10 Best Apps To Use In Korea
In this article, we have collated our top suggestions for the best apps to use in Korea.
Travelling in South Korea without these apps can be confusing and overwhelming, but thankfully, these handy Korean travel apps will make your trip completely stress-free.
So, let’s dive into: 10 Best Apps to download for Travelling in Korea
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Hyangwonjeong Pavilion - Gyeongbokgung Palace
Essential Apps to Download to Use in Korea
South Korea is one of our favourite countries we’ve ever visited. It boasts an incredible wealth of fascinating Confucian culture, distinctive cuisine, modern architecture and K-pop stars.
For English-speaking travellers, however, the country can be confusing to navigate as most signage throughout Korea is, you guessed it, in Hangul Korean writing. To add to the confusion, Google Maps famously doesn’t work in Korea as Google refuses to store their satellite data of the country in Korea, so the real-time navigation feature on the app doesn’t work.
So, when you mix together a lack of English signage and no Google Maps, you can see how it can become quite tricky to travel around South Korea if you’re unprepared.
Thankfully for you, though, we have created this list of the best apps for travelling in South Korea so you will know exactly which apps you should be downloading before visiting the Korean peninsula.
Bonus Top Tip: To use these apps, you will need a reliable Korean SIM Card, so here are our guides on how to buy a SIM Card perfect for Tourists in Seoul Incheon Airport and the best eSIM for South Korea.
Discover Seoul Pass
The Discover Seoul Pass gives you free or discounted access to 100+ attractions throughout the greater Seoul area. This is particularly great for those on a quick 1-day, 2-day or 3-day trip to Seoul because it allows you to pay for all the attractions up front (by purchasing the pass), and then you can visit as many attractions as possible in the given time.
You can buy a 24, 48 or 72-hour pass depending on your personal travel itinerary. If you purchase the Discover Seoul Pass via Klook, you can use the app to check which attractions you can visit and view discounts on transport throughout Korea.
Alternatively, purchasing the pass directly through the Discover Seoul Pass app will generate a QR code with a timer so you know exactly how long you have left to use your pass.
Some attractions you can visit for free using the Discover Seoul Pass are Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and the N Seoul Tower.
Naver Maps
With a lack of Google Maps, it is essential to find a reliable alternative for navigating your way around Korea - particularly in the densely packed streets of Seoul.
One of the best options we found was Naver Maps. The app can be used in Korean, Chinese, Japanese or English and is very simple to master.
Once you’ve downloaded the app, trigger the English setting, and then all you have to do is type your destination at the top, and it will show you the way.
What we found helpful when using Naver Maps was copying and pasting the Korean address you’re heading to instead of the English version. Naver Maps tends to be much more reliable when given the Korean version of an address.
Our favourite feature of Naver Maps is the ability to choose which public transport you want to take, and the app will even give you live updates on how long you’ll be standing on the platform.
Kakao Maps
An alternative app to use in Korea is Kakao Maps. For all intents and purposes, it works exactly the same as Naver Maps and it really just comes down to your preference in terms of which app works best for you.
Kakao Maps comes from the creators of KakaoTalk, the highly popular messaging platform in Korea. Kakao Maps was released in the early 2010s and has grown to become one of the most popular navigation apps in the country.
As with Naver, Kakao Maps allows you to choose between different transport options and provides live updates on the subway, trains and buses.
A feature that is perhaps more advanced on Kakao Maps is the street-view option as it is kept up-to-date more often than Naver, resulting in a more realistic view of the streets you’re going to be visiting.
Is Naver Maps or Kakao Maps better in Korea?
Honestly, there is nothing to choose between them. Both apps are able to help you navigate through Korea, and it really just comes down to your personal preference. We recommend downloading both apps and playing around with them to decide which one you prefer for your Korea trip.
Top tip: neither app is perfect for the initial trip from the airport into Seoul city centre, so we recommend you find out how to get from Seoul Incheon Airport to Seoul City Centre before arriving in Korea, and then figure out how to use the apps once you’re at your accommodation in the city.
Kakao T (Formerly Kakao Taxi)
If you ever want to get a taxi in South Korea, your best option is to download Kakao T. It is an excellent app for booking a taxi, finding nearby parking spaces and providing live traffic updates throughout the country.
The best thing about using Kakao T is that you don’t have to communicate in broken Korean to let the driver know where you want to go. Instead, you put the address into the app, choose how you want to pay, and wait until your driver arrives. It’s simple.
Kakao T is like the Uber app but only found in South Korea. It is a no-brainer and definitely a great app to use in Korea.
Papago
Unless you are fluent in Korean, it is likely that you’ll need to utilise a translation app at some point during your South Korea adventure.
