Step 2 – Send money to the Wise account from your own account: For this example, I will assume that my mum wants to send me £100. I provide her with my Wise account details for my GBP currency account that is shown in the Wise app. She can make a bank transfer from her bank to Wise in the same way she’d transfer money to anyone else in the UK. I receive the money in my Wise account.

Step 3 – Convert the money you received into Korean won: After my mum has kindly sent me £100 to my Wise GBP currency account, I can now convert that money into Korean won and use my Wise card to spend it in Korea to buy myself a new pair of shoes or a fancy meal out. Thanks, Mum! The transfer didn’t cost my mum anything and I now get to spend the money in Korea as I like.

Can You Transfer Directly To Korean Won With Wise?

Unfortunately, as Wise doesn’t allow people in Korea to sign up for a Wise account (I suspect this is due to strict Korean banking regulations), you won’t be assigned a Korean bank account when you create a Korean won currency account. That means you can’t transfer money directly from one country into Korean won and will need to choose one of the methods shown above.

Simply put, to transfer money to Korea with Wise, you need to transfer money to another currency account in Wise and then convert that into Korean won. Even though there’s no Korean won bank account, you can still spend money in Korea with your Wise card without any extra fees or hidden conversion costs after you’ve converted money into Korean won in your Wise app.

Transfer Money From Wise To A Korean Bank Account

You can transfer money from your Wise account directly to a Korean bank account in the Wise app. Select the Korean won currency account in the app and click on ‘Send‘. Enter the details of the recipient (bank account, name, etc.) and select the amount of Korean won you want to send. Alternatively, you can share a payment link and send that. There’s a fee of ₩1,450 to make a bank transfer.

Currencies That Offer Bank Accounts With Wise

Although it’s not possible to get a Korean bank account with Wise, you can open bank accounts in the following currencies and make transfers or receive deposits in those currencies:

AUD / CAD / EUR / GBP / HUE / MYR / NZD / PLN / RON / SGD / TRY / USD

You can also add money to your Wise account in the following currencies:

AUD / BGN / BRL / CAD / CNY / CHF / CZK / DKK / EUR / GBP / HUF / IDR / JPY / MYR / NOK / NZD / PLN / RON / SEK / SGD / TRY / USD

Please note: There are some exceptions and conditions for certain currencies based on the country you’re in. Check the Wise website for more details about money transfers in your desired currency.

Why I Use Wise For International Banking

As an expat who works online, I receive and spend money in various currencies (USD / GBP / AUD / EUR / KRW) and use my Wise account to manage and convert them as I need. I can receive money into my USD account on Wise and use the app to convert that into Korean won to spend in Korea, as detailed previously. Wise allows me to manage my international banking needs in one app.

Not only do I use Wise to spend my USD / GBP money in Korea in Korean won, I also use my Wise card when I travel internationally. I recently travelled to Thailand and used my Wise card as my main payment method when cards were accepted. I converted USD and other currency balances to THB in $200 batches and then spent with card or withdrew cash from Thai ATMs as needed.

Another reason I use Wise for international banking as an expat in Korea is that it allows my family to send money to my Wise account (or UK bank account which I then transfer to Wise) that I can spend in Korea. The alternative to using Wise for this would be to receive money into my UK bank account and then withdraw cash in Korea or pay by card – both are expensive options due to bank charges.

Sometimes I need to receive money in currencies that aren’t KRW or GBP and, thanks to Wise, I can do that without having to do a complicated or expensive international transfer between another country and the UK. It’s free to add extra currency accounts in Wise and you don’t need to go through the long, complicated process of setting up a foreign bank account. It’s so simple and quick.

How I Send Money From Korea To My Wise Card

As mentioned, Wise doesn’t allow you to create a Korean bank account, so you can’t send money directly from a Korean bank account to Wise. Fortunately, there are other ways to send money from Korea to other countries. My favourite way is with SentBe, a Korean FinTech company providing international money transfers for a low fee (₩2,500). You need a Korean phone number to use SentBe.

To transfer money from your Korean bank to your Wise account using SentBe, you will need to enter your international (Global) account numbers provided in the Wise currency account of your choice. For example, I would enter my Wise GBP currency account details into SentBe and send money from my Korean bank account to my Wise account. The money is converted into GBP, not KRW.

Alternatively, you can send money from Korea with SentBe directly to your home bank account if you don’t plan to use that money with your Wise card. If you need to send large amounts of money from Korea to other countries, please note that there is a limit of 50,000 USD per year that you can send. I believe this is being increased to 100,000 USD in the future. There are daily limits, too.

There are other apps and websites that provide international transfers from Korea, such as WireBarley, Western Union, and MoneyGram. I haven’t tried any of these options, but from my own experience and feedback from other expats living in Korea, SentBe seems to be the cheapest and most used method.

Other Ways To Transfer Money To Korea

Apart from using Wise to transfer money to Korea, there are some other methods you can use.

Bank Transfer (Remittance): Send money to Korea by entering in the Korean bank details of the person you’re sending money to in Korea. This is how I used to transfer money, but the fees for doing this can be high and the exchange rates can be bad.

International Remittance Provider: You can use companies like Western Union, Currency Fair, or Remitly to send money to a Korean bank account or (in some situations) to be collected in cash at an approved location. Be careful with this method as some frauds are conducted through international remittance providers. Only send money to accounts you trust.

Based on my experience as an expat for more than 13 years in Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia, I can say that using Wise in combination with my home bank account, Korean bank account, and SentBe has been the best option for sending money to Korea and transferring money out of Korea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to use Wise to send money to Korea. These answers are based on my own experience and from research conducted to write this article. If you have any more questions about this topic, please feel free to post a comment at the end of this article.

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This article will cover the most popular methods of payment, like cash and credit cards, as well as other methods, such as mobile payment apps, Korean debit cards, and transportation cards. From street food to shopping, sightseeing, and singing rooms, spending money in Korea doesn’t need to be difficult.

I’ve lived and travelled in Korea since 2015 and helped hundreds of people plan their trip to Korea through this website and social media groups. I want to share all of my best tips to help you save money, avoid problems, shop, and spend in Korea more easily and to help you plan your Korean adventure.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Cash Or Card: What’s The Best Way To Pay In Korea?

Which is better, cash or card when you want to pay in Korea? Well, it depends on a number of factors, such as what you’re buying, where you’re buying it from, and which country you’re visiting from. You might use cash to pay for small purchases in stores, traditional markets, or for street food, but as all merchants in Korea are required to accept credit cards by law, the need for cash is shrinking.

Using a credit card is the best payment method in Korea and will allow you to pay safely and conveniently for tours, hotels, meals, coffee, and more. Visa and Mastercard are accepted widely for payments in Korea from small purchases in shops to large payments like hotels and tours. However, using a foreign credit card isn’t 100% reliable for payments, so taking cash is a good backup.

Korea is fast becoming a cash-free society with a strong push for digital payments through apps, as well as the use of credit cards and mobile payments. Public transport has long rewarded travellers who don’t use cash with discounted fares available through transportation cards. These days, many buses are cash-free and won’t accept cash in cities like Seoul (20% of buses) and Daejeon (all buses).

If you don’t want to pay with your credit card when travelling in Korea, an alternative is a multi-currency travel card, such as those offered by Wise and Revolut, as well as payment apps such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. These are becoming more common as a means to spend money when visiting Korea and a way to possibly save money vs. exchanging cash.

Recommended Money Mix For Visiting Korea

What payment options would I recommend for Korea? From my own experience of travelling abroad for over 20 years, I recommend a mixture of cash and card, as well as paying for as much as you can before travelling so you can pay in your home currency. Booking hotels, tours, and attractions through sites like Klook.com can potentially save you money and avoid exchange fees.

Here’s a suggested money mix for visiting Korea:

• Bring 20-30% of your budget in cash (Korean won or your own currency).
  • You can withdraw extra cash using a credit card or multi-currency card if you need to.
• Bring a credit card or multi-currency card for the other 70-80% of expenses.
  • Alternatively, get a WOWPASS when you arrive in Korea and bring more cash to top it up.
• Book as much as possible online before you travel.
  • Online prices for attractions are generally much cheaper than the gate prices.

Despite Korea being card-friendly, there are still times when you need cash, so definitely bring some with you or withdraw it from a Global ATM in Korea. I suggest using a card for most of your spending as it’s quick, convenient, and increasingly the only option due to Korea’s move away from using cash.

Which card you bring depends on what you’re comfortable using. I travel using a Wise multi-currency card to make payments and receive money in Korea from my own account and other sources. When I travel to other countries in Asia, such as Thailand, I don’t use my UK credit card as my bank charges me an exchange fee. It’s much cheaper for me to transfer money to my Wise card instead.

Another option that I would recommend to travellers, especially those from other parts of Asia, is bringing cash and loading it onto a WOWPASS, which is a Korean debit card. The WOWPASS allows you to exchange money from 15 foreign currencies into Korean won and load it onto the debit card, which you can use to pay across Korea.

I’ll cover each of the payment methods discussed above in the following sections so you can get a better idea of the pros and cons of each and whether it’s the right way for you or not.

Disclaimer: This guide is intended to provide you information about payment options in Korea and the practicality of using each. I don’t think there is one payment option that is suitable for all travellers and I recommend you look at your own situation and determine what’s best for you based on exchange fees from your country, fees charged by your bank, and whether your credit card works overseas.

Paying By Debit And Credit Card In Korea

Credit cards from Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Korea and will work in most locations, including tourist attractions, hotels, shops, department stores, and restaurants. American Express is also accepted, but not as widely. Using your credit card in Korea can be a great way to build up points / miles and your card may have other benefits, such as travel insurance.

While larger businesses are likely to accept foreign credit cards, you might find that smaller ones refuse to accept them or are unable to process them, which is why I recommend bringing some cash or getting a Korean debit card just in case. However, in most places, especially in tourist-friendly places like Seoul, Busan, and Gyeongju, international credit cards should be accepted without any problems.

Here are some considerations when deciding whether you should pay by credit card in Korea:

Foreign Exchange Fees: Your bank may charge you a fee when you use your credit card overseas. Be sure to check with your bank before travelling so you don’t find unexpected costs when you return.

ATMs: Foreign credit cards should work at ‘Global ATMs’ in popular tourist areas like Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Gangnam, as well as at Incheon Airport. However, other ATMs in Korea may not accept non-Korean credit cards. There is usually a fee to use a Korean ATM of around ₩3,600 (about $3). Also, Korean ATMs don’t operate 24 hours a day and close around 11pm at night.

Chip & Pin Use: Card payments in Korea are done by touching the card to a card reader or inserting the card and signing for the payment if it’s over ₩50,000. Chip & Pin isn’t commonly used in Korea.

Blocked Cards: Your bank may block your credit card when travelling as a security measure. It might be necessary to tell your bank that you plan to travel to Korea so they don’t block it later on.

Fraud & Card Security: Credit card fraud against tourists in Korea isn’t a serious issue, although it can still happen. Phishing is a growing problem in Korea, but usually against Koreans instead of tourists.

Pay Before You Travel: You can book tours, hotels, attractions, and lots more online before you travel and pay with your credit card. These will charge you in your own currency, so there’s no exchange rate fees and you also have peace of mind that everything is booked before you arrive in Korea.

Debit Cards: If your debit card is from Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, you should be fine using it to pay in Korea in the same way you can a credit card, as long as your bank allows it. However, the same issues will apply when trying to withdraw money from an ATM – you’ll need to go to a ‘Global ATM’ to withdraw cash. Also, you’ll need to check if your bank allows you to use it internationally.

Multi-Currency Cards: Wise And Revolut

I know many travellers feel comfortable using their own credit card due to the various benefits their credit card might offer, but there is another way to pay in Korea that could lower the fees you pay. This alternative is a multi-currency travel card, which allows you to convert money from your home currency to Korean won online and then use that balance to pay by card in Korea.

There are many companies that offer multi-currency travel cards, including Wise and Revolut, which are available to residents of the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and many other countries. Starling Bank (UK), YouTrip (Singapore), Chime (US), N26 (Eurozone), and KOHO (Canada) also provide multiple-currency travel cards.

The main benefits of these cards can include:

• Top-up from your home bank account.
• Only spend what you need.
• No transaction fees when you pay by card.*
• You get the mid-market exchange rate.*
• Withdraw cash from ATMs.
• Track your spending with the app.
• Instantly freeze and replace your card.
• Digital payments through Google / Apple Pay*
• Can be used in dozens of countries.*

*depending on the card and the terms and conditions of that card

What’s good about these cards? Multi-currency cards offer a lot of flexibility and cost savings when travelling as you can get the mid-market exchange rate on currency exchanges, which is typically better than the rates offered by money exchanges. It’s easy to control your spending in the connected app and you can transfer more money to the card when you need it. Any leftover money can be refunded, saved for later, or converted into another currency. You can also use them in other countries.

How do these cards let you pay in Korea? The process is really simple. First, apply for the card before you travel and download the relevant app that goes with it. Transfer money from your bank to top-up the card balance in your home currency and then convert that into Korean won (or other currencies you might need). When you arrive in Korea, use the card as you would a regular credit card.

My experience using Wise in Korea: I’ve tested out both the Wise card and Revolut card in Korea and they both worked with no real problems. I tested them in restaurants, shops, cafes, attractions, and other places tourists are likely to visit. The only time they didn’t work was at an automated kiosk for train tickets in Seoul Station. I use the Wise card to spend my UK money in Korea or when I travel.

Learn more: This article about using Wise in Korea shows you how to get a Wise card, how it can save you money as you travel (in many countries), how to activate the card in Korea, and lots more.

WOWPASS Korean Debit Card

An alternative to using your own credit card to pay in Korea is to get a local Korean debit card called the WOWPASS. The WOWPASS has two great functions that make it a practical solution for travellers to Korea, especially those from countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Debit Card Function: The main feature of the WOWPASS is the ability to pay like a local in Korea with a debit card issued by a Korean company, which is accepted in most locations. You can exchange 15 currencies, including PHP, IDR, MYR, THB, into Korean won to top-up the debit card (up to a value of 1 million won) at the WOWPASS terminals found across Korea. This helps you to avoid exchanging cash elsewhere and you can withdraw cash from the card in Korean won, too.

T-Money Function: The WOWPASS comes with a built in T-Money transportation card, which means you can use it to travel on Korea’s buses and subways. This makes it really easy to travel around Korea and you can simply touch in and out of buses and subways as you travel and the fee will be automatically deducted.

My experience using WOWPASS in Korea: I wrote an article about the WOWPASS and tried using the card in loads of locations in Seoul, Incheon Airport, and Daejeon. It’s very easy to use and the app helps you find the WOWPASS machines where you can recharge the card and exchange money. I still use the card now and I would definitely recommend it as an option for people visiting Korea.

Learn more: Read my guide to the WOWPASS to see how to get one, where it works, how to top it up, ways it can save you money, and my experience using the WOWPASS in Korea.

Cash And Traveller’s Cheques

South Korea’s currency is called the Korean won (₩) and comes in ₩1,000, ₩5,000 ₩10,000 and ₩50,000 notes as well as coins in ₩1, ₩5, ₩10, ₩50, ₩100, and ₩500 denominations. The value of the Korean won can be confusing to travellers from countries where the numbers of the currency are much smaller, such as in the USA, Europe, and the UK.

To understand the value of Korean money, I find it easier to remember what each one will buy you in Korea. A bottle of water costs around ₩1,000, a coffee costs about ₩5,000, a Korean meal costs around ₩10,000, and a budget to mid-range hotel costs about ₩100,000 per night, depending on the season and location.

Paying with cash in Korea is becoming more difficult as restaurants, supermarkets, public transportation, and attractions are moving towards automated kiosks that only accept card or digital payments. However, you will need some cash to pay to top-up transportation cards, such as the T-Money card, which is why it’s useful to have cash before you travel.

Cash is still important and it will certainly be useful to carry it with you as you explore Korea’s markets and food stalls, which should be happy to accept cash. However, as a tipping culture doesn’t exist in Korea, you don’t really need to worry about keeping small bills with you to leave tips. Koreans won’t expect tips in almost all situations.

Where To Exchange Money In Korea

The best place to convert your foreign currency into Korean won is at a money exchange in Seoul, especially in popular tourist areas such as Hongdae and Myeongdong. The aforementioned WOWPASS machines are also great for converting foreign currency into Korean won (to pay by debit card) and both rates are better than airport exchange rates.

As research for this article, I visited money exchanges in Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Incheon Airport, as well as checking the rates given at WOWPASS machines. Overall, the rates were worst at the airport and best with WOWPASS. Here are the rates offered on this specific day (June 29th, 2023) for converting USD to KRW:

• Airport exchange rate: $1 = ₩1,249.00
• Seoul money exchange: $1 = ₩1,287.80
• WOWPASS exchange rate: $1 = ₩1,302.81

Potential savings with Seoul exchanges: If you were to exchange $500, the difference between the airport exchange rate and the WOWPASS exchange machine is ₩26,905 (roughly $20). Depending on your budget, this might not be enough of an incentive to wait to find a money exchange in Seoul instead of changing money at the airport, but if you want to cut costs, there are cheaper options available.

There are money exchanges near subway stations in Myeongdong and Hongdae where you can get competitive exchange rates in Seoul. WOWPASS exchange machines are located across Seoul.

Which currencies can be converted in Korea? Foreign currencies that can be converted into Korean won at the airport and in money exchange machines typically include USD, JPY, EUR, VND, CNY, THB, PHP, AUD, GBP, CHF, SGD, NZD, CAD, HKD, and TWD. WOWPASS exchange machines also accept MYR and IDR.

Global And Local ATMs In Korea

You can withdraw cash from ATMs in Korea using a debit card, but not all ATMs will accept international cards. Look for a sign saying ‘Global ATM’ or ‘Foreign Currency ATM’ to withdraw cash in Korea, like those pictured above which are located in Hongik University Station in Hongdae. You can also withdraw cash using a credit card, but it might be more expensive due to cash advance fees.

ATM fees: Whether you use a debit or credit card, an ATM is likely to charge a fee to withdraw money using a foreign card. The last time I withdrew cash using a foreign card at a Korean ATM, the fee was ₩3,600 (about $3). Your bank or credit card company may also charge a fee on top of that or give you a bad exchange rate when converting from KRW. These costs can add up a lot if you withdraw regularly, so try to make fewer withdrawals.

Where to find Global ATMs: You can find Global ATMs in popular tourist destinations such as Incheon Airport, Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, and Jamsil.

Are Traveller’s Cheques Accepted In Korea?

Yes, traveller’s cheques can be exchanged at Korean banks or currency exchange offices in Korea. You might also be able to exchange them at certain hotels. I haven’t used traveller’s cheques in Korea so can’t say how easy it is to exchange them, but large banks in central Seoul are probably your best option. You can ask at your hotel, too.

Currency Restrictions For South Korea

If you plan to bring cash to Korea and exchange it into Korean won, or even if you’re bringing Korean won, please note that there is a limit of $10,000 USD that can be legally brought into the country. This figure includes travellers cheques. The limit of $10,000 can be exceeded, but you must report it to customs when you arrive.

Korean Public Transportation Cards

If you want to travel on Korea’s excellent public transportation network, then you should pick up a transportation card when you arrive at Incheon Airport or from other locations across the country. The best part about these cards is that they not only allow you to pay for transport in Seoul, you can use them for the whole country and to pay for small purchases, too. Some even give discounts.

Here’s a breakdown of the main transportation cards in Korea and where to buy them:

• T-Money Card: This is the most popular transportation card and can be used on buses and subways, as well as to pay for items in shops, cafes, vending machines, and even tickets for attractions. These cards are available from convenience stores nationwide and come included with the WOWPASS.
• Korea Tour Card: This is a tourist-only transportation card that can be bought at airports and harbours in Korea. It uses the T-Money system to pay for public transport and make payments. You can also get certain discounts when you show this card.
• Cashbee Card: The Cashbee Card by Lotte can be purchased and used in most of the same locations as T-Money. You can purchase a Cashbee Card at convenience stores and subway stations across Korea.
• Rail + Card: The Rail+ Card is sold at train stations across Korea and is run by the national train network. You can use it to pay for train services, including Korea’s high-speed KTX trains, which the other cards can’t.
• Namane Card: The Namane Card by KB Bank uses the Rail+ Card system and can be used in the same locations. However, this card allows you to create personalised card designs.
• Creatrip X Bellygom Card: The Creatrip X Bellygom transportation card is a travel card from Creatrip and features a popular character from YouTube, Bellygom.

Price differences: These cards all cost around ₩3,000 to ₩10,000 for the card, depending on where you buy it, what features it comes with, and whether it has a personalised design or not.

Benefits of transportation cards: These cards offer discounted rates on bus and subway fares (varies by city) and allows you to travel cash-free and conveniently.

Learn more: I’ve written about Korean transportation cards a lot as they’re really useful for travellers coming to Korea. Two of my favourites are the Korea Tour Card, which is a tourist-only transportation card, and the T-Money Card, which is the most popular transportation card used in Korea.

Apple Pay And Samsung Pay

Apple Pay has been available in Korea from March 2023 and can be used in locations that come equipped with NFC enabled payment terminals. There are over 100,000 shops that have NFC terminals in Korea right now, but that number is growing since Apple Pay’s introduction.

Samsung Pay can be used widely in Korea as it doesn’t require NFC terminals to operate and so Korean establishments didn’t bother to install them. Korea is home to Samsung and its payment options have been widely integrated into the Korean payments system.

Can you use Apple Pay or Samsung Pay in Korea? Yes, you can pay with Apple Pay and Samsung Pay if you’ve registered a credit card to either service in your home country.

Will I pay a fee to use Apple Pay? Apple won’t charge a fee to use Apple Pay internationally, but the credit card that you’ve registered with Apple Pay may charge you. If your credit card doesn’t charge a fee to make payments when travelling, then you shouldn’t have any problems paying with Apple Pay in Korea. The same applies to Samsung Pay.

What exchange rate does Apple Pay use? Apple’s exchange rate is whatever rate the credit card issuer is using. The same applies to Samsung Pay. The Wise multi-currency card, in comparison, uses the mid-market rate, which could give you a better rate when you pay in Korea.

What places in Korea accept Apple Pay? It is mostly small and medium sized businesses that have embraced Apple Pay in Korea, such as cafes, restaurants, convenience stores, and shops. Online apps such as Baedal Minjok (food delivery) accepts Apple Pay, but only with Apple Pay accounts registered with a Korean credit card. Samsung Pay is accepted much more widely across Korea.

Korean Mobile Payment Apps

Korea is one of the world leaders in mobile payment apps, which allow you to use your smartphone to make payments as if you’re using a credit card, both online and offline. These are really useful services for foreigners living in Korea and I use Kakao Pay regularly to book train tickets, send money to friends, pay for food deliveries, and more.

Can tourists use Korean mobile payments? Unfortunately, apps such as Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, and Payco, require a Korean phone number and Korean bank account for you to register due to tough banking rules in Korea. The other issue is that these services usually require some Korean language skills to use. Therefore, these aren’t really options for short term travellers in Korea and although they’re useful, I wouldn’t recommend trying to use them.

Learn more: Even if you can’t use Kakao Pay to pay in Korea, you can use services like Kakao talk and Kakao Taxi by creating a Kakao account. This article about Kakao Taxi will show you how to do that.

Problems Paying In Korea

As mentioned, travellers may have some problems when they try to pay in Korea due to certain Korean regulations and policies, especially the no-cash buses and automated kiosks that are increasingly common these days. Here are a few issues tourists to Korea might have regarding making payments.

Online payments: Spending money online in Korea as a foreigner, even when you live here, is frankly a hassle and one that can cause real headaches. Korea has a lot of regulations about online payments, including security checks where you have to provide a Korean phone number to prove your identity to make a payment. Not to mention everything is done in Korean, too.

Most of the time only Korean bank accounts or mobile payments are accepted (which require a Korean bank account) for online transactions in Korea and those are a problem for foreigners even when you have a Korean account and live in Korea. Booking flights using my Korean bank card has been so difficult that I usually end up using my UK card instead and going through a non-Korean website.

Automated kiosks: I see automated kiosks appearing in more and more places these days, including popular attractions like Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. They’re also prevalent in cafes and chain restaurants as it saves money on staff (don’t get me started on the robot waiters!). These machines mostly don’t accept cash payments. Fortunately, they usually come with multiple language options.

Non-staffed convenience stores: Another trend that has been growing, but isn’t too big yet, is non-staffed convenience stores where you enter by swiping your credit card, pick what you want, scan everything at the checkout, then pay with your credit card. As far as I know, these don’t always accept cash and cards are preferred.

Booking rail travel: Korea has a great rail network that’s really well run, is cheap, and covers a lot of the country. The big downside is that you might have trouble paying for tickets online through the official Korail website – letskorail.com – as all payments require 3D Secure verification. An alternative is to use sites like 12Go to book train tickets in Korea, but you’ll pay a slightly higher price.

Similarly, tourists might have trouble booking train tickets at station ticket machines as they require a Korean debit card, as shown in the image below. You should be able to pay at a ticket office in cash or with a credit card, as long as these tickets offices are available and open.

