50+ apps to use while living in korea
a guide to be used for SOUTH KOREA
use CTRL + F (windows) / command + F (mac) to find information quickly
table of contents
correlating video: coming soon
guide updated 23.01.08 — added 5 new apps: miso, somoim, marco polo, fing, daiso membership
Yeah, you could live in Korea without specific apps, but if they make your life easier, why would you go without them? Here are some apps that I use to shop, manage money, and live in South Korea. Not all of these will be relevant for everyone and there are many apps not listed. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments! Just as a disclaimer: I am not sponsored by any of these companies (but, uh, if someone from one of them is reading, my business email is heartsliceart@gmail.com).
Under each app’s icon, you will see “play store | app store | website (or no website)” as well as if the app is accessible in English or is only in Korean. On “website/no website”: although most of these apps do have a correlating website, I will only link the websites where you can use the online version of the app’s services. Please remember that you can use Google Chrome and translate the page while using a website, making most — if not all — of the websites accessible in English!
ESSENTIAL APPS
KakaoTalk
(카카오톡)
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
KakaoTalk — often shortened to KaTalk/카톡 — is the most mainstream messaging app in Korea.
Once you obtain a Korean SIM card, your KakaoTalk changes into a whole new world: shop, pay bills, send friends money, buy tickets, read the news, and so on. The things KakaoTalk can’t do, Kakao Corp. made other apps for.
There are three features that I believe are the most useful in KakaoTalk: KakaoPay, open chatting, and multiple profiles. As soon as you are able to, I suggest setting up KakaoPay (you need your ARC and a Korean bank account). Although KakaoPay has its own app, you do not need to download it to use the service.
With open chatting, you can create open profiles. Open profiles are simple profiles that are not your main account but have their own chat rooms. I suggest using these while in large group chats instead of your actual profile. You can join chatrooms with a temporary profile, but no one would be able to privately message you. With an open profile, someone can.
With multi-profiles, you can create various profiles with different pictures, names, status messages, and can select which friends will see a certain profile. This makes separating work and your personal life a whole lot easier. In Korea, texting is seen as more professional and “official”, so your coworkers will more than likely ask for your number rather than KakaoTalk at first. Once you get closer, you may be added to an office group chat or have one-on-one conversations with coworkers. For obvious reasons, having a more professional-looking profile for work relationships is best. This feature gives you the freedom to be yourself, your work self, your soccer club self, your hiking club self… you get the picture.
On Kakao’s website, you can download a desktop version of KakaoTalk (for windows and mac) so you can chat on your computer.
Papago
(파파고)
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Are you fluent in Korean? I’m going to guess that no, you are not. If you were, you wouldn’t have stumbled upon this dinky little website, huh?
Papago is the most elite Korean ⟷ English translation app that I’ve found. You can, of course, type and speak to translate, but you can also have conversations, translate images and websites, and utilize integrated tools to learn Korean. Although the translation from English to Korean is typically fine, you’ll run into issues if you’re using more colorful language. Try to be direct as possible. If using voice-to-text, you will want to proofread beforehand; sometimes the correct English words are not heard, especially if you have any accent that strays from “General American” or “Broadcast American”.
My personal favorite feature of Papago is Papago mini. You can open this through Papago’s main app, when you select text in an app or a website and click “translate with Papago”, or when sharing text. Mini is great because it opens on top of other apps instead of copying, switching apps, pasting, and switching back. Some apps do not let you select and copy text, but in the apps that do, Papago mini is incredibly useful.
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Naver is one of the most popular search engines in South Korea, making it the best place to search for anything you need while living here.
You may question why you would need a search engine in Korean when you aren’t fluent in the language, and that’s a very valid question. But if you’ve tried to search Google for a very Korea-specific question and have found no answer, you already know why Naver can be a lifesaver. You can translate web pages with Google Chrome or with Papago so a language barrier shouldn’t be holding you back.
Besides searching for something you can’t find on Google (how to recycle a specific item, reviews of local restaurants or shops, etc.), you can also use Naver to find vocabulary. For example, say I wanted to try out basket weaving but don’t know the correct terms to search for materials. If I find a blog about basket weaving, I’d be able to find the terminology used in that craft so I’d be able to find the vocabulary, making it easier (and cheaper) to find the supplies I’d need online.
You can do most things with Naver that you can with KakaoTalk: read news, shop, QR check-ins, and use Naver Pay. If you prefer to use one, you don’t really need to sign up for QR check-ins or Pay for both apps; having both set up could prove to be useful at random times, but it’s really not necessary.
