Some of Google Maps' features (like driving directions) are limited in Korea, so locally, Naver Map is essentially the standard. It's the only map app that supports four languages — Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese. You can check real-time public transit arrival times, subway route maps, boarding and alighting guidance, and alternative transportation options all on one screen, and read place reviews in multiple languages as text, photos, or video.

Using it is simple. After downloading the app, choose English, Chinese, or Japanese in the language settings, then search for your destination — public transit and walking routes will show up together. Check reviews and business hours before you head out to avoid a wasted trip.

Most of us have had a moment of confusion in front of a Korean menu or sign at some point. Naver's Papago is a translation app known for its high accuracy with Asian languages like Korean, Chinese, and Japanese, and it offers several ways to translate — image translation, voice interpretation, and offline translation.

Kakao T is the most widely used taxi-hailing app in Korea. Foreign visitors can sign up with just an email address or a Kakao account — no Korean phone number required — and verify their identity with their own country's phone number. Register a payment method in advance and you'll be charged automatically when you call and pay for a taxi, which is convenient. Cards issued overseas may not always register smoothly, depending on the device or app version.

It's worth installing and signing up before you arrive in Korea for a smoother experience. The Kakao T app supports Korean, English, and Japanese interfaces. You can choose from several taxi types (Blue, Black, Venti, and more) and check the estimated fare in advance, which is convenient. It also has the largest pool of operating vehicles nationwide, including in Seoul, Busan, and Jeju.

Many of Korea's most popular restaurants require a reservation or a spot on the waitlist. CatchTable Global is a restaurant reservation and waitlist app built specifically for foreign visitors, run separately from the CatchTable app Koreans use. You can sign up with just a Google or Apple account or an email address, skipping the Korean phone number field entirely. You can search for restaurants in 20 languages, the interface supports English, Japanese, and Chinese, and it even includes a review translation feature. Deposits can be paid with an overseas-issued card, and for the waitlist, you're notified of your turn by app push notification and email with no separate deposit required. It's generally more accessible for foreign visitors than other reservation apps that require SMS verification.

If you want to enjoy Korean delivery food comfortably from your accommodation, Baemin (Baedal Minjok) is a must. Riding the wave of K-culture, delivery culture like chimaek (fried chicken and beer) has spread by word of mouth — from January to July this year, foreign usage on Baemin rose 29% and payment volume rose 45.7% year over year. Starting in June 2026, Baemin began supporting overseas card payments — Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and American Express — through Apple Pay. Before that, in September 2025, it also added Alipay+ and WeChat Pay, and logging in with a Google account lets you use the app without a phone number.

When traveling between Seoul and other cities, Korail+ is all you need. Korail+ (formerly KorailTalk) is the official ticket-booking app run by the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), supporting nine languages — English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Thai, Vietnamese, Malay, and Indonesian. You can sign up using your passport number, so a Korean phone number isn't required.

In the app, search your departure and arrival stations and date to check the KTX (and other train) timetable, select your seat, and pay by card — your ticket is then saved as a mobile ticket in the app. There's no need to print a paper ticket; you can board the train directly. When a conductor asks to check your ticket, just show the mobile QR code.

Finding your way with a map, keeping the conversation going with a translation app, getting around by taxi and train, and taking care of a meal with a delivery app — with these six apps, the big and small moments of a trip to Korea come together that much more smoothly. But all of these moments only truly come together with a stable, uninterrupted internet connection, so alongside downloading these apps before you arrive, it's worth setting up reliable data ahead of time too. With an LG U+ eSIM, you can enjoy every one of these moments worry-free, without connection drops, throughout your trip. Have an even better trip to Korea with LG U+ 5G eSIM and 010 voice service.