Korea runs on its own apps. The map, taxi and delivery apps locals use every day are not the ones you have at home, and a few popular ones are hard to set up without a Korean phone number or bank card. The good news is that you only need a handful, and most have an English mode. Install them before you fly, while you are still on familiar Wi-Fi, and sign in or add a card at home where you can.
The short answer
For a first trip, these cover almost everything:
- Naver Map (or KakaoMap) for walking directions, subway exits and finding places.
- k.ride or another visitor taxi app for booking taxis with a foreign card.
- Papago for translating menus, signs and conversations.
- KakaoTalk for messaging hotels, guesthouses and tour guides.
- Korail+ for booking KTX trains between cities.
- WOWPASS or a T-money app for your prepaid card balance.
- Emergency Ready App for official safety alerts in English.
Food delivery apps are a nice extra rather than a must, and the paperwork before you land (the e-Arrival Card or K-ETA) is done on official websites. Both are covered below.
At a glance
What each app is for and how it tends to work for visitors. Sign-up rules and payment options change often, so treat this as a starting point and check the app store listing before you rely on one.
| App | What for | Foreign phone number / card? |
|---|---|---|
| Naver Map | Walking, subway and bus directions | No account needed to search and get directions |
| KakaoMap | Directions, a second opinion on routes | No account needed for basic use |
| k.ride | Booking taxis, built for visitors | Designed for foreign numbers and cards |
| Kakao T | Taxis for residents | Often needs Korean details; use k.ride instead |
| Papago | Text, camera and voice translation | Works without an account |
| KakaoTalk | Messaging | Signs up with a phone number that can receive texts |
| Korail+ | KTX and other train tickets | Foreign cards usually work; some are declined |
| WOWPASS | Prepaid card balance and spending | Made for visitors |
| Coupang Eats / Baemin | Food delivery | Usually need a Korean number for a text code; card support varies |
| Emergency Ready App | Disaster and safety alerts in English | Free, made for foreign visitors and residents |
Maps: Naver Map and KakaoMap
This is the one that surprises people. Google Maps works in Korea for finding places, reading reviews and planning subway and bus trips, but for years it has not given the step-by-step walking and driving directions you are used to, because of Korean rules on exporting detailed map data. The government approved Google's request with conditions in 2026 and Google has said full navigation is coming, but at the time of writing it had not arrived. Keep Google Maps for your saved places, and use a Korean map app to actually get there.
Naver Map is the one most locals use. It has an English setting, walks you through backstreets, tells you which subway exit to take and shows up-to-date details for small restaurants. KakaoMap does much the same and is a good second opinion when a route looks odd. Our Naver Map vs Google Maps guide shows how to switch Naver Map to English and search well.
Taxis: k.ride and Kakao T
Kakao T is Korea's biggest taxi app, but it is built for residents and signing up or adding a card can need Korean details. Kakao Mobility's k.ride app is made for visitors: it uses the same large pool of taxis, has an English interface, works with a foreign phone number and charges a foreign card, and it translates your chat with the driver. Uber and the Seoul-backed TABA app are other options. You can still hail a taxi on the street and pay by card in most cars. See our taxi apps guide for booking tips and fares.
Translation: Papago
Papago, made by Naver, is the translation app many visitors swear by for Korean. Point the camera at a menu or sign, type a question, or use conversation mode to talk with someone across a counter. Google Translate also works well and is worth keeping as a back-up. Download the Korean language pack in Google Translate if you want something that works offline. Our Papago and translation apps guide has tips for getting clearer results.
Messaging: KakaoTalk
Almost everyone in Korea uses KakaoTalk instead of text messages. Guesthouses, tour companies, hair salons and even some restaurants will ask you to message them there. Signing up needs a phone number that can receive a text, so set it up at home with your usual number before you swap SIM cards. See our KakaoTalk guide.
Trains: Korail+
For the KTX between Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju, Gangneung and other cities, book in Korail's app, which was renewed as Korail+ with the 2026 merger of the KTX and SRT operators. The former SRT trains from Suseo Station now run as KTX, so older advice to download a separate SRT app is out of date. The app has an English mode, and foreign cards usually work, though some are declined. Our KTX train guide walks through booking step by step.
Payments and transit: WOWPASS and T-money
For the subway and buses you need a prepaid transport card. A plain T-money card from a convenience store is the simplest choice, and the tmoney app lets you check its balance. WOWPASS is a prepaid card for visitors that works for both shopping and transport, with an app for checking balances and spending. Its shopping and transport balances are separate, so read how they work before you top up. See our transit card guide and WOWPASS guide.
Food delivery: Coupang Eats and Baemin
Delivery is a big part of daily life in Korea, and Coupang Eats and Baemin (Baedal Minjok) are the main apps. Both usually ask for a Korean phone number to receive a sign-up code, and Baemin is mostly in Korean. Coupang Eats has a partial English interface and has accepted some international Visa and Mastercard cards, but this varies, so check the app store listing and do not count on it. If it will not work for you, ask your hotel or host to order for you. Our food delivery guide explains addresses, notes and payment.
Safety: Emergency Ready App and 1330
The Emergency Ready App is a free app from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety for foreign visitors and residents. It sends alerts about typhoons, earthquakes, heavy snow and other emergencies in English and several other languages, and shows nearby shelters, emergency rooms, police stations and embassy contacts. Korean emergency texts on a local SIM arrive in Korean, so this app is the easy way to understand them.
Also save 1330, the Korea Travel Hotline. It runs 24 hours in English and other languages, and the staff can help with directions, lost property, a taxi problem or finding a hospital. For an ambulance call 119 and for the police call 112. Our emergency and medical help guide has more.
Before you land: e-Arrival and K-ETA
Your entry paperwork is done online, not in a third-party app. Depending on your passport and travel dates you may need a K-ETA, and most visitors fill in the free e-Arrival Card before landing. Use only the official websites, k-eta.go.kr and e-arrivalcard.go.kr (or the official K-ETA app), because look-alike sites charge extra fees. Our K-ETA and e-Arrival guide explains who needs what.
A note on data and eSIMs
All of these apps need mobile data, so sort that out before you leave home. Many tourist eSIMs are data-only, with no Korean phone number, which is fine for maps, translation and k.ride but not for apps that send a text code to a Korean number. Our SIM, eSIM and Wi-Fi guide compares the options.
FAQ
Does Google Maps work in South Korea?
Partly. It finds places, shows reviews and plans subway and bus trips, but at the time of writing it did not give full walking or driving directions. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap to get from door to door.
What apps do I need for Korea?
Naver Map, a taxi app such as k.ride, Papago, KakaoTalk, Korail+ if you are taking the KTX, and the Emergency Ready App. Add WOWPASS if you use that card.
Can I use Kakao T with a foreign card?
Sometimes, but Kakao T is built for residents and setting up payment often needs Korean details. k.ride, from the same company, is designed for visitors and works with a foreign phone number and card.
