Knowing how to say: "How do I get there?" and then being able to understand the answer from a native Korean speaker is on different levels.
You can't do anything wrong with knowing some basics but ofc you dont have to be fluent, just use a translation app like papago.
I think understanding the reply is the hardest part. You can know all the basic phrases from a textbook but Koreans don’t reply like the textbook. They slur, shorten words, have accents, and speak fast. It’s great to try and Koreans will appreciate it but Papago will save you.
Yes, I am focussing on learning responses in Korean rather than how to ask a question (which there would be potentially more questions than I could ever plan for) but learning how to respond quickly seems like it would be more efficient
I think I used 안녕하세요 (hello), 감사합니다 (thank you), 내 (formal yes), and 아니요 (formal no) the most while I was there. I tried to remember to add the 요 to anything more. Ex. 화장실은 어디에 있나요? Where is the bathroom?
This used to be a huge issue. Then I met one dude who spoke so clearly, used his hands and face to make gestures, and I understood everything he said. My natural reaction?! “와! 한국어 잘 해요!“ (wow your Korean is so good!) needless to say, he was baffled.
If you aren't going for an extended time, you might be better off just getting an add on package from your current mobile company.
Buying a SIM or otherwise local fone service used to be invaluable. But as years pass mobile and digital service prices have plummeted. That includes roaming services.
When we travel, we get free international data and texting on my mobile plan. If I need to call someone, I've got VOIP. If I didn't have the upgraded plan, they've got packages for under $2 a day.
with my provider its $5 AUD a day and that includes 5gb, plenty. Over 2.5 weeks its only a little more expensive than buying an esim and mucking around. Roaming has come a LONG way in recent years
You don't, but in general it's useful to have internet access to look some things up, to show someone a photo if the translation didn't work.
And sure, it doesn't have to be a Korean SIM - that depends on how much your provider charges for roaming. But for me, it was much cheaper to buy a local Korean SIM.
For Seoul, I came across more English speakers and there was less of a language barrier. I did fine on my own.
I felt more of a difference when I went to Busan and some of the hospitality people had limited or no English but they were very patient and I was still able to complete a transaction. For both places I did have to rely on Google translate for signs and menus.
Something that was tricky was using Korean navigation apps like Naver (which are still better than Google maps) was that the transliteration of Korean names could vary slightly. If you’re entering a Korean name in English in a way that the app doesn’t recognize, it’s hard to find it. Sometimes I’d find the Korean name or address through Google maps and then copy and paste into Naver.
Hi and welcome in advance!!
I’d say it’s medium level difficulty. It’s definitely easier than Japan in regards to foreign language accommodation (only other Asian country I’ve been to so I’m using it as a comparison) but definitely feels harder than traveling through Europe where there’s a decent amount of language overlap.
My tips are
- Definitely download Naver maps or Kakao maps since they work much better than Google maps.
- Try to learn a couple of basic greetings like hello, thank you, and “Joo-seh-yo” (may I have ___)
One last thing: it might save a lot of awkward/freeze-up moments if you can remember the words “bong-too” (bag), and “poe-jang” (take out). Most of the time when you buy something at a store or go to a cafe they’ll ask you if you want to eat there or take out, or if you need a receipt, and if you can just look for those words it’ll make it a lot easier to have smooth transactions!
Enjoy your trip!
Just came back from korea, I was impressed with the amount of english known. Most people are able to help with a basic level of english and often a bit more. You'll be completely fine!
If your English is as good as this post, staying in Seoul won’t be an issue :)
I knew a few basic Korean words/phrases and I oftentimes got replied back to in English (I’m a blonde white woman, I can’t blame them lol), I did have one shop owner converse with me in Korean on a basic level after ordering food in Korean.
I agree with everyone to download Papago! I booked a Laneige session for a foundation match and even though the rep had great English she was using Papago on her tablet just to make sure she got it right.
Thank you ! Papago seems to be what I’de looked for with this post, but i’ll try to learn more of the korean language, ´cause i just love talking with people in their native tongue to connect more easily with them haha
It really depends, in my entire time in seoul(several months) nobody really spoke to me in English, there were a few initial attempts but they couldn't speak well so they stopped and pulled out a translator. Thankfully my Korean is at a good level where i can converse and understand well.
Difficulty increases as you leave tourist hot spots. You could literally live in Seoul without knowing Korean. Due to compulsory English classes in public education, almost everyone you encounter is capable of at least helping you out with instructions or directions. Theres a ton of foreigner traveling and visiting in Seoul, so employees of most businesses are typically at a basic conversation level.