Emergency Ready
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
While living in Korea, you are sure to get emergency alerts. However, unless you understand the language, you may not know what the emergency alert is for. With COVID-19, the majority of these alerts are updates on case numbers, but missing persons, earthquakes, fires, typhoons, and floods occur in Korea as well. Having a translated emergency message is incredibly necessary, regardless of the severity of the threat. This app can also give you information on nearby police stations, fire stations, emergency medical centers, shelters, embassies, and safety guides for various disasters.
To make sure you get alerts for the areas you live and work in: go to settings, click “set receive area”, turn “set as your preferred location” to “on”, and then add in your areas. You can have more than one location selected!
MAPS & TRANSPORTATION
KakaoMap
(카카오맵)
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Even if you are familiar with a city, you always need a map app. There are two main maps in Korea: Kakao and Naver. Google Maps sucks severely, so I don’t recommend even attempting to get by on it.
Both KakaoMap and Naver Map are good options; one is not better than the other (although some do have strong opinions on this). It just depends on your preference. I prefer KakaoMap over Naver Map, but still have both apps on my phone. I like Kakao’s interface and features, but Naver has business information that Kakao sometimes doesn’t.
Besides navigation, KakaoMap shows bus and subway times; there are separate apps for both busses and subways, but I have never found them necessary. You can also save all of your favorite locations in folders, organizing them by different symbols and colors. There are different “theme maps” as well, where people recommend cute cafes, delicious restaurants, or beautiful scenery all over Korea.
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
As it’s essentially the same as KakaoMap, just a slightly different interface, I won’t talk about Naver Map too much. However, with Naver Map, there are a lot more options to see different blog posts and reviews about whatever establishment you are trying to visit (because of the connection with Naver Blog).
I will reiterate that having both Naver Map and KakaoMap set up is a great idea. Some friends will use one app more than the other and will send you links to places to meet through their preferred app. Although you can copy and paste the address from one app to the other (with varying results), sometimes it is just easier to use the app the address was sent in for navigation. This is totally up to you, though.
Kakao T
(카카오 T)
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
Before you are able to use this transportation app, you need to connect your Korean bank account or a Korean credit card. After that, you’re able to order a taxi, buy train and bus tickets, use Kakao Bikes, and even book a flight. If taking a taxi, Kakao T is great because you have a map that updates while driving; you always know where your taxi is taking you and it automatically pays the driver once you are finished. Flagging down a regular taxi is still a great option, but taking a Kakao taxi is a little safer; the chance you will get scammed drastically decreases.
My only qualm about Kakao T is that sometimes it logs out and updates, making you have to put your payment preferences in again and re-confirm your bank details. It doesn’t happen often so it’s not a huge issue, it’s just annoying when you are in a hurry. It can also be a little slower than flagging down a non-Kakao-specific taxi. If you aren’t afraid of speaking Korean and are in a hurry, I suggest waving a 빈차 (empty car) down.
Tmoney GO & Express Bus Tmoney
Tmoney GO
(티머니 GO)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
Express Bus
(고속버스 티머니)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Tmoney GO and Express Bus Tmoney are apps to purchase bus tickets. Both will make you download another app (V3 Mobile Plus) to secure your purchases. Tmoney GO is used to pay for public transportation and rent scooters, bicycles, and even pay for taxis. It is worth setting up. Although, for electric scooters, make sure you have a Korean driver’s license.
If you cannot read Korean nor get the apps to work for you, Express Bus’s website is easy to use and is available in English. I’ve had friends who have successfully purchased bus tickets with a foreign credit card on this website.
If all fails, you can buy a bus ticket at the terminal either with a teller or at a kiosk. There will usually always be at least a few seats available if you buy them shortly beforehand, as most Korean people purchase their tickets directly before the departure time anyway. Though, to be safe, I do recommend buying a day or so before your trip just to ensure your spot especially if it is a busy holiday or a long weekend.
KorailTalk & SRT
KorailTalk
(코레일톡)
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
SRT
(SRT - 수서고속철도)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
KorailTalk and SRT are both apps to purchase train tickets. KorailTalk is available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese. SRT is only available in Korean.
In my opinion, there isn’t too much of a difference between first class and economy class. If you are in for a short ride, standing/not assigned seating is also a great option. Most of the time, though, it just makes sense to purchase an economy class ticket as the price difference is only around ₩1,000 (depending on the travel distance, there may be a more significant difference in price).
Like buses, if it all fails you can always buy your ticket at the station either with a teller or at a kiosk.