Tips To Save Money In Korea

Here are a few tips I want to share with you to help you save money when visiting Korea.

Book attractions and tours online: I know I’ve said it several times before, but it really is a lot cheaper and more convenient as you can guarantee your booking. Especially useful during peak travel times like spring and autumn.

Get tax back when shopping: Korea has increased the tax-free shopping allowance for travellers to ₩5,000,000 (about $4,000) and it’s really easy to get your tax back when shopping in certain stores. Eligible tax-free shops and department stores offer instant tax refunds (up to ₩1,000,000 per transaction) or you can keep your receipts and get your tax back at Incheon Airport and other departure points.

Use a transportation card: This is a no-brainer. It’s not only cheaper to pay by transportation card, it’s also a lot more convenient and will save you fishing in your pocket for small change.

Don’t eat or drink at hotels: Korean hotels are reasonably priced, but I find their food and drink offerings are really expensive and, worse, not that delicious. There are so many great cafes and restaurants you can visit to get a meal in instead and you can eat much better traditional Korean meals instead of Western buffet.

Take advantage of free things: There are loads of free things to do in Seoul and other places, from walking tours to free attractions and street performances. And if you’re visiting a Korean supermarket or department store, eat your fill of free samples!

Buy souvenirs from Hongdae or traditional markets: Hongdae has loads of snack shops where you can fill your suitcase with gifts for friends and family back home. Traditional markets also offer lots of interesting souvenirs at lower prices than expensive museum gift shops. Insadong is also good for bargain souvenirs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions you might have about travel money and how to pay in Korea. This information is from my own experience and from research conducted to write this article.

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WOWPASS is a new type of travel card and truly one-of-a-kind. It allows you to pay in local currency in Korea, but can be topped up using 15 different foreign currencies. Because it’s issued in Korea, it’s more reliable and is accepted almost everywhere that local Korean bank cards are.

What’s more, there’s a package designed for tourists to Korea that offers not only a WOWPASS travel card, but also an extremely useful Korean sim card and 10,000 KRW T-Money balance, which is perfect for getting around Korea on day 1 of your journey to Korea. Full details in this article.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is A WOWPASS Card?

The WOWPASS card is an all-in-one prepaid Korean travel money card that allows you to pay like a local in Korea and pay for public transportation using foreign currency or Korean won. The WOWPASS allows you to avoid expensive fees or bad exchange rates from using your home bank card in Korea.

One of the biggest benefits of the WOWPASS is the ability to top it up in one of 15 foreign currencies and use it straight away to pay for things in Korea with no fees. The exchange rates are better than you’ll find at the airport and you can avoid the problem of having to carry loads of cash with you.

Here are some more benefits of the WOWPASS card:

How much does the WOWPASS card cost? Only 5,000 KRW. That’s less than $5 USD. WOWPASS includes a T-Money card, which can cost 4,000 KRW alone. If you use an invitation code (such as INMYKOR1) you’ll get 0.5% cashback when you top-up your WOWPASS with a foreign currency.

As you can see in the pictures below, Korea is fast becoming a cash-free society with more places only accepting card payments, including buses, restaurants, cafes, and attractions. The need for a travel money card in Korea has never been stronger and the WOWPASS is an answer to this issue.

WOWPASS Airport Package: Saving You More

As well as all the great benefits of getting a WOWPASS card, there is also a special package for tourists to Korea called the Airport Package. This complete package includes a WOWPASS, 10,000 KRW T-Money balance, and a discounted uSim or eSim with unlimited data to connect to the net.

The Airport Package is great value for money as it offers all of those benefits but at a lower price vs. buying them separately at the airport. Here’s what you get and how much you can save:

*The price of the WOWPASS Airport Package depends on the cost of the sim card you get and all of them are cheaper than what you’ll pay at the airport counters. The sim cards are available for 3 / 5 / 10 / 20 / 30 days so there’s something to suit you, however long you plan to travel in Korea.

A regular WOWPASS card doesn’t come pre-loaded with a 10,000 KRW T-Money balance, so the Airport Package allows you to jump straight onto the subway from Incheon Airport into Seoul. Use the WOWPASS from the Airport Package and touch the barriers at the subway station to travel.

A T-Money card is an essential purchase for any traveller to Korea. Getting a tourist sim card is also really useful for staying connected so you can surf the web, use apps, and check the weather. The WOWPASS Airport Package gives you both of these at a discount and a WOWPASS card, too.

In the rest of this article, I’ll tell you about how to issue a WOWPASS card and how to get the Airport Package, as well as provide details about where and how you can use WOWPASS in Korea. I’ll also explain some of the key benefits of the WOWPASS app and share my experience using WOWPASS.

How To Issue WOWPASS At A WOW Machine

Getting a WOWPASS card is really simple for travellers to Korea. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you download the app, collect your WOWPASS and start using it when you travel in Korea. That’s why I recommend it in my South Korea Travel Guide, which is full of essential Korean travel tips.

How To Issue WOWPASS In Korea

1: Download The WOWPASS App

The WOWPASS app is available for Android and Apple and is essential for using your WOWPASS in Korea. You’ll need to download the app to be able to issue the card.

2: Create A WOWPASS Account

To use the WOWPASS app, you’ll need to create an account. This is simple and all you need to do is enter an email address, password, select your preferred currency, and accepts the T&Cs. Click ‘Finish Sign-Up’ to complete your account and confirm your email address.

3: Enter Your Invitation Code

Open the WOWPASS app and there is an option to enter an invitation code at the top of the screen. If you enter an invitation code, you will receive up to 0.5% cash back on foreign currency top-ups worth a maximum of 1,000,000 KRW. Invitation Code: INMYKOR1

4: Go To A WOW Exchange Machine

Bring your passport and phone with the WOWPASS app installed to one of more than 90 WOW Exchange machines across Korea, including at Incheon Airport inside the Airport Express non-stop train terminal. Select your preferred language and touch the start screen. Select the service ‘WOWPASS Card’ to issue your WOWPASS.

5: Select ‘Get A New Card’

After reading about the benefits of the WOWPASS card, select the option to ‘Get a New Card’ on the WOW Exchange machine.

6: Select The Currency You Want To Top-Up With

To issue a new WOWPASS card, you need to add credit to the card. You can do this in 16 different currencies, including Korean won. If you registered an invitation code when you registered your app, you will get 0.5% cash back when adding credit with a foreign currency.

7: Scan Your Passport

Before you actually add any money to the WOWPASS card, you first need to validate your identity by showing your passport. This rule applies any time you exchange money in Korea, whether it’s at a WOW Exchange machine, a money changer, or in a bank.

8: Agree To The WOWPASS Membership Agreement

After you confirm your identity, you need to confirm one last time that you accept the WOWPASS terms and conditions. You can view these on the WOW Exchange machine and they’re also stated in the app. Select ‘Agree All’ to continue to

9: Deposit Cash Into The WOW Exchange Machine

Add cash in your selected currency to the WOW Exchange machine. You need to add each bill separately. The screen will show you your current balance as you add more notes.

10: Confirm The Deposit And Get WOWPASS

Once you’ve finished adding cash to the WOW Exchange machine, your WOWPASS card will be issued. Please note, the 5,000 KRW fee for the WOWPASS will be deducted at this stage. Press ‘Get Card’ to receive your WOWPASS card from the machine.

11: Insert The WOWPASS Card To Activate It

Collect the WOWPASS card from the WOW Exchange machine and insert it into the card reader slot at the front. Make sure to push it in firmly. Once the card has been inserted, it will be active.

12: Withdraw KRW To Top-Up T-Money (Optional)

After you activate the card in the WOW Exchange machine, it will ask if you would like to withdraw KRW to top-up the T-Money balance of the WOWPASS. The T-Money feature of the WOWPASS doesn’t come with any preloaded balance (unless you buy the Airport Package) and needs to be topped-up in KRW. T-Money balances can only be topped-up in cash. This is an optional step.

13: Remove Your WOWPASS Card From The Machine

When you have finished topping-up the WOWPASS and withdrawing cash (if needed), select ‘Finish’ on the WOW Exchange machine and withdraw your WOWPASS.

14: Register Your WOWPASS With The WOWPASS App

After issuing your new WOWPASS card from the WOW Exchange machine, you will need to register it in the WOWPASS App. Select the ‘Add Card’ button and it will request permission to access your phone’s camera. This is to allow it to scan the barcode on the WOWPASS.

15: Scan The Barcode On Your WOWPASS

On the back of your WOWPASS card is a barcode, as well as your card’s account and T-Money card details. Register your WOWPASS on the WOWPASS app by moving the barcode into the camera window. The app will read the barcode and register your WOWPASS.

16: Start Using Your WOWPASS Card In Korea

Now that your WOWPASS card has been topped up and activated, you can start using it throughout Korea. You don’t need to activate it or top it up at Incheon Airport, you can activate it and get the card at any WOW Exchange location in Korea.

The regular WOWPASS card doesn’t come with any T-Money balance (the Airport Package does). You will need to add money to the T-Money balance on your WOWPASS to be able to use the T-Money functions. I’ll explain more in the section about How To Use WOWPASS T-Money Features.

As you can see from the guide to getting a WOWPASS card above, it is necessary to use your phone to get a WOWPASS, which means you’ll need an active Internet connection. There is free WiFi available in Incheon Airport, but getting a Korean sim card is a more convenient option when in Korea.

That’s one of the reasons why a WOWPASS Airport Package is a great option for travellers to Korea. You can activate the sim card straight away at the airport and use your phone instantly.

How To Pre-Order WOWPASS Airport Package

The WOWPASS Airport Package is a great deal for those who want to start their Korean journey with a pre-loaded T-Money card, a discounted sim card, and their own WOWPASS card to spend like a local in Korea. It’s available at 5 locations in Korea, including Incheon Airport and Busan Harbour.

Here are the steps required to pre-order the WOWPASS Airport Package from the WOWPASS app. Don’t forget to enter your invitation code before you sign up. If you don’t have an invitation code, you can enter mine – INMYKOR1 – or you can ask if any of your friends have a code.

1: Select ‘Airport Package’ In The WOWPASS App

To reserve the WOWPASS Airport Package, open the WOWPASS app and click on the blue banner.

2: Confirm The WOWPASS Membership & T-Money Costs

The next step of reserving the Airport Package is to accept the WOWPASS & T-Money Costs.

3: Choose Your Sim Card

Choose the sim card you want to use. Both USIM and ESIM have the same costs.

4: Select Your Pickup Date

After choosing your sim card, select the date you will arrive in Korea and collect your package.

5: Choose Your Pickup Location

Choose the collection point from one of the five available locations, including Incheon Airport.

6: Enter Your Personal Details

Enter your personal details, including your email address and name as per your passport.

7: Choose Your Payment Method

Choose your payment method (JCB, Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, or UnionPay) and currency, then agree to the terms and conditions.

8: Reservation Successful

After entering your payment details and paying for the Airport Package, you will receive a voucher code and confirmation email.

You can reserve the Airport Package any time before you travel to Korea. I recommend doing it at the same time as you choose your flights to Korea so you don’t forget later on. The next section of this guide will show you how to issue your WOWPASS when you arrive at the airport.

How To Issue WOWPASS Airport Package At Incheon Airport

As long as you’ve reserved the Airport Package in the WOWPASS app, you can quickly and conveniently collect your WOWPASS card with built in T-Money and your discounted sim card at your selected airport or port. It took less than 3 minutes to issue my WOWPASS Airport Package.

Here are the steps required to issue the WOWPASS Airport Package at Incheon Airport:

1: Open The WOWPASS App

Open the WOWPASS App to check your Airport Package voucher code. You will need to show this to the staff at the SK Telecom counter.

2: Go To The SK Telecom Counter

Go to the SK Telecom counter in Terminal 1 of Incheon Airport. You can check the location of the counter in the WOWPASS App.

3: Take A Waiting Ticket

Take a waiting ticket to join the queue at the SK Telecom counter. If there is no one waiting, you can go straight to the counter instead.

4: Provide Passport For ID Check

Show your Airport Package voucher code and provide your passport to confirm your identity. The staff at the counter will check it quickly.

5: Sign For The Airport Package

You will be asked to sign your name on an electronic signature machine to confirm that you have received your WOWPASS Airport Package.

6: Receive Your Airport Package

The staff will hand you your WOWPASS Airport Package, which includes your chosen sim card and a WOWPASS card with T-Money credit.

Once you’ve received your WOWPASS card, you can top it up at any WOW Exchange machine locations, including the one inside the Airport Express terminal. You can add cash the same way as you would when you issue a regular WOWPASS card (step 6 onwards shows you how to top up).

One major benefit of the WOWPASS Airport Package is that it comes with 10,000 KRW in T-Money credit which you can use right away to take the All-Stop train to Hongdae or Seoul Station. The next section will explain how to use the T-Money function of WOWPASS to travel in Korea.

How To Use WOWPASS T-Money To Travel In Korea

The T-Money card is an essential purchase when you travel to Korea as it allows you to pay for buses, subways, taxis, and more across Korea. WOWPASS comes with T-Money functions, which means you save money and wallet-space as you don’t have to buy a separate T-Money card.

Please note: The WOWPASS Airport Package comes with a pre-loaded 10,000 KRW T-Money balance. However, the regular WOWPASS doesn’t, so you will need to top-up before using it. That’s why I strongly recommend getting the Airport Package if you’re flying into Incheon Airport.

Travel From Incheon Airport To Seoul With WOWPASS T-Money

There are several options for getting from Incheon Airport to Seoul, including trains, taxis, buses, and private airport transfers. There are two trains that go to Seoul – the Airport Express (non-stop) and the All-Stop train, which stops at several locations, including Hongdae subway station.

The All-Stop train accepts T-Money, so you can use your WOWPASS from the Airport Package to ride this train into Seoul. Unfortunately, the Airport Express train doesn’t accept T-Money, so you’ll need to buy a separate ticket to ride that. It also only stops at Seoul Station.

Here’s how to ride the All-Stop train from Incheon Airport into central Seoul:

1: Go To The All-Stop Terminal

You can take the All-Stop train to Seoul from Terminal 1or 2 from Incheon Airport. Go to the transport centre on floor B1 of the terminal.

2: Use Your WOWPASS To Enter

Place your WOWPASS on the card reader to enter the All-Stop train platform. The cost will be deducted from your T-Money balance.

3: Ride The All-Stop Train

Enter the All-Stop train carriage at Incheon Airport and ride the train to your desired stop. The journey to Hongdae takes about 50 minutes.

4: Exit With Your WOWPASS

When you leave the train, you will need to place your WOWPASS on the card reader again to finalise your payment through T-Money.

The process of using WOWPASS T-Money is the same when riding the subway in Seoul and other cities in Korea. For buses, tap the WOWPASS to the electronic card reader when you enter the bus, and again when you leave the bus. When you transfer, you’ll get a discount on your next ride.

If you are staying in Hongdae (there are some great hotels in Hongdae), then you can get off at Hongdae subway station and top-up your WOWPASS inside the station or at one of several hotels in the area. Use the WOWPASS app to check WOW Exchange machine locations near you.

How To Top-Up The WOWPASS T-Money Balance

The WOWPASS Airport Package comes with 10,000 KRW T-Money balance, which is enough to take the All-Stop train to Seoul and ride the subway or buses several more times. A one-way subway ride starts at 1,250 KRW and short journeys on buses and subways in Seoul will be the same price.

You can check your T-Money balance on the WOWPASS app by using your phone’s NFC reader to scan your WOWPASS. You can also top-up and check your T-Money balance at ticket machines in train stations, as well as convenience stores across the country.

Here’s how to top-up the T-Money balance on your WOWPASS at a subway station:

1: Go To A Subway Ticket Machine

Go to any subway ticket machine in Seoul or other cities. The machine should say ‘Card Reload Device’ at the top.

2: Select Recharge The Card To Top-Up

Change the language settings as you like, then select ‘Recharge the card’ to top-up the T-Money balance on your WOWPASS.

3: Place WOWPASS On The Card Reader

Place your WOWPASS on the electronic card reader. This will be a flat area with a picture of a card, it changes depending on the machine.

4: Add Cash To Top-Up T-Money Balance

Add cash to top-up the T-Money balance. You can only use cash to top-up a T-Money card, which is standard for any T-Money device.

Once you’ve added the desired amount of cash to top up your T-Money balance on your WOWPASS, select finish and the card balance will be electronically adjusted. Make sure you don’t remove your WOWPASS from the card reader until the machine has finished topping up the balance.

If you’re not close to a subway station and you want to top-up or check your T-Money balance, you can also go to any major convenience store (GS25, CU, 7/11, Emart 24) and do it there.

Here’s how to top-up the T-Money balance on your WOWPASS at a convenience store:

1: Go To A Convenience Store

Go to any major convenience store in Seoul or other cities across Korea.

2: Ask To Top-Up T-Money

Show your WOWPASS and ask to top-up T-Money. Use Papago to translate into Korean.

3: Give Cash To The Cashier

You can only use cash to top-up T-Money balances, so make sure you have cash available to pay with. Give it to the cashier.

4: Place WOWPASS On Card Reader

Place the WOWPASS on the electronic card reader and wait for confirmation from the cashier that the balance has been updated.

Whenever you use your WOWPASS T-Money balance to travel on buses or subways, you should see the fee for the ride and also your remaining T-Money balance. This is the easiest way to check how much you have left to spend and how expensive each journey is.

How To Pay With WOWPASS In Korea

You can travel Korea conveniently with a WOWPASS and T-Money. WOWPASS can be used to pay for street food, souvenirs, attractions, shopping, and everywhere else you’d normally use a card. T-Money can be used to travel on Korea’s amazing public transportation, including subways and buses.

When you want to pay with the WOWPASS, for example in a shop or restaurant, you only need to insert the card into the card reader and it will deduct the payment in a few seconds. When paying with T-Money, simply tap the WOWPASS to the electronic card reader and the payment will be done.

With WOWPASS you can pay like a local in Korea as the card is issued by a Korean company. It will be accepted in locations where regular Korean cards are accepted and paying with WOWPASS is really simple. I’ve used the WOWPASS in lots of different locations across Korea, as shown below:

You can use WOWPASS to pay for entry to attractions like Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, to pay for goods in shops, souvenirs, snacks, meals, coffees, taxis, train tickets, and lots more. With the T-Money function, you can also pay for bus and subway rides, too.

Paying with WOWPASS is really simple. Most payments in Korea are made by inserting your card into a payment terminal or on a card reader. WOWPASS can be used in both of these situations and the card was never rejected when I went to pay. It’s so easy and convenient using WOWPASS.

Get Cashback When Using WOWPASS

There are extra benefits from using WOWPASS in certain shops in Korea, including cashback when paying with WOWPASS. When you use WOWPASS in Starbucks, for example, you’ll get 10% of the value of your purchase back to your card. That means you’re getting 10% off your coffee fix.

Here are some of the other great cashback and discount offers currently available with WOWPASS:

CU Convenience Store:
20% cashback*

Olive Young:
1,000 KRW cashback*

Lotte Duty Free:
20,000 KRW discount and 10% cashback*

Starbucks:
10% cashback*

BBQ Chicken:
1,000 KRW cashback*

Seven Luck Casino:
60,000 KRW Casino chips*

*Terms and conditions apply.
Some cashback may only be eligible after spending a certain amount.

How To Withdraw Cash Using WOWPASS

Most purchases in Korea can be made by card, which is why WOWPASS is so helpful for travellers to Korea. However, sometimes you’ll also want to use cash to make small purchases at food stalls, leave a tip for a tour guide, or to give as spending money to children.

You can withdraw cash from your WOWPASS to spend in Korea using a WOW Exchange machine. Here’s how to withdraw cash using your WOWPASS app and a WOW Exchange machine:

1: Go To A WOW Machine

Use your WOWPASS app to locate the nearest WOW Exchange machine. There are more than 90 in Seoul and other parts of Korea.

2: Select ‘Withdraw Cash’

Choose your desired language and then select ‘Withdraw Cash’ from the 4 options on the WOW Exchange machine home screen.

3: Insert Your WOWPASS

Insert your WOWPASS card into the WOW Exchange machine so it can check your balance. Make sure to push it in firmly.

4: Open Your WOWPASS App

Open your WOWPASS App and go to the settings (cogwheel). Select ‘Manage Card’ and then ‘Verify PIN at Machine’.

5: Authenticate Your Transaction

On the WOWPASS Exchange machine, you will be asked to authenticate the transaction. Enter the PIN from the machine into your app.

6: Withdraw Cash From WOWPASS

Select the amount of cash you want to withdraw (max 100,000 KRW at once). 1,000, 10,000, and 50,000 KRW bank notes are dispensed.

Please note: There is a 1,000 KRW fee to withdraw cash from a WOW Exchange machine. This is a flat fee for each withdrawal, regardless of how much you withdraw. Global ATMs can charge considerably more for cash withdrawals from other credit or debit cards, often up to 4,000 KRW.

Learn more: Discover more options for exchanging money and ways to pay in Korea with this article about travel money in Korea and whether you should bring cash or card with you. There’s also details about alternative payment methods, including mobile apps and multi-currency cards.

How To Use The WOWPASS App

The WOWPASS app is key to using WOWPASS, from registering your card to checking balances, tracking your spending, and protecting your WOWPASS. You can see the latest exchange rates for the 16 currencies the WOWPASS accepts and see how much cashback you’ve earned.

Using The WOWPASS App To Track Your Spending

Staying on top of your spending when you’re on holiday can be really hard, especially if you’re using a foreign currency that’s very different from your home currency. Thankfully, it’s really simple to check your spending history and see your current WOWPASS balance, both in KRW and your own currency.

The WOWPASS app not only shows your current balance and transaction history, it can also show you more details about where you’ve spent money and whether the transaction was successful, refunded, or cancelled. You can also see where you earned cashback from certain vendors.

Using The WOWPASS App To Protect Or Replace Your Card

Problems can happen at any time and should the worst happen, you’ll be happy to know that you can protect and replace your WOWPASS card at any time by using the app. In the ‘Manage’ section of the app, you can see options and instructions about how to pause your WOWPASS and how to reissue it.

Pausing your WOWPASS means that the balance will be protected and no one can spend the money you put on there. If you find your card later, you can unpause your card and use it normally. If you need to reissue the card, you can do so at a WOW Exchange machine by following the instructions.

Using The WOWPASS App To Invite Your Friends

Help your friends discover the benefits and savings of WOWPASS by inviting them to join through the WOWPASS app. Both you and your friend will benefit. If your friends use an invitation code, they’ll get 0.5% cashback when they top-up. You’ll receive 1,000 KRW in WOWPASS credit to spend in Korea.

My Experience Using WOWPASS In Korea

For this review, I ordered the Airport Package with a 10-day 4G SK Telecom sim card. The sim card works really well and SK Telecom are one of the main phone companies in Korea. You can always rely on their sim cards to provide great coverage and secure network connections across Korea.

I signed up for the WOWPASS in summer 2023 and have been using the card since then to purchase goods, meals, snacks, and lots of coffee in various cities in Korea. The card has worked everywhere I’ve tried it, just the same as my regular bank card and T-Money card, which is awesome.

The WOWPASS app is convenient for checking my balance and I get a notification every time I spend money with the card. I can keep track of my spending and top it up when I need to at a nearby WOW Exchange machine. If I lose the card, I know that it’s safe as I can pause and reissue it, too.

My only criticism of the WOWPASS is it’s convenience outside of Seoul. Most of the WOW Exchange machines are located in Seoul, with a few in a couple of other major cities. However, if I am travelling outside of those locations and need to top-up, then I won’t be able to. I wish there was another way.

However, that’s not a major issue and one that I think can best be avoided by topping-up with your planned spending money when you first issue the card. I saw plenty of people adding 1,000,000 KRW balance to their card (the maximum allowed) at the airport. This seems like a sensible idea.

I hope to see more WOW Exchange machines in the future, along with more cashback opportunities for using the card in various shops. I think the WOWPASS card can be a great asset for travellers to Korea and can make their life easier. It can certainly save them some money, too.

WOWPASS Korea FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about WOWPASS and how to use it in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

Support In My Korea

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70 Funny Korean Signs, Images, And Konglish Fails 2024

October 18, 2021March 15, 2024

Joel Marrinan
Korean Culture

You’ll find all the best Korean travel tips and advice in this article. Whether you’re a first-time traveller to Korea, or you’ve visited before, this South Korea travel guide will show what to see, when to travel, and which places to visit, as well as help you avoid any difficult situations or surprising culture shocks.

This guide is designed to walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for your trip to Korea. You can use it to plan your itinerary, to pre-book travel essentials, to learn about what festivals and seasonal events are on, and to find more reasons to want to travel to Korea right now.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What’s In This South Korea Travel Guide

This South Korea travel guide covers all the essential information you need to plan a trip to Korea. This is useful for first-time travellers to Korea who might not be aware of uniquely Korean cultural and travel issues. Even if you’ve visited Korea before, I’m sure you can learn a lot from this travel guide.

This article contains lots of insights and knowledge about travelling to Korea and is quite long. I’ve added links in each section to articles that provide more information about each topic. Therefore, I suggest viewing this South Korea travel guide on a desktop computer as it will be easier to read.

