10 Korean Apps You Actually Need
Skip to the setup order
Google Maps barely works here. Half the menus are in Korean. And on your first day, someone will ask for your KakaoTalk ID before your name.
I’m Jun, a Seoul local. Over the years I’ve helped a lot of foreign coworkers and friends settle in, and the first thing we always do is the same: sit down with their phone and install the right apps. Here are the 10 I put on every phone, what each one is actually for, and the order to set them up so you don’t get stuck.
Before you start: get a Korean phone number
Many Korean apps verify you with a text message to a Korean number. Without one, sign-ups stall. If you can, get a local SIM or eSIM first. It makes everything below much easier.
The ten apps
1. KakaoTalk
Korea’s default messenger. Landlords, coworkers, delivery drivers and even government offices use it. If you don’t have it, you’re invisible. It’s also how you’ll find expat open chat rooms for your neighborhood, hobby or country.
2. Naver Map
The most accurate map in Korea, with real-time bus and subway arrivals and walking directions that actually work. It has an English mode. Save your home, office and favorite spots with a star so you get directions in two taps.
3. KakaoMap
A strong second map. Handy for checking a place’s reviews and opening hours when Naver feels cluttered.
4. Kakao T
Korea’s main taxi app. Set your pickup and destination, and you never have to pronounce an address to a driver. You can pay in the app once a card is registered, or simply pay the driver at the end of the ride.
5. Papago
Naver’s translator. It handles Korean better than most, and its camera mode reads menus and signs instantly. Use conversation mode at the pharmacy or phone shop; each person speaks their own language and it translates both ways.
6. Coupang
Korea’s answer to Amazon. Many items arrive the next morning. Expect to need Korean phone verification to sign up.
7. Coupang Eats or Baemin
The two big food delivery apps. Papago’s camera helps with Korean-only menus.
8. Subway Korea (or Kakao Metro)
Subway maps, transfer guides and the fastest car to board for your exit.
9. Daangn (Karrot)
A neighborhood second-hand market. Perfect for furnishing your first apartment cheaply. Deals happen face to face, usually near a subway exit. Check the seller’s manner score before you meet.
10. Your bank’s app
Once you have an account, almost everything, from rent to splitting bills, happens in the app.
The setup order I recommend
- Korean number (SIM or eSIM).
- KakaoTalk.
- Naver Map and Papago.
- Kakao T.
- After you have a bank account: Coupang, a delivery app and your bank’s app.
Jun’s tip: Some apps ask for Korean phone verification. Get a local number first and everything else gets easier.
Next up: how to get your ARC (Alien Registration Card), step by step.