3. HEALTH
School Health Check
(건강상태자가진단)
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
If you are a teacher, you’ll have to check your symptoms every day before going to work through the Ministry of Education’s app (and possibly do a weekly or bi-weekly COVID-19 test at home, but that may have been scrapped for most schools as of early summer 2022). Your place of work should help you register and set it all up, so don’t worry too much about doing it yourself. However, you do need to remember to actually use the app. Some schools only make you use it on the days you to go work; some schools make you use it before a specific time even on the weekend and during vacations. Make sure to ask how often you should check your symptoms. You will get a notification if you forget!
AirVisual
Play Store | App Store | webiste
accessible in english
Korea’s air is polluted. Sometimes it’s horrible, sometimes it’s not all too bad. Regardless if you have a health issue that is worsened by pollution, you should use this app. I personally never open my windows if the pollution is over 100 US AQI, but that is just my preference. With AirVisual, you can set up smart notifications, daily reports, and threshold alerts. AirVisual uses sensors from government sources and updates every hour, so it is very accurate (although some remote stations may go offline for some time for various reasons). You can also purchase your own air quality monitor through IQAir if you wish, but they are pretty expensive.
Korea does have its own air quality apps, but I feel like they aren’t entirely reliable. When Air Visual says the air is moderate, the Korean apps say the air is clean. But if you look outside, you can see the pollution. I prefer to be over-cautious when it comes to pollution and my health.
Mufko
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Mufko (or Muslim Friendly Korea) is an app that lets you scan barcodes of foods, tells you the ingredients, and if it is Halal. There are many other useful tools for Muslims living in Korea, too (forums, Halal restaurants, prayer times, qibla direction, and finding prayer rooms) all within this app.
Even if you are not Muslim, this app is great to have if you have allergies or dietary restrictions, or if you are vegetarian or vegan. You can check the ingredients of different products just to make sure none of your allergens are listed.
Miso
(미소)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Although those of you who already know what this app is might be confused as to why it’s in the health section, there are some people new to Korea who have never heard that they should clean their air conditioner. That, to me, is a health risk.
Miso is a cleaning and service app. You’re able to hire a professional to do a specific task, like general cleaning, deep cleaning, moving, and cleaning your washing machine or aircon, to name a few.
I’ve had friends who have had great success with this app, and I’ve also heard of some who cannot get it to work no matter how hard they try. I do not know what these two groups are doing differently, so it’s still worth a try for yourself. You will need to know some Korean to navigate the app, though. But that’s where Papago comes in.
Somoim
(소모임)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
There are quite a few extroverts I know who moved abroad and have had a hard time adjusting to the lack of interaction, causing their mental health to decline. This app is perfect for those who want to do something and meet people, but aren’t sure where or how to go about it.
Somoim is a “hobby” app where you can find events in or around your neighborhood that relate to your interests. I’ve noticed that not a lot of “adult toddlers” (early to mid 20s) use this app, so keep that in mind if you were looking for others close to your age. Most people are in their later 20s and older (30s~50s).
Although you will absolutely need some Korean language abilities to fully use this app, it doesn’t hurt to sign up for any event that looks entertaining. I will advise you, though, to try to avoid the “English chatting” groups. On most visas, it’s illegal to tutor without going through the proper channels… and if you go to one of those groups, someone will try to persuade you to tutor them. If you do want to tutor and make some extra money, don’t mention your visa status and do not tell anyone. Don’t ask, don’t tell. If they do ask, lie.
Marco Polo
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
Marco Polo is like a video chat walkie-talkie. For the foreigners living in Korea who are originally from a time zone on the other side of the world, it’s hard to find a time to video chat that works for your friends and/or family. You end up going days, weeks, or months without talking to them. Although you should be making new friends here, it’s still healthy for you to keep up connections back home.
This app is basically like Snapchat, but it’s one that old people can understand.
MONEY
Your Bank's App
Depending on what bank you make an account with, this app will be different. Usually, this app will be downloaded at the bank when you make your account and the bank teller will add your mobile bank certificate to the app. One thing to note is that you will need to update your bank certificate every year, which you will get a notification for. The steps are usually quite simple and are for sure a time when Papago will come in handy.
SentBe
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Send money back to your home country through SentBe (have you seen any of the YouTube ads yet?). The transfer fees are a lot less than if you were transferring through your bank. Fees are ₩2,500 for standard delivery or ₩5,000 for express. The conversion between KRW and USD is also pretty good, although Wise and WireBarley (talked about below) can sometimes have better rates. It is worth having all apps set up.
Use the code KISZI1 for a free transfer coupon. It’s my referral code (I get a free transfer coupon, too). Send your own code to your friends before they sign up for more free transfers.