What Are You Looking For?

To help make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for, I’ve broken this article into the following sections. Click the quick links below to jump straight there or keep reading through all parts.

Latest Travel News

Entry Requirements

Why Visit Korea

When To Visit

Flights To Korea

Where To Stay

Korea Travel Costs

Travel Money

Phones & Internet

Public Transport

Where To Visit

Seoul Day Tours

Sightseeing Spots

Korean Activities

Korean Festivals

1-Week Itinerary

Culture Issues

Language Issues

Health & Safety

Korean Travel Tips

Korean Travel News And Travel Restrictions 2024

This section of the South Korea travel guide will show you the latest travel news and restriction updates, including any temporary or permanent changes to the entry process, visa changes, and other things that might affect travel to Korea. COVID-related updates will also be posted here.

Latest Korean Travel News In 2024

This section will detail any interesting or important travel news that could affect travellers to Korea, such as price increases in public transport, travel changes, new services, or closures.

What Are the Current COVID Restrictions In Korea In 2024?

Korea has been removing COVID-related restrictions in the country throughout 2022 and 2023. It is no longer necessary to show a QR code to enter a building and restrictions involving masks and health checks have mostly gone. The latest COVID-related rules for Korea are as follows.

Masks: From Monday, March 20th, Korea has removed the mandatory mask rule for public transport, one of the final places that masks were required for the general public. The only places that require a face mask (from June 1st) are in medical facilities (hospitals). Masks are not mandatory elsewhere, including in schools, shops, restaurants or anywhere outside. Source: Korea Herald

Self-Quarantine: From June 1st, Korea will no longer impose a mandatory self-isolation period on infected people. The government instead ‘recommends’ a period of self-isolation for 5 days to reduce the chance of transmission to other people. Source: Korea Herald

For further details about the latest COVID requirements for entering or travelling in Korea, check out the second section of this South Korea travel guide, which has a list of all the updated entry requirements, including visas, tests, and other considerations.

Current Requirements To Travel To Korea In 2024

This part of the South Korea travel guide is for tourists. If you plan to travel for business, employment, or other reasons, check your nearest Korean embassy for the latest travel requirements.

Most of the restrictions and requirements for travelling to Korea have now been scrapped. You can see what entry and travel rules are in place for Korea in the table below:

The following section provides more information and exceptions about these requirements:

COVID-positive travellers should avoid travelling to Korea: To avoid infecting others on the way to Korea, as well as in Korea, the Korean government recommends that you shouldn’t travel to Korea if you exhibit COVID-symptoms or have tested positive. Self-quarantine is mandatory in Korea.

There are no PCR or other testing requirements: It is not necessary to take a PCR or other test before travelling to Korea. However, you will be asked to take a test if you show symptoms of COVID or similar illnesses when travelling to or arriving in Korea.

There is no quarantine on arrival: Travellers to Korea no longer need to quarantine when entering Korea. From June 1st, there is only a ‘recommended’ 5 day self-isolation period for infected travellers, but this is not enforced.

Complete the self-health check before or on arrival: From July 15th, 2023, travellers to Korea no longer need to complete a Q-Code self-health check or declare their health status on arrival.

Apply for a K-ETA or tourist visa before travelling: You need to apply for either a K-ETA or tourist visa for South Korea before flying to the country. Entry will be prohibited without the correct one. From April 1st, 2023 until December 31st, 2024, 22 countries are excluded from the K-ETA.

If you’re not sure which of these you need to apply for, more information is provided in the next section of this South Korea travel guide about the K-ETA and tourist visa for Korea.

K-ETA (Korean Electronic Travel Authorisation)

The K-ETA (Korean Electronic Travel Authorisation) is an online travel authorisation that visa-free foreign visitors aged 18 to 65 must obtain before entering the Korea for tourism, visiting relatives, participating in events or meetings, and for business purposes other than profitable activities.

Tourists from 112 eligible countries need to apply for a K-ETA before travelling to Korea and won’t be allowed to board a flight to Korea without it. The approval process isn’t difficult, but requires accommodation details, travel dates, and personal details such as passport number, etc.

The K-ETA is based on your nationality, not the country you’re travelling from. That means, if you require a tourist visa from your home country (e.g. the Philippines), but are travelling from a country that requires a K-ETA (e.g. the USA), you can’t use the K-ETA to travel to Korea.

Tourists should apply as far in advance as possible at the official K-ETA website. If you would like to know more about the K-ETA, check out my article explaining what is the K-ETA. The K-ETA costs 10,000 KRW (about $9.00 USD). If you are charged more than this, you’re on the wrong site.

Official K-ETA website

Not sure if you need a K-ETA? Check out this infographic to find out.

Will The K-ETA End In The Future?

The K-ETA will continue for the indefinite future. It is not a pandemic-related travel restriction but a permanent feature that just happened to start in 2021. The Korean government have stated that the K-ETA will be ongoing and other countries and areas, such as the EU, are planning similar ETAs.

Update: In July 2023, the Korean government stopped requiring children 17 years and younger and adults 65 years and older to apply for a K-ETA. The validity period was also increased to 3 years.

Update: In April 2023, the Korean government suspended the K-ETA for travellers from 22 countries (listed previously). This is in an effort to reduce the burden on travellers visiting Korea during the ‘Visit Korea Years’ of 2023 and 2024. This lasts until December 2024, but could possibly go on longer.

Tourist Visas For South Korea

Tourists that aren’t from one of the 112 countries that require a K-ETA to travel to Korea will need to apply for a tourist visa. This includes nationals from countries such India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Tourist visas are based on nationality (passport), not country of residence.

The process to apply for a tourist visa differs depending on the country and may be as simple as submitting an application at the Korean embassy in the country you live in. For other countries, it may be necessary to submit extra information like bank statements and a full itinerary.

If you need a tourist visa for South Korea, contact your nearest Korean embassy as soon as you can to start the process. Tourist visas may be rejected, delayed, or take longer than expected. For some countries, such as the Philippines, it is necessary to apply through a specialist visa agency.

Transit Tour Visas For South Korea

Visa-free entry for foreign transit passengers at Incheon Airport will resume from May 2023 after being suspended for 3 years during the pandemic. There are two types of visa-free transit entry methods for travellers to Korea, they differ in length, requirements, and eligibility.

The first type of visa-free entry for transit passengers is open to all travellers to Korea and allows entry for 3 days, as long as they take a transit tour from Incheon Airport. The second type of visa-free entry for transit passengers is available for 30 days, but only from travellers from 36 select countries.

Visa-Free Entry For Transit Passengers (3 Days)

From May 15, 2023, travellers from any country can travel from Incheon Airport to the Seoul Metropolitan area for up to 3 days, as long as they book at least 1 transit tour from Incheon Airport. If Korea is not their final destination, they’re free to explore more of Seoul after the tour.

There are a wide range of transit tours available from Incheon Airport, including cultural, historic, food, shopping, and entertainment tours. See the sights of Seoul’s most popular places in a few hours, or stay for longer and see more. You can find out more about transit tours from the Visit Korea website.

Requirements: To be eligible for a transit tour visa, travellers must:

• Have an onward flight to their home country or a 3rd country after Korea.
• Participate in a transit tour program by a designated travel agency.
• Stay within the Seoul Metropolitan area only.
• Have more than 2 hours between connecting flights.

Eligible countries: Visa-free entry with a transit tour is open to passengers of all countries, as long as they meet the above requirements.

Tip: If you have a transit tour in Korea, I recommend staying in Hongdae, as there is a direct train from Incheon Airport to Hongdae called the All-Stop Airport Line. Hongdae is also a really fun place where you can see lots of culture, try Korean dishes, and pack your suitcase with Korean souvenirs.

Visa-Free Entry For Transit Passengers (30 Days)

This will allow travellers from 36 countries to enter and stay in Korea for up to 30 days without a Korean visa. Travellers must be travelling to or from one of these 36 countries to be eligible to stay in Korea without a visa. This includes passengers who are not citizens of those countries.

Requirements: To be eligible for a visa-free entry as a transit passenger, travellers must:

• Hold an onward flight to any of the 36 countries mentioned below.
• Have no illegal stay records of any kind, nor have been denied entry to Korea.
• Not have exceeded a maximum of 3 days stay in any other transit airport.

Eligible countries: Travellers from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and 32 EU countries (see picture below) can stay for up to 30 days, as long as the above-mentioned requirements are met.

Why You Should Travel To Korea In 2024

There’s not enough space in this South Korea travel guide to write down all of the reasons why you should travel to South Korea. Korea is an under-appreciated gem that has so much to discover and experience that’s completely different from what you’ll find in other countries.

Much the way that Japan has a very distinct culture and history, Korea has lots of unique, appealing places to see, people to meet, history to learn about, and natural sights to appreciate. Many people only see a small slice of Korean culture and beauty through modern media, but there’s a lot more.

Here are some of the reasons you should travel to Korea:

• Delicious foods and tasty seasonal dishes.
• Four distinct seasons that offer a variety of views.
• Fascinating history to learn about and explore.
• Stunning mountains and beaches for outdoor lovers.
• Unique and unusual festivals throughout the year.
• Friendly locals and a safe country to travel around.
• Modern, high-tech cities that are clean and efficient.
• Welcoming Buddhist temples and temple stays.
• Cheaper than most other developed countries.
• A shopper’s paradise with many markets and malls.
• Korea really wants you to come and visit.

Korea wants you to visit so much that they declared 2023-2024 the Visit Korea Year. This two-year period, confusingly referred to as a single year, is set to feature loads of events and activities to draw tourists to Korea, and includes promotions for discounted flights, accommodation, and food.

Some of the events you can expect to see during the Visit Korea Year(s) include K-Pop concerts, e-sports competitions, food festivals, and cultural celebrations. There’ll be K-Cultural stars involved, too, including your favourite K-Pop and K-Drama stars. Get ready to travel to Korea soon!

Want to know what you can do in Korea that you can’t do in other countries? Check out these amazing unique Korean experiences that should definitely be on your Korean bucket list.

The Best Time To Visit Korea

The best time to visit Korea is in spring (late-March to May) or autumn (mid-September until mid-November). These seasons have the most comfortable weather, ranging from 10 to 30 degrees Celsius, an average amount of rain, and also have the most festivals and events.

My favourite months to travel in Korea are April and October. Early-April is when cherry blossoms come out and the weather warms up enough to stop wearing a jacket. October in Korea is a beautiful month when autumn foliage sweeps across the country and the weather is warm and calm.

When you travel to Korea, the season you travel in can have a big impact on what you can see, eat, and do. This section of the South Korea travel guide is one of the most important and if you want to travel to Korea in the future, I recommend learning about Korea’s seasons before making plans.

What Can You See In Korea Each Season?

Although spring and autumn are undoubtedly the best time to visit Korea, there are plenty of reasons to visit in other seasons, too. Visitors to Korea who are restricted to travelling during certain times, such as during school or work holidays, needn’t be put off by travelling in summer or winter.

Here’s a summary of what you can see and do in each season in Korea:

Spring: Cherry Blossoms, Blooming Nature, Culture Festivals

Spring is an amazing season to travel in Korea as you can see colourful plum blossoms (Mar), cherry blossoms (Mar-Apr), and many other bright sights. The warm weather allows people go out more to enjoy cultural activities and spring festivals, such as the Lotus Lantern Festival and Jindo Sea-Parting Festival, and also trekking, hiking, and cycling. Spring is one of the most popular times to travel in Korea for locals, so expect places to be busy, especially around cherry blossom season.

Check out my cherry blossom guide for the best places to see cherry blossoms in Korea.

Summer: Beaches, Korean Desserts, Water Sports, Camping

Summer is a difficult season for travellers due to the high humidity and heat. June and July are rainy season in Korea and it may rain for days on end, causing people to change travel plans to indoor activities. In late July and August it gets very hot, which is good for going to the beach and enjoying water sports or water parks, which Korea has many of. Evening activities like hiking, drinking in rooftop bars, and visiting night markets are great ways to get out in summer when it’s not as hot.

Check out my guide to Korean summer activities for the best places to have fun during summer and rainy day activities in Busan in case the weather isn’t so good.

Autumn: Foliage, Festivals, Fresh Foods, Harvest Festivals

Autumn is another incredibly popular time to travel in Korea, especially in October when the autumn foliage is at its best. The foliage really brings everything to life, adding shades of colour to plain palace walls, mountains, and parks. The calm weather is warm with clear skies, making it perfect for going into nature to see the fresh fruits and other harvest goods, as well as join in harvest and cultural festivals. Enjoy local Korean dishes, fresh from the farm to your table.

Check out my guide to autumn foliage in Korea for the best places to see the leaves.

Winter: Snow, Winter Sports, Ice Fishing, Light Festivals

Winter in Korea is often neglected due to the cold weather, but is actually a very nice time to travel with delicious winter foods to try. It’s the driest time of year with blue skies making everything bright and beautiful. When it snows, sights look even more incredible. Jeju Island is a great place to visit during winter as it has fresh citrus and colourful camellia flowers to see. You can enjoy winter sports, festivals and activities, such as ice fishing, ice skating, sledding, and more.

Check out my guide to Korean winter activities for the best places to have fun during winter.

What Is The Weather Like In Korea?

The weather in Korea follows a similar pattern each year, spread over five distinct seasons. As well as spring, summer, autumn, and winter, Korea also has a rainy season, which starts around mid-June and finishes mid-July. It doesn’t constantly rain during rainy season, but may do for several days.

There’s always something to do in Korea, no matter what the season. Even rainy season in Korea is fine for travelling, as long as you plan lots of indoor activities and can be flexible with your schedule. Don’t let the weather in Korea put you off visiting, you’ll find plenty to do in each season.

Here’s a summary of the weather in Korea each season:

The graph below shows you the average temperature each month in Seoul. This is an average temperature, so some days will be much hotter and others much colder. I’ve experienced summer temperatures of over 35 degrees and winter nights of -20, so be prepared for both.

The table below shows the average rainfall for each month in Korea, based on records from climate-data.org. The summer months have the most, while winter in Korea is very dry. The rainfall in the winter months can turn to snow when it’s cold enough, too.

There will be more information about the sights, festivals, and events you can enjoy in Korea in later parts of this South Korea travel guide. Check them out for travel ideas for your trip to Korea.

How To Book Flights To Korea

Flying to Korea in 2024 is getting easier with more airlines offering direct or connecting flights to Korea and budget airlines adding more routes to Korea from other parts of Asia and as far away as the USA. There aren’t as many routes as there were in 2019, but they are returning month by month.

Booking a flight to Korea is one of the first things most people do and finding the right flight can really affect your travels. Choosing the right flight not only affects how much money you need to spend, but also when you’ll arrive, how you’ll get to your hotel, and where you’ll arrive in Korea.

Check out my guide to booking flights to Korea to discover the best ways to book a flight to Korea, including the best time to book (21 to 127 days before travel), where to get cheap flights, the various airlines that offer flights to Korea, and lots more.

Arriving At Incheon Airport

Most flights to Korea arrive at Incheon Airport, which is near Seoul. It takes about an hour to get to the centre of Seoul from Incheon Airport and there are various transportation options including a high-speed train, subway, limo buses, taxis, and private transfers.

The best option for transferring from Incheon Airport to your hotel is usually a limo bus as these run to popular areas of Seoul, such as Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, and Insadong. There’s also a direct train to Seoul Station and a subway that goes to Seoul Station via Hongdae.

Arriving during the daytime gives you the best options for getting from Incheon Airport into Seoul, while nighttime flights will leave you fewer options. There are a few night buses that run, but late arrivals will either need to stay at the airport or book a private transfer or taxi instead. More details about taking a taxi from Incheon Airport can be found in my guide to taxis in Korea.

If you want to book a private transfer direct to your hotel from Incheon Airport, contact Jerry Heng, a freelance driver. I want to recommend Jerry as he has years of experience organising airport pick-ups and drop-offs, as well as personalised tours around Korea. He’s also a friendly guy.

Recommended Flight Comparison Sites

I suggest checking at least one flight comparison website before booking any flights. You can alter the arrival and departure times, flight duration, choose direct or indirect flights, and sort by price to find the perfect flight for you. Skyscanner is my preferred comparison site, but they’re all useful.

Take time to change the dates and flight times to find the most suitable flights for you. Cheaper flights often have inconvenient arrival times, so you should decide whether it’s worth the hassle to save a bit of money. Sometimes spending more for the right flight is worth it, especially when time is limited.

I try to go for a balance of convenience and savings and avoid flights that arrive late at night or leave too early in the morning. These flights require you to book an extra night at the airport or make you lose time when you could be travelling and doing more interesting things.

Here are 4 of the best flight comparison sites for booking flights to Korea:

Skyscanner is one of the most popular flight aggregators and offers flights, hotels, and other travel bookings for all major destinations. Skyscanner shows airline environmental ratings and which flights are practical or difficult.

Skyscanner Flights

Expedia is a large US travel company that offers tours, flights, hotels, and other services around the world. You can book hotel and flights together, to save you time and effort when travelling. A good place to start your flight search.

Expedia Flights

Kayak is great for people looking for cheap flights to Korea. You can see price trends for your flight to Korea to see when the best prices are available. There are also lots of budget travel options on the site that can save you more.

Kayak Flights

WayAway is a flight comparison site for the modern generation, with Instagram tips & travel advice as well as a good selection of cheap flights. You can get cashback on bookings with their premium service.

Wayaway Flights

Where To Stay In Seoul

Incheon Airport is the main arrival destination for most travellers visiting Korea, with more than 71 million travellers passing through the airport in 2019, making it the world’s 14th busiest airport. It’s close to Seoul and has lots of transportation options to get into Korea’s capital.

Seoul is the first place people visit, not only because it’s close to Incheon Airport, but because it’s undeniably the heart and soul of Korea. The greater Seoul area includes about 50% of Korea’s population (25 million people) and is by far the biggest, most vibrant, and fun city in Korea.

To travel to Korea you need either a K-ETA or tourist visa. One of the requirements to apply for these is the address of the first place you’ll be staying in Korea. Therefore, you should book at least your first hotel in Korea so you can begin those applications. Seoul is an ideal first place to stay.

Best Neighbourhoods To Stay In Seoul

Deciding where to stay in Seoul can be difficult because there are so many unique neighbourhoods, each offering something interesting for travellers to experience. Knowing which has the best sights, entertainment, culture, shopping, transport, markets, restaurants, cafes, etc., is useful.

Seoul’s neighbourhoods typically contain a mixture of several of these elements and will appeal to different types of travellers. Below is a very rough guide for which neighbourhood each type of traveller might enjoy. Of course, there are plenty of other things to do in each area.

As you can see from the list above, both Hongdae and Myeongdong have a lot to offer and I would definitely recommend either of these neighbourhoods for first time travellers to Seoul. Even people who have travelled to Korea before will find lots of reasons to stay there. They’re where I usually stay.

I have detailed guides to hotels in the two best districts for staying in Seoul – Hongdae and Myeongdong. My guide to hotels in Hongdae includes a range of hotels for all types of travellers, while my guide to hotels in Myeongdong highlights Myeongdong’s best budget to mid-range hotels.

Each neighbourhood feels unique and offers something to discover, from traditional markets and eateries, modern Insta-worthy cafe districts, peaceful parks and lakes, world-class skyscrapers, and many fun activities. Wherever you choose to stay, you’re sure to find something you enjoy.

I’ve included the 8 best neighbourhoods in Seoul in this South Korea travel guide, along with a small summary about what you can expect in each area. These are the most popular areas for tourists to stay in, but certainly not the only places to stay. There are also links to hotels in these areas.

Here are the 8 best neighbourhoods in Seoul:

Myeongdong is arguably one of the best places to stay in Seoul for any traveller. It has the best range of budget and mid-range hotels in Seoul and is conveniently located for sights, activities, and public transport. It’s close to popular tourist sites, such as the N Seoul Tower and royal palaces. There are traditional markets and Myeongdong’s famous street food alley to check out. As Myeongdong is popular with tourists, you’ll find more people that can speak English and places to exchange money.

Hongdae is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Seoul and a must-see for any traveller to the city. This area has emerged as a creative hotbed for the latest Korean fashion, art, food, and culture, thanks to innovations from students of nearby universities. Youth culture is on display in Hongdae’s main and side streets, with boutique shops, trendy bars and cafes, inventive restaurants, street art, and live performances. If you want to see a vibrant, colourful side of Seoul, then Hongdae is the place for you.

Gangnam is an upscale area of Seoul that’s home to some of Korea’s biggest stars. This area was where K-Pop was invented, as can be seen by the golden Gangnam Style statue outside COEX Mall. Gangnam is a lot more than that, and is a powerful business area with Seoul’s best shopping and dining experiences, as well as some of the city’s finest cafes and bars. Gangnam has a host of upmarket hotels that provide outstanding luxury, but also has a selection of budget and mid-range hotels making it accessible for all travellers.

Jongno is the area north of Myeongdong that includes Insadong, Bukchon Hanok Village, Ikseongdong Hanok Village, Jogyesa Temple, 4 of Seoul’s royal palaces, the presidential Blue House, and lots more. This area is packed full of interesting sights and traditional restaurants and tea houses to explore. You can find a good range of hotels in Insadong, Seoul’s artistic area that is home to artists and tourist-friendly attractions. There are also guesthouses and apartments to rent in the residential areas of Jongno that offer a more homely stay.

Jamsil is an upmarket residential neigbourhood close to Gangnam that’s home to one of Korea’s largest companies, Lotte. You’ll find the Lotte World Tower, Lotte World Theme Park, and Lotte Aquarium in this area, as well as the beautiful Seokchon Lake and leafy Olympic Park. Jamsil is a great base for people visiting for cherry blossoms in spring as the Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival is one of Seoul’s best. There are lots of trendy cafes and bars near the lake and it’s a relaxed part of the city to stay in.

Dongdaemun is known for both its traditional markets, where you can buy a range of goods, as well as the futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). The area is an unusual mix of traditional Seoul, with Gwangjang Market offering some of Seoul’s best Korean street food, and modern culture, displayed by the night markets and art installations at the DDP. There are lots of cheap eats and bargain markets and malls in this area, making it a great place to stay if you plan to do a lot of bargain shopping in Seoul.

Yongsan is the area encompassing the N Seoul Tower, the popular international area of Itaewon, the trendy hilltop area of Haebangchon (HBC), Seoul Station, the National Museum of Seoul, and many riverside parks. Yongsan has a busy train station with towering skyscrapers and hotels around it catering to business and luxury travellers, as well as shoppers. This quiet business and residential area has good transport links and fewer crowds than other parts of Seoul, as well as interesting cultural attractions.

Yeouido is a large island that rests in the Han River, overlooking Hongdae and Yongsan. It has some of the best parks in Seoul and is a popular place for locals to walk along the river on weekends and at night. These parks are home to Seoul’s biggest cherry blossom festivals, as well as summer night markets, fireworks performances, live music, and people enjoying life outside of work. Yeouido is the upmarket financial centre of Seoul, making it an ideal base for business, luxury, and family travellers.

Seoul’s neighbourhoods are informal designations, not necessarily the official district name. For example, Hongdae is a neighbourhood in the Mapo-gu district and Myeongdong a neighbourhood in the Jung-gu district. Whereas Jongno is both the neighbourhood and district name (Jongno-gu).

You might see some areas referred to differently. However, the terms I’ve used in this section are the names most commonly used to describe these areas by tourists and expats. Koreans will certainly know which area of Seoul you’re talking about when you use these names.

Learn more: If you want to know more about Seoul’s best districts and figure out where the best place to stay for your trip to Korea, then check out my detailed guide about where to stay in Seoul. It’s packed with useful info about each neighbourhood, hotel recommendations for different budgets, and tips about booking accommodation in Seoul. Also learn more about the Han River Boat Service launching in 2024 to connect Yeoudio, Jamsil and other riverside destinations.

Hotel Recommendations For Seoul

There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of hotels in Seoul to choose from ranging from multi-person dorm rooms to the height of luxury looking down over Seoul from a 5-star hotel room in the Lotte World Tower. Whatever your budget or requirements, there’ll be somewhere to stay in Seoul for you.

To save you time searching for the best places to stay in Seoul, I’ve created a list of the 9 best luxury, mid-range, and budget hotels in Seoul, as well as 6 long-stay serviced apartments. This list has been created based on customer reviews, location, facilities, amenities, reputation, and quality.

I live outside of Seoul, so often book hotels when I’m visiting Seoul for the weekend. I’ve stayed at quite a few of these, so can personally recommend them based on my own experience. I’ve had both good and bad hotel experiences in Seoul and only want to recommend the best to you.

Recommended Luxury Hotels

Seoul has some incredible luxury hotels to enjoy, each with a true 5-star service, excellent amenities, and delectable restaurants. Many of Seoul’s best luxury hotels are located in Gangnam, Seoul’s wealthiest district, where you can find top restaurants and designer brand shopping.

Recommended Mid-Range Hotels

If you want to experience a luxurious stay in Seoul without breaking the bank, then these mid-range hotels will be perfect for you. These unique, 4-star hotels are reasonably priced and provide stylish, comfortable rooms that you’ll sleep easily in after a busy day exploring Seoul.

