American Guests

If this is your first trip to South Korea, welcome! We thank you so much for coming all this way and we understand it’s a very different culture, so we’ve written up some tips to help first-timers in the Land of the Morning Calm, since you might want to use our wedding to go on a vacation while you’re at it. Korea is extremely safe and easy to travel around, but there are a few things that are helpful to know before you arrive.

Getting Around

Public transportation in Korea is excellent. Subways, buses, and trains are clean, reliable, and inexpensive. For most transportation, we recommend purchasing a T-money card, which can be used on subways, buses, and many taxis.

For navigation, we strongly recommend downloading Naver Map or KakaoMap before your trip. Google Maps has limited navigation functionality in Korea and is generally not the best option for getting around.

For taxis, Kakao T is the most commonly used app. Taxis are generally inexpensive compared with those in the United States.

Money & Payments

The currency is the South Korean won (₩ / KRW). Credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere, including restaurants, convenience stores, cafés, and taxis.

It is still a good idea to carry some Korean won for small purchases, traditional markets, transportation cards, and other situations where cash may be easier.

There is no tipping culture in Korea. You are not expected to tip at restaurants, cafés, hotels, or in taxis.

Phones & Internet

Korea has excellent cellular service and public Wi-Fi. International visitors can purchase a Korean SIM card or eSIM before arriving or at the airport.

Having mobile data is highly recommended, particularly for navigation, translation, transportation, and communicating through messaging apps.

Language

Korean is the primary language, and English ability varies considerably. In major cities, airports, hotels, and tourist areas, English signage is common.

For everything else, Papago is an excellent Korean-English translation app and is especially useful for menus, signs, and conversations.

Don't worry about speaking Korean—visitors are not expected to know the language. A simple 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida), meaning “thank you,” is always appreciated.

Restaurants

At many Korean restaurants, utensils, napkins, water, or side dishes may be self-service. Some restaurants also have a button on the table that you press when you need a server.

Water is generally provided for free, and Korean restaurants do not expect a tip.

You may also notice that dishes are frequently shared by everyone at the table rather than ordered individually.

Convenience Stores

Korean convenience stores—such as CU, GS25, and 7-Eleven—are everywhere and are considerably more useful than the average American convenience store. They sell meals, snacks, drinks, toiletries, chargers, medicine, and many everyday necessities.

If you forget something, there is a very good chance the nearest convenience store has it.

Shoes Indoors

In private homes and some traditional accommodations, you will be expected to remove your shoes at the entrance. Hotels and most ordinary businesses do not require this.

If you see shoes lined up near an entrance or a raised floor immediately inside, that's usually your cue to take yours off.

Escalators & Public Transportation

On public transportation, conversations are generally kept quieter than they are in the United States. Avoid speaking loudly or taking phone calls on crowded trains and buses when possible.

Seats marked for elderly passengers, pregnant women, or people with disabilities should generally be left available for those passengers.

Weather

Korean summers can be very hot and humid, while winters can be quite cold. Check the forecast shortly before your trip and pack accordingly.

The wedding itself will take place in Yangpyeong, outside of Seoul, so guests should also plan their transportation to and from the venue in advance.

Useful Apps

We recommend downloading these before arriving:

Naver Map or KakaoMap — Navigation
Kakao T — Taxis
Papago — Korean-English translation
KakaoTalk — Messaging in Korea