Wise
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Wise is another transfer app. Like SentBe, you can transfer money from your Korean bank to your home country. Unlike SentBe, you can send money from your home country to Korea (the amount depends on your bank, make sure to check thoroughly beforehand). Wise is a lot quicker than SentBe, so if you need money imminently, use Wise.
WireBarley
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
WireBarley is another way to transfer money and is comparable to SentBe and Wise, but some say the rates are a bit better than other apps. Before sending large sums of money, it’s best to see which app has the best exchange rates and takes out fewer fees. Sometimes one app may be better than another; it can fluctuate.
PayPal
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
I hate PayPal (in general, but especially in Korea), but it can still be useful. Some people use PayPal to transfer money from their Korean bank account to their home country’s bank account. If you make a PayPal account in Korea, you can only connect it to your Korean Bank account, which can be a very annoying process. Making an account for a foreign bank with a VPN doesn’t work either, so I’d for sure set up an account in your home country and then a new one in Korea if you want to make PayPal your last resort for sending money home.
Splitwise
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
If you travel with friends, use Splitwise. It will save you massive headaches. You can create groups, add what you paid for, and divide expenses between all of your friends or specific friends (having a bbq at your Airbnb but one person isn’t eating meat? Exclude them from paying for it).
Using Splitwise saves you from doing the math every time someone pays for something or annoying the cashier to split the bill in 7 different ways. Have one person pay for something, add the cost to Splitwise, and then pay what you owe to everyone at the end of the trip.
Samsung Pay
Play Store
accessible in english
If you’ve purchased a Samsung phone in Korea, you can use Samsung Pay in Korea (a device from America will only be able to connect to American banks, a device from Korea will only be able to connect to Korean banks).
You can connect Samsung Pay to any Korean debit or credit card and use those cards through the NFC feature on your phone. You can even pay for public transportation if you connect a T-Money card!
Apple Pay
accessible in english
Apple Pay is not available in Korea… if you are connecting your Apple Pay to a Korean bank account. However, it is possible to use foreign cards already connected (although transaction fees will apply). Many have been eagerly waiting for Apple Pay to be launched in Korea, and with Apple complying to Korean regulations by adding alternative payment methods, Apple Pay seems to be around the corner!
DELIVERY FOOD
ARC Needed
Baemin, Yogiyo, & Coupang Eats
Baemin
(배달의민족)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
Yogiyo
(배달요기요)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Coupang Eats
(쿠팡이츠)
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
Baemin, Yogiyo, and Coupang Eats are all essentially the same. Sometimes some restaurants will be on one app and not another, sometimes there will be better coupons on Baemin than Yogiyo. If you want to save a few extra won, search around. Make sure to read the restaurant’s page to see if there is any review event; sometimes if you promise to review the food, you can get a free side, drink, or size your order up. The review event option is typically listed in add-ons while customizing your dish or you need to specify in a note on the order page; otherwise, the restaurant will have instructions listed in their announcements (sometimes on the review tab itself).
For payment, you can use your card, charge your cellphone bill, use Naver Pay, KakaoPay, Toss, or use the company’s individual payment system. You can use cash or card and pay the driver with Yogiyo, although with COVID-19 cash is typically not accepted (but that may change as restrictions are lifted). If you are a tourist or have not received your ARC (Alien Registration Card) yet, ordering food from these apps may be difficult (aka not possible).
Please note that you can create an account with most of these apps without an ARC, but you may have trouble verifying your identity if your phone number does not have your name attached to it. If you have to use PASS app, there is an option to verify yourself without using KT, SKT, or U+ PASS apps (with just a code), but don’t count on it working — some people can get it to work and others can’t. I remember when I was trying many moons ago, it wouldn’t verify no matter what I did.
It is still worth trying these apps just in case your temporary SIM card allows you to verify your identity, but I don’t want to say it will work for sure and get your hopes up. Most people seem to have success with Yogiyo, though, so I would try that one out first. Keep in mind that you will not be able to pay through the app and instead will be limited to paying with the driver. If you don’t have a Korean card, make sure to have cash. A lot of foreign cards do not work in Korean even though they say they do.
There are some other apps (like Shuttle) to use, but they only work in specific areas, namely Seoul and Busan. If you are anywhere else in Korea, Shuttle is not an option.
No ARC Needed
McDelivery
(맥도날드 맥딜리버리 배달)
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Don’t have an ARC yet? Order from McDonald’s. You do not need an ARC to register your account and can pay the driver once your food is delivered. You can also schedule a delivery, which means you can pre-order yourself breakfast or even receive your food as soon as you get home from work.
There are many other chains that have their own apps as well, but I cannot verify if you need an ARC to sign up. If you’ve tried and were successful, please let me know! It would be extremely helpful for everyone reading.
