Money, Data & Getting Around
The essentials
- Only about 10% of Korean terminals take tap (NFC) — don't rely on it. Load a WOWPASS, Travel Wallet or T-money Travel Card at the airport.
- Buy an eSIM online before you fly and activate it by QR the moment you land; a physical SIM from the three carriers' airport counters needs your passport.
- Call taxis with Kakao T so the fare is fixed in advance. Tax refunds come two ways: instant in-store (up to 500,000 won per store per person) or at departure-airport kiosks.
Related stories — new ones are added automatically · 32 stories
- Shopping & Money ·Zero Exchange Fees: One Card That Handles All Your Korea Travel Payments
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company's mobile app, then receive a physical card or use it immediately as a mobile card · Domestic ATMs cash can be withdrawn in won with no fee at many banks
- K-Beauty Q&A ·Can I Get a Tax Refund on Olive Young Purchases?
Instant refunds typically apply to same-day purchases of 500,000 won or less at one store per person · Refunds after that go through the unmanned kiosks at your departure airport · Bring your passport · Olive Young logged 11.01 million foreign-customer transactions from January through August this year.
- Arrival Basics · Roundup ·eSIM, Roaming, or Physical SIM — Your First-Hour Data Choice
SKT, KT, and LG U+ all run roaming/SIM counters in Incheon Airport's arrival hall · Activating a physical SIM requires a passport · An eSIM bought online before departure can be activated the moment you land, just by scanning a QR code.
- Shopping & Exchange Rate ·Won at 1,356: Why Now Is the Time for K-Shopping
As of September 25, the exchange rate stood at 1,356.18 won per dollar (about 2% stronger than a month earlier) · Olive Young's foreign-customer transactions hit 11.01 million from January through August, blowing past its annual 1-trillion-won target by August · When paying by card, check which currency you're being charged in before you confirm.
- Travel Safety ·How to Dodge Myeongdong's Late-Night Taxi Overcharging
Report overcharging to the Dasan Call Center at 120 (foreign-language support available) or the Tourist Police at 1330 · Confirmed violations carry a license suspension of up to 30 days · The best defense is booking through an app like Kakao T, which locks in the fare before you ride.
- K-Beauty · Men's Edition ·Where Men Should Actually Look Inside Olive Young
Where to look Olive Young and Daiso branches nationwide (many in busy districts like Myeong-dong, Hongdae and Gangnam) · What to check full ingredient list, expiration or period-after-opening (PAO) marking, exchange/refund policy.
- Arrival Basics · Deep Dive ·Why Won't My Card Scan? — Inside the Payment Wall Blocking Visitors to Korea
Share of Korean payment terminals supporting NFC (contactless) roughly 10 percent (versus 75%+ in major European countries, 95%+ in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore) · Korea has required IC-chip insertion terminals since 2015 · WOWPASS, a prepaid card for foreign visitors, grew from about 1 million users in April 2024 to about 3 million by March 2026 · T-money Travel Card launched in July 2025.
- Currency & Shopping ·The Won Has Strengthened a Bit—Is Seoul Shopping Still a Bargain Right Now?
Reference date September 21, 2026, KRW/USD around 1,380 won / Compared with the June 2026 peak of 1,561 won (a roughly 180-won swing) / Real-world effect: buying a 100,000-won item took about $64.1 in June but about $72.5 now, roughly 13.1% more / Source: Seoul foreign exchange market rates, compiled from Korean media reports including Money Today.
- Transport & Payments ·Can You Ride Seoul's Subway With Just an Overseas Card? What Works Now and What Changes in 2027
Card payment at machines available since March 17, 2026; tap-to-ride rollout begins in 2027 / Coverage: Seoul subway Lines 1-8, 273 stations, 440 new machines / Accepted cards: Visa, Mastercard and other overseas-issued credit and debit cards, plus Kakao Pay and Naver Pay / What you can buy: single-journey tickets, purchase and top-up of the Climate Card (Seoul's unlimited transit pass), and 1/2/3/5/7-day short-term passes (30-day passes not yet supported) / Average service fee: about 3.7% / Contact: Seoul Metro, T-money.