Recommended Budget Hotels

Seoul has a wide range of excellent budget hotels with prices that might surprise you for a large city. These are some of my favourite places to stay in Seoul when I visit for the weekend and are popular with travellers due to their convenient location, facilities, and comfortable beds.

Recommended Serviced Apartments

If you plan to stay in Seoul for a month or more, these serviced apartments will provide you all the comforts of home with the benefits of staying at a hotel. These excellent serviced apartments come with cleaning services, health facilities, cooking facilities, and are value for money.

Cost To Travel In South Korea In 2024

This part of the South Korea travel guide will help you understand some of your expected costs to travel to Korea. The costs to travel to Korea include flights, accommodation, food, drinks, transportation, activities, sim cards, visas, souvenirs, travel insurance, and lots more.

The costs you will pay when you travel vary massively depending on what type of traveller you are and what style of travel you can afford. If you want 5-star luxury and fine-dining, your budget will be very different from someone eating ramyeon from 7-11 and staying in a budget guesthouse.

Therefore, I will try to provide expected costs for 3 different types of traveller – budget, mid-range, and luxury. These aren’t exact figures, but should give you a rough idea of how much you’ll spend.

Daily Costs To Travel In Korea

There are costs that you will pay each day when travelling in Korea that can be averaged out to give you a daily cost. Knowing these figures will help you plan your budget for Korea and to see where you can afford to spend more for the one-off costs to travel, which will be covered next.

The daily costs are accommodation, food & drinks, transportation, attractions & tours, and miscellaneous expenses that can pop up unexpectedly. These miscellaneous costs might include getting a street food snack, an unexpected entrance fee, or a few extra drinks in the evening.

Transportation will be covered later in this South Korea travel guide and there are some useful tips to reduce your transportation costs. You will also be able to see some of the best attractions, tours, and activities in Korea and you’ll be able to work out how much you’ll spend on those.

Here are the daily costs per person to travel in Korea:

Please note: These are costs per day, per person. Couples and families sharing a room will have lower costs as double rooms aren’t much more expensive than single rooms. Some days will be cheaper, some much more expensive, especially if you take day trips or visit premium attractions.

There are also one-off costs not included in these daily costs. These can be pre-travel costs, such as flights and a K-ETA or tourist visa (already covered), travel insurance, vaccinations, and such like. Pre-travel costs are different for each traveller and depend on your country of residence.

Other one-off costs during travel in Korea may include day tours, souvenirs, shopping, celebrations, medical costs, and expenses that you don’t normally pay each day. Again, these vary for each traveller and are difficult to calculate as people’s budgets are so different.

Is Korea A Cheap Country To Travel In?

Korea is relatively cheap country to visit, but certainly isn’t always a budget destination. The cost to travel to Korea has risen over the last few years and might be more expensive than you think, even if you’ve previously visited Korea. Flying to Korea is certainly more expensive now.

Food costs rose by 7.5% in 2022 alone and these costs have been passed on to restaurants, which now charge higher prices for meals. Transportation costs rose by about 20% in 2023 for buses and subways, although these are still relatively cheap compared to some countries.

Despite these price increases, travelling in Korea is still cheaper than travelling in most other high-income industrialised countries such as Japan, the USA, and Western Europe. If you’re from countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, or Malaysia, Korea may seem expensive.

City Passes That Save You Money In Seoul

There are a number of city passes that can save you money when visiting Seoul by offering free or discounted entry to some of the best attractions in the city for a single price. The original city pass for Seoul is the Discover Seoul Pass, but now there is also the Go City Pass and Klook Pass Seoul.

Here’s a summary of each of these Seoul city passes:

Discover Seoul Pass: Available in 24 | 48 | 72 hour periods, allows entry to top attractions in Seoul such as Lotte World Adventure, N Seoul Tower, COEX Aquarium, Alive Museum, Zoolung Zoolung, Sealala Sauna, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and more. Prices start at 50,000 KRW.

Go City Seoul Pass: Available as 1 – 5 day passes or a flexible pass for up to 7 attractions. Covers a wider amount of attractions than the DSP, including a DMZ Tour, Nanta Cookin’ Musical, Seoul Land, Seoul Pub Crawl, Seoul Ghost Tour, and more. Prices start at 68,000 KRW.

Klook Pass Seoul: Available for use 2 – 5 attractions, including Everland or Lotte World Adventure theme parks. The Klook Pass Seoul allows free entry to selected attractions within a 30 day period. Attractions include the N Seoul Tower and Lotte World Aquarium. Prices start at 44,000 KRW.

If you’d like to know more about these passes, be sure to check out my article about the Klook Pass Seoul, as well as my suggested Discover Seoul Pass itineraries. I’ll have a review article of the Go City Seoul Pass soon, too.

How To Save Money In Korea

There are always ways to save money and spend less in Korea. Budget options exist for travellers and you can travel in Korea for less than 150,000 KRW per day, even as little as 50,000 KRW per day. Here are some of the ways you can save money in Korea and travel more for less:

Eat like a local: Visit the traditional markets, food stalls, and traditional Korean restaurants. These are much cheaper than eating foreign foods in Korea. University areas are usually cheap, too.

Spend less on coffee: Coffee in Korea can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. A latte could cost you 5,000 KRW in a chain store, but there are cheap hole-in-the-wall cafes where it’s half that.

Shop in the markets: From designer goods (possibly fake) to souvenirs, the markets of Seoul and other cities usually have the best prices. Don’t be afraid to haggle.

Use public transport: Korea has a fantastic public transport network both in cities and between cities. Don’t waste money on taxis and private transfers when you can use a bus or subway.

Book everything online: You can find discounted entry and tour tickets online that are much cheaper than the regular price. Use Klook, Get Your Guide, and Viator for the best prices.

Stay in guesthouses and hostels: You can find rooms for as little as 10,000 KRW per night in shared dorms and 20,000 KRW in guesthouses. Book ahead to find the best prices.

Take advantage of free things: There are lots of places you can visit for free in Seoul and free services, such as walking tours in Seoul, 30-minute hanbok rentals, and even free entry to the palaces.

Get your tax back: Korea makes it really easy to recover tax you’ve paid when shopping. Stores in Seoul will process tax returns for you or you can claim a refund at the airport when you leave.

You will see tips and links in this South Korea travel guide that are designed to help you save money when you visit Korea. Booking tours, attractions, and sim cards in advance can save you a lot of money, as can using a T-Money card and Wise travel card. Keep reading for more money-saving tips.

Travel Money And Money Exchanges In Korea

If you follow the tips in this section of this South Korea travel guide, you can certainly save yourself a lot of money and avoid unnecessary fees when spending in Korea. Learn where and how to exchange money, how to avoid ATM and card fees, and how to get tax back before you leave.

Because this section covers a lot of the common questions people ask about travel money in Korea, it will be broken down into a question and answer format. This should make it easier for you to find the information you’re looking for and discover answers you didn’t know you were looking for.

Can You Use A Foreign Card In Korea?

Almost all foreign credit cards with Visa or Mastercard will be accepted in Korea and it is possible to use these cards to pay across the country. American Express is also accepted in popular tourist areas, but not as widely as Visa or Mastercard and may have problems outside of big cities.

Foreign debit cards should work if they use Visa or Mastercard, but there may be restrictions in place with your bank when using them abroad. It is recommended that you call your bank to check before travelling. For both credit and debit cards, check your bank for any fees you’ll pay overseas.

Can You Withdraw Cash From An ATM In Korea?

You can withdraw cash from ATMs in Korea using a debit card, but not all ATMs will accept international cards. Look for a sign saying ‘Global ATM’ or ‘Foreign Currency ATM’ to withdraw cash in Korea with a debit card. You can also withdraw cash using a credit card, but it’s more expensive.

Whether you use a debit or credit card, an ATM is likely to charge a fee to withdraw money using a foreign card. Your bank or credit card company may also charge a fee or give a bad exchange rate. These costs can add up a lot if you withdraw regularly, so try to make fewer withdrawals.

Learn more: Should you use cash or card when you visit Korea? This article about the how to pay in Korea has lots of useful information about payment methods in Korea, including alternatives to the usual mix of cash and a credit card.

How Can You Save Money When Paying By Card In Korea?

Instead of using a foreign debit or credit card in Korea, which might have expensive fees or not work in places, here are two better options. The first is the WOWPASS travel card, which offers tourist-friendly card services in Korea. The other is to apply for a travel card that can be used globally.

Both the WOWPASS and the two other travel cards offer the ability to pay by card in Korea and to withdraw cash in Korean won. They also offer better exchange rates than you’ll find in airport or local money exchanges in Korea. They each have some unique features, which will be illustrated below.

Pay Like A Local With WOWPASS

The WOWPASS is a new way to pay in Korea that combines the essential functions of a T-Money transportation card with the benefits of a local debit card. This is a prepaid card you can top up at more than 90 locations in KRW or your own currency. Just look for the bright orange WOW machines.

The T-Money function in the WOWPASS means it’s more useful than other travel cards as you don’t need to carry two separate cards when you travel. Please note, you still need to charge the T-Money balance of WOWPASS with cash, just like a regular T-Money card.

The WOWPASS travel card allows you to add up to 1,000,000 KRW to your card and can be used to pay for almost anything in Korea without any fees. The card is issued by a Korean company, so you can use it to withdraw cash at any WOWPASS machine located in Seoul & other cities in Korea.

Thanks to the user-friendly WOWPASS app, users can freeze or replace their card, check their spending, add funds, and check exchange rates. Because the WOWPASS isn’t tied to your home bank account, it also reduces the damage by card fraud, in case the worst was to happen.

As well as a regular WOWPASS, you can also reserve the All-In-One Airport Package, which includes the WOWPASS, 10,000 KRW T-Money balance, and a discounted Korean sim card. This is really useful for those who want to get connected and travelling as soon as they arrive in Korea. Get the WOWPASS app for Android or Apple.

Tip: Use the invitation code INMYKOR1 to get cashback on WOWPASS top-ups in foreign currency.

Overseas Travel Cards You Can Use In Korea

Overseas travel cards are another option for spending in Korea and I use them myself to spend money from my UK bank account in Korea, as well as when travelling in other countries. They’re really simple to use and are much cheaper than paying with my foreign card or exchanging money.

Two of the leading travel card companies are Wise and Revolut. I use both of these to pay for things in Korea and have written an article about how to use the Wise card in Korea. You can use them to pay for hotels, food, drinks, transportation, taxis, attractions, and lots more. They’re really useful.

Here’s a summary of the main features of these travel cards:

The Wise travel card allows you to easily transfer and convert money from your home bank account into dozens of other currencies and use this money to pay when you’re travelling. You only need to transfer as much as you plan to spend and can easily transfer back anything you haven’t. The exchange rate will be better than your bank or a money exchange offers, too.

A versatile, easy to use app breaks down what you’ve spent by category so you can track your travel spending. You can withdraw cash from ATMs, pay by QR code, use it for Google Pay, and pay by contactless. Even if you lose your card, you can still spend money. It’s also really safe as you can freeze your card, set spending limits, and limit how much money you transfer.

Wise Travel Card

The Revolut travel card can be used in Korea to pay for a wide range of goods and services without expensive fees for spending your home currency overseas. Unlike the Wise travel card, which lets you transfer money into different currencies and then spend in a local currency, such as Korean won, the Revolut travel card lets you pay fee-free with your home currency.

The Revolut travel card comes with an easy to use app that can be used to manage your money both at home and when travelling in Korea. You can check your spending with categories and reports and set budgets for your spending. The Revolut travel card also offers cashback in the US, stock and crypto investments, and the same security features as the Wise travel card.

Revolut Travel Card

Can You Use Apple Pay In Korea?

Apple Pay wasn’t previously available in Korea due to a lack of approval by Korea’s financial regulator. However, in February 2023, Apple Pay received approval to begin operating in Korea through the Hyundai Card Co., allowing payments with Apple devices from March 2023 onwards.

The Apple Pay payment system has been available in Korea since March 21st, 2023 and allows Apple Pay members to pay for goods and services at NFC-enabled payment terminals. However, on the launch date of Apple Pay, there were only 70,000 NFC-enabled payment terminals in Korea.

The lack of NFC-enabled payment terminals will be a big issue for Apple Pay users in Korea as there are around 2,900,000 shops in Korea and most won’t accept Apple Pay. Franchises like Starbucks can’t accept Apple Pay and it can’t be used to pay for public transport. You’ll need a T-Money card.

Samsung Pay, which uses MST technology, not NFC, currently dominates the Korean market. NFC-enabled terminals should grow, especially in tourist areas and city-centres from 2023 onwards. This will be good news for Google Pay, which also uses NFC technology and also isn’t in use in Korea yet.

Should You Exchange Money Before Travelling To Korea?

It is not necessary to exchange money into Korean won before travelling to Korea, but it can certainly be useful to have a small amount of money. Exchange rates for Korean won outside Korea may not be as good as within Korea and changing large amounts of cash before you travel isn’t essential.

It might be hard to get Korean won from your local bank or money exchange as it’s not one of the most commonly exchanged currencies. Therefore, you might find exchange rates less favourable and extra fees applied to exchange money. Using travel cards like Wise or Revolut is a better option.

Should You Change Money At Incheon Airport?

I’ve travelled around the world and always avoid exchanging money at the airport if I can help it. Airports often have the worst rates for money exchange as they know people need to get local cash, there aren’t many other options, and you need at least a bit of money to travel to your hotel.

Incheon Airport is an exception to this rule and I’ve compared travel exchange rates at several times when flying into and out of the airport. The foreign currency exchange rates at Incheon Airport aren’t that bad and are just slightly higher than what you’d find in Seoul. Not the best, but not bad.

There are also Global ATMs at Incheon Airport, so you can withdraw cash here. If you have a Wise or Revolut travel card, you can withdraw up to $200 fee-free from an ATM in Korea. However, Korean banks will charge a withdrawal fee (about 3,000 KRW), which applies to any foreign card used.

Where Can You Exchange Money In Seoul?

Seoul is the first destination for most travellers to Korea and if you want to save money on exchange rate fees, I recommend exchanging money in the capital. There are two main options for exchanging money easily and quickly in Seoul – WOW money exchange machines and money exchanges.

Here’s a summary about the two main ways to exchange money in Seoul:

The cheapest and most convenient option for exchanging money in Seoul is through a WOW money exchange machine. This automated machine gives the best exchange rates and can quickly and easily exchange foreign cash for Korean won. It doesn’t accept card payments, only cash. All you need to do is scan your passport and deposit your cash and it will convert it into Korean won immediately. There are dozens of these machines in Seoul, as well as in other cities like Busan and Daejeon.

The traditional way to exchange foreign currency in Seoul was through a money exchange. You can find these in Myeongdong, where many tourists stay and visit in Seoul. There are also money exchanges inside banks and in other tourist hotspots. These used to be the best place to exchange money, until the WOW money exchanges were introduced and travel cards like Wise and Revolut made it easier to use a card. If you want to use a money exchange in Seoul, Myeongdong is the best place to do it.

Can You Get Tax Back When Shopping In Korea?

Travellers to Korea can claim tax back on eligible purchases during their trip. This can be done immediately after you purchase an item (if the shop offers the service) or at Incheon Airport or other airports in Korea before you depart.

Instant tax refunds are available at certain locations in Seoul and other big cities. These are usually department stores and large chain stores. You are able to claim tax refunds for goods up to a total value of 2,500,000 KRW (incl. tax). There is a tax refund limit of 500,000 KRW per transaction.

2024 Tax Refund Changes: From 2024, the tax refund limits will be doubled, so you will be able to claim up to 5,000,000 KRW of tax back and claim up to 1,000,000 KRW back per transaction. Source: Korea Herald.

To claim a tax refund you need:

• To show your passport
• To be a tourist in Korea
• To spend between 30,000 to 300,000 KRW in one place
• To be leaving Korea within 3 months

Tax isn’t refundable on all purchases, so be sure to check when shopping. Tax refunds can also be claimed at the airport as long as you have the receipt and the goods you’ve purchased.

Mobile Phones And Internet In Korea

Staying connected to the Internet when visiting Korea is becoming more and more essential these days. Keeping your mobile phone, tablet, or computer connected to the web is useful not only to stay in touch with people back home, but also to help you save money and travel Korea more easily.

There are several options to stay connected in Korea when you travel. The main options for travellers are tourist SIM cards, either physical or eSIMs, portable WiFi routers, and relying on free WiFi provided in public places and hotels. All of these are good options, but there are other considerations, too.

This South Korea travel guide will cover the main differences between Korean SIM cards and portable WiFi routers and which will be most suitable for you. There are also details about why you might want a Korean phone number and which apps to use to help you travel in Korea.

Don’t forget, if you bring your phone or other mobile devices to Korea, you’ll need a travel adapter.

Should You Get A Korean SIM Card Or WiFi Router?

Both a Korean SIM card or portable WiFi router will provide access to Korea’s high-speed mobile networks and keep you connected to the Internet. They provide a secure internet connection, but do so in a different way and with different available features. Find out about the best Korean SIM card for tourists in this SK SIM card review.

Here are the main features of Korean SIM cards and WiFi routers:

Costs: SIM cards and WiFi routers are similarly priced when using them for a two week period, but they are charged in different ways. SIM cards are fixed-price and can be bought for set time periods, whereas WiFi routers are charged daily. WiFi routers are cheaper in the short-term.

Ease of use: If you purchase or pre-order a SIM card or portable WiFi router at Incheon Airport, which I highly recommend, the staff will install or setup everything for you. Once they’re activated, it’s very simple to use either one. Cancelling and returning them at the airport is also easy for both.

Here are the reasons you should get a Korean SIM card or portable WiFi router in Korea:

You should get a Korean SIM card when visiting Korea to get a Korean phone number. The benefits of having a Korean phone number are mainly to make calls and use Korean apps. SIM cards are also useful if you want a secure connection everywhere you go and plan to make calls or send texts. When you have a SIM card, you can tether your network connection to connect other devices you own. Korean phone coverage is amazing and you’ll get service everywhere. SIM cards don’t require you to carry any extra devices and are cheaper over the long-run than WiFi routers.

Korean Sim Card

You should get a portable WiFi router if you’re travelling in a group or as a family as you can connect multiple devices to one router. This is much cheaper than getting separate SIM cards for all travellers, but also requires people stay close together. WiFi routers are charged per day and if you need additional days, they’ll be automatically added and charged when you return the router. This means you’ll never have to worry about your service suddenly ending. The main downside to using a WiFi router is the lack of Korean phone number, but that might not be an issue if you don’t need one.

Korean WiFi router

Where Can You Get Korean SIM Cards Or WiFi Routers?

You can get a Korean SIM card or portable WiFi router in several ways. The easiest way, and one that I definitely recommend, is to purchase online through a tour company such as Klook, Viator, or Get Your Guide, and get a SIM card at Incheon Airport or other entry point into Korea when you arrive..

The main reason I recommend this method is that you can guarantee you will get a SIM card or router and it will be waiting for you when you arrive. The collection desks at Incheon Airport are open 24-hours a day and they will help you install everything you need to get started immediately.

You can also get SIM cards and WiFi routers when you arrive at the airport and you should find similar rates. However, you won’t be guaranteed a device and you will need to pay in person. When you book online, you can pay in your home currency and avoid those issues.

I don’t recommend getting a SIM card or WiFi router in Seoul or other cities. It is possible, but you may run into language issues and find less tourist-friendly options. Phone shops outside the airport usually cater to Koreans, not tourists. Airport rentals are the easiest options for visitors to Korea.

What’s The Benefit Of A Korean Phone Number For Tourists?

There are two main benefits of having a Korean phone number for tourists. The first benefit is the ability to call people when you’re in Korea. This can be useful for making reservations, keeping in touch with people, and in case of emergencies.

The second benefit of having a Korean phone number is the ability to use Korean apps. It isn’t mandatory to have a Korean phone number to use Korean apps, but most won’t let you use their services unless you sign up with a phone number. Using Korean apps makes travelling easier.

A phone number is like a form of identity in Korea, which is why you need your passport to register a SIM card. Once you have a phone number, many more services are available, including food delivery, ordering taxis, making reservations (such as for the Busan Sky Capsule), and online messaging.

What Apps Do I Need For Travelling In Korea?

If you have a Korean phone number, you can use Korean apps. Even without a Korean number, you can still download these apps and use some of their services. Full features typically require a phone number though. There are other, non-Korean apps that will help you when travelling, too.

Here are the most useful apps to use when travelling in Korea:

Papago: This is the essential translation tool for visiting Korea. Papago’s translation services are the best and you can use the app to take pictures and translate Korean signs, menus, and other pictures.

Naver Maps: To find your way around Korea, use Naver Maps or Kakao Maps. Their systems are much more accurate in Korea than Google Maps. Use them to plan travel routes and transport times.

Kakao Taxi: Uber and Grab don’t really exist in Korea, so if you plan to take a taxi, you’ll need to use Kakao Taxi. Simple to use and takes the hassle out of trying to use Korean to give directions.

Kakao Talk: This is Korea’s most popular messaging app and is useful for keeping in touch with Korean friends, contacting businesses in Korea, and even calling abroad.

Seoul Subway: Use this app to travel around Seoul’s underground more easily. Plan your route, see when the next train is due to arrive, check connections, and see how late the trains run.

Korail Talk: This app allows you to book trains on Korea’s high-speed train network and regular train routes. This app has an English setting, so you can check train times and prices easily.

Coupang Eats: This is a food-delivery app that allows you to order almost anything edible and get it sent directly to you. You can even order convenience store goods. Useful for rainy days.

Mango Plate: Find restaurants in Korea with this app and discover the best places to go out and eat. You can also see restaurant details and get directions in Naver Maps and Kakao Maps.

WOWPASS: To use the WOWPASS to pay like a local in Korea and for T-Money functions, you’ll need the WOWPASS app. This will let you check your balances and spending and control your card.

Wise & Revolut: As mentioned in this South Korea travel guide, using a travel card to pay for items in Korea will save you money when you travel. If you use Wise or Revolut, make sure you have the app.

Klook: This company provides some of the best tours in Korea and if you make bookings through their website, you can easily manage them with the Klook app.

Intercity Bus by T-Money: This app is great for booking buses between cities in Korea. There is an English version that allows you to book tickets, check times, and see available seats.

These apps should be available on both Android and Apple. Some of these apps might default to Korean, but you should be able to change them to English in the side menu.

Is There Free WiFi In Korea?

Travellers in Korea have the option to not get a sim card or portable WiFi but still stay connected. This is thanks to the excellent Free Wifi in Korea that is provided in public transport, government buildings, restaurants, cafes, and many other places. This is mostly in the cities, however.

Hotels also provide free WiFi in most cities in Korea. If you plan to rely on free WiFi, I recommend using the hotel’s WiFi to plan routes, check opening times, and research places you want to visit. Take screenshots of these details so you can see them later, even if you don’t have Internet access.

The only warning I would give about relying on free WiFi when travelling in Korea is the increased use of mobile-dependent apps and passes in Korea. Physical tickets and passes are being phased out in favour of digital versions, which often need an active Internet connection to use.

I’ve noticed in recent years that services that impact travellers have moved to digital versions. This includes the T-Money card, Discover Seoul Pass, train and coach tickets, attraction tickets and event tickets. I believe that having a reliable net connection will be a must for most travellers soon.

Using Public Transport In Korea In 2024

This section of the South Korea travel guide looks at Korea’s public transport system and how to navigate it as a traveller. Korea has arguably one of the best public transport systems in the world. It’s cheap, well-connected, frequent, and runs on time. Other countries could learn a lot from Korea.

The great news for tourists is that Korea’s public transport is very foreigner friendly and information is provided in English in almost all places, as well as Chinese and Japanese in popular areas such as Seoul and Busan. Travelling by public transport in Korea is cheap, easy, and convenient.

How Much Does Public Transport Cost In Korea?

The cost of public transportation in Korea is fixed, no matter what day you purchase tickets on. If you buy one month in advance, or last minute, you will pay the same price for the journey. Journeys within a city are a single price and not dependent on how far you travel, unless you leave the city limits.

All journeys are single fares and you can’t buy return tickets. You will need to buy two singles when you want to travel somewhere and back again. The cost of a single fare depends on how you pay for the ticket – by cash or with a transportation card.

Here are the costs for public transport in Korea by payment method, type and user:

Please note: The cost of subway rides is set to rise to 1,400 / 1,500 KRW in October 2023. These prices will be adjusted when this occurs.

How Do You Pay For Public Transport In Korea?

The cost of public transport in Korea depends on whether you pay with a transportation card, such as T-Money, a Korea Tour Card, or Cashbee, or in cash. This applies to both subways and buses. If you use a transportation card, you should add credit to it, then touch it to the card reader at the subway or bus to pay.

To use cash to buy a subway ticket, you will need to buy a ticket at the station. For buses, you should pay the correct fare to the driver when boarding the bus. However, since 2022, buses across Korea have started to end the use of cash and some will insist on payment by transportation card only.