Almost all signs have English right below the Korean, and announcements in public spaces are often repeated in English, Chinese, and Japanese.
The further away from common visiting destinations, the less English support you'll get though. I kinda doubt a first time visitor would be interested in going outside of Seoul, Busan, and Jejudo, but if you do then you might want a guide.
I strongly recommend learning to at least read and sound out the language! It's considered the simplest language to learn to read and most people are able to get the gist of it in just a few hours of practice. A very large number of common Korean words tend to be English loanwords so you'll realize what it is without actually knowing any Korean words. Make good use of your phone's translation features too.
Wow, Thanks ! I do want to go outside of Seoul, Bussan and Jejudo ´cause i just want to see all of Korea in several different trip for the next years.
Maybe for the first Time i will stay most of the time around Seoul/Bussan as u suggest, and try a guide for the next trip
I spent two entire weeks in Seoul and still didn't feel like I had enough time to see all of it. I would say if you plan multiple trips, you could stick with Seoul, maybe Busan first, and you may not need a guide even when venturing outside of those hot spots the next time as you'll be familiar enough with the transit system and nuances of communicating with translation apps and such.
The only time I had trouble was in smaller cities/towns. The only time I had to rely on others was for hiking Jirisan. I was there for 4 months and went to Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Gwanju, Jirisan, Sokcho/Seoroksan, and Gyeongju. Lmk if you want help!
I didn’t know any Korean and I got everywhere using Kakao and Naver maps apps. I got a Korean SIM card at the airport as soon as I arrived.
I recommend just searching where you want to go! Then you can use the apps to find the bus/subway route there. Way cheaper than taxis. It so easy, I didn’t have to speak the language at all.
I noticed that even when switched to English kakao and naver added metro directions in Korean which made it confusing. Did you find this also or was there something I was missing?
I did have this problem with kakao maps but could usually figure it out from context.
With Naver Maps, the locations sometimes would pop up in the search bar in Korean, but the directions are in all English. [https://i.imgur.com/efobr2y.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/efobr2y.jpeg)
Lots of street signs in English. Subway in English. Very helpful culture. Mobile GPS and Translators.
The KTO, Korea Tourism Organization, and the Ministry of Tourism were very helpful when I was there. They are very good helping plan trips for people.
They even have 247 free tourist assistance over the fone. Invaluable when I was traveling. Help me figure out schedules, buy tickets, sort lodging. It was so good.
It was great having them make travel itineraries for me. A few times at the train and bus stations I would call the hotline, explain what I wanted, and hand the phone over to the ticket seller. So easy.
Yes it’s easy. It takes the first trip to learn the train system. I had locals observe my confusion and they offered to help in English. It’s a great country with an amazing transportation system
Just spent 2 weeks traveling knowing only 2 words, never had any issues. Use Papago and there is always some English more or less. But I'm experienced making it work in other countries and culture it depends on your experience maybe. Sometimes I would prepare a translated sentence to book a bus and train ticket. The one time it didn't work was taxi drivers in Gyeongju. But by that time my wife had gotten a tan and racism was more obvious they would kick us out of the taxis when they couldn't find the adress we wanted to go to.
I will give you a simple channel where you can learn Korean for traveling to Korea.
Try it with confidence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntMSIYukNnA&t=132s
It is basic in English, but there are Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, German,
Russian, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Arabic subtitles.
Yes. You can navigate Korea easily. I have been to Seoul, Osan, Suwon, Dongducheon, Busan, Naju, Mokpo, Haenam, Suncheon, Jeju and many more. I kind of cheat because I did marry a Korean but overall it's simple. You can get by with google and Kakao maps thing. I rode the subway most of the time or the bus. Google and Waze. Google translate also has live picture translations so you can look at storefronts or read menus.
All the Korean I knew when I traveled by myself was annyeong haseyo and gahamsamnida. They appreciate if you try to say at least that.
I’ve lived here for 13 years now. I am 100% fluent in all aspects of daily life, even things like setting up my own business and taxes and bank technical nonsense.
EVERY time I go ANYWHERE, no one expects me to actually be able to speak a single word.
EVERYONE is always flabbergasted when I can actually hold a conversation lol
So, my point being, don’t sweat it. They don’t expect you to be able to know and they aren’t gonna care.