- K-Beauty · Shopping ·Myeongdong's Three Shopping Routes Compared: From Instant Refunds to Duty-Free
Location Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul (eight Olive Young stores alone, one to three minutes apart on foot) · Olive Young Central Myeongdong Town opened March 26, 2026 — three floors, about 1,000 brands, roughly 15,000 items · Roadside instant tax refund available on purchases of 30,000 won or more (passport required) · Expect a 15-30 minute wait at refund counters on weekends.
- K-Beauty · Trend ·How Daiso Became a K-Beauty Pilgrimage — The Sub-5,000-Won Skincare Visitors Pack Home
Daiso (flat-price variety store) branches near tourist areas, such as the Myeongdong Station store · Skincare items generally priced between 1,000 and 5,000 won · Foreign-issued cards are mostly accepted, though small stores occasionally have errors, so carrying cash or a T-money card as backup helps · Budget lines featuring functional ingredients like PDRN and retinol are the current trend.
- Arrival Basics · United States ·The Card Won't Go Through — The Payment Wall American Visitors Hit in Korea
Cards issued in the US and elsewhere abroad are sometimes rejected at small, independent Korean shops · Apple Pay works unevenly, since not every merchant has an NFC-capable terminal yet · The workaround is T-money, Korea's transit card — it covers buses, subways and a wide range of convenience stores and cafes · Registering your Korea trip with your card issuer's app before departure can prevent automatic holds triggered by suspected fraud.
- Transit Guide ·No More Missing the Last Train — AREX Extends Chuseok Night Service to Seoul Station
Sept 26 (Sat)-27 (Sun), two nights only · Northbound last train from Incheon Airport Terminal 2, previously ending at Digital Media City Station, extended to Seoul Station (arriving 12:57 a.m.) · Southbound last train from Seoul Station, previously ending at Geomam Station, extended to Incheon Airport Terminal 2 (arriving 1:07 a.m.) · Incheon Subway Lines 1 and 2 will also add six late-night trains each on both nights, 12 extra runs in total.
- Travel Advisory ·Korea Waives Expressway Tolls Sept. 24-27 for Chuseok; Sept. 24 Morning Worst for Traffic
Special transportation measures period September 23-27 (5 days) · Nationwide expressway tolls waived September 24-27 (4 days, including private expressways, tentative) · Heaviest homebound traffic expected the morning of September 24 (Seoul-Busan up to about 10 hours 30 minutes) · Heaviest return traffic expected the afternoon of September 25, Chuseok Day itself (Busan-Seoul up to about 9 hours) · An estimated 12.99 million people expected to travel on September 25 alone
- Threshold of Arrival · Japan Edition ·I Have a Card, So Why Won't It Work? — The Payment Wall Facing Japanese Visitors to Korea
Carry at least two international-brand cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, etc.) · For public transit, buy a physical rechargeable transit card in advance (the mobile app card is Android-only) · WOWPASS, a prepaid transit card for foreign visitors, can be issued instantly with just a passport at Incheon International Airport and other locations (wowpass.io) · Among delivery apps, only Baemin (Baedal Minjok) supports non-member payment with overseas cards (Yogiyo and Coupang Eats do not)
- Exchange Rate Information ·Won Stronger Than Summer Peak — Exchanging Money Now Could Cost You More Than in July
Won-dollar closing rate on July 1, 2026: 1,554.9 KRW (highest since March 2009) · Closing rate on September 18, 2026: 1,383.3 KRW · Difference between the two points: about 170 KRW
- Transport News ·KTX Fares Drop 10% From September, Booking Now Unified in One App
integration took effect September 1, 2026; average fares fell about 10% (e.g., Seoul–Busan from 59,800 won to 54,400 won, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong from 46,800 won to 42,000 won); booking is now unified in the app "Korail+" (revamped from the old Korail Talk); the change was led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korail.
