The first time I visited Korea was for a semester abroad at a university in Incheon. I had very little idea of what living and traveling there would actually be like. I’d learned a bit of Korean through friends and picked up some cultural knowledge thanks to K-dramas and K-pop. That experience was truly eye-opening—and I’ve been back to Korea several times since. Still, there were things that caught me off guard on my first trip. To help you avoid those same surprises and make the most of your time in Korea, here’s all the things you need to know before going to Korea !
1. Google Maps doesn’t work well 🗺️
South Korea has a completely different app ecosystem than most countries. People mainly chat on KakaoTalk instead of WhatsApp, search on Naver instead of Google—and for maps, it’s the same story.
Google Maps usually won’t help much here. The results are often wrong, and it won’t give you things like transport arrival times. Why is it like that? It’s a bit of a complicated story, so if you’re curious, I’ll let the Korea Herald explain it better than I can.
So, what should you use ? Naver Map and KakaoMap are the two main apps people rely on to get around. Naver Map is a little more tourist-friendly since it handles the Roman alphabet better. But if you want to try writing in Korean, KakaoMap is great for practice !
Both apps will show you subway arrival times, bus stops, and the best routes from one place to another. Just like Google Maps, they also show ratings for restaurants, cafés, and more—which is super helpful, since locals use them too. You’ll get the best local point of view !
2. Seoul & Busan are huge and involve a lot of walking 🚶
The first walk I ever did in Korea was also the most painful one I’ve ever done. I’m used to European cities, where everything is compact and you can pretty much walk everywhere. So I’ve never been afraid to walk all day just to make sure I see everything.
But my first walk in Korea? I decided to visit Namsan Tower. It looked close to my hotel, so I thought, “Why not walk?” Bad idea. It ended up taking me over an hour to reach the top—under the scorching summer sun.
So, if I have a few things to share about walking in Seoul or Busan before going to Korea, here they are:
What looks close… sometimes really isn’t. Always check the actual walking time on Google Maps. Busan is a bit flatter than Seoul, but don’t trust just the distance. Some neighborhoods are built on hills—like Namsan or Itaewon—so a short walk might turn into a real climb.
And whether you like it or not, you will walk a lot. Even if you take the subway, the transfers can involve long walks underground. Plus, many tourist spots are huge, so expect your step count to rise quickly.
My best advice? Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously—you’ll thank yourself later!
3. Learning the Korean alphabet (Hangeul) helps a lot 🇰🇷
Korean can feel a bit scary when you don’t know anything about the language. But compared to Mandarin, it’s way more approachable—Korean has an alphabet, which makes it ten times easier to read if you ever come across a word on the street.
Now you might wonder, “Why would I need to learn Korean as a tourist? Isn’t English enough?” Yes… and no. While many people understand English, they don’t always speak it. Of course, in hotels you’ll usually find someone who speaks English. But out on the street or in public places, it can be trickier.
I’m not saying you need to study Korean for years before visiting. But since most signs are written in Korean, just learning to read the alphabet can really take you far. For example, if you’re looking for Insadong and you see 인사동 on a subway sign, you’ll know you’re in the right place ! It’s a small skill that can save you from getting lost—or from constantly asking for directions.
Also, here’s a fun fact: Koreans often use English words, but they write them using their own alphabet. So sometimes, a “mystery” word is actually just something you already know—just spelled in Hangul ! Here are some examples :
- 샤워 : shower 🚿
- 아이스크림 : ice cream 🍦
- 와이파이 : wifi 🛜
- 초콜렛 : chocolate 🍫
- 바나나 : banana 🍌
- 아보카도: avocado 🥑
- 바이올린 : violin 🎻
- 치킨 : chicken 🍗
- 캐나다 : Canada 🇨🇦
- 테니스 : Tennis 🎾
Still, I know it’s not always easy to figure things out. So make sure to download Papago—it’s a super handy translation app that can help you understand menus or any other word you might need on the go !
4. Public transport is great — but only in big cities 🚇
Public transport is often praised in Korea—and I can’t lie, the subway in Seoul works great. Same goes for the high-speed trains to cities like Daegu, Busan, or Gyeongju. But outside of these train systems, getting around without a car isn’t always easy.
In smaller cities, you’ll often need a car. Taxis are an option too, but they can add extra costs to your trip.
Buses are another possibility, but they can be harder to figure out. For travel between cities, you usually need to go to the bus station to buy your ticket in person. Sometimes staff speak English, but not always. City buses are a bit easier to use, but they’re not always on time.
Tip: If you’re using buses in Jeju, turn on the real-time bus tracking feature in KakaoMap—it’s super helpful !
5. Korea is mostly cashless, but not 100% 💳
Using your card in Korea is easy—most places accept it for purchases. You don’t even need to enter a PIN code; for larger purchases, they’ll usually just ask for a signature.
That said, another thing to know before going to Korea is that not all foreign cards work in the country. It didn’t happen to me, but one of my friends had a lot of trouble with hers and had to withdraw a lot of cash. So make sure your card works in Korea, or bring an international one just in case. I used Revolut, and it worked without any issues.
One thing to keep in mind: in smaller, more local places, cash is often preferred over cards. So it’s a good idea to carry some cash, especially if you plan to visit traditional markets or local food stalls.
Also, when it comes to recharging your T-money card (used for public transport), you’ll often need cash. Most top-up machines in subway stations only accept cash—though more and more are starting to allow card payments too.
6. Korean food is delicious… but can be spicy🍚
Korean food is delicious and has so much to offer—especially if you’ve never tried it before! But there are a few things to be mindful of.
Koreans are used to eating spicy food, so if you’re sensitive to spice, it’s a good idea to ask before ordering something unfamiliar. A general rule: if the dish looks very red, it might contain gochujang (Korean spicy chili paste), which can be quite intense.
Also, Korean cuisine includes a lot of rich and heavy dishes, like grilled meats at barbecue restaurants or fried chicken. If you’re not used to eating that kind of food regularly, it can start to feel a bit heavy after a few meals.
Of course, there are lighter and more vegetarian-friendly options available if you’re craving something with more vegetables—but they’re not always easy to find, especially outside of Seoul.
7. Bins are nowhere to be found 🚮
This one’s a bit random, but trust me—not knowing it before going to Korea can be really annoying. Korea doesn’t have many public trash bins on the street. So when you buy something like a coffee, you usually have to carry the cup with you until you get home to throw it away.
Be prepared to keep your empty cups, wrappers, or plastic packaging with you for a while!
The only way I’ve found to avoid carrying a cup around all day is to stay at the café when I get a drink, so I can throw it away in the café’s bin. You can also sometimes toss things at convenience stores like CU, since they’re used to customers having a lot of packaging.
Now that you’ve red all the things to know before going to Korea, check out the apps you need to download before visiting !