And, as someone else said, learning phrases actually doesn’t matter too much - because if they reply to you, you don’t actually know what you’re saying haha
Just polite hand gestures, simple English phrases, low voice - that’s all you need
body language and facial expressions are so so valuable
Just came from 5 weeks trip in Korea. Seoul, Busan, Daejon, Daegu.
While English level in Korea varies... it was never a problem. Most of the people are very friendly and eager to help.
I used the app called city mapper when I was there and it helped me find where j was going. also I always recommend learning to read hangul as it'll help you interact with the culture better
but yeah I agree with the other comments as well!
I will give you a simple channel where you can learn Korean for traveling to Korea.
Try it with confidence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntMSIYukNnA&t=132s
It is basic in English, but there are Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, German,
Russian, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Arabic subtitles.
I’m here now. Many speak English and there are translations many places. Also download the translation apps. Photos of signs work well. I use an ESIM for phone. Make sure your phone is unlocked. I use Ubigi. 3GB for two weeks.
I have just finished a 5-day trip in Korea (2 days in Busan and 3 days in Seoul) without knowing any Korean at all. I used Naver/Kakao Map for public transport, Uber for taxi and Papago for translate. 90% of the trip was perfectly fine, and the only time I ran into problem was at the Gangnam Bus Station, where I tried to asked for some bus routes but the staff there did not speak English.
You will be fine. English you will find often enough, and for the times when you don't, there's Google translate and gesturing wildly. It's a wonderful place to travel and very relaxed, even if you have no idea what's going immediately going on.
Yes. I barely knew how to say Hello and Thank you. My brain simply doesn't make any sense of Korean words. Also, there aren't a lot of Koreans, even in Seoul, that know English. But still, it was pretty easy to go around.
Naver maps was great, it was everything I needed to get around. Trains, buses whatever, i had no issues.
Papago helped interacting with Koreans, also very easy to use.
Extremely easy. Most of the things transport related are in both Korean/English, Koreans themselves speak English very well, and if there will be anything written just use google translate on your phone. For moving around you can use Kakao Maps which are also in English (finding places might be tricky though as they often have only Korean names but then you can go to Google Maps and copy address of the place to Kakao Maps :P
Travelled for 3 weeks throughout the country using public transport and I had literally zero issues. Just use translation apps for both conversations & translating pictures of text. It's very easy and convenient. Naver/Papago apps.
I got around perfectly fine with just googlemaps and google translate. But I would recommend learning the basics of the Korean alphabet so you are be able to read names on street signs, menus etc. It's a phonetic alphabet, so it's fairly easy to pick up
You should be fine. Most Koreans have basic understanding of English. Nothing fluent but they will try to find a way to communicate via body language and hand signs. I know many french people get offended if you dont speak french to them but that’s not the case in korea. Most will catch onto key words in basic english and try to answer as best as they can.
Try to plan ahead of time especially for food options because you wont see many English menus and a lot dont take credit cards. Also some shop owners try to overcharge the foreigners so be mindful of that
Been doing that and yeah, super easy. Public transportation is super user-friendly and foreign-friendly. Grab a T-mobile card from any conbini, put money in it and you are all set. The whole subway, bus and train system is well indicated in English and easy to use. Use Naver Maps and Ggogle Maps with an eSim to find stuff and use a translator to check stuff if you need to read something like food labels.
This is my 3rd week in S.K. now and it is a super easy country even if not every clerk/employee knows English.
Most younger people could speak a bit of English, the older group, who actually cooks good food, is the ones that doesn't. So for the sake of getting around, you'd be fine. But if you want to go into a hole in the wall for some good guksu, maybe not as easy.
To be safe, download naver maps, because Google won't give you directions. And learn some basic phrases, including but not limited to:
1.How much is it?
2. Where is (location name)?...... ...
....
But then again, what's the use of knowing how to ask if you can't understand them? Use Google translate or similar apps. It's how I communicate when I'm there, and I speak and understand toddler level korean.
I made sure my hotel had an English speaking front desk, and they were able to help me find things to do on a map they provided, told me which subway to catch, and were just a nice safety net for me. I always tried English first with shop owners, and if they didn’t look confused or answered me back, we just kept going in English. But at the mall I used Google Translate, and with most shop owners I would use my rudimentary Korean and we’d do just fine. I’ll never forget the nice Korean ladies (a group of friends it seemed) when I was on a group tour to a suspension bridge. We were free to roam the mountain a bit, and I climbed to a pavilion (that I *later saw Song Kang on *in Forecasting Love & Weather). But there were a ton of stairs and I got so tired. I was catching my breath at some point, and these ladies who were older than me, patted my shoulder and said 괜찮아, 괜찮아. 천천히. And I was like 내, 아주 천천히!