In the future, bus payments are expected to become simpler with fares deducted via bluetooth-enabled phones that have the relevant app downloaded. This system has already been in place in Gyeonggi Province since March 2022 and is likely to spread to more bus routes in the future.

I highly recommend getting a T-Money card when you travel to Korea. You can use it to pay for public transportation (at a discounted rate), and it will work almost everywhere in Korea. It can also be used to buy goods from shops, cafes, and restaurants. It’s really convenient and a must-have for Korea.

Using T-Money To Pay For Public Transport In Korea

A T-Money card is the essential transportation card for using public transport in Korea. You can purchase one at Incheon Airport, subway and train stations, and convenience stores across Korea. The card can be used in many places. It never expires, so you can use it on different trips, too.

Here is how to use a T-Money card in Korea:

• Purchase a T-Money card (2,500 KRW)
• Add money to the card (cash top-up only)
• Enter the bus or subway station
• Tap the T-Money card against the card reader (see pic above)
• Tap the T-Money card again when you get off (for transfer discount)
• Recharge when necessary

I recommend adding about 10,000 KRW for each day you plan to travel in Korea. That means about 70,000 KRW for a week. You can add more money later if necessary. You can top up at convenience stores and transport stations. There is also an app version of T-Money, but the card version is better.

How Do You Use Trains In Korea?

The train network in Korea is divided into high-speed trains (KTX) and regular trains (ITX and Mugunghwa). The KTX network connects major cities in Korea and is convenient for travelling around Korea quickly and cheaply. The carriages are comfortable and come with modern facilities.

Unlike other forms of public transport in Korea, transportation cards like T-Money aren’t accepted for trains. You will need to buy a train ticket to travel and all tickets are single tickets. The price to buy a ticket doesn’t change and you can refund a ticket up to the last minute for only a small fee.

You can book tickets within 30 days of travel through the official Korail website or app, or at a train station in Korea. Unfortunately, buying a train ticket online in Korea can be difficult as Korean payment systems often reject cards issued outside of Korea. Buying in person is recommended.

How To Book Korean Rail Tickets Outside Of Korea

If you want to book Korean train tickets outside of Korea, you can do it online with Trip.com, which is Korail’s exclusive overseas distributor. The price is slightly higher (about 5%) than the price you’ll pay in Korea, but it will allow you to book tickets online and secure your seat in advance.

If you plan to travel on the main KTX route between Seoul and Busan, I highly recommend booking tickets in advance. There are three types of tickets available – first class, regular, and standing. The journey takes 2:34 and you don’t want to be standing for all that time. Book ahead for comfort.

Is The Korea Rail Pass Worth The Price?

The Korea Rail Pass is a good option for tourists who plan to travel long distances by train in Korea, such as between Seoul and Busan or Seoul and Jeonju. The pass has two main options – flexible and consecutive. These mean you can use it any time (flexible) or within consecutive days.

The flexible pass is more expensive, but offers more freedom to travel around Korea over a longer period. You can use the pass to only cover big journeys and won’t feel pressured to use it again until you’re ready. The extra cost is more than worth the inconvenience of having to rush travel plans.

Will you save money with the Korea Rail Pass? That depends on your travel plans, how often you’ll be travelling by train, and how many people are travelling. If there are 2 people or more, purchase the group saver pass and save 10,000 KRW each on the pass. Group tours make it better value.

The Korea Rail Pass does not allow you to ride on the subway for free, which would make it better value. It can also be complicated to reserve tickets online using the pass and buying tickets in the regular way is more convenient. Overall, the pass isn’t essential, but might save you money.

How Do You Use Taxis In Korea?

Taxis in Korea can be hailed from the street or called directly to you using apps such as Kakao Taxi. Companies like Uber and Grab don’t have a large presence in Korea and operate the same way as Kakao Taxi, by helping you find an official taxi driver. Private taxi services aren’t common.

The big issue facing the Korean taxi industry in 2024 is the lack of taxi drivers. This can make it hard to get a taxi, even when using an app like Kakao Taxi. Late night taxis are particularly difficult to find. Read this guide about how to use Kakao Taxi to help you learn how to call a taxi in Korea.

Taxi prices in Korea are reasonable, especially compared to countries like Japan and the UK. Although base taxi fares rose in 2023 to 4,800 KRW, the price is still low and relatively affordable to travel by taxi if you need to. It’s a good option if there are no direct public transport routes.

Taking a taxi to and from Incheon Airport is a convenient option if you have a lot of bags or you are travelling in a group. For solo travellers or couples, I would recommend using public transport or a limo bus, as it’s significantly cheaper and won’t take much longer than a taxi.

How Do You Use Intercity Buses In Korea?

Intercity buses in Korea operate in a similar way to trains. You can only book tickets within 30 days of travel and can only buy single tickets. Book tickets online through websites such as T-Money Bus or Bustago, through app versions of these sites, or at the bus terminal you will depart from.

You can’t walk onto intercity buses without a ticket, nor can you use transportation cards like T-Money to pay on entry. You will need to pay for and receive your ticket (physical or digital) before you can enter the bus. Ticket machines usually (but not always) have English options for buying tickets.

There are no return bus tickets in Korea and you can only buy tickets from your point of departure, unless you book online or via an app. If you’re travelling from Seoul to Gangneung, for example, you will need to buy a ticket in Seoul and then a ticket in Gangneung. You can’t buy both in Seoul.

How Can You Hire A Car In Korea?

Renting a car is a great way to see parts of Korea that aren’t covered by the train network and gives you the freedom to explore at your leisure. If you plan to travel to Jeju Island, which doesn’t have any trains, hiring a car will be a lot more convenient and is almost a must if you plan to travel inland.

Car rental in Korea isn’t that expensive and you can rent a modern car for as little as 75,000 KRW per day. I recommend booking car rentals through Klook, they will deal with the Korean car rental companies and reserve a car for you. This is easier than trying to do it in Korean.

To hire a car in Korea, you will need:

• Driver’s license (must have had it for at least 1 or 2 years)
• International Driving Permit (in some cases)
• Credit card (in the name of the main driver)
• Valid photo ID (passport)
• Printed voucher for rental (if booked online)

Here’s some more information about the International Driving Permit and rules you should follow when driving in Korea, such as the legal requirement to wear seatbelts, booster seats for under 6s, and not using your phone while driving. Be sure to read up on local rules before driving in Korea.

Best Places To Visit In Korea In 2024

The next few sections of this South Korea travel guide will help you figure out what you want to do and see on your travels. This first section will give you a brief introduction to the best places to visit in Korea, including the major cities, tourist hotspots, and unique areas that you’re sure to love.

Here are the best places to visit in Korea:

Seoul: Korea’s Capital

Seoul is Korea’s vibrant, bustling capital and truly a must-see for any first-time visitor to Korea. There is so much to see and do in Seoul that you could easily spend a week or more exploring the city and not get bored. You will find yourself falling in love with the city for different reasons. Maybe it’s the friendly people, the deliciously cheap street eats, the way things just work, the hidden murals on old buildings down side streets, the feeling of safety even in a big city, or the historic sights creeping out from modern buildings. Seoul includes everything Korea has to offer, plus a lot more you won’t find elsewhere.

What To See In Seoul

Here are 10 great places to visit in Seoul:

1. Gyeongbokgung Palace
2. Bukchon Hanok Village
3. Myeongdong Street Markets
4. Lotte World Tower & Seokchon Lake
5. Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Markets
6. Yeouido Han River Park & Cruise
7. Secret Garden (Changdeokgung Palace)
8. N Seoul Tower & Namsan Mountain
9. COEX Mall & Bongeunsa Temple
10. Bukhansan National Park

Busan: Big Coastal City

While Seoul is a showcase of all things Korean, Busan is unashamedly its own city and a celebration of coastal life and local culture. Busan is famous for fresh seafood, traditional markets, great beaches, big festivals, movies, temples, and places to explore the coast. Beaches are popular places to visit in Busan, along with cliff-side walkways with views over the ocean. Central Busan is a lively spot with lots of entertainment and markets to enjoy, including a famous fish market where you can choose your own lunch and then eat it. Busan is spread out and deserves several days to explore it properly.

What To See In Busan

Here are 10 great places to visit in Busan:

1. Haeundae Beach & Beach Train
2. Jagalchi Fish Market
3. Gamcheon Culture Village
4. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
5. Songdo Beach & Cable Car
6. Huinnyeoul Culture Village
7. BIFF Square & Centum City Mall
8. Oryukdo Skywalk & Coastal Paths
9. Lotte World Busan
10. Busan X The Sky Observatory

Jeju Island: Natural Wonder

Jeju Island is a gorgeous island created from a volcano rising out of the ocean 2 million years ago. Today it’s one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of Nature and deservedly so. The lush island is packed with pine trees, tangerines, rolling hills and fields, cacti, and jet black volcanic rock tumbled all around. You can relax on a beach, go horse riding, explore ancient lava tubes, scuba dive, climb to the volcano’s peak, chill in a beach-side cafe, explore traditional markets, learn about local culture, and lots more. The island has two main cities, but the attractions are spread out along the coast.

What to See On Jeju Island

Here are 10 great places to visit on Jeju Island:

1. Hallasan Mountain (Volcano)
2. Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak
3. Hyeopjae & Hamdeok Beaches
4. Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market
5. Jeju Folk Village
6. Udo Island
7. Yakcheonsa Coastal Buddhist Temple
8. Jungmun Beach & Jusangjeolli Cliff
9. O’Sulloc Green Tea Museum
10. Cheonjiyeon & Jeongbang Waterfalls

Gyeongju: Historic Capital

Gyeongju, the former capital of the Shilla Kingdom in ancient Korea, is a true treasure trove of UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as local culture, history, and natural beauty. Described as an outdoor museum, you can see many of the big attractions in the Gyeongju Historic Area, including the 1,400 year Cheomseongdae Observatory. There’s so much to see in Gyeongju outside this area though, including the impressive Bulguksa Temple, one of the best Buddhist temples in Korea. There’s also the Bomun Lake Tourist District, a dreamy sight during cherry blossom season.

What To See In Gyeongju

Here are 10 great places to visit in Gyeongju:

1. Bulguksa Temple & Seokguram Shrine
2. Cheomseongdae Observatory
3. Donggung Palace & Wolji Pond
4. Yangdong Folk Village
5. Hwangnidangil Hanok Street
6. Daereungwon Tomb Complex
7. Bomun Lake Tourist Complex
8. Woljeonggyo Bridge
9. Gyeongju National Museum
10. Gyochon Traditional Hanok Village

Jeonju: Traditional Views & Food

Jeonju is the perfect destination for a day trip from Seoul and has most of its main attractions in one area of the city. What can you see in Jeonju? The main attraction is the gigantic Jeonju Hanok Village, featuring more than 700 traditional hanok houses. You can dress up in Korean hanbok, dine on Jeonju’s famous bibimbap in an old restaurant, and see how life in Korea used to be. There are plenty of other sights nearby, including a traditional market, pretty river, and the rather unusual Jaman Mural Village.

What To See In Jeonju

Here are 5 great places to visit in Jeonju:

1. Jeonju Hanok Village
2. Jeongdong Catholic Church
3. Gyeonggijeon Shrine
4. Nambu Traditional Market
5. Jaman Mural Village

Suwon: Fortress City

Suwon is another city close to Seoul that you can visit in a day and see many interesting and unique sights. The main draw of Suwon is the Hwaseong Fortress and the fortress walls, which are still intact and run for 6km around the city. Inside this fortress you’ll find lots of museums, historic buildings, parks, and activities, such as archery. There are often cultural festivals in this area, too. Surprisingly, Suwon is the best place to get KFC (Korean Fried Chicken). There’s a whole street dedicated to making it.

What to See In Suwon

Here are 5 great places to visit in Suwon:

1. Hwaseong Fortress & Fortress Walls
2. Hwaseong Haenggung & Haengridan Gil
3. Fried Chicken Street
4. Korean Folk Village
5. Gwanggyo Lake Park

Incheon: Modern City With Islands

Incheon is one of Korea’s largest cities, but is sadly ignored as it’s right next to Seoul and most people think it’s just there for the airport. That’s not true at all and there’s plenty to see and do in Incheon. Described as a futuristic city, Incheon is at the front of Korea’s push to become an ultra-modern country and nowhere shows that more than Songdo Central Park. The traditional side of Incheon is also worth exploring, including the Chinatown, which is home to Korea’s most popular student food – jajangmyeon. If you want to explore a lesser-seen side of Korea, check out the islands near Incheon to see ancient fortresses, temples, and charming sights.

What to See In Incheon

Here are 5 great places to visit in Incheon:

1. Songdo Central Park
2. Incheon Chinatown
3. Wolmido Island
4. Incheon Grand Park
5. Ganghwa Jeondeungsa Temple

Gapyeong County: Tourists Treats

Gapyeong County is a rural part of Korea just outside Seoul that is one of the most popular day trip destinations for visitors and locals alike. Inside Gapyeong County is the lovely Garden of Morning Calm, a beautiful sculpted garden that showcases traditional Korean buildings set amongst thousands of different plants and trees. There’s also Nami Island, an ever-popular attraction that has long tree-lined streets to explore, woodland animals, bike paths, and even a zip line to the island. You can also visit Petite France, a recreation of a French village, Gapyeong Rail Bike Park, and Cheongpyeong Lake, and many other attractions in Gapyeong.

What To See In Gapyeong

Here are 5 great places to visit in Gapyeong:

1. Nami Island
2. Garden of Morning Calm
3. Petite France
4. Gapyeong Rail Bike Park
5. Cheongpyeong Lake

North-East Coast: Amazing Beaches

The north-east coastal region of Korea, spreading between Sokcho and Gangneung, features some of Korea’s most popular summer seaside resorts and beaches. The wide, sandy beaches are perfect for water sports, working on your tan, and sitting at night listening to local musicians perform BTS covers and their own tunes. Sokcho deserves at least two days to explore, more if you plan to visit nearby Seoraksan National Park, one of Korea’s best places to see autumn foliage. Gangneung is where to see cherry blossoms in spring, sit and relax at a seaside cafe at Gangneung Coffee Street, and enjoy beach life.

What To See On The North-East

Here are 5 great places in north-east Korea:

1. Sokcho Beach
2. Gangneung Beach
3. Seoraksan National Park
4. Yangyang Surfyy Beach
5. Gangneung Coffee Street

East Coast: Harbour Cities

Ulsan and Pohang are two industrial cities that don’t get enough attention, but are ideal for a weekend visit once you’ve explored other top sights. These coastal cities both have good beaches, coastal walks, and green spots, including a pretty bamboo forest in Ulsan. In Pohang, you can see the dizzying Space Walk, which looks out over the city and ocean. There’s also a former Japanese district with old buildings, and the famous Homigot Sunrise Square where you can watch the first sunrise of the year. Ulsan is famous for whaling and visitors should check out the charming Jangsaengpo Whale Museum and Daewangam Park.

What To See On The East Coast

Here are 5 great places on Korea’s East Coast:

1. Yeongildae Beach & Space Walk
2. Ilsan Beach & Daewangam Park
3. Jangsaengpo Whale Museum
4. Homigot Sunrise Square
5. Taehwagang National Garden

South-West: Iconic Rural Destinations

South-west Korea is a long way from most travellers’ typical route, but this area is worth visiting if you have time. Gwangju, one of Korea’s largest cities, is hidden away down here and surrounded by natural beauty, including the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest, Boseong Green Tea Fields, and Suncheon Bay Nature Reserve. If you plan to hire a car, these spots will show you a completely different side to Korea. Gwangju, too, which is a fun city and the birthplace of Korean democracy. Hidden in the far corner of Korea is Mokpo, a lovely coastal city that has a new cable car carrying you over the ocean.

What to See In The South-West

Here are 5 great places in south-west Korea:

1. Damyang Juknokwon Bamboo Forest
2. Boseong Green Tea Fields
3. Gwangju Culture Park & Penguin Village
4. Suncheon Bay Nature Reserve
5. Mokpo Marine Cable Car

South Coast Islands: Summer Getaways

Best explored during the hot summer months and early autumn, the south coast islands in Korea, which span from Busan to Mokpo, are where Koreans spend their summer holidays. The most popular destinations here are Geoje, Tongyeong, Yeosu, Namhae, and Goheung and each offers winding coastal paths, beaches, natural beauty, and fun summer activities. The best way to see these islands is with a rented car or by bike, riding around the coast visiting a few different beaches and attractions. Don’t expect too many cultural sights, instead you’ll find luges, gardens, water sports, and lots of fun.

What to See On The South Coast

Here are 5 great places on Korea’s South Coast:

1. Dolsan Park & Cable Car
2. Namhae Geumsan Boriam Hermitage
3. Hallyeohaesang National Park
4. Oedo-Botania Botanical Garden
5. Skyline Luge Tongyeong

As you can see, there are many great places to visit in Korea. Korea is truly a country of undiscovered wonders that people aren’t aware of. Seoul is an incredible place to visit, but there’s so much more to see. That’s why I try to include lesser-known places in this South Korea travel guide.

The list above covers a lot of the most popular or tour-worthy destinations in Korea, but there are still more places I could recommend, such as Andong (home to the mask dance festival), Gunsan (port town with a retro vibe), Daegu (big city with historic sights), Daejeon, and many more.

Besides cities and towns in Korea, there are also 18 national parks to explore, thousands of mountains, Buddhist temples, beaches, bike routes, campsites, and so much more. I’ll include a few of each of these in the next few sections of this South Korea travel guide.

Best Day Tours From Seoul In 2024

Taking a day tour while you’re staying in Seoul is a great way to see more of Korea’s top attractions without the hassle of moving hotels to somewhere new. The 10 day tours from Seoul below can all be done in a day or less and can even be combined with other activities in the same day.

I don’t want to include every day tour available in this South Korea travel guide as there isn’t enough room to talk about them all. If you want to find more day tours, I recommend looking at the options available through tour providers such as Klook, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Please note: There are many day tours from Seoul and they come with various prices. I recommend avoiding the very cheapest as these will often waste your time by taking you to some overpriced gift shop area and pressuring you to buy souvenirs or rushing you through too many attractions.

Here are 10 great day tours from Seoul:

Why Visit The DMZ

The DMZ, the demilitarised zone between North & South Korea is a truly unique place to visit when you’re in Korea. There are several different locations to see in this area, each reflecting the bitter struggle between the two Korea’s in the ongoing Korean War. Some of the highlights are the 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory, Dorasan Station, Gamaksan Suspension Bridge, and the Imjingak Park. There’s also the Panmunjom Truce Village where you can walk into North Korea, but this is currently closed. Tours are required to travel to certain parts of the DMZ.

DMZ Tour

Why Visit Gapyeong County

Gapyeong County is home to Nami Island, the Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France, Gapyeong Rail Bike Park, and several other fun attractions. Nami Island and the Garden of Morning Calm are the most popular and can both be visited in a day. You can witness beautiful scenes at these destinations, especially during cherry blossom season (April) and autumn foliage season (October). Tours from Seoul to Gapyeong County are convenient and can take you to multiple places in one day without the hassle of buses and finding your own way.

Gapyeong County Tour

Why Visit Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress and its fortress walls offer a unique chance to see what life was like in Korea 200 years ago. Not only can you walk the full length of the walls around the city, you can also try archery and other traditional activities in the fortress grounds. There are many museums, fortress buildings, and exhibitions showing how people lived in this period. You can also enjoy the beautiful ponds and streams that run through the palace with traditional Korean restaurants and cafes looking out over these areas.

Hwaseong Fortress TOur

Why Visit Korean Folk Village

Discover traditional Korean life at the Korean Folk Village in Yongin during a day trip from Seoul. Walk through dozens of recreated farm buildings, government offices, academies, shops, smiths, schools, and other traditional buildings from Korea’s past to get a feel for how people lived at this time. Actors dressed in traditional Joseon-era costumes bring the scenes to life. You can try fun activities, such as mask carving, horse riding, and archery. Witness exciting festivals and cultural performances, too.

Korean Folk Village Tour

Why Visit Jeonju Hanok Village

A day trip to the Jeonju Hanok Village in Jeonju is a great way to experience various traditional Korean cultural activities in a beautiful setting. This sprawling hanok village has over 700 traditional buildings for you to explore, dine in, or even stay in. Make sure you rent hanbok in Jeonju so you look like Korean royalty and make memorable photos during your trip. Whilst you’re in Jeonju Hanok Village, you can try local delights such as Jeonju bibimbap and PNB chocopies. Also check out the traditional Nambu Market and Jeongdong Catholic Church.

Jeonju Hanok Village Guide

Why Visit Alpaca World

When you travel to Korea, you may not think about seeing alpacas, which are from an entirely different continent. But Korea’s love of all things cute means that these furry friends have become very popular in Korea and have their own theme park a few hours from Seoul. There are dozens of cuddly alpacas to see, feed, and play with at Alpaca World, as well as hundreds of other cute critters such as ponies, rabbits, deer, goats, fennec foxes, and more. There are 17 separate areas to explore in Alpaca World and it’ll provide hours of fun for the whole family.

ALpaca World Tour

Why Visit Seoraksan

Seoraksan National Park on Korea’s east coast is a great day trip from Seoul for those who want to see mountain peaks, leafy valleys, stony rivers, and a gigantic Buddha. Even if you’re not a keen hiker, you can explore lots of the park’s valley pathways easily, or reach the top thanks to the convenient cable car. See the sights from the observatory and check out the small temple in the clouds. Make sure you try haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) and makgeolli (rice wine). It’s the traditional meal Koreans enjoy after hiking.

Seoraksan Tour

Why Visit Everland

Everland is Korea’s biggest theme park and is packed with attractions for everyone to enjoy. Thrill seekers will love the rollercoasters, such as T Express (the world’s 4th steepest rollercoaster) and many more exciting rides. Check out the Zootopia section to see wild animals and wild rides, or the Plantopia section for floral beauty, romantic walkways, and seasonal delights. There are plenty of attractions, cultural performances, entertainments, and seasonal events to keep you amused all day long.

Everland Theme Park Tour

Why Visit Danyang

A great way to see Korea’s countryside is with a day trip to Danyang to enjoy the rush of sailing over valleys and beside mountains while tandem paragliding. Feel the wind in your face and the sensation of riding the air currents as you pass over the many delightful views of Danyang. You can enjoy other activities in this area, such as the Mancheonha Skywalk, a clifftop lookout with incredible views, riding an alpine coaster, and zooming along a zip line. The perfect day tour from Seoul for thrill seekers.

Danyang Paragliding Tour

Why Visit Dae Jang Geum Park

Fans of Korean period dramas and movies will love a day trip to Dae Jang Geum Park in Yongin. This is the largest historical drama filming set in Korea and was used to film MBC productions such as ‘Wind in the Palace’ and ‘The Great Queen Seondeok’, as well as K-Pop videos including Daechwita by Suga from BTS. If you’re lucky, you may see filming going on here. But even if you don’t, it’s a fun place for those who want to learn more about Korea’s history and take some cool pictures in a real movie set.

Dae Jang Geum Park Tour

I’ve linked to tours provided by reliable tour companies in Korea. If you would rather book a tour through a local guide, contact Jerry Heng or Andrew Chung Hanbyul. They’re freelance guides with years of experience offering tours in Korea and both offer amazing service.

These places are accessible by public transport, but may take much longer than a tour would do, wasting your precious time. Check out my guide for getting to Nami Island to help you navigate Gapyeong County. For other destinations, I would recommend a tour – it’s more practical.

Best Sights To See In Korea In 2024

South Korea truly has something for everyone. There’s so much I want to include in this South Korea travel guide, which is why this section is full of different sights to see and explore. However, to keep things short and simple, I’ll just list them, not give full details about each one.

Whether you’re travelling to Korea to learn about Korean culture or history, to see Korea’s impressive landmarks, to enjoy family fun attractions, to hop from cafe to cafe, to immerse yourself in nature, or simply to eat and shop, then you’ll definitely find something for you in this section.

Famous Landmarks In Korea

Landmarks and iconic buildings are often top of a traveller’s bucket list for Korea as they provide great photo opportunities, showcase the best of the country, and offer fantastic views. Seoul has many top landmarks, but you can see plenty of other sights outside of the capital, too.

Here are 10 famous landmarks in Korea:

1. Lotte World Tower (Seoul)
2. N Seoul Tower (Seoul)
3. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (Seoul)
4. Cheonggyecheon Stream (Seoul)
5. DMZ Area (near Seoul)
6. Nami Island (Gapyeong County)
7. Gamcheon Culture Village (Busan)
8. Seongsan Ilchulbong (Jeju)
9. Homigot Sunrise Square (Pohang)
10. Banwol Purple Island (West Coast)

Historic Sights In Korea

Discover life in the Joseon period and before in Korea’s many captivating historic sights, including royal palaces, Buddhist temples, fortresses, and hanok villages. There are so many amazing historic sights to see in Korea, with each city having something to see.

