Zero Exchange Fees: One Card That Handles All Your Korea Travel Payments
If you've ever exchanged cash for won at an airport currency exchange and ended up with leftover money you couldn't spend, it's worth trying a different approach this time. By getting a travel-specific debit card in advance, you can handle both payments and cash withdrawals with a single card, with no exchange fees.
At a glance: Leading products Hana Card's 'Travelog,' Travel Wallet debit card · Benefits zero exchange fees at all times for US dollars, Japanese yen, euros, British pounds and more, with no fee even when re-exchanging leftover balances · How to apply non-face-to-face application through each company's mobile app, then receive a physical card or use it immediately as a mobile card · Domestic ATMs cash can be withdrawn in won with no fee at many banks
The principle behind these travel cards is simple. If you preload foreign currency into the app, payments made in that currency carry no exchange fee, and at merchants that don't handle that currency, payment is automatically converted into won or another currency. Travelog offers free exchange at all times for four currencies — dollars, yen, euros and pounds — and is also running a limited-time free-exchange promotion for other currencies through December 31, 2026. Travel Wallet charges a fee of 0.5 to 2.5 percent on currencies outside the major ones, but it tends to carry a lighter burden when converting leftover foreign currency back to won or sending it to someone else.
For visitors to Korea, the part that makes the biggest practical difference is domestic ATM withdrawals. Inserting the card into an affiliated ATM at a convenience store or bank dispenses won instantly with no fee, so travelers can fill their wallets without worry even at alley restaurants and street food stalls in areas like Myeongdong or Hongdae, where cash is often more useful than cards. Since applications can often be completed remotely through each company's app using passport information — even before arriving in Korea — it's advantageous to get one ready before your trip.
Compared with the old method of hunting down currency exchange counters and comparing exchange rate boards, a single card can save both that time and the fees. It's safest to double-check each card company's app announcements at the time of application for the exact preferential exchange rate conditions and promotion periods.