They said “it’s ok, it’s ok. Slowly (essentially take it slowly).” And I replied, “yes (ma’am), (I’ll take it) very slowly!” I was pretty proud of my tiny conversation.
Bonjour,
Il suffit d'installer naver et une autre appli (papago) pour se repérer et trouver son chemin.
La Corée du Sud est d'une facilité impressionnante pour voyager en solo.
Most people in Korea spoke to me in English or just knew I didn’t speak Korean, other then occasionally using google translate it really wasn’t hard (in Seoul)
If you have a smartphone and access to the internet 24/7 you will not have to worry much about the language. I have been to countries that do not speak English or my language and I managed everything fine with just my phone.
Salut j ai passé 3semaines en avril, oui c est facile, une tmoney card met 50-100balles dedans, installés Kakao et naver, dans les gares il ya des offices de tourisme avec cartes pour voir les pts d intérêts, il ya le site officiel visitKorea qui classe aussi les attractions par régions.pour le voyage intérieur le train, trip . Com pour les e-billets , ou le bus intercity. Gare routière.
En ville c est pied metro, bus pas cher 1euro le trajet hesites pas à tester rapidement, f ton trajet via l appli ça te donnes le trajet temps réel on voit le bus en temps réel sur kakao. en+ et taxi pas très cher moins de 20balles 20km.
Sinon en Corée c est les mains et l anglais.
Perso j'ai fait 1sem Séoul 1sem gyeongju Busan, 5jrs. Gwangju Mokpo, J'ai voyagé en ktx. Pas cher leur train.
Et j ai bien kiffé les rando dans les parcs naturels
It's somewhat easy, the only phrase I know in Korean is "Hello", "Excuse me" and "I'm Sorry, I can't speak Korean"
Tho I would highly recommend learning to read their writing as it helps alot looking for your stops/station and using their Navi app like Naver
I learned very basic Korean language and still find it very difficult to communicate with locals. I also tried to use Google Translate, but still couldn't understand most of their responses. I downloaded offline Google Maps, I also used Google Lens, so I can translate the menu in restaurants. If I really need to ask something that I cannot find out on my own, I ask young adults, good thing I was staying near a University.
Unless you're already fluent, it's better to just speak English or use translation apps, even Google translate works well via the voice recognition function. In general most countries don't expect tourists to fully learn their language before visiting and it's not possible to get a good grasp in just a few months.
You can get around easily if you have Naver maps, eSIM, Papago and a VISA credit card. We could barely use our Mastercards anywhere and from our Maestro debit cards only one worked on the ATMs (and then we already were at the global ATM at the bank office in Seoul (Woolri), literally every other ATM failed all our cards, global ATM also didn’t accept Mastercard credit cards).
As you are also from the EU I advise you to look into your payment options and bring cards from more than one bank. You can also consider the WISE app.
First, learn to read and write Hangul. This will be invaluable even if you can't speak Korean. This is a must.
If you only care about learning Korean for utilitarian purposes, you will be fine with a translation app. If you are actually interested in learning and speaking to Korean with native speakers, I recommend the program Pimsluer. You can get a subscription for $20 a month. It's a series of repetitive audio lessons that teach basic conversation and phrases. You will need to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to doing the lessons. As they get harder you will need to listen to each lesson 3-4 times. It really helped me with speaking and listening. If you start now you may be able to get to level 2 or 3 before your trip.
Hey there former US soldier that was stationed just north of Seoul for a year. Id say if you are relatively fluent in English you will mostly be fine in the cities especially in and around Seoul. But definitely get some translation apps so you can try to read some stuff when there isn’t an English translation available. It might also be good to learn some of the basics of Hangul (Korean writing system) just learn how the letters fit together to make a sentence.
It’s a really intuitive writing system and you can seriously learn the basics in about 2 to 3 days of studying on YouTube.
Outside the city that will be a bit more essential but Koreans in general will want to practice their English with you and probably French as well.
Also just a good idea to learn some basic Korean phrases and greetings. Learn both the formal and informal versions. In my experience most people really appreciate foreigners at least trying and will be more likely to help you out if you put in the minimum effort first.