SHOPPING
Home & Groceries
Coupang
(쿠팡)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
As it’s Korea’s equivalent to Amazon, including treating workers shitty, you can buy practically anything on Coupang. The app itself is easy to navigate and there are always events and coupons available to use; it is possible to save a lot of money while shopping on Coupang.
I recommend signing up for Coupang WOW; it is a membership that allows you to have free shipping, purchase food items, same-day shipping (order early, receive your item the same day), free 30-day returns on Rocket items, and get access to Coupang Play, a streaming platform. It costs only ₩4,900 a month and is totally worth it.
If you have Coupang WOW, you can use Rocket Fresh (purchase food, including frozen items). You need to spend at least ₩15,000 on Rocket Fresh products. Your food will come in a cooler bag and, if the option is selected, before 7:00 am. You need to return the bag; if not, you will be charged for it. Just leave it outside your door and it will be collected during your next Rocket Fresh delivery or you can request to have it picked up through the app.
Another feature on Coupang that you may find useful is Coupay. Coupay is a way to pay through Coupang and you can receive cashback while purchasing. You need to add money to Coupang from your bank in order to use Coupay. For small things, using Coupay can be great. For large, expensive items, I’d suggest not using it for tax reasons.
A tip is to never search for what you want to buy in English, prices will always be inflated. If you search in English first, sometimes the Korean word for the product you want will pop up. Use the Korean word instead and find what you are looking for.
Gmarket Global
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Gmarket is very similar to Coupang, although I believe Coupang has free shipping more often, even if the products are the same price.
However, with Gmarket Global, you can purchase items with your card from your home country. You do not need an ARC as long as it is not a product from overseas (where you would need your personal customs code, which requires an ARC). If you are new to Korea and are eager to set up your apartment, I really suggest only buying the necessities (air purifiers, pots and pans, etc.) and waiting to purchase furniture and decorative items. You can find some really beautiful pieces for cheaper prices on other apps. I know it can be hard to wait, but please trust me: it’s worth it.
iHerb
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
While Coupang has a great selection of foods and products you enjoy from back home, there is a larger selection of organic, gluten-free, and plant-based foods, vitamins and supplements, as well as natural beauty and skincare on iHerb. If you purchase at least $50.00 USD worth, you can get free international shipping. It usually takes about a week to receive your items. Make sure you have your personal customs code ready!
Homeplus
(홈플러스)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Homeplus is one of Korea’s largest supermarket chains (the other being emart). Instead of walking around aimlessly in the store, you can use the app to find deals (1+1s, aka buy one get one free) and even get free shipping on orders over ₩50,000. If you don’t want to use Coupang Fresh and live far from a large grocery store, using Homeplus or emart is a great option.
A pro-tip if you can go in-person shopping: try to go after 8 PM when buying fruit, vegetables, or deli foods. They mark them down, sometimes up to half off. If you plan on using the fruit and veggies within the next few days, they’ll still be good. As long as you have the space, freezing is another option for marked-down produce. Buying a bunch of sweet potatoes, steaming them, and freezing them is a great healthy and cheap snack.
emart Mall & SSG
emart Mall
(이마트몰)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
SSG
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
These apps are the same. If you have one, you don’t need the other. emart Mall has all the features that SSG does as emart is owned by SSG (Shinsegae Group). If you have emart Mall or SSG, you can access emart, Starbucks, Chicor (a beauty store with more foreign brand options), and a few more stores.
emart Mall (or SSG, whichever you choose) is essentially the same as Homeplus’ app but does carry some different products. I personally really love emart’s brands Peacock and No Brand. I think most Peacock products are delicious and quite affordable (although the instant chicken curry is lacking something). Again, if you want to penny-pinch, seeing which app (Homeplus, emart, or Coupang Fresh) has the best deals of the day can be worth it to save a few thousand won.
Another brand under SSG called Jaju is also a really great place to buy tableware, home goods, and clothing. It can be quite expensive, though. I don’t buy lots of furniture or décor from here, but all of my silverware and decorative storage containers are from Jaju. They are good quality and simple yet stylish.
Politically, there were many feminists and liberal individuals trying to boycott all SSG companies in early 2022 (including Starbucks) because of some of the anti-communist comments the vice chairman Chung Yong-jin made. It’s not the fact that it was a dig at China or that Yoon Suk-yeol (Korea’s Trump) put anchovies and beans into a shopping cart, but that many conservatives (re: misogynists) have now taken brands under SSG as a symbol for their political ideologies. Most people don’t take this all too seriously and Korean people will for sure not expect a foreigner to know this, so drink your Starbucks and eat your No Brand gorgonzola popcorn. No one will care.