Here are 10 historic sights in Korea:

1. Bukchon Hanok Village (Seoul)
2. Gyeongbokgung Palace (Seoul)
3. The Secret Garden (Seoul)
4. Seoul Fortress Walls (Seoul)
5. Hwaseong Fortress (Suwon)
6. Bulguksa Temple (Gyeongju)
7. Gyeongju Historic Area (Gyeongju)
8. Jeonju Hanok Village (Jeonju)
9. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (Busan)
10. Andong Hahoe Village (Andong)

Korean Modern Cultural Sights

Fans of BTS, K-Dramas, Korean movies, and modern Korean culture in general have a lot to see and do in Korea. As well as famous filming locations across the country, these modern cultural sights will entertain, inform, and provide great destinations to visit.

Here are 10 modern cultural sights in Korea:

1. Hallyu K Star Road (Seoul)
2. K-Style Hub (Seoul)
3. Hongik Uni. Station Area (Seoul)
4. COEX Artium (Seoul)
5. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (Seoul)
6. Asia Culture Centre (Gwangju)
7. BIFF Square (Busan)
8. Dae Jang Geum Park (Yongin)
9. Sunshine Studio (Nonsan)
10. Kim Gwang-Seok Street (Daegu)

Family Fun Attractions In Korea

Families travelling to Korea have plenty of things to see and do and ways to enjoy spending time together. There’s no Disneyworld or Universal Studios in Korea, but there are plenty of great alternatives, as well as places for children to explore, learn, and discover.

Here are 10 family fun attractions in Korea:

1. Lotte World Adventure (Seoul)
2. Everland Theme Park (Yongin)
3. Seoul Grand Park & Zoo (Seoul)
4. Alive Museum & Dynamic Maze (Seoul)
5. Seoul Children’s Museum (Seoul)
6. Zoolung Zoolung (Seoul)
7. Sea Life Busan Aquarium (Busan)
8. Jeju Dinosaur Island (Jeju Island)
9. Alpaca World (Gangwon Province)
10. Skyline Luge & Lotte World (Busan)

Korean Museums & Galleries

Travellers to Korea who want to learn about Korea’s history, culture, and art will love Korea’s impressive museums and galleries. These are great places to visit when the weather is bad and you might be surprised at how much there is to learn about Korea’s past.

Here are 10 museums & galleries in Korea:

1. National Museum of Korea (Seoul)
2. War Memorial of Korea (Seoul)
3. Seoul Museum of Art (Seoul)
4. Seoul Museum of History (Seoul)
5. Seodaemun Prison Museum (Seoul)
6. Museum Kimchikan (Seoul)
7. National Folk Museum of Korea (Seoul)
8. Gyeongju National Museum (Gyeongju)
9. National Maritime Museum (Busan)
10. Daegu Art Museum (Daegu)

Cafe Areas In Korea

When you need a break from travelling in Korea, visit one of these cosy cafe areas and take time to relax and recharge. Although Korea was traditionally a tea drinking country, cafes are now everywhere and you’ll find photogenic cafes everywhere these days.

Here are 10 cafe areas to visit in Korea:

1. Ikseondong Hanok Village (Seoul)
2. Gyeongui Line Parks (Seoul)
3. Samcheondong Cafe Street (Seoul)
4. Sinsa-dong / Garosugil Road (Seoul)
5. Jukjeon Cafe Street (Seoul)
6. Jeonpo Cafe Street (Busan)
7. Haeridangil (Busan)
8. Hwangnidangil (Gyeongju)
9. Hwaseong Haenggung Area (Suwon)
10. Gangneung Coffee Street (Gangneung)

Korean Markets & Malls

If you want the best selection of street food, souvenirs, and bargain shopping options, be sure to visit Korea’s many traditional markets. It’s a cultural experience itself. Korea also has some of the world’s largest malls with a wide variety of Korean and international goods.

Here are 10 markets & malls in Korea:

1. Gwangjang Market (Seoul)
2. Dongaemun Market (Seoul)
3. Hongdae Shopping Street (Seoul)
4. Starfield COEX Mall (Seoul)
5. Jagalchi Fish Market (Busan)
6. Seomyeon Underground Mall (Busan)
7. Centum City Mall (Busan)
8. Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market (Jeju)
9. Nambu Market (Jeonju)
10. Paju Premium Outlets (Paju)

Korean Natural Wonders

Korea is a country covered in mountains, waterfalls, valleys, rice terraces, and beautiful natural sights. Make time to visit some of these natural wonders when you visit Korea and you’ll be amazed at the incredible views you can find. The national parks are truly breathtaking.

Here are 10 natural wonders to see in Korea:

1. Hallasan Mountain (Jeju)
2. Jirisan National Park (Southern Korea)
3. Seoraksan National Park (Gyeonggi)
4. Garden of Morning Calm (Gapyeong)
5. Juknokwon Bamboo Forest (Damyang)
6. Boseong Green Tea Fields (Boseong)
7. Udo Island (Jeju Island)
8. Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak (Jeju)
9. Hyeopjae Beach (Jeju)
10. Suncheon Bay National Park (Suncheon)

These 100 ideas are just the tip of the iceberg for what you can enjoy when travelling to Korea. There’s so much more to discover and I recommend you add some time to your travel plans to explore without a plan. Sometimes the best travel memories come from unexpected discoveries.

Best Activities To Try In Korea In 2024

Often the most memorable moments when travelling come from the experiences we have, not just the places we visit. Visiting a palace is interesting, but visiting a palace while dressed in traditional Korean hanbok, pretending you’re Joseon-era royalty with your friends or family is much more fun.

This section of the South Korea travel guide offers 10 fun activities you can try when you visit Korea. These will give you a good introduction to Korean culture, food, history, and nature. If you want more ideas, check out my list of 50 unique Korean experiences you can only do in Korea.

One of the top experiences to try in Korea has to be wearing Korean hanbok. It is available for all members of the family (even pets) and you can rent hanbok near most palaces or hanok villages. The hanbok easily fit over your regular clothes and come in a variety of colourful or traditional designs. You can get hair styling, accessories, and even have a hanbok photoshoot. Rentals can be as short as one hour or up to a full day.

Travellers to Korea can’t say they’ve truly tried Korean cuisine until they’ve eaten Korean street food from a market stall or street vendor. There are many types of Korean street food to sample in Korea, such as savoury snacks like tteokbokki and eomuk, to sweet treats like hotteok and bungeo-ppang. Korean street food is cheap and delicious. It’s usually not that healthy, but always leaves you feeling great. Give it a try.

Experience life as a Korean would have in the Joseon-era with a night in a traditional hanok house. A hanok stay is very different from sleeping in a hotel and allows you to try a night on a futon (with underground heating keeping you warm in winter). Slide the doors aside in the morning and walk out onto the wooden decking to enjoy traditional Korean tea at a low table and the sight of the ornately decorated garden. Don’t forget to take your shoes off before you enter.

Seoul and other cities in Korea still have fortress walls you can walk or hike along that will offer incredible views of cities and mountains. As you walk along the fortress walls, you begin to imagine what life would have been like as a soldier keeping the city safe from invaders. Nowadays, you can enjoy exercise and sightseeing at the same time. Seoul’s fortress walls are a good place to start, but you can find fortress walls in many other places.

Visiting a Korean sauna might be a bit shocking for first-time travellers to Korea, but it’s a great way to relax and is especially good in winter. When you enter a Korean sauna, you should take off all your clothes, have a shower, and then enter one of the hot baths. Being naked in front of others can be scary for some, but you soon overcome that fear. Korean saunas sometimes have a communal resting area called a jjimjjilbang. These areas require pyjamas and offer snacks, drinks, and places to rest.

The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism have set up a templestay program at dozens of temples across Korea where you spend a day or two at the temple and join in various activities. This is truly a unique experience that you should try in Korea as you get to see customs performed by the monks that aren’t normally shown to the public. You also get to stay overnight at the temple and experience a hanok stay at the same time. Guests can also eat healthy vegan temple food, learn a lot, and chat with the monks.

A noraebang is the Korean version of a karaoke room, but is more popular in Korea and is commonly visited by locals and tourists alike. This is a great place to visit in the evening after a big Korean bbq meal and a few drinks. Everyone can relax and belt out their favourite Korean or international tunes together (or alone), shake some tambourines in support, or just watch and enjoy the atmosphere with some drinks. You can find these in every town and city in Korea and they provide a cheap night of fun and drinks.

Open since 2020, the Sky Bridge at Lotte World Tower offers unbeatable views of Seoul and a nerve-racking trip above the city. Walk between the two towers at the top of the Lotte World Tower and peer down the 541 metre drop to the city streets below. It’s actually very safe and you’re strapped into a harness as you walk from one side to the other, but this definitely isn’t for the faint-hearted. If you’re not sure you can handle the height, check out the Seoul Sky Observatory on the 117th floor instead.

Koreans love to drink coffee and also love cute, unusual things, which is probably why theme cafes have become so popular in Korea. Besides the many cat cafes, there are theme cafes where you can stroke sheep, pet dogs, and see other animals. There’s more to Korea’s theme cafes than just drinking coffee with animals, you can also try drinking from a toilet at the Poop Cafe, paint pictures, build lego, go camping, practice being a wizard, and more. Hongdae in Seoul is the best place to find theme cafes.

Although cafes are replacing Korean tea houses, Korea still grows and drinks lots of tea, especially green tea. You can visit these tea fields in areas such as Boseong and on Jeju Island, both of which have visitor centres and attractions to teach you about the wonderful world of Korean tea. The Daehan Dawon Tea Plantation in Boseong has lush green fields all year round and has been used as a filming location for several Korean shows. The O’sulloc Tea Museum on Jeju Island also has lovely views.

I recommend trying at least a few of these unique activities, they’ll really make your trip to Korea more memorable and offer insights into Korean culture and life. My advice is to be brave when visiting Korea and try new things, even if they seem a bit unusual at first. The same applies to Korean foods.

Best Korean Festivals To Join In 2024

There are dozens of festivals held in Korea each year celebrating the seasons, local products, traditions, culture, and often just for the sake of having fun. Visiting a festival in Korea will offer you a glimpse of how locals celebrate life, culture, and nature and let you join in the fun.

Whenever you visit Korea, there’ll be festivals going on. However, the biggest festivals occur in spring or autumn. As mentioned previously in this South Korea travel guide, these are the best seasons to visit Korea as the weather is pleasant and people are celebrating the end of summer or winter.

Cherry Blossom Festivals

The cherry blossom festivals in Korea occur in late March and early April and are some of the biggest festivals in Korea. People flock to forests, lakes, and rivers to see the pretty blossoms. The Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival has over 2 million visitors each year, and even more people visit Seokchon Lake and Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. There are many festivals and tours to see cherry blossoms in Korea so you should be able to find a quiet place to enjoy the view.

Winter Light Festivals

During the cold, dark days of winter, attractions such as Nami Island, the Garden of Morning Calm, and Herb Island transform into sparkling winter wonderlands with millions of bright lights illuminating them. There are also winter illumination festivals in Korean cities, such as the Haeundae Lighting Festival in Busan, Cheonggyecheon Stream Winter Lights in Seoul, and the Busan Christmas Tree Cultural Festival. When it snows in Korea, these festivals look even more magical.

Summer Music Festivals

Summer in Korea is hot, but that doesn’t stop people enjoying day-long music festivals across the country. From chilled jazz festivals like the Seoul Jazz Festival, to action-packed concerts like Psy’s Summer Swag, there are music festivals to suit everyone. This is a popular summer activity in Korea, so be sure to book in advance for ticketed events. If you can’t get tickets, just go to a popular beach in the evening and you’ll usually find musicians performing.

New Year Festivals

There are various festivals in Korea to celebrate the solar new year. New Year’s Eve festivals involve a bell-ringing ceremony where a giant bell is rung at midnight to welcome in the new year. Fireworks festivals are common events in cities across Korea, starting at midnight, too. Koreans celebrate the start of the new year by visiting the East Coast to see the first sunrise of the year at places like Homigot Sunrise Square or Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju Island.

Buddha’s Birthday Festivals

Buddha’s Birthday is like Christmas for the Buddhist world, but celebrated very differently. It also falls on changing dates each year as it follows the lunar calendar, just like Korean New Year. Korean Buddhist temples across Korea will celebrate by putting up colourful lanterns and decorations for at least a month before the actual date. The biggest festival celebrating Buddha’s Birthday is the Yeon Deung Hoe Lantern Festival, which features thousands of lanterns and a lantern parade through central Seoul.

Boryeong Mud Festival

The Boryeong Mud Festival is one of Korea’s largest festivals and attracts visitors from around the world. Running for 2 weeks during rainy season, this is the best way to see a Korean festival even when the weather is bad. There’s a lot to see and do at this festival, including getting dirty in the mud with mud sports, mud wrestling, mud tug-of-war, and other mud-filled events. Boryeong is famous for the high-quality mud found in nearby waters and, by joining this festival, you’re getting a free mud facial.

Jinju Lantern Festival

The visually stunning Jinju Lantern Festival is held in October each year in Jinju City and runs for several weeks. During the day, watch cultural performances and enjoy exploring the central fortress grounds of Jinju. Once it gets dark, see the city transform as thousands of lanterns, some as big as trees, come to life. There are so many weird and wonderful lanterns to discover at this festival. You can also set your own lanterns to float down the river with your wish inside.

Andong Mask Dance Festival

The Andong Mask Dance Festival in Andong, home of the Andong Hahoe Village, is a great opportunity to witness traditional Korean dance and music performances. Not only can you see traditional Korean performances during this 4 day festival, there are also international performers displaying their own culture’s dancing. Get hands-on with traditional Korean culture at this festival. Explore Andong and learn about its contributions to Korea’s cultural development.

Goyang Flower Festival

The Goyang International Flower Festival runs twice per year, once in spring and once in autumn. It’s a beautiful celebration of floral beauty mixed with Korean cuteness and creativity. At this flower festival you can stroll through a maze of different displays, with each section focusing on certain flowers and plants. There are indoor displays with vividly coloured roses, nature-based outdoor photo zones, and the lovely Ilsan Lake Park in the background.

Baekje Culture Festival

The Baekje Culture Festival probably isn’t one that first-time travellers to Korea would know about. Held in Gongju and Buyeo, the two former capitals of the ancient Baekje Kingdom, this 10-day long festival held around Chuseok (Korean mid-autumn harvest festival), is packed with unique events and sights and is set in historic locations in each city. There’s local food to try, musical & cultural performances, fun photo zones, lantern displays, and much more.

Knowing when you plan to visit Korea will help you research what festivals are on and what the weather will be like. There are certainly a lot more than just the ones mentioned above, including some others mentioned previously in the seasons part of this South Korea travel guide.

I recommend using a tour company to see out of the way festivals like the Jinju Lantern Festival and the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. These are often far from typical tourist destinations and can take hours to get to by public transport. Tours are worth the cost to save you time and avoid hassle.

Recommended Itinerary For Korea In 2024

In this section of this South Korea travel guide is my recommended first-timer itinerary for South Korea. This introduces you to two of Korea’s biggest cities, as well as a couple of day trips to highly rated destinations in Korea. There’s a mix of history, culture, nature, sights, and experiences.

This itinerary starts in Seoul as that’s where most people arrive to Korea after flying into Incheon Airport. If you arrive in Busan, you can change the route to start and end there instead. For travellers to Korea with only 2 or 3 days, I recommend using the first few days of this itinerary instead.

The itinerary lasts for one week, which isn’t enough time to see all of Korea, but enough time to get a feel for the country. If you have more time, use this itinerary and add in or replace extra destinations as you like. Jeju Island is certainly worth visiting if you have an extra 2 or 3 days.

Classic Sights Of Korea Itinerary

This itinerary covers a few must-see sights in Korea, including the two largest cities, the history city of Gyeongju, and some popular day trip destinations from Seoul.

Day 1: Arrive in Seoul and explore Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong Art Street, Jogyesa Temple, and Cheonggyecheon Stream. Get dinner at the Jonggak Avenue of Youth for authentic Korean food that’s better than the touristy places in Myeongdong.

Day 2: Learn about Korean history at the War Memorial of Korea or National Museum of Korea, explore Seoul’s traditional Gwangjang market in Dongdaemun, take the cable car to the N Seoul Tower for sunset & night views, then head down to Itaewon or Myeongdong for dinner & drinks.

Day 3: Take a day trip to Gapyeong and visit Nami Island, the Garden of Morning Calm, and the Gapyeong Rail Bike Park. Return to Seoul for dinner and rooftop drinks in Myeongdong and then walk along the fortress walls from Dongdaemun Station if the weather is good.

Day 4: Take the KTX to Busan, drop your bags, and take the subway to Nampo-dong for Jagalchi Fish Market, Bosu-dong Book Alley, and traditional sights. Take a taxi to Huinnyeoul Culture Village. End the day in Haeundae for evening dinner & drinks and a walk along the beach at night.

Day 5: Take the bus to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, then a taxi to Songjeong Beach. Relax in a beachside cafe, then take the Haeundae Beach Train to Cheongsapo, change to the Sky Capsule, and end up in Haeundae. Take a bus to Gamcheon Culture Village and get dinner at Songdo Beach.

Day 6: Take a day trip from Busan to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Gyeongju. Visit the Gyeongju Historic Area, then Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village for traditional food and sights of Woljeonggyo Bridge. See tranquil night views of Wolji Pond before getting dinner at Hwangnidangil.

Day 7: Head back to Seoul on the KTX for a final day of shopping and sightseeing in Hongdae. Walk along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park or Book Street or visit a theme cafe. Take the subway directly to Incheon Airport from Hongdae or spend a night here and check out the lively night scene.

Please note: I recommend trying not to cram too much into your itinerary. You may want to see as much as possible, but people often end up rushing past sights and not appreciating them. Plan for less and see more if you have time. It gives you a chance to be spontaneous.

To plan a realistic itinerary for South Korea, it is important to factor in transportation, meal breaks, and rest times. Use Naver Maps to plan your route and work out travel times. A short journey on the map might take much longer if there’s no direct route. Also consider breaks if you plan to walk a lot.

Cultural Issues When Visiting Korea

The next few sections of this South Korea travel guide will provide answers to some of the most common questions first-time travellers to Korea have in regards to cultural, language, and safety issues. Korea is a culturally unique country with customs and traditions you might not be aware of.

Korea is a society that places a strong emphasis on social image, respect for others, and social harmony. This means Koreans will often try to avoid conflict, especially in public. To show respect for Korean culture and to avoid being rude, try to respect social harmony and always avoid conflict.

If you follow these tips, you’ll find it easier to avoid accidentally upsetting someone in Korea. There’s far too much to cover in this South Korea travel guide, so if you’d like to know more, check out my detailed guide to Korean etiquette and culture, it’s packed with tips and insights to understand Korea.

What is considered rude in Korea? It is considered rude to point with one finger or with chopsticks, give and receive with one hand, cross your legs when sitting, and to walk inside with your shoes on. Things considered rude in other countries such as swearing and spitting are also rude in Korea.

What is considered unlucky in Korea? It is considered unlucky to write someone’s name in red ink and to stand chopsticks upright in rice. Both are used in rituals for deceased people. The number 4 is also unlucky as the word is the same as the word for ‘death’.

Do you need to tip in Korea? It’s not necessary to tip in Korea and most restaurants and cafes won’t expect or allow you to tip. There is no service charge added to bills in Korea, with the exception of some upmarket restaurants, bars, and hotels in touristy areas of Seoul. Tipping guides is okay.

Do you need to take off shoes when going inside? If you enter someone’s house in Korea, you should take off your shoes. This rule also applies to temples, traditional restaurants, and other places in traditional buildings. Most cafes, shops, and restaurants won’t ask you to take off your shoes.

When should you use two hands in Korea? You should use two hands when giving and receiving things in Korea, such as money, a gift, a business card, or food. When you shake hands, use both hands, not just one. The same applies to pouring drinks, both pouring and holding a glass.

Do I have to act like a Korean in Korea? You don’t have to follow Korean customs and traditions when you visit Korea. You are a guest in the country and Koreans won’t expect you to know every rule. However, showing cultural awareness in Korea will help you make friends and impress locals.

The best tip for being culturally sensitive in Korea is to first consider all the things that you’d consider rude in your own country – spitting, swearing, shouting, physical violence, etc. Show the same acts of kindness you’d show at home – help others, give up your seat for those in need, be polite, etc.

Furthermore, remember that social harmony is really important in Korea and try not to cause a scene. Keep your voice down in public, don’t talk or act aggressively, be polite, and don’t force things when people are reluctant. Koreans may feel obliged to do things, even when they don’t want to.

Language Issues When Travelling Korea

Language issues can be a big concern for first-time travellers to Korea as Korean is a very different language from English and has a unique alphabet. Korean is also one of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers, ranked alongside Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic.

However, as a tourist to Korea, you don’t need to worry about mastering the language. English is used for signs and announcements in most places that you’ll need it, such as on public transport, at the airport, at attractions & tourist sites, on menus, and most other places. It’s common across Korea.

If there is a sign or notice that isn’t in Korean, I recommend using the Papago app to take translate it. Use the image translation function in the app to scan the sign and Papago will translate it into English for you. It’s really convenient and the way I translate things I can’t read in Korean.

Do Korean People Speak English?

Speaking in English to Korean people is different from being able to read and translate signs. English is taught from elementary school until the end of high school. That doesn’t mean everyone will remember it, but there’s a good chance some people will know English, especially younger Koreans.

It is best to ask if someone speaks English before trying to have a conversation. You can do this in Korean by asking “영어 할 수 있어요?” (Yong-oh hal su iss-o-yo?) or just ask it in English. Tour guides and people in the tourism industry will probably be able to speak English, but it’s not guaranteed.

Shyness is an issue in Korea and locals may be reluctant to speak English at first for fear of making a mistake. As an English teacher in Korea, I know that Korean students are usually quite competent in English, but lack confidence to use it. Be patient and encouraging when talking in English.

Although some Koreans may be too shy to use English, other people may be enthusiastic about speaking English to you and want to practice it. I’ve been asked random questions in English by strangers in the street in Korea who want to practice English and find out about my life.

Should You Learn Korean Before Visiting Korea?

If you do want to learn some Korean before you travel, I recommend you start by learning the Korean alphabet, or at least learning some basic Korean travel phrases. Knowing how to introduce yourself, discuss prices, ask for directions, and ask for help will make your trip to Korea a lot easier.

You can learn Korean online through courses such as 90 Day Korean and Korean Class 101, or with self-study textbooks like the excellent Talk To Me In Korean series. There are lots of resources on YouTube, too. I particularly like Learn Korean with GO! Korean Billy as he explains things clearly.

Another way to prepare to move to Korea is to read some Korean novels in English. Although these books won’t teach you any Korean, they’ll offer up valuable insights into Korean culture, both traditional and hidden under the surface. Literature is a good way to gain an understanding of a culture.

A warning about Konglish: Although Korea uses English in many useful ways, there’s also a lot of Konglish. The sign above is a good example of random English words being used to look cool, but ending up being confusing. There’s a lot of this in Korea and it’s mostly harmless, so don’t worry.

Health And Safety Issues In Korea

First-time travellers to Korea may be worried about health and hygiene issues, such as if certain foods are available and if they’re safe to eat. Other issues include vaccinations, personal safety, and how easy it is to contact emergency services. These issues are addressed below.

Is Korean Street Food Safe To Eat?

Korean street food is generally safe to eat and won’t give you any health issues unless you have an intolerance to the food. Korean street food can be spicy or contain a lot of salt, be aware of your own personal tolerances and dietary requirements before trying it.

Also be careful when ordering food with meat or seafood and check that it is cooked thoroughly. Korean street food that has been left out for a long time is more likely to cause food poisoning problems, so ask for freshly cooked food if you’re concerned.

Is It Easy To Find Vegan-Friendly Food In Korea?

There are many vegan-friendly Korean dishes, such as gimbap, japchae, pajeon, bibimbap, ramyeon, and tteokbokki. However, some restaurants may use non vegan-friendly ingredients when preparing these foods, so be careful. Kimchi isn’t vegan-friendly due to its seafood ingredients & sauces.

Vegetarianism and veganism aren’t common in Korea with fewer people following these diets than in countries such as the USA or UK. Vegetarians in Korea account for 3% of the population, while vegans in Korea are only 0.2% of the population as of 2022. The UK is 10% and 2% respectively.

However, the number of vegan-friendly restaurants and bakeries is increasing each year in Korea, especially in areas such as Hongdae and Itaewon. Korean Buddhist temple food is vegan-friendly and a good option for vegans who want to enjoy vegan food while learning about local Korean culture.

If you’re concerned about accidentally ordering non vegan-friendly food, or want to know how to tell someone about food allergies or requirements, check out my guide to Korean phrases for ordering food. This has a whole section about special requests when ordering food in Korean.

Is It Safe To Drink Tap Water In Korea?

Korean tap water is potable and safe to drink. Korea ranks 23rd for water hygiene, which is above the USA, Canada, and Australia. However, many Koreans don’t drink tap water, preferring to use water purifiers and bottled water instead, claiming that tap water smells strange or water pipes are bad.

Personally, I don’t like drinking tap water in Korea as it tastes a bit stale, but it’s perfectly fine to drink and doesn’t cause any problems. Bottled water is very cheap in Korea and costs 600 KRW for a 500ml bottle from a convenience store. Buying water from a supermarket is a cheaper option though.