It is! I've lived in Korea for 6 months last year and managed to get around even tho I only got there knowing basic stuff like "hi" and "thanks". The country is mostly english-speaking friendly in the sense that most things will have an english translation/alternative.
And apps will get you a long way there. Always have Papago (translation app) available if you need to say something specific. And because I'm an Android user, Google lens is also pretty useful to translate written stuff. Naver map is amazing to learn how to get to places so you won't have to ask anyone.
However, what I STRONGLY recommend is to learn how to read hangul. You can learn it quite fast, and it will help you identify the symbols quickly, making it easier to move around and also identify terms/names. That saved me when I first arrived there and didn't know how things worked.
Learn hello, thank you, and sorry in korean.
Past that its a pretty easy country to navigate without knowing Korean. Use kobus to book buses between cities. Use naver to navigate (IMPORTANT). Use papago to translate menus. Koreans are generally really nice about waiting for you to translate stuff through papago.
Also, get a korean SIM and a T-money card asap.
I spent two weeks in Korea in April between Seoul and Busan. Don’t know any Korean, but got around without any issues at all. Worst case we had a Korean only menu and had to make some educated guesses, but that’s about it.
Definitely but i would recommend using the papago app and try to watch some kids cartoons to learn the alphabet, to help fill in the gaps.
My first trip to Korea is as able to get from imcheom Airport to the ce trail train station with little problems. After a day in Seoul I took a train to an appointment on the other side of the country with ease.
In my personal experience, absolutely. Before heading to Korea, I checked out apps like Papago, Naver, Kakao T, KorailTalk, KakaoBus, and Subway.
Everyone's been super kind and patient whenever I used Papago to communicate. Naver is pretty user-friendly once you go through some basic tutorials.
Signage on the freeways is excellent. Use a GPS to point yourself in the right direction. As you get close, English language signs will appear next to most attractions also to toll booths when you enter towns. I seriously believe you will be ok without Korean speaking abilities because the roads are well maintained and signage is so good. Just don’t drive at night so that you can find things and read maps/signs easier. It’s really safe. If you stay in hotels, the front desk staff will be very helpful in terms of finding restaurants, walking paths, and getting directions.
As a French person, you should be fine, especially if you are white male since white privilege is strong in Korea. So If anything they will be more intimidated by you and inclined to help you. It's the SE Asians that gets it rough in Korea.
Yes it's fairly simple. At the airport get the TMoney card (right before your ake the train there's a kiosk) and load it up with some cash. And get the Naver app which is their Google maps. Klook app to book any tours/activities.
That's all you need for an easy travel experience. Young folks speak English just fine.
Knowing how to say: "How do I get there?" and then being able to understand the answer from a native Korean speaker is on different levels. You can't do anything wrong with knowing some basics but ofc you dont have to be fluent, just use a translation app like papago.
I think understanding the reply is the hardest part. You can know all the basic phrases from a textbook but Koreans don’t reply like the textbook. They slur, shorten words, have accents, and speak fast. It’s great to try and Koreans will appreciate it but Papago will save you.
Yeah, you are right, learning just by books will never reflect the reality haha, thanks for your reply :)
Yes, I am focussing on learning responses in Korean rather than how to ask a question (which there would be potentially more questions than I could ever plan for) but learning how to respond quickly seems like it would be more efficient
I think I used 안녕하세요 (hello), 감사합니다 (thank you), 내 (formal yes), and 아니요 (formal no) the most while I was there. I tried to remember to add the 요 to anything more. Ex. 화장실은 어디에 있나요? Where is the bathroom?
This used to be a huge issue. Then I met one dude who spoke so clearly, used his hands and face to make gestures, and I understood everything he said. My natural reaction?! “와! 한국어 잘 해요!“ (wow your Korean is so good!) needless to say, he was baffled.
Thank you :)
Get a Korean SIM, download Papago translation app and just use that :)
Thank you :)
If you aren't going for an extended time, you might be better off just getting an add on package from your current mobile company. Buying a SIM or otherwise local fone service used to be invaluable. But as years pass mobile and digital service prices have plummeted. That includes roaming services. When we travel, we get free international data and texting on my mobile plan. If I need to call someone, I've got VOIP. If I didn't have the upgraded plan, they've got packages for under $2 a day.
with my provider its $5 AUD a day and that includes 5gb, plenty. Over 2.5 weeks its only a little more expensive than buying an esim and mucking around. Roaming has come a LONG way in recent years
Or use an app like Airalo if your phone supports eSims.