Today's House
(오늘의집)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
I am absolutely addicted to this god-forsaken app. If you need something for your home, from toilet paper to furniture to dancing cactus toys, use Today’s House. You can find inspiration from posts, brows home décor for hours, and even hire a professional to renovate your home. Sometimes this app has better deals on certain items than Coupang, emart, or Homeplus. If you shop around, you can save ₩10,000 to ₩20,000 or even more.
If you use the friend referral code LIFDAEHJ, you can get a ₩5,000 coupon (and I do, too). For first signing up on the app, there is a possibility to get a ₩100,000 coupon. After you sign up, remember to send your own code to your friends.
Pet Friends
(펫프렌즈)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
“Pet Friends” (a play on the Korean term for “best friends” (베프)) is a shopping mall app for pet supplies, mostly for dogs and cats. You can find toys, treats, food, and literally anything else you could ever need. This app, like most others, also has a point system, so you can end up saving a few thousand won here and there. On top of the decent discounts, I’ve gotten quite a few coupons that were actually worth using. There is also a referral system where you’re able to share a code and get ₩5,000 for every friend who joins the app with it.
As a cat mom, I’ve never strayed over to the “dog” side of the app, so I don’t have much to say about it. However, I have a lot to say for the products they have available for felines. This app is one of the only places where I was able to find air dried and freeze dried no-grain cat food for a price that didn’t feel like extortion (from Ziwi Peaks, Boss Cat, and Vital Cat). Coupang is still your best bet for the good wet food brands like Tiki Cat After Dark, though (₩50,000 for a small case…).
Korea has a lot of “aesthetic” cat supplies and really cool cat scratchers/towers; albeit expensive, the brand VETRESKA is one of my favorites. The big cactus with the flower bed at the top will soon be a part of my home. The cherry (or orange) is next…
Beauty & Fashion
Olive Young
(올리브영)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Olive Young is a beauty supplies store where you can purchase make-up, skincare, haircare, workout gear, and even snacks. They are everywhere around Korea (and I totally suggest signing up for a membership). However, sometimes there are some really good online deals that aren’t in stores. Also, if you live in an area where Olive Young is inconveniently far, you can order and have it delivered to you, sometimes on the same day. There are many reviews so you can do some reading before buying a product to see if it is right for you (this is where Papago mini comes in handy). If you are someone who likes to hoard items in your wishlists, be careful. The app deletes items in your wishlist after 90 days.
Hwahae
(화해)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
This app is for beauty and skincare. You can purchase a variety of products, but also see rankings of toners, lotions, essences, and more.
When first making the app, you can add in your skin type, age, and concerns to get custom recommendations. From this, you can find rankings from others with your same skin type and concerns and see what products work for them.
On Hwahae, there are a lot of amazing deals, sometimes 50% to 90% off of well-known products. On top of deals, there are coupons and a point system where you can save even more money. Of course, shopping around doesn’t hurt.
Ably, ZigZag, & Brandi
Ably
(에이블리)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
ZigZag
(지그재그)
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
Brandi
(브랜디)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Ably, ZigZag, and Brandi are all essentially the same: they are all clothing and accessory apps. They use AI to tailor your feed to items you may like. Although dedicated more towards women’s fashion, there are many unisex options (and even a “big” section in some for those over 165cm/5’5”). Ably seems to be more popular with middle and high school-aged people, while ZigZag and Brandi are more used by those in their 20s and over. All have options for various age groups and have mostly the same products and brands. It’s still worth it to see which app has an event or coupon.
A tip is that most shopping apps have a ₩5,000 sign-up coupon, but the catch is that you have to spend it (typically) within 48 hours. I’d search around on the app, and when you’re ready to buy something, sign up and use the coupons. Don’t let your free money go to waste!
Secondhand
Karrot & Lightning
Karrot
(당근마켓)
Play Store | App Store | no website
accessible in english
Lightning
(번개장터)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
If you want to buy secondhand and not use Facebook groups, try out Karrot or Lighting. Keep in mind that you will mostly be interacting with Koreans and not with foreigners (unless you live in a university area), so expect to communicate only in Korean.
There are also quite a few individuals who have negative experiences on these apps, as people either don’t show up to make a deal or sell broken products (and scalpers, too). However, that’s the case with any secondhand online market.
MISC.
May Need
Your Phone Company's Membership
Depending on what phone company you have, this app will vary. With your phone company, you can sign up to be in a membership program. What benefits you receive depends on how much you spend each month; sometimes you can get free movie tickets, a free Starbucks drink, or discounts at specific stores. You can also rack up points and use those, too.