Korea’s answer to this is Papago, the translation app that can be used to translate 13 different languages instantly. Understandably, the majority of the time in Korea you are going to need a real-time translation of Korean into English, and Papago can give you exactly that.
One of the ways we found Papago to be most helpful was when we needed to translate menus in restaurants. You can use the app to take a photo of the menu page and it will produce the translation right there and then.
Obviously, as with any translation app, Papago isn’t 100% perfect and can sometimes lead you to think you’re ordering one dish when it turns out you’ve received something different entirely.
As translation apps go, however, Papago is very handy and a great addition to the apps you need to use when travelling in South Korea.
Google Translate
Unlike Google Maps, Google Translate definitely does work in Korea, and it certainly comes in handy when you’re trying to figure out the meanings of signs and menus throughout the country.
Our favourite feature of Google Translate, which we have used in many countries outside of Korea, too, is the ability to download a language onto the app. Once you’ve downloaded the language, you no longer need to have an internet connection or wifi to be able to produce a live translation.
This feature of Google Translate is probably at its most useful when travelling by Subway in Seoul. The internet connection is patchy on the subway, so taking a photo of a Subway sign and automatically having a live translation is super helpful.
Is Papago or Google Translate better in Korea?
This is a really tricky one to answer and it may come down to personal preference once again. Something to bear in mind, however, is that neither app is 100% accurate because language is so unique and complex.
There is a trail of thought that suggests Papago is better to use in Korea as the app focuses on fewer languages, meaning it can adapt and tweak the translations more often. In contrast, Google Translate constantly tries to improve its service with hundreds of different languages.
As with the Kakao Maps vs. Naver Maps debate, we recommend downloading both Papago and Google Translate and simply deciding which is better based on your personal preference.
KorailTalk
KorailTalk is a great app to download when you need to reserve and book train tickets in Korea.
When you’re travelling throughout Korea, it can be pretty confusing at times to work out the train times and fares because, more often than not, the information will be in Korean, and it can be tricky to find the English translation button at the counters.
To overcome this challenge, we’d recommend downloading KorailTalk and booking all your tickets through the app instead. For example, if you’re wondering how to get from Seoul to Busan, we recommend the high-speed KTX Train. You can buy this ticket on the KorailTalk app and jump straight on the train.
Subway Korea
Let’s face it: riding the subway system in any country in the world can be relatively confusing if you’re not familiar with it. Do you take the Eastern or Western Line? Do you have to buy a ticket or use contactless? What zone is this station in?
To simplify things in Korea, the Subway Korea app is designed to relieve all those everyday stressors. The app provides live subway information in English and lets you know exactly which train you should take, in which direction and from what station.
One of our favourite app features is that it even gives you recommendations for what end of the train to sit at, so you’re closest to the nearest exit you need once you get off the train - it’s a lifesaver in Seoul!
Subway Korea is one of the handiest apps to download if you’re new to the Seoul area and the surrounding cities.
Klook
While travelling in Korea, you will undoubtedly be searching for some amazing activities and events to occupy your time.
For precisely this reason, we recommend downloading the Klook app. Klook is the one-stop-shop when it comes to tours, activities, tickets and events in South Korea.
While in the Western Hemisphere, organisations like Viator and GetYourGuide often dominate the tours and activities market, in East Asia, there is one clear market leader, and that is Klook.
Not only can you buy organised tours and transport tickets with Klook, but you’re also able to book accommodation directly through the app. It really covers everything you need for travelling in South Korea.
Whether you’re looking for the best day trips from Seoul, or finding out how to visit the Korean DMZ, it is likely that Klook will be able to provide the answer.
Trazy
Another viable option for booking tours and activities in South Korea is Trazy. We like to suggest using Trazy and Klook, despite them providing very similar tours, because it’s always good to double-check both to see which is the best value for money.
We’re all about saving money when we travel, so being able to compare the prices between tour companies is only ever a good thing.
You may potentially find that Trazy offers different activities in South Korea that Klook doesn’t offer, and vice-versa. So, it’s always best to download both apps just to be sure.
Arguably, the best feature of Trazy is their ‘Trazy Point’ system. Every time you book an activity, leave a review or upload a photo of your experience, you gain Trazy Points, which can be used to book excursions in the future.
We appreciate that Trazy isn’t very popular outside of Korea, so if you plan to use your Trazy points, we suggest you buy all your tours through Trazy and earn points quickly rather than swapping between Trazy and Klook.
There we have it, folks, our conclusive round-up of the best apps to use in Korea. Travelling around South Korea remains one of the best adventures we’ve ever had over the years and it was made all the smoother thanks to these handy apps for Korea travel.
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