Do You Need Any Vaccinations To Travel To South Korea?

There are no mandatory vaccinations required to travel to Korea, but it is suggested you should have at least routine vaccinations such as tetanus, MMR, and polio. Hepatitis A & B, typhoid, and Japanese encephalitis vaccinations are also recommended.

Is Korea Friendly To Tourists?

Korea is generally friendly and welcoming to tourists. The Korean government spends a lot of money and effort to promote Korean tourism to the world and there are many incentives to bring people to the country. Korean people are also mostly polite and welcoming, especially in the tourism sector.

Is Korea A Dangerous Country To Travel In?

South Korea is a safe country to travel in and the crime rate in Korea is low, comparable to Norway or the Netherlands. Public crimes, such as theft and assault, are rare. Pickpocketing and purse snatching aren’t common and unattended goods are generally left alone or reported to the police.

How safe is Korea? I regularly see people leave their phone or handbag on a cafe table to reserve it before going up to order a drink. People even leave their laptops open while they pop out for lunch or go to the toilet. Stealing disturbs social harmony and is one of the reasons it’s rare in Korea.

Physical violence is also rare, but still occurs in Korea, as it does in all countries. This is most often found in areas with lots of bars and when people are drunk. However, visiting bars in Korea is a lot safer than I’ve experienced in other countries and trouble is not common, even in busy places.

How Do You Contact Tourist Information Services In Korea?

Call 1330 in Korea to contact the Travel Helpline. The Korean Travel Helpline provides the following services free of charge to tourists in Korea.

• Tourist Information: Find out about attractions, opening hours, prices, and other information.
• Tourist Interpretation: Access travel information in several languages.
• Tourist Complaints: Report rip-offs and problems you encounter when travelling in Korea.
• Tourist Police: Report minor crimes in English and other languanges.

There are tourist police patrolling the streets of Seoul, dressed in purple uniforms as shown in the picture above. In popular tourist locations like Myeongdong and Bukchon Hanok Village, you’ll also find friendly tourist information staff dressed in red shirts with matching red cowboy hats.

What Should You Do If You Have An Emergency In Korea?

If you need to report a fire or medical emergency in Korea, you should call 119 from any phone. To contact the police in Korea, call 112. You will need to select an option to report an emergency in English or another language. It may take some time to be redirected to an English speaker.

• 119 – Medical Emergency & Fire Rescue
• 112 – Police

When you use medical services in Korea, you have to pay the cost of treatment, but there is no fee for the ambulance ride as this is covered by the Korean government. Travel insurance should cover the cost of medical bills, so if you’re worried about a large medical bill, insurance is recommended.

Fortunately, the cost of treatment in Korea is quite reasonable and Korea has advanced medical facilities, which is why it’s a popular medical tourism destination. Many people travel to Korea for minor and major surgery, including laser eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, and internal medicine.

Is Air Pollution A Problem In Korea?

Air pollution is an issue in Korea, especially in spring & summer. Winds blow yellow dust from Central Asia, field burning spreads fumes across Asia, and fossil-fuel burning contributes to higher levels of air pollution. Some days there’ll be very low visibility and health risks for people with lung problems.

My Personal Travel Tips For Korea

This South Korea travel guide is a collection of information I’ve researched and learned since moving to Korea in 2015 and blogging about Korean travel since 2019. I hope the provided information and insights are useful and assist you plan your dream first-time, or even tenth-time, trip to Korea.

This section includes my personal tips that didn’t really fit anywhere else and reflections built from travelling all over Korea in all seasons. These are tips I would offer to first-time travellers to Korea and people who might have some worries about visiting the Land of Morning Calm. I hope they help.

The Real Korea Isn’t What You See On TV

Korea is a developed country that went from being a 3rd world country in the mid 20th Century to a high-tech country in a short time. Despite the many high-rises and modern K-Pop stars, there are still shadows of the former Korea seen in both run-down slums and people with ‘traditional’ values.

The image created by selective K-Culture can distort people’s reality when dreaming of a trip to Korea in the same way Korean people can suffer from Paris Syndrome when visiting France. There are many wonderful things about Korea, but don’t travel thinking that everything is as shown on TV.

Be Prepared For Culture Shock

One of the best things about travelling is seeing a country and people that act and behave differently to how you do in your own country. This is known as culture shock and can be both a blessing and a challenge for first-time travellers to Korea. Things you might be used to can be different in Korea.

Some examples of culture shock in Korea include the way age determines hierarchy in Korea and how older people can be rather pushy, especially on the subway. Younger people also typically don’t question the decisions of older people in Korea as it is considered rude and disrespectful.

Less extreme cultural differences that might confuse some first-time visitors to Korea include having to shout to call someone to take your order in a Korean restaurant or not giving a tip. Koreans might similarly look at you strangely if you do something culturally different, such as walking while drinking.

Don’t Overpack When You Travel To Korea

First-time travellers to Korea may be worried about visiting a country like Korea without taking everything they need from home, even the kitchen sink. My advice is to pack as light as possible and leave yourself some space in your suitcase. There are two reasons for this.

1. You can buy most things you need in Korea. This includes sun cream, heat packs, clothes, shoes, cosmetics, travel accessories, etc. They’re also probably cheaper in Korea, too.
2. You will want to take home lots of things. From weird Korean snacks to beautiful hand-crafted pottery and woodwork, there are so many things to buy in Korea.

(1) The only exception is if you might have a problem finding correct-fitting items. Korean shoes and clothes are slightly smaller than what you’d find in Western countries and the sizes are also differently labelled. I’m a medium in the UK but a large (sometimes XL!) in Korea. Be careful when shopping.

(2) It’s hard to fit everything you buy in Korea into an already full suitcase. Fortunately, you can buy extra suitcases at low prices. Check out Namdaemun Market for cheap luggage options, as well as shops like the one pictured below (this is in Busan) in places like Hongdae and Dongdaemun.

Electricity In South Korea

Be careful with electric items when travelling to Korea. Korea uses type C and F plugs, which are used in Europe, Russia, and other parts of Asia. The standard voltage is 220V with 60Hz frequency. Anything designed for a standard voltage between 220V and 240V should be fine in Korea.

Laptops, mobile phones, and other portable devices will be fine when you travel in Korea as long as you use a travel adapter with a USB or socket connection. Hairdryers, shavers, curlers, and similar devices might have problems charging in Korea and run out of power very soon. My shaver did.

Go With The Flow And Go Quickly

Korea is a very busy country and you might hear people mutter ‘빨리빨리’ (ppalli ppalli) if you walk slowly, especially in the subway. Koreans work long hours and are eager to get home or go out for dinner. Don’t take it personally if people push past you and don’t feel like you have to rush.

Know Where To Throw Away Rubbish

It can be difficult to find a bin to throw away rubbish in Korea, even in urban areas. The best place to dispose of rubbish in Korea is at a convenience store. You can find recycling and trash bins in these shops. If you go hiking or explore the countryside, expect to carry your rubbish home with you.

South Korea Travel Guide FAQs

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about this South Korea travel guide, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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As a tourist, you can use the Wise card to pay for almost all of your travel expenses in Korea, including shopping, eating out, cafes, attractions, hotels, transport, and even for online purchases. It’s as functional as your regular bank card, but with lower fees and instant currency exchange. The Wise card is also really useful for expats in Korea who want to spend money from their home countries.

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Why Use The Wise Card In Korea?

The Wise card is a prepaid travel money card and a really useful way to pay for goods and services in Korea and a way to withdraw money from Korean ATMs. It’s safer and easier than carrying foreign currency, less complicated than traveller’s cheques, and allows you to convert your money into dozens of currencies using the mid-market exchange rate.

Here’s a summary of the main benefits of using the Wise card as a travel money card in Korea. I’ll provide more details about these benefits throughout the article.

• No need to exchange cash at a money exchange: simply withdraw cash from your Wise balance at an ATM from any bank with ‘Global ATMs’.
• Pay in Korean won fee-free by card: After you convert money from your chosen currency into Korean won, you can spend money like it’s a Korean bank card with no fees.
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• Free withdrawals from ATMs (up to a limit): Wise doesn’t charge a fee for the first $100 of cash withdrawals per month. Travellers in Korea won’t need much cash anyway.
• No unexpected fees when you get home: Using your home bank card or credit card may charge you for using it overseas, which can give you a nasty surprise when you get home.
• Convert leftover foreign currency back to your own currency: Anything you convert into Korean won but don’t use can be converted back at the mid-market exchange rate in the app.
• Can use it to pay in other countries, too: Planning to visit Japan after Korea? Use Wise to pay for things when you’re in Japan, Thailand, Europe, and loads of other countries.
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The biggest advantages of using the Wise card in Korea that I’ve personally found is the exchange rate, which uses the mid-market rate and not the rip-off rates some money exchanges use, as well as the ability to instantly top-up my Wise balance from my UK bank account. I also use my Wise card when I travel outside Korea as I can spend my UK money or Korean money safely and easily.

If you’re interested in getting a Wise multi-currency card to pay for travel costs, use these links below:

Wise Card Vs. Credit Card & Money Exchanges

What’s the benefit of using a Wise card to spend in Korea? As mentioned above, there are many benefits of using a multi-currency card like Wise as a tourist in Korea. Whether Wise is better than your credit cards depends on a number of factors, such as if your credit card charges you a fee to use it overseas (mine does) and what rate you get when paying with your credit card.

Even if your credit card doesn’t charge a fee, banks typically give bad exchange rates when converting payments into foreign currencies. I never use my UK credit card in Korea for both of these reasons. Wise offers Visa or Mastercard services, both of which are widely accepted in Korea and can be used to pay for hotels, attractions, food, drinks, taxis, and lots more.

A Wise card allows you to withdraw cash from an ATM in Korea, which is easier than visiting a money exchange. However, Korea is quickly becoming a cash-free society and using a card to pay in Korea is more common and convenient. Public transport is moving towards only using transportation cards or apps like the T-Money card and buses have stopped accepting cash in some cities.

Learn more: If you want to read more about the best way to save money on your travel expenses in Korea, check out my article about the various ways to pay in Korea as a tourist. There’s information about the Wise card, WOWPASS, money exchanges in Seoul, and tips for spending wisely.

Who Can Get A Wise Card?

Residents of the following countries are eligible for a Wise travel money card.

Asia: Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.

Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.

North America: Canada and the US.

Latin America: Brazil.

Europe: Austria, Belgium. British Virgin Islands. Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (only Metropolitan), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Gibraltar (British Overseas Territory), and the UK Crown Dependencies: Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Jersey.

Other countries in the European area: Andorra, Åland Islands, Saint Barthélemy, Curaçao, Falkland Islands [Malvinas], Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Greenland, Guadeloupe, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Cayman Islands, Monaco, Saint Martin (French part), Martinique, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Réunion, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, San Marino, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), French Southern Territories, Holy See, Virgin Islands (British), Wallis and Futuna, Mayotte.

The Wise multi-currency travel money card should arrive within 3 days in Singapore, 2 to 6 days in the UK, 2 weeks in Europe, Japan, or Malaysia, and 3 weeks in the US, Australia, or New Zealand.

Can Koreans get a Wise travel card? Unfortunately, people in South Korea can’t apply for a Wise travel money card right now, but if you’re an expat from one of the countries listed above, you can apply in your home country and use it when you’re in Korea (which is what I did).

How To Sign Up For A Wise Card

As long as you’re a resident of one of the aforementioned countries and you currently live in that country, you’re eligible to sign up for a Wise travel money card. Here are the steps to sign up for a Wise card:

1: Create An Account: You can do this by downloading the Wise App or on the Wise website (links below). You can create an account with your email, Google, Facebook, or Apple account.

2: Verify Your Identity: You’ll need to verify your identity to use Wise. To do this, you’ll need a valid mobile phone number, a government ID, and a bank account in the country you’re applying in.

3: Complete Account Setup: Once verified, complete your account setup and order your Wise travel money card. This should arrive within 2 weeks, but it can be fewer than that. Mine took about 3 days.

How To Add Korean Won To A Wise Card

Once your account has been setup and you’ve received your Wise card, you will need to add some money to the card and create different currency accounts. Don’t worry, this is really easy and is definitely the simplest way to create a bank account for a foreign country, which is kind of what you’re doing.

How to create different currency accounts: Open the Wise App and you’ll see your account balance at the top with available currencies below that. Scroll through your available currencies and you’ll see a button that says ‘+ Open‘ – you can use this to add new currencies to your Wise account. Select the ‘Balance‘ option to create a new bank account and select the currency you want.

How to add Korean won to your Wise card: Open the Wise app and select the Korean won account. Click the green button that says ‘Add‘. In this screen (shown below), type the amount of money you want to add to your account and the currency you want to pay in. If you want to transfer directly from your bank account into Korean won, you can do that by selecting your home currency.

If you prefer to add money in your home currency and convert to other currencies later on, you can do this in the same way by selecting your home currency, ‘Add’ to add funds, and then bank transfer. There is no fee to do this. To convert that into Korean won, select the ‘Convert‘ button in your currency account and select the currency you want to covert into. There’s a small fee for this.

How To Activate Wise Card In Korea

Before you can use your Wise card to spend money in Korea and elsewhere, you’ll need to activate the card. You can do this by using your card to withdraw cash or pay for something using Chip and PIN. If you signed up for your Wise card in the US or Japan, you will need to activate your card before you travel. Details of this are included below.

I made the mistake of not activating my Wise card before using it in Korea and it was declined when I tried to make a payment, as you can see in the image below. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to activate the Wise card in Korea at a Global ATM.

Use your Wise card in a Global ATM to activate it: This is the method I used to activate my Wise card in Korea as this method requires you to enter your PIN number. This part is very important as you must enter your PIN for the Wise card to activate. I withdrew some cash from my Wise account and after that the Wise card worked perfectly for card payments and other transactions.

Tip: You don’t have to withdraw cash to activate the Wise card, just check your balance and this will activate your card. As long as you’ve entered your PIN number, your card will be activated.

Why won’t Wise activate when paying by card? A Wise card is activated by using the PIN. Unfortunately, PIN numbers aren’t really used in Korea as a way to authenticate purchases. Purchases under ₩50,000 don’t require approval. If the purchase is over ₩50,000, then you’ll need to sign for it. This is why withdrawing cash from an ATM is the best way to activate a Wise card in Korea.

How To Activate Wise Card For US Customers

There are special rules about activating your Wise card for US customers. You need to activate your Wise card using the 6-digit PIN number that was sent with the card. Here’s how to do that:

• Go to your Wise account
• Go to Card
• Choose Activate Now
• Enter the 6-digit PIN number that’s on the letter your card came attached to.

Please note: You can only activate your Wise card when you’re in the US, so make sure you do that before you travel to Korea or use it in other countries.

How To Activate Wise Card For Japanese Customers

There are special rules about activating your Wise card if your card was issued in Japan after 27th March, 2023. You need to activate the card in Japan using the 6-digit PIN number. Here are the steps to do that:

• Go to your Wise account
• Go to Card
• Choose Activate Now
• Enter the 6-digit code that’s on the letter your card came attached to.

Please note: You can only activate your Wise card when you’re in Japan, so make sure you do that before you travel to Korea or use it in other countries.

Wise ATM Withdrawal In Korea

Travellers to Korea can use their Wise card to withdraw cash from Global ATMs instead of relying on money exchanges or airport exchanges to convert foreign currency. This is a convenient way to get cash to spend while you’re travelling in Korea and means you don’t need to bring lots of cash with you – you can withdraw it as and when you need it.

How to withdraw cash using a Wise card in Korea: To withdraw cash from your Wise account, you’ll need to go to a Global ATM as they accept foreign cards and allow cash withdrawals. You can find Global ATMs in Seoul and other major cities and they’re typically in popular tourist locations like Hongdae and Myeongdong. There are Global ATMs at Incheon Airport and other airports in Korea.

Is there a fee to withdraw cash using Global ATMs? Yes, Korean banks impose a fee of around ₩3,600 (~$3 USD) to use Global ATMs, which is something you should consider when withdrawing cash using your Wise card. It’s better to withdraw large amounts at once as the fee is set per transaction and not based on how much you withdraw. The fee is deducted from your Wise balance.

I visited several ATMs to check the fee to withdraw cash using a Wise card, including the ATM inside Seoul Station AREX terminal, and found that they all charged me a fee of around ₩3,000 to ₩3,600. Reports from other travellers in Korea who have used the Wise card at Global ATMs shows that these foreigner-friendly ATMs also charge a fee.

Is there a fee to withdraw cash using Wise? Wise states that you are entitled to fee-free withdrawals from ATMs up to a certain limit. The picture below shows the fees and fee-free limits for USD customers ($100), but the limit changes depending on your country. The fee-free withdrawal limit for UK customers is £200 per month. Please check the Wise website for your country to see the fees.

Should you use cash or card in Korea? As mentioned previously, Korea is a country that is becoming cash-free. You can pay for many things by card in Korea and the Wise card can be used to cover most of your costs when you are travelling. Having a small amount of cash is useful as you’ll need it to top up transportation cards (T-Money) and to pay for small purchases in markets.

Where Can You Use Wise In Korea?

As Wise cards are issued by Visa or Mastercard, two of the most widely accepted card payment methods in Korea, they can be used anywhere these cards are normally accepted. Travellers in Korea can use the Wise travel money card to pay for many things, including hotels, restaurants, transportation, trips, entertainment, cafes, and anywhere you can use a card.

Here is a summary of some of the available places you can use your Wise card in Korea:

• Hotels: Pay for your hotel in Korea when you arrive or book online.
• Shopping: From large department stores to small convenience stores and everything in between.
• Eating Out: Cafes, restaurants, and even Korean street food sellers will accept card payments.
• Entertainment: Theme parks, attractions, bars, Korean noraebangs (karaoke), and more.
• Sightseeing: Pay entry fees for famous attractions in Seoul and beyond.
• Transportation: Pay for KTX train tickets, intercity bus tickets, and taxis in Korea.
• Day Trips: You can book tours online* in your home currency or Korean won.

*online payments in Korea can be fiddly and sometimes foreign cards can be rejected due to Korea-specific security protocols or language-based technical issues.

Will you pay a fee to use Wise in Korea? No. When using your Wise card’s Korean won balance in Korea, you will only pay the price stated. Whether you spend 600 won for a bottle of water, or 60,000 won for a Korean BBQ meal, there are no transaction fees charged by Wise.

Is the Wise card a credit card? No, the Wise card is a debit card, which means you can only spend the money you have available in your Wise account for that certain currency and you can’t borrow money. If you don’t have any money in your Korean won currency account, you won’t be able to use it in Korea. However, it’s easy to top up the balance by transferring from your bank account.

Are taxes added to prices in Korea? No. When you see a price tag, that’s the price you will pay. Sales tax or other fees won’t be added on to the price, with the exception of shipping costs if buying online. Restaurant bills typically don’t include a service charge as tipping is not a Korean custom.

Where Isn’t Wise Accepted In Korea?

Like foreign debit and credit cards, the Wise travel money card isn’t guaranteed to work in every single place you try to spend money in Korea. There may be instances when the place doesn’t accept cards, such as a street food stall or food cart, even though all businesses in Korea are supposed to accept card payments. As Wise uses Visa and Mastercard, it should be accepted almost everywhere.

In my experience, there has only been one place where I wasn’t able to use my Wise card in Korea, which was an automated ticket machine at a bus terminal in Daejeon. I think these automated machines usually don’t accept foreign cards and the ticket machine at Seoul Station even says it only accepts Korean debit cards. Fortunately, you can still buy tickets at the station counter so it’s not a big issue.

Card not working because it’s not activated: If you’re having problems using your Wise card in Korea, don’t forget you need to activate it before you can use it to pay for things. As mentioned, you can do this at a Global ATM by checking your balance. However, Japanese and US customers need to activate their card before they travel to Korea as it must be done in their respective countries.

How To Use The Wise App In Korea

The Wise app is an essential part of using your Wise card in Korea and allows you to:

• Check your spending
• See your account details
• Add funds to your balance
• Send money to other people
• Transfer between currencies
• Lock the card if it’s lost or stolen
• Use digital card services

When you use the Wise multi-currency card in Korea to pay for something, you will receive a notification showing your expenditure. This is good for security, to make sure it’s not being used fraudulently, and also helps you track your spending, which can be difficult when you’re on holiday. Don’t forget, you’ll need a Korean sim card or WiFi to use your phone when travelling.

The main reason I use the Wise app when I’m travelling in Korea or elsewhere is to check that I have enough money available in my Korean won Wise balance, to add funds, to convert currencies, and to see how much I’ve spent. You can easily check your transaction history for each account and the payments are categorised according to the type of cost, as you can see in the picture below.

How To Replace A Lost Wise Card

If you lose your Wise card in Korea, or it gets stolen, you can use the Wise app to freeze the card instantly. Open the Wise app and select the ‘Card‘ option on the bottom menu to get to your card details. From this screen, select ‘Freeze card‘ to stop anyone using your card and protect your balance. You can order a replacement card in the same screen, which should be delivered within 2 weeks.

You can also unblock your PIN (in case you accidentally block it), view your card and PIN details, set limits on your spending, and manage where you can use your Wise card, such as whether ATM withdrawals or online payments are allowed or not. This can be useful for card safety and controlling how your Wise card is used when you’re in Korea.

Losing your card when travelling can be a big issue, but fortunately you can still use your Wise account with a digital card to spend online, with Google Pay or Apple Pay, or in store (when accepted). Select ‘Order a card‘ in the Wise app to get a digital card, which is an app-based version of your physical card. The digital card is free, issued immediately and connects to your existing Wise balance.

Please note: Only the following countries are eligible for a digital card – UK, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Switzerland, Canada, Brazil or EEA. US applicants aren’t included.

Benefits Of Using Wise As An Expat In Korea

I created a Wise card when I was home in the UK and have been using it in Korea and in other countries since 2022. As an expat in Korea since 2015, I can say that having this card has made managing my online finances so much easier. I no longer have to make expensive and time consuming bank transfers, I can manage my money through the Wise app, and I get a better exchange rate, too.

Here are some of the main benefits of using the Wise card as an expat in Korea:

1: Spend your money from your home country in Korea: Set up your Wise card for your home currency and Korean won and you can transfer money directly from your home bank account to the Korean won account and then spend Korean won in Korea with your Wise card. This can be really useful for people who are about to move to Korea and don’t have a Korean bank account yet.

2: Spend your Korean money when you travel abroad: Wise is accepted in over 175 countries and works with over 40 currencies, which means you can take it with you when you travel and pay anywhere Visa or Mastercard is accepted, which is most places. I use my Wise card as my main means of paying for things when I travel. It saves you money on foreign exchange fees and bank fees.

3: Receive money from other people: If your friends of family want to send you some money in Korea, they can send it to your Wise account in whatever currency you need. For example, you have relatives in the USA, the UK, and Australia, you can set up a Wise account for each of those currencies in the Wise app (all for free), tell them your bank details for each currency account, and they can pay you.

4: Receive payments from other countries: If you work as a digital nomad or need to be paid in a foreign currency, you can provide your bank details from Wise for that currency account. These details are found in the Wise app and come with routing numbers, BIC numbers, etc. – all you need to receive money from other countries. This saves on conversion fees for receiving foreign payments.

Expats in Korea typically still have connections in their home country, whether that’s friends, family, or business partners. Being able to receive money and spend money while in Korea with a Wise card can be a good way to buy and receive birthday presents and other gifts.

From surveys I’ve conducted from expats in Korea who use the Wise multi-currency travel money card, it seems that it’s also a good option for travelling outside of Korea. The main reason for this was that Korean banks charge high fees to exchange money or to use your Korean card overseas.

The only real criticism that other expats in Korea had about the Wise card was that, on rare occasions, the money transfers weren’t instant. Some people said that they had to wait up to 3 days for their balances to clear, which would be an issue if you need to spend money instantly.

Learn more: if you want to know more about how to transfer money to and from Korea using Wise and the best ways to receive money in Korea from abroad, check out this article about using Wise to send money to Korea.

Can You Apply For A Wise Card In Korea?

Korea isn’t one of the countries where you can sign up for a Wise card. If you’re an expat living in Korea, you’ll need to apply for a Wise card before moving to Korea. You need to be a resident of an eligible country, which you technically wouldn’t be if you’re already living in Korea long-term. However, if you’re registered in your home country with an address and bank account, you should be fine.

You’ll also need to be in the country to order a Wise travel money card, as you have to have phone number in that country and receive a call from Wise to setup your account and use the app. If you can’t receive a phone call, you won’t be able to verify your identity.

My Experience Using Wise In Korea

I picked up a Wise card in the UK and have been using it in Korea since 2022.