PASS
no website
by kt: Play Store | App Store
by skt: Play Store | App Store
by u+: Play Store | App Store
korean only
The devil reincarnated, PASS is needed if you want to confirm your identity for anything: from verifying your age on YouTube to buying a concert ticket to ordering food to updating your Epic Games account, you will need to download PASS and follow instructions to a T to sign up (make sure your name is correct on all of your accounts, bank and phone especially). Make sure to try LASTNAMEFIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAME, FIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAMELASTNAME, FIRSTNAMELASTNAME, and each of those variations with spaces and lowercase letters if all caps doesn’t work. If your name is hyphenated on your ARC, try including it as well.
If you have trouble setting up this app like most of us do when we first come to Korea, don’t feel embarrassed about asking for help from a Korean-speaking friend.
Note that there are 3 different PASS apps: one by KT, one by SKT, and one by U+. Make sure to download the correct one depending on your phone company.
T Safety Alert
(T 안심알리미)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
T Alarm is an app that gives you updates from your school (if they use it). It is mostly used for COVID updates and messages sent to parents. If you want to stay informed with what your school is sending out, I’d suggest downloading T Alarm and reading new messages as they come in.
GAYO
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
If you live in a large apartment complex, a lot of buildings have the option to use an app to get into the building rather than a passcode (although you can still, of course, use the passcode). You can see other updates with your apartment complex, like announcements, as well. You will need to download this app, be registered to the building, and make sure to have Bluetooth on. This app also tends to only work if it is updated, so make sure to turn on automatic updates.
Post Office
(우체국)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
You can use the post office without this app, but some clerks may ask you to download it. There is a catch, though: if you have a long name, you will not be able to register. I’ve only ever been to one post office where the clerks were annoyed with me that I couldn’t create an account. Most post offices do not even mention the app at all, so don’t worry too much about it if you cannot sign up.
Traveling
yanolja, Booking, & Airbnb
Yanolja
(야놀자)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Booking
.
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Airbnb
.
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Yanolja is an app to help you find hotels, although it is entirely in Korean. You may get better deals here because there is no catering to English. There is a point system, coupons, and “yanolja coins” to save even more.
With Booking, you can use their website, but you will need to download the app to check in at the hotel. They tend to have some decent deals and a good rewards program; however, a lot of the “hotels” are actually motels and many of the Instagramable locations you see online will not be on booking.com. It is a whole different process to find those. If you are looking for a cheap place to stay, use Booking.
Airbnb is internationally famous, and for good reason. If your trip will last a while (a week or longer) or if you want to find a more Instagramable place, try searching for locations on Airbnb. You can find “pensions” on Airbnb, too, but some of them are glorified motels, so make sure to look closely. Most pictures are heavily photoshopped, so I recommend not getting your hopes up. In addition to the catfishing, some Airbnb hosts do not allow foreigners to book their properties. Some will explicitly state this in the listing, although some may message you privately to cancel the booking. This doesn’t happen all the time but it does still happen.
Fing
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
Fing is an app that lets you find devices connected to the same WiFi source your phone is on. This means you’d be able to find hidden cameras with this app. If you know anything about Korea, you know that hidden cameras (called “molka” / 몰카) is a huge issue here, especially for women. Although some people claim “Korea doesn’t do that anymore”, new cases pop up frequently of an unsuspecting women catching someone film them in a bathroom, changing room, or on escalators.
Hotels, motels, hostels, and Airbnbs are not immune. Even if the place says that there are no cameras and that “they checked”, I would still look around for yourself if you have an uneasy feeling.
Because most hidden cameras need to be connected to WiFi in order to save and/or stream, using an app like Fing could help with that. Some cameras, though, are not connected to WiFi and the sick freak who installed it will come back for it later. To search for those, you can make the room completely dark and shine your phone’s flashlight around. If you see a reflection, it’s time for inspection.
My only qualm with Fing is that it gets you to try to sign up for a subscription. I’ve never done that, especially not for ₩10,000 a month.
Apartment Hunting
Zigbang, Dabang, & Naver Real Estate
Zigbang
(직방)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Dabang
(다방)
Naver Real Estate
(네이버 부동산)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
If you need to find a new place, these are some of the apps you can use. But don’t believe everything you see: there are a lot of ads on these apps in the form of fake listings. Realtors will take beautiful places (or just the mediocre ones that don’t have weird wallpaper) and relist them over and over again just to get people to call and request their services. There are real places, so it’s not totally useless. A lot of the time, realtors will have some great options they don’t list as well. Make sure to ask.
