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.

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Joel Marrinan
Korean Culture

How I Use Wise To Send Money To Korea From Other Countries

January 31, 2024April 30, 2024

Joel Marrinan
Expat Life In Korea, Korean Travel Money

The Wise card is a multi-currency travel money card which you can use to pay and withdraw cash in 53 currencies in more than 175 countries around the world. You can easily convert currencies by adding money from your home account and converting it in the app. Not only is it really simple, you also get the mid-market rate, which is usually much better than the rates offered by money exchanges.

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.
• Easy to add money from your home account and spend in Korea: Add funds to your travel budget as you go through online transfers from your home bank account to your Wise app.
• 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.
• Tracks your spending and categorises each cost: Each transaction is recorded by the app and broken down into categories so you can see where your travel budget has gone.
• Safe and secure service while travelling: You can easily freeze the Wise card if you lose it, set a password to access the app, and get a replacement card.
• Offers physical and digital card versions: Use the physical card to pay for goods and items in person or the digital version for other situations.
• Works with Apple Pay & Google Pay: Add your Wise card to your Apple Pay or Google Pay account and spend your foreign currency in Wise wherever they’re accepted.

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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