- K-Beauty ·From Booking to Price Tags: A Foreign Visitor's Guide to Korean Hair and Nail Salons
South Korea welcomed roughly 10.71 million foreign visitors in the first half of 2026, a clear year-on-year increase, and their card spending in the country top…
- K-Beauty ·Instant Tax Refunds: What to Check at Namdaemun Market
Walk through the alleys of Namdaemun Market in central Seoul and nearly every cosmetics stall displays "Tax Refund" or "Immediate Refund" signs. Under this syst…
- Arrival Basics · USA ·When American Tourists Tap to Pay in Seoul, Nothing Happens
Outside a convenience store in Seoul's Jongno district, an American tourist fresh off the airport express train from Incheon holds up an Apple Watch to pay for …
- K-Beauty · Shopping ·Instant Refunds Now Up to 5 Million Won — Two Things to Know Before Beauty Shopping
Foreign tourists spending 15,000 won or more at a duty-free-eligible store become eligible for a VAT refund. 'Instant refund,' where the tax is deducted right a…
- Traveler News ·Won Strengthens Again — Sept. 9 Close at 1,336, Time to Watch Your Exchange Rate
The won/dollar rate closed at 1,336.1 on Sept. 9 in Seoul trading, down 9.5 won from the previous day. After climbing above 1,400 in August, the rate has been s…
- K-Beauty ·Olive Young's 2026 beauty keyword is 'Fullmoon' — start small with travel-size picks
CJ Olive Young has named 'FULLMOON' its beauty and health trend for 2026: like a full moon gathering scattered light, the idea is precise, small-quantity consum…
- News ·Overcharging, reckless taxis: tourist complaints hit a record high
Complaints filed by foreign tourists in Korea have hit a record high this year, according to Korea Tourism Organization tallies (Yonhap News TV, September 6, 20…
- K-Beauty ·Why Buy at Olive Young in Korea? Three Reasons: Selection, Price and Tax Refunds
You can now buy K-beauty from abroad through the Olive Young Global Mall - so why do travelers still flock to the stores in Korea? Three reasons. First, selecti…
- Arrival Basics ·[Sunday Roundup] Four Thresholds on Day One: Payments, Transport, Reservations, Nights
This Sunday roundup follows the four options in this week's reader poll, 'Ask Korea This Week.' First, payments: cards are widely accepted in Korea, but traditi…
- News ·Korea's Convenience Stores Become a Travel Destination: Foreign Card Payments Jump Up to 78%
Korean convenience stores are becoming a must-visit stop for inbound travelers. According to a July report by Dailian, foreign card payments at CU rose 65.7% in…
- News ·Foreign Card Spending in Korea Hits Record $4.86 Billion in Q2
Card spending in Korea by non-residents, including foreign tourists, reached $4.86 billion in the second quarter of this year, the highest quarterly figure on r…
- K-Beauty ·Olive Young Tops 1 Trillion Won in Foreign Sales as K-Beauty Shopping Goes Nationwide
CJ Olive Young announced on August 31 that its annual sales to foreign customers have surpassed 1 trillion won this year. The retailer reached the milestone thr…
- The Arrival Threshold ·The Paper Arrival Card Is Gone: Three Walls Japanese Travelers Hit in Their First Hour in Korea
The paper arrival card once handed out on flights to Korea has disappeared. At the end of December 2025 it was replaced by the online e-Arrival Card. Japanese t…
- K-Culture ·Pokémon Mega Festa teams up with Korea Tourism Organization and the airport railroad
Pokémon Korea is holding 'Pokémon Mega Festa 2026: Pikachu's Autumn Outing' together with the Korea Tourism Organization and AREX, the Incheon Airport railroad.
- Policy ·Culture Ministry opens tourism and gugak data to AI — AI travel guides are coming
Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is opening five sets of cultural data — traditional music, tourism, policy information and more — for AI trainin…