The 9 Apps You Actually Need in Korea
Google Maps barely works in Korea. Here are the nine apps that replace it — maps, taxis, translation, chat and trains — and what each one is for.
· 2 min read
Minji Park
Co-founder & Editor — Seoul native
Minji grew up in Seoul and has been the designated “Korean friend” for exchange students, coworkers and travel buddies for over a decade. She covers food, culture, etiquette and the little unwritten rules locals forget are unwritten.
Her editing rule: if her foreign friends would still have a follow-up question after reading a guide, the guide isn't finished.
Beat: food & dining, culture & etiquette, getting around Languages: Korean (native), English
Guides by Minji Park
Your First Night in Korea: A No-Stress Evening Plan
Land in Korea and handle the essentials calmly: get online, grab a T-money card, get cash, eat, and reach your bed even if you arrive late.
· 4 min read
How to Order in a Korean Restaurant (Tablets, Bells and All)
Call buttons, tablet menus, self-serve water and free side dish refills — the Korean restaurant operating system, explained step by step.
· 3 min read
Is Korea Safe? An Honest Answer for Visitors
Korea is one of the safest countries you can visit — here's what that actually means, the risks that do exist, and what solo travelers should know.
· 3 min read
Emergency Numbers and Help Lines in Korea
The Korean emergency numbers worth saving before you need them: 112, 119, the 24-hour 1330 tourist line with English, and who to call for what.
· 2 min read
7 First-Day Mistakes Visitors Make in Korea
The small first-day slip-ups that trip up newcomers in Korea — cash, tipping, escalators, trash, transit manners — and the easy fix for each.
· 4 min read
Pharmacies in Korea: What You Can Buy and How to Ask
How to use a Korean pharmacy (약국) as a foreigner: finding one, buying cold and pain medicine without a prescription, prices, hours, and phrases to point at.
· 5 min read
Public WiFi in Korea: Where It Works and How to Stay Safe
Korea has free WiFi almost everywhere — subways, buses, cafes, markets. Which networks to trust, how to connect, and the safety habits locals actually use.
· 4 min read
Korean Trash and Recycling Rules Without the Panic
Korea's trash rules made simple: 종량제 volume-rate bags, food waste vs general trash, how to sort recyclables, apartment vs house rules, and the fines to avoid.
· 4 min read
Korean Age, Honorifics and Why Everyone Asks Your Age
Why Koreans ask your age within minutes of meeting, how the 2023 age-law change works, and what honorifics mean for you as a visitor.
· 3 min read
Korean Cafe Culture: Unwritten Rules and How to Order
Why Korea has cafes on every corner, how ordering and buzzers work, the one-drink-per-person norm, and how long you can really camp with a laptop.
· 3 min read
The Korean Convenience Store Survival Guide
GS25, CU, 7-Eleven and Emart24 are mini life-support stations: meals, banking, transit top-ups and midnight ramyeon. Here's how to use them well.
· 3 min read
12 Korean Dishes to Try First (and What's In Them)
A beginner's ordering list for Korean food: twelve dishes ranked from mild to fiery, what's actually in each, and how to order them.
· 2 min read
Korean Etiquette Basics: What Matters, What's a Myth
The Korean customs that actually matter for visitors — shoes, two hands, subway norms — and the internet myths you can safely ignore.
· 2 min read
20 Korean Phrases That Do 80% of the Work
The twenty Korean phrases visitors actually use — with pronunciation, when to deploy each one, and the two that instantly warm every interaction.
· 2 min read
Korean Table Manners: The Friendly Rulebook
Chopstick rules, drinking rituals, who eats first and what's shared — Korean table manners explained without the fear-mongering.
· 3 min read
KTX vs Express Bus: Choosing How to Cross Korea
KTX bullet train or express bus across Korea? Honest 2026 comparison of price, speed, comfort and routes — plus when a Korean local actually picks the bus.
· 4 min read
Riding the Seoul Subway Like a Local
How Seoul's subway actually works for visitors: fares, exit numbers, transfers, etiquette, and the small habits that make you look local.
· 3 min read
The T-money Card: How to Buy, Top Up and Use It
Where to buy a T-money card, how much it costs, how to load money onto it, and the transfer discount that makes it essential in Korea.
· 3 min read
Eating Vegetarian and Vegan in Korea
Korea is easier than its reputation — if you know where the hidden anchovy and beef broth lurk. Safe dishes, temple food, key phrases, and veg-friendly areas.
· 4 min read