Naver Map in English
Skip to the checklist
You open Google Maps in Seoul, type your destination, tap the walking icon and get nothing. No route, no blue line, just a message that directions aren’t available. It’s not your phone. Here is how to use Naver Map in English, why Google Maps fails in Korea, and the settings that make Naver Map actually pleasant.
Short version
Install Naver Map before anything else, switch the language to English, and use it for walking, subway, bus and driving. Keep Google Maps for browsing and reading photos of a place, not for getting there.
Why Google Maps doesn’t work for directions in Korea
Google’s own Maps Platform coverage table lists South Korea with map tiles and geocoding, but with no driving directions, no walking directions and no traffic layer. The page notes that coverage can change because of government regulations and licensing, so check again from time to time.
In practice, Google Maps still shows you the map and the place names. It just can’t build a walking or driving route. Transit results can look usable, but I wouldn’t plan an important meeting around them.
Naver Map in English: setup in five minutes
Naver Map is made by NAVER Corp., Korea’s biggest search company. Its Google Play listing says it offers Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese maps and English navigation. Its feature list includes transit directions with real-time departure and arrival times, street view, and a booking tab.
-
Download “NAVER Map” from your app store.
-
Open it and allow location access.
-
Go to the settings menu and change the language to English.
-
Search for your destination, then pick Walk, Transit or Car.
Jun’s tip: do this on home Wi-Fi, not while standing in a station with a crowd behind you.
How to search so Naver Map actually finds the place
This is where most foreigners give up. Some app-store reviewers complain that searching by English business names fails and that addresses don’t match. The app is clearly built around Korean text.
-
Paste the Korean name. If a friend or a website gives you the Korean name (한글), copy it into the search bar. It works far better than a romanized spelling.
-
Use the full address with the district. A street number alone often returns nothing.
-
Try the Korean spelling of the neighborhood too. Adding the district name narrows results.
-
Cross-check with Google. Find the place in Google Maps to read photos and reviews, copy the Korean name, then paste it into Naver Map.
Jun’s tip: screenshot the Korean name and address of any place you plan to visit. It also helps when you show a taxi driver the destination.
Using transit directions like a local
Search a destination, tap Transit, and Naver Map gives you several routes with real-time timing. I’d pick by the number of transfers, not only the shortest total time, because fewer transfers is less stressful at rush hour.
-
Check which subway exit to use. Big Seoul stations have many exits, and the wrong one adds a long walk.
-
Turn on alerts for when to get off if you tend to doze on long rides.
-
Look at both the “fastest” and “fewest transfers” options before you decide.
Jun’s tip: save home, work and your favorite spots as bookmarks. One tap then gives you a route.
Walking and driving directions
Walking directions are the biggest upgrade over Google Maps. The Play listing says the app uses your step count in walking directions and offers AR directions through the camera, both of which need the permissions you granted at setup. Driving navigation includes real-time traffic.
What to know before you rely on it
-
You need data. I wouldn’t count on an offline mode. Treat a Korean SIM or eSIM as part of your setup. See my guide to getting a Korean phone number if you haven’t sorted that yet.
-
Booking may need an account. The app has a booking tab, so expect sign-in prompts there.
-
Privacy. The Play listing’s data safety section says the app may collect location and personal info. Review the permissions it requests and turn off what you don’t want.
-
Kakao Map is the backup. It’s the other big local app, so keep it installed in case Naver is slow in your area.
Quick checklist
- Install Naver Map and set English
- Allow location while using the app
- Save home and work as bookmarks
- Screenshot Korean names for places you’ll visit
- Have mobile data ready
- Install Kakao Map as a backup
Next up
In the next post I’ll cover ordering delivery in Korea without speaking Korean: which apps work, how to pay and what to do about the address field.
Facts checked against Google’s Maps Platform coverage page and NAVER’s Google Play listing in October 2026. App features change often, so check your own app version.