Here are some of the good things I’ve found out about the Wise card:

• It works in most places: As mentioned, I’ve only had one payment rejected, which was at a bus terminal ticketing machine. Everything else has been really smooth.
• It has saved me money: Transferring money between the UK and Korea isn’t cheap and the Wise multi-currency travel money card is certainly a much cheaper way to get my UK money into Korea.
• More convenient for transfers: If I want to send money from the UK to Korea, I need to do it through my banking app in the UK, which can require a phone call to approve it. Using Wise, I can skip that and it’s done instantly and hassle-free.
• Helps me track my spending: I love the Wise app, it’s much better than my UK and Korean banking apps and shows me what I’ve spent money on more cleary.
• Can use it when travelling: I use my Wise card when to avoid bad exchange rates when converting cash and high fees for using my UK card overseas.

And here are some of the downsides of having a Wise card in Korea:

• Can’t always withdraw cash from an ATM: I live in Daejeon and there aren’t many Global ATMs in this area, which makes it hard to withdraw cash from my Wise card. I don’t need to withdraw cash, but if I did, I’d need to find a Global ATM to do so.
• Interferes with my other contactless cards: I have a contactless Korean bank card in my wallet which I use to pay for things. As the Wise card is also a contactless payment card, it confuses the card reader and I have to take my Korean card out of my wallet to use it. It’s not a big hassle, but it’s worth considering.

Generally, the Wise card has been a great advantage to my range of payment options in Korea and helps me manage my money in the UK and Korea more conveniently and cheaply. As a tourist in Korea, the Wise card would be a very useful addition to anyone’s travel payment options and a way to avoid using money exchanges, paying high overseas fees, and worrying about how much money to bring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Finally, here are a few FAQs about using the Wise card in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. This is based on my personal experience, feedback from other people who have used the Wise card in Korea, and research from other websites.

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Find out where to buy a T-Money Card at Incheon Airport and other locations in Korea, learn how to top-up your card in Korea and where to top-up, and also discover the many benefits of using a T-Money Card. This in-depth article will answer all your T-Money queries quickly and easily.

This comprehensive guide is updated regularly to bring you the latest information about changes and additional ways to use the T-Money Card. There are also lots of my own tips about how to use the T-Money Card, where it can be used, and lots of really useful travel advice for visiting Korea.

For those who prefer to watch a video version of this article, please watch it here:

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is The T-Money Card

The T-Money Card is a prepaid transportation card that can be used to pay for public transportation in cities across Korea, including buses and subways. It provides cash-free travel around Korean cities, and takes the hassle out of to get around Korea and buying tickets for each journey.

The T-Money Card can be used to pay for a range of items and services, including taxi charges, items in convenience stores, entrance fees for attractions, vending machines, and food and beverages in restaurants. Anywhere you see the T-Money logo (above), you can pay with T-Money Card.

Why Do I Need A T-Money Card In Korea?

Korea is fast becoming a cash-free society and in recent years Korea’s buses have moved away from accepting cash payments. Almost a quarter of all buses in Seoul are now cash-free and you can’t pay with cash at all on Daejeon’s buses. This will likely be the norm everywhere in Korea very soon.

Even when you can buy tickets in cash, it’s inconvenient making sure you have the right cash available (no change is given on buses). Queueing up to buy a ticket at a crowded subway station is a real hassle when you could just touch-and-go straight through the barriers with a T-Money Card.

The biggest reason is the two rates to travel in Korea’s subways and buses – one for cash and one for transportation cards like the T-Money Card. The rate for the T-Money Card is lower, meaning you’ll save money when you travel with a T-Money Card, as you can see in the table below:

*Bus fares in Seoul rose to ₩1,500 from August 2023. However, it hasn’t been confirmed whether cash and T-Money costs will be the same now or not.

Quick Summary

Here’s a summary of the T-Money Card and why you should get one when you travel to Korea.

Where To Buy A T-Money Card

T-Money Cards are available in many places in Korea, including at Incheon Airport, in convenience stores, and in public transportation stations. This section of the T-Money Guide will show you where to buy a T-Money Card in each of these different locations and extra services that include T-Money.

Buy T-Money At The Incheon Airport, Seoul

The most convenient place for most travellers to get a T-Money Card is at Incheon Airport in the Transit Centre (Floor B1) of Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. There are vending machines that sell the Korea Tour Card, which is the tourist-friendly version of the T-Money Card that comes with extra benefits.

Follow the directions to the ‘Airport Railroad‘ in either terminal and it will lead you to the B1 Transit Centre. The T-Money Card vending machines will be well signposted and located next to the All-Stop subway train, which is the subway to central Seoul that you can pay for with T-Money.

Please note: If you arrive at Incheon Airport Terminal 1, the Transit Centre is the only place you can buy a T-Money Card (Korea Tour Card). The CU convenience stores in Terminal 1 don’t sell T-Money Cards. In Terminal 2, you can buy T-Money Cards from GS25 and 7/11 convenience stores.

How to buy T-Money card At Incheon Airport Transit Centre:

It’s easy to buy a T-Money Card from the Transit Centre. Head to the All-Stop train station where the T-Money Card vending machines are located. You must have cash (KRW) to purchase at the vending machines, as well as cash to top-up the balance afterwards.

Here are the 4 steps required to buy a T-Money Card from the vending machine:

1: Insert Cash

The cost of the Korea Travel Card (hereafter called T-Money Card) is ₩4,000. Insert cash into the machine. Change is available.

2: Press The Number

Like a normal vending machine, press the number of the card you want to buy. Don’t select a number which is empty.

3: Press The Green Button

To confirm your purchase, press the green button at the bottom of the keypad.

4: Collect Your T-Money Card

The vending machine will collect your T-Money Card and dispense it to you.

Once the T-Money Card has been dispensed, don’t forget to collect any change from the vending machine. To top-up, take it to the ticket machines outside the All-Stop terminal. Full details about how to top-up will be included in the section ‘How To Top-Up A T-Money Card‘

Need Cash For T-Money?

One issue with T-Money is that it can only be topped-up using cash (KRW). Unfortunately, airport money exchanges typically give bad exchange rates. You can get better rates by taking the Airport Express non-stop train into Seoul and changing money in Myeongdong or Hongdae, or by ordering a Korean sim card from Klook with a T-Money Card with a preloaded balance of 5,000 KRW or 10,000 KRW.

Where to Buy A T-Money Card In Korea

I recommend buying a T-Money Card at the Incheon Airport Transit Centre. However, if you’re not arriving in Korea at Incheon Airport, want to get a card with a cuter design, or want to save money by combining T-Money with other services, here are 6 other places where you can buy T-Money Cards.

Buy T-Money At A Subway Station In Korea

Subway stations in Korea sell the basic version of the T-Money Card, which comes with no balance. You can usually top-up from the same machine that dispenses them.

Price: ₩2,500

Buy T-Money At A Convenience Store In Korea

Korean convenience stores, including GS25 and 7/11, sell T-Money Cards with their own designs. These come with no balance but can be topped up straight after purchase with cash.

Price: ₩3,000

Buy T-Money On The Airport Express

It is possible to buy a T-Money card inside the subway stations along the Airport Express all-stop train between Incheon Airport and other parts of Seoul. You can even personalise this card and add your own picture to the card.

Price: From ₩6,000

Buy T-Money From Klook

Klook offers a combined Korean sim card and T-Money package that comes with a T-Money Card with Klook’s own cute design. You save money on both the T-Money Card and sim card with this combined package.

Price: From ₩32,500

Get T-Money With The WOWPASS

The WOWPASS is a travel money card that allows you to pay for goods and services like a local. It includes T-Money functions and the WOWPASS Airport Package comes with ₩10,000 T-Money balance included.

Price: From ₩5,000

Get T-Money With The Discover Seoul Pass

The Discover Seoul Pass is a city-pass that offers free entry to dozens of premium attractions in Seoul. It also includes T-Money functions to allow you to travel on public transport without having to buy a separate T-Money Card.

Price: From ₩50,000

You can also buy T-Money cards from stationery stores like ArtBox. ArtBox is a popular place to buy souvenirs and cute stationery. They also have their own line of T-Money Cards with ever-changing fun designs for you to collect. There is no T-Money balance and the cards cost more.

How Much Does The T-Money Card Cost?

The price of the T-Money Card is ₩2,500 for the standard T-Money Card that is sold at public transportation stations in Korea. This does not include any credit and you will need to add funds to the card before you can use it. The cost of the Korea Travel Card at Incheon Airport is ₩4,000.

T-Money Cards from other locations, such as convenience stores and stationery stores, which include special artworks, typically cost more money. The cost of T-Money can be free when it is included in another service, such as the WOWPASS or Discover Seoul Pass.

Where Can You Buy Special T-Money Designs?

If you want to buy a T-Money Card with an interesting design, there are several options in Korea. The stationery store ARTBOX offers some cute designs with their own characters, as do convenience stores. These cards have the same functions as a regular T-Money Card and work the same way.

Please note: T-Money Cards with unique designs are a bit more expensive – around ₩5,000 to ₩6,000 per card. The base cost of a T-Money Card is ₩2,500. These can make nice gifts or souvenirs and as the T-Money Card doesn’t expire, you can use them every time you visit Korea.

BTS-Themed T-Money Cards

BTS ARMY members may want to get a special souvenir of their time in Korea and can do so with a BTS-themed T-Money Card. These special edition BTS T-Money Cards work the same as regular T-Money Cards, but come with 7 different designs, one for each member of the hit group, BTS.

These aren’t widely available, and new versions replace older versions frequently. If you want to buy a BTS-themed T-Money Card, you can find them in some convenience stores or in K-Pop merchandise stores in areas such as Gangnam, Hongdae, or in the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Where Can You Use T-Money In Korea?

The T-Money Card is primarily a transportation card that can be used to pay for bus and subway journeys in most Korean cities. However, it also functions as a payment card that can be used to make small purchases in certain Korean shops, cafes, restaurants, and attractions.

If you bought the Korea Tour Card from the Incheon Airport Transit Centre, you will be eligible for discounts at tourist attractions, shops, entertainment, restaurants, and other locations. For example, you get 30% off entry fees at N Seoul Tower and 20% off entry fees at COEX Aquarium.

Here are the places you can use the T-Money Card in Korea:

On Buses

It’s really simple to use T-Money on Korea’s buses. Touch the T-Money Card to the card reader when you enter the bus to start your journey, then touch it again when you exit the bus. In most city buses in Korea you enter at the front of the bus and get off in the middle. There will be a T-Money Card reader in both locations.

Most bus journeys cost the same price, however, if your bus travels more than 10km, you will be charged an extra fee. If you don’t tap-off when you leave the bus, you may be charged this fee.

On The Subway

The T-Money Card is accepted on all subway systems in Korea, including in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Gwangju, Touch the T-Money Card when you enter the security gates at the start of your journey, then touch again to exit. If you run out of credit, there are machines inside the gates to top-up (but you’ll need cash).

Like bus journeys, most short journeys on the subway will be the same fee. If you travel a long way on the subway, or make many transfers, the fee can be higher.

Transfer discounts: When you transfer between subway or bus rides within 30 minutes, you’ll get a discount on your next ride as long as you tapped-off when on your previous journey. Also, if you accidentally enter the wrong subway gate, you can leave within 10 minutes for free on some lines.

For Taxis

You can use a T-Money Card to pay for taxis in Korea. It’s quick, easy, and allows you to avoid using a credit card or having the right change. As long as the taxi driver has the T-Money logo displayed, you can pass your T-Money Card to the driver who will touch it to the card reader and complete the payment.

You can call taxis directly to you using the Kakao Taxi app, which is available on Android and iPhone and can be used in English, Korean, and Chinese. My guide to using Kakao Taxi will show you how to order and pay for a taxi in Korea.

For Shopping

The T-Money Card is really useful when you want to buy small items, such as a bottle of water, coffee, or some snacks. When you see the T-Money logo, you can use the card to pay for goods and services. You can use T-Money to pay for purchases in convenience stores (CU, GS25, Emart 24, 7/11).

You can use the T-Money Card in Korea’s supermarkets and chain stores, including Home Plus (supermarket) Emart (supermarket) Face Shop (cosmetics) Innisfree (cosmetics) Tony Moly (cosmetics) and others.

Using the T-Money Card for shopping: As the T-Money Card needs to be topped-up in cash (KRW), using it for shopping isn’t really that convenient. Instead, I recommend getting a WOWPASS in Korea, or bringing a travel money card like the Wise Travel Card or Revolut Travel Card.

In Cafes

Food and beverage outlets also accept the T-Money Card, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, Angel-in-Us Coffee, Ediya Coffee, Gong Cha Tea, and Paris Baguette and more.

It’s best to check for the T-Money logo before trying to pay with your T-Money Card or asking if T-Money is accepted. Again, using the T-Money Card is possible for this, but usually not the most convenient way to pay.

At Attractions

You can use T-Money to pay for entry fees for major attractions, including theme parks and sports stadiums, as well as other locations like pay-phones and vending machines.

Here are some of the locations you can use T-Money: vending machines, public pay-phones, Everland theme park, sports stadiums (including Wyverns Baseball Club), and at festivals (to pay for food and drinks).

Where Can’t You Use T-Money In Korea?

You can’t use T-Money to pay for intercity train tickets, including the KTX – Korea’s high speed train network. You also can’t enter intercity buses and pay with T-Money like you can when entering a regular city bus. However, you can use T-Money to buy intercity bus tickets and board with those.

Generally, the T-Money Card is accepted in major cities across Korea, especially destinations popular with tourists. If T-Money isn’t accepted, there will be other options available, such as using Cashbee or paying with cash.

How To Top-Up A T-Money Card

The T-Money Card can be recharged (reloaded) at subway stations and convenience stores throughout Korea. Vending machines at subway stations are the easiest locations to recharge a T-Money Card and will also allow you to check your balance before or after the top-up

These machines can be found in each major city in Korea where you can use T-Money. They are available in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. These T-Money recharging machines only accept cash and the T-Money Card can’t be reloaded with a credit card.

This is how to top-up a T-Money Card using a ticket machine in subway stations in Korea. The T-Money card can only be topped-up using cash and can’t be topped up using credit or debit cards or money transfers. This method works for other transportation cards in Korea, too.

1: Go to a ticket machine in a subway station

Go to a ticket vending or transportation card at a subway station. These machines are usually close to the entrance barriers to the subway inside the station.

2: Select ‘Recharge Transportation Card’

Change the language of the ticket recharge machine as desired, then select ‘Recharging the Transit Card’ or a similar option to begin to top-up your T-Money Card.

3: Select the value to top-up

Select the amount of money that you wish to add to your existing T-Money balance. The screen should show you what balance the T-Money Card already has. New T-Money Cards usually have no balance. You can recharge the T-Money Card with as little as 1,000 Korean won.

4: Confirm the value to top-up

Once you’ve selected the desired amount you wish to top-up the T-Money Card with in Korean won, confirm the top-up value by pressing ‘confirm’ on the screen.. You should select the amount that you have available in cash as you can’t top-up the T-Money Card in any other way.

5: Insert cash

To top-up a T-Money card, enter cash into the ticket vending machine up to the value you wish to top-up. Insert each bank note separately. Please note: only KRW can be used to top-up a T-Money Card.

6: Place your t-Money Card on the card reader

After inserting cash to top-up your T-Money Card, place your T-Money Card on the card recharge plate, which is usually located below the main screen of the recharging machine. Make sure the card is placed flat on the reader.

7: Wait for the T-Money Card to be recharged

The T-Money Card will be recharged once the recharging machine recognised the T-Money Card placed on the card recharge plate. Wait for the recharge to complete, which should take about 5 to 10 seconds in total.

8: Take your T-Money Card and start using it

Once the T-Money Card has been topped-up, take the card from the card recharge plate and you can use it to travel on the subway, on buses, and in other places. Tap to start your journey, and tap again when you finish.

Besides subway stations, you can also recharge a T-Money Card at a convenience store. The same rule about only charging with cash applies. You can’t recharge a T-Money Card with a credit or debit card. Here’s how to top-up the T-Money Card at convenience stores in Korea:

1: Go To A Convenience Store

Go to any major convenience store in Seoul or other towns and cities across Korea, including CU, GS25, Emart 24, and 7/11.

2: Ask To Top-Up T-Money

Show your T-Money Card to the cashier and ask to top-up the balance. Use Papago to translate into Korean if you’re not sure what to say.

3: Give the amount of cash to top-up to the cashier

You can only use cash to top-up T-Money balances, so make sure you have cash available to pay with. Give it to the cashier.

4: Place your T-Money Card On the Card Reader

Place your T-Money Card on the electronic card reader and wait for confirmation from the cashier that the balance has been updated.

There is a T-Money office at Seoul Station where you can ask for advice, purchase & reload the card, and get your remaining balance refunded when you leave Korea. T-Money Headquarters Address: 1st Floor. T-money Town, Seoul City Tower Building, Namdaemun-ro 5-Ga, Jung-gu, Seoul.

How Much Money Should I Add To A T-Money Card?

How much money to add to a T-Money Card depends on how you intend to use it. If you will use your T-Money Card mostly for transportation, I recommend adding ₩10,000 per day. This should cover all subway / bus travel costs within a city like Seoul, which cost ₩1,400 /₩1,500 per journey.

If you plan to use your T-Money Card to pay for small purchases, such as snacks, bottled water, and coffee, then add ₩20,000 per day, which includes transportation costs. A coffee in Seoul costs between ₩2,000 – ₩5,000, water is ₩1,000, and snacks from ₩1,000 – ₩5,000.

When you first top-up a T-Money Card, add ₩50,000 for the starting balance. This balance should last most travellers for a week if they use their T-Money Card just for bus and subway rides. You can check your balance during your travels and top-up when the balance gets low (under₩ 5,000).

Can You Recharge A T-Money Card With A Credit Card?

It is not possible to recharge a T-Money Card with a credit or debit card. Only cash can be used to top-up the T-Money Card. There are restrictions that only allow cash top-ups. The app version of T-Money can be topped-up by card payments or online transfers, but not physical T-Money Cards.

How To Your Check T-Money Card Balance

There are a number of ways to check your balance. When you use the T-Money Card on the subway or a bus, the electronic card reader will show you the fee for the ride and the remaining balance. This is the most common way to check your balance.

You can also check your card balance at subway ticket machines and T-Money recharge stations. When you recharge your card, it will show your balance before you add credit. This is a good way to check your balance, even if you don’t intend to recharge the T-Money Card right then.

Using T-Money Mobile App To Check Your Balance

The T-Money mobile app is an online-only version of T-Money that doesn’t come with a card. Instead, you can use your phone’s NFC function to use your T-Money balance. You can also use your phone’s NFC function to scan a physical T-Money Card and check the balance when logged into the app.

However, I don’t recommend using the T-Money mobile app to check your T-Money balance. There have been reports by travellers in Korea that the app sometimes accidentally wipes the T-Money Card, making it useless. I can’t confirm this myself, but it is much easier to check your balance elsewhere.

How To Refund A T-Money Card Balance

You can refund the existing balance of your T-Money Card at major convenience stores and subway stations across Korea, as well as at the T-Money headquarters in Seoul. These are the locations you can top-up a T-Money Card. Refunds will be paid in cash and partial refunds aren’t possible.

There’s a ₩500 fee to refund a T-Money balance, which is deducted from the existing balance. The cost of the T-Money Card won’t be refunded, but you can keep the T-Money Card after the balance is refunded. The T-Money Card doesn’t expire, so you can use it if you visit Korea again.

Tip: The credit balance on the T-Money Card will stay active for 5 years from the date of the last top-up. If you plan to visit Korea again in the next 5 years and have a small balance left, it might be best to keep the balance on your T-Money Card so you don’t need to top-up the card when you return.

Alternative Korean Transportation Cards & 1 bonus (UPDATED with Climate Card Tourist Pass July 2024)

There are several alternative transportation cards to T-Money, including the Cashbee Card (pictured above), Namane Card, which uses Rail+, and varieties of the T-Money Card that offer slightly different benefits from the original T-Money Card. Here’s a summary of those cards and what they offer:

Cashbee Card

The Cashbee Card by Lotte can be purchased and used in most of the same locations as T-Money. You can purchase a Cashbee Card at convenience stores and subway stations across Korea. The CU chain of convenience stores only offers the Cashbee Card, not T-Money.

The Cashbee card can be used to pay for journeys on buses and subway across Korea. Tap the card when you enter the bus or subway, then tap again when you finish your journey. Transfer discounts should also be applied. Cashbee can be used in Lotte shops, including Lotte Department Store and Lotte Cinema.

Price: ₩2,500

Where to buy: Convenience stores, subway

Namane Card

The Namane Card by KB Bank uses the Rail+ transportation card system by Korail, Korea’s national train service. One big advantage the Namane Card has over T-Money and Cashbee is you can use it to pay for train services, including Korea’s high-speed KTX trains.

The other big difference with the Namane Card is that you can personalise your card by uploading pictures of yourself or other designs you upload using the Namane app. The Namane Card is available from locations across Korea, including inside major train stations, department stores, stationery stores, and book shops.

Price: ₩7,000

Where to buy: Convenience stores, subway, Namane machines, online from Klook

Korea Tour Card

The Korea Tour Card was designed for tourists travelling to Korea and provides not only with the standard T-Money functions, but also offers lots of discounts. This is the version of T-Money that’s available at Incheon Airport.

Price: ₩4,000

Buy: Incheon Airport

Discover Seoul Pass

The Discover Seoul Pass is a city-pass that offers free entry to more than 50 premium attractions in Seoul. It also includes T-Money functions to allow you to travel on public transport without having to buy one. Discover Seoul Pass comes in flavours of 24, 48, and 72 hours validity, and only starts counting down starting when you use it for the first free benefit.

Price: from ₩50,000

Buy: Online from Klook

Creatrip X Bellygom Transportation Card

The Creatrip X Bellygom transportation card is a colourful travel card from Creatrip, which really stands out thanks to its bright pink picture of Bellygom, a popular Korean character that’s big on YouTube. With the ‘Decoration Card’ feature, you can make your own special transportation card, too. This makes it a lovely souvenir of your trip.

Please note: this card is a version of Cashbee and can be used and charged in all the same locations as Cashbee can.

This card comes with ₩5,000 loaded, which means you don’t need to worry about charging it at the airport (which should be done in cash). Simply collect the card at Incheon Airport (either terminal) or Gimpo Airport and then take the all-stop train straight into Seoul with it. It’s really convenient.

You can use the Creatrip X Bellygom transportation card to pay for public transportation across Korea, as well as in franchises such as Paris Baguette, Baskin Robbins, Angel In Us, and Lotte Mart.

Price: Around ₩10,200 (includes ₩5,000 balance)

Buy: Online from Creatrip.

Climate Card Tourist Pass

The Climate Card Tourist Pass is a new public transport card that will give visitors unlimited access to Seoul’s subway, bus system for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days. n addition to getting unlimited access to Seoul’s public transport, tourist pass users can also benefit from the same discounts for cultural and performance facilities that are applied to the Climate Card, such as 50% off admission to the Seoul Science Center and Seoul Grand Park.

For more information, please read the Climate Card Seoul Tourist Pass Guide.

Bonus: Driving in Korea

If taking public transport is not your style of travelling, consider driving in South Korea. You’ll get to see things outside of the bigger cities, and also added convenient of not following rigid timetables. Check out our guide on driving in Korea for foreigners!

Tip: The Discover Seoul Pass includes a free Airport Express journey from Incheon Airport to Seoul. This can be useful to get yourself into the city before you top-up the T-Money balance on the card. Find out more tips and ways to use the pass in my list of Discover Seoul Pass itineraries.

Is The T-Money Card Worth Buying?

So, if you’ve read all this and you’re still not sure if you should get a T-Money Card or not, here is a simple summary to show why you might want to get one. This is based on my personal experience of using a T-Money Card, as well as opinions shared from members of my Korea Travel Group.

For travellers who want to pay for transportation across Korea’s bus and subway networks, the T-Money Card will be perfect and an essential purchase. However, if you’re looking for a way to pay for goods, services, and attractions in Korea, then the T-Money Card isn’t really what you’re looking for.

Instead of the T-Money Card to pay for things in Korea, I recommend getting a WOWPASS or Wise Travel Money Card. These are both more convenient and allow you pay in Korea using your card’s balance, which can be topped up in foreign currency (WOWPASS) or by bank transfer (Wise).

Learn more: Check out my guide to using Wise in Korea to learn how to get a Wise card, who is eligible, how to activate the Wise card, and all the ways it can save on your travel money expenses.

The T-Money Card is really useful and I can’t imagine travelling in Korea without one. I’d recommend buying one when you arrive in Korea. If you want to know more about T-Money and its alternatives, you can find lots of useful information in my complete South Korea travel guide.

Tips For Using T-Money In Korea

Here are a few quick tips to help you use the T-Money Card more effectively when in Korea:

1: Check the remaining balance as you travel so that you don’t run out by accident.

2: Don’t top-up too much. I’d recommend adding ₩50,000 starting balance and then ₩20,000 – ₩30,000 each time after that. Maybe less if you don’t plan to travel much.

3: Buy one as soon as you arrive. Get a Korea Tour Card at Incheon Airport.

4: Make use of the T-Money Card when you are shopping in convenience stores. You’ll end up with a lot less change.

5: Store the T-Money Card away from other cards that can be used to pay by touch as card readers can be confused by multiple cards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Finally, here are a few FAQs about using the T-Money card in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

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