Visiting Korea: The Practical Essentials

BTSDB Guide · Visit Korea — the checklist that saves your first 48 hours

THINGS NOBODY TELLS YOU 4컷

1 Seoul, here I come

Flights booked. You assume the rest works like home. It does not.

2 Maps has no directions

Google Maps cannot route you in Korea — locals use Naver Map or KakaoMap.

3 Tap the T-money

One transit card covers subway, bus and most convenience stores.

4 Ready for real

K-ETA, an eSIM and the right map app — sort these before you land.

Korea is one of the easiest advanced countries to travel — fast trains, safe streets, cheap data. But a few things work differently enough to trip up first-timers: Google Maps barely navigates, some shops are card-only while some markets are cash-only, and entry rules depend on your passport. Here's the practical layer.

Before you fly

Entry: check K-ETA rules for your passport. Many countries are currently exempt from K-ETA, others must apply online before boarding — rules change, so verify on the official K-ETA site (www.k-eta.go.kr) close to your trip.
Data: eSIM or SIM. Airport counters work but online eSIMs are cheaper; unlimited-data plans are the norm. You'll want data constantly — maps, translation, taxi apps.
Apps to install: Naver Map or Kakao Map (navigation — Google Maps can't route walking/driving properly in Korea), Kakao T (taxis), Papago (translation), your bank's travel-notice setting.

Money: cards, cash and exchange

Cards work almost everywhere: Visa/Mastercard acceptance is near-universal in cities — including taxis, convenience stores and street-food franchises. Contactless foreign cards mostly work.
But carry some cash: Traditional markets, some small restaurants and rural areas prefer cash. ₩100,000–200,000 covers most trips.
Exchange smart: Skip airport rates; card payments and bank ATMs (marked "Global") usually beat cash exchange. Seoul's Myeong-dong licensed exchanges are competitive for cash.
T-money card: Buy at any convenience store (~₩3,000) — one card for subway, bus, taxis and convenience stores nationwide. Refund the balance before leaving.

Getting around

From Incheon Airport: AREX express train to Seoul Station (~43 min), airport limousine buses to major districts, or a fixed-ish fare taxi. All take T-money/cards.

In cities: subway + bus with T-money is fast and bilingual. Kakao T taxis are honest-metered; tipping is not a thing in Korea.

Between cities: KTX high-speed rail (Seoul–Busan ~2h40m). Book popular weekend slots a few days ahead.

Shopping online from a Korean site during your trip? Check the seller is a licensed Korean business first — our fraud-check guide takes 3 minutes and works for any Korean shop.

Health & help

1330 — 24/7 tourist helpline with English/Chinese/Japanese interpreters (dial from any phone).
Pharmacies (약국) handle minor issues; clinics are affordable even without insurance. For planned treatments, see our medical tourism guide.
Emergencies: 112 (police), 119 (fire/ambulance) — both connect interpreters.

Details like entry rules and prices change — always confirm critical items on official sources close to your travel date.

Why 2M+ foreign patients visit Korea each year — treatments, price ranges, safety, and how to get an estimate.