Streaming Services
WATCHA, Coupang Play, & Wavve
WATCHA
(왓챠)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Coupang Play
(쿠팡플레이)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Wavve
(웨이브)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
These three are all streaming services in Korea. Watcha is essentially Korea’s Netflix. There is a huge selection of Korean and foreign media. If you signed up for Coupang Fresh (the WOW membership), then you automatically have Coupang Play. Might as well enjoy it, right? There are quite a few foreign movies and TV shows to enjoy, including sports. Wavve (formally known as Pooq) is a lot smaller than Watcha, but does have HBO content.
If you have Netflix and a VPN, you don’t need any new streaming services. If you want to dive into Korean streaming services, monthly subscriptions are not too pricy, especially if you share with a friend.
Movie Theaters
Lotte Cinema, CGV, & Megabox
Lotte Cinema
(롯데시네마)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
CGV
.
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Megabox
(메가박스)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
Lotte Cinema, CGV, and Megabox: these are all apps of movie theater chains in Korea. You can watch trailers, reserve tickets, get coupons, and more. All of the chains are essentially the same because, well, they are movie theaters — you get a ticket, eat popcorn, get a drink, and hopefully enjoy a movie. The main difference between all three is mostly what special gift you can receive for a movie premiere (free poster, photo ticket, etc.), the popcorn flavors, and other movie snacks. It’s worth seeing a film at each chain just to taste the different foods available (albeit, with COVID-19, eating is either completely restricted or only allowed in designated vaccinated-only theaters; hopefully this changes with the ever-evolving guidelines set by the government).
For the free gift, make sure you go as soon as the film premieres — many people want the free gift. After the movie finishes, talk to one of the staff at the reception area; usually, there is a dedicated desk for distributing posters, but if not, the staff behind the concessions counter should be able to help. If they are all out, there will usually be a sign saying so.
Some foreign nationals say that the apps do not work for them, and if that applies to you, you can always purchase tickets at the movie theater. For purchasing in advance, the website of each chain usually works with KakaoPay or a debit card.
Misc.
VPN
VPNs, I believe, are quite essential to living abroad. If you want to watch content on streaming platforms that are restricted to your country (like Hulu), you need a VPN. If you cannot verify your age on Korean YouTube, you need a VPN to watch certain videos (grapefruit, anyone?). If you are an enjoyer of the lewd video artform, you need a VPN. VPNs are great for protecting your data (and there are a whole list of other reasons why they are good to have), but let’s be honest, most of us only care about watching location-locked movies and TV shows on Netflix.
Having a VPN, although can be expensive, can also make your life a whole lot easier. There are plenty on the market to use, so you can pick whichever works best for you. If you can wait, I’d suggest looking out for sales and special promotions/offers as well! I personally use NordVPN and have rarely ever had an issue with a streaming service (AMC+, HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime). The rare occasions that there was an issue, it was either resolved through the company or an easy fix that hundreds of people have googled before.
Noraebang Book & Watcha Pedia
Noraebang Book
(노래방책)
Play Store | App Store | no website
korean only
Watcha Pedia
.
Play Store | App Store | website
accessible in english
The Noraebang Book app let’s you search for songs and artists on your phone rather than in the system or with the song book. This way you can see if the song or artist you want is available and get the numbers for the song right away. It comes in handy when you want to find something quick and are having trouble changing languages or typing with the keypad. There are a few other similar apps out there that you may like a bit better, but this is the one that I use.
Watcha Pedia is exactly what it sounds like: an encyclopedia for movies and TV shows found on the streaming service Watcha (and Netflix… and in movie theaters… and on TV… and not on Watcha). You can rate, comment, and discuss films; Watcha Pedia will breakdown your favorite genres, directors, country of origin, and track your total viewing hours. It’s fun to do if you enjoy dramas and film, plus it has all of the Korean media other foreign sites don’t have.
Daiso Membership
(다이소 멤버십)
Play Store | App Store | website
korean only
If you’re like me and spend a comical amount of money at Daiso, get a membership. Although the point build up isn’t super significant, it’s still something. Downloading the app makes it so you can just scan your QR code instead of typing in your phone number. Although sometimes the app will log you out and then you’ll have to either annoyingly type in your information again, or just cave and use your phone number instead.
Even with that, though, the app can still be useful. You can see different events, partake in other rewards, and keep track of coupons.
Daiso also has a few different “shopping mall” apps, but I’ve never found those remotely useful or easy to navigate. You’d think you’d be able to scan a barcode of a product in the store to find that product in the app, or similar ones if you wanted a different color. But, no. Some products are in the app, but it’s mostly a whole other set of stuff (that’s not even ₩5,000 or under).
That was all of my suggested apps! I hope you found this list useful.