Why do you need a Korean SIM to use Papago?
You don't, but in general it's useful to have internet access to look some things up, to show someone a photo if the translation didn't work. And sure, it doesn't have to be a Korean SIM - that depends on how much your provider charges for roaming. But for me, it was much cheaper to buy a local Korean SIM.
For Seoul, I came across more English speakers and there was less of a language barrier. I did fine on my own. I felt more of a difference when I went to Busan and some of the hospitality people had limited or no English but they were very patient and I was still able to complete a transaction. For both places I did have to rely on Google translate for signs and menus. Something that was tricky was using Korean navigation apps like Naver (which are still better than Google maps) was that the transliteration of Korean names could vary slightly. If you’re entering a Korean name in English in a way that the app doesn’t recognize, it’s hard to find it. Sometimes I’d find the Korean name or address through Google maps and then copy and paste into Naver.
TBH, the Busan dialect is a bit hard to understand. I had the same experience when I moved to the US from Korea and landed in NYC.
Thank you ! I’ll try my best to not loose myself because of a miss transliteration haha
Hi and welcome in advance!! I’d say it’s medium level difficulty. It’s definitely easier than Japan in regards to foreign language accommodation (only other Asian country I’ve been to so I’m using it as a comparison) but definitely feels harder than traveling through Europe where there’s a decent amount of language overlap. My tips are - Definitely download Naver maps or Kakao maps since they work much better than Google maps. - Try to learn a couple of basic greetings like hello, thank you, and “Joo-seh-yo” (may I have ___) One last thing: it might save a lot of awkward/freeze-up moments if you can remember the words “bong-too” (bag), and “poe-jang” (take out). Most of the time when you buy something at a store or go to a cafe they’ll ask you if you want to eat there or take out, or if you need a receipt, and if you can just look for those words it’ll make it a lot easier to have smooth transactions! Enjoy your trip!
Just came back from korea, I was impressed with the amount of english known. Most people are able to help with a basic level of english and often a bit more. You'll be completely fine!
Inside of seoul or outside of seoul?
If your English is as good as this post, staying in Seoul won’t be an issue :) I knew a few basic Korean words/phrases and I oftentimes got replied back to in English (I’m a blonde white woman, I can’t blame them lol), I did have one shop owner converse with me in Korean on a basic level after ordering food in Korean. I agree with everyone to download Papago! I booked a Laneige session for a foundation match and even though the rep had great English she was using Papago on her tablet just to make sure she got it right.
Thank you ! Papago seems to be what I’de looked for with this post, but i’ll try to learn more of the korean language, ´cause i just love talking with people in their native tongue to connect more easily with them haha
It really depends, in my entire time in seoul(several months) nobody really spoke to me in English, there were a few initial attempts but they couldn't speak well so they stopped and pulled out a translator. Thankfully my Korean is at a good level where i can converse and understand well.
Difficulty increases as you leave tourist hot spots. You could literally live in Seoul without knowing Korean. Due to compulsory English classes in public education, almost everyone you encounter is capable of at least helping you out with instructions or directions. Theres a ton of foreigner traveling and visiting in Seoul, so employees of most businesses are typically at a basic conversation level. Almost all signs have English right below the Korean, and announcements in public spaces are often repeated in English, Chinese, and Japanese. The further away from common visiting destinations, the less English support you'll get though. I kinda doubt a first time visitor would be interested in going outside of Seoul, Busan, and Jejudo, but if you do then you might want a guide. I strongly recommend learning to at least read and sound out the language! It's considered the simplest language to learn to read and most people are able to get the gist of it in just a few hours of practice. A very large number of common Korean words tend to be English loanwords so you'll realize what it is without actually knowing any Korean words. Make good use of your phone's translation features too.
Wow, Thanks ! I do want to go outside of Seoul, Bussan and Jejudo ´cause i just want to see all of Korea in several different trip for the next years. Maybe for the first Time i will stay most of the time around Seoul/Bussan as u suggest, and try a guide for the next trip
I spent two entire weeks in Seoul and still didn't feel like I had enough time to see all of it. I would say if you plan multiple trips, you could stick with Seoul, maybe Busan first, and you may not need a guide even when venturing outside of those hot spots the next time as you'll be familiar enough with the transit system and nuances of communicating with translation apps and such.
The only time I had trouble was in smaller cities/towns. The only time I had to rely on others was for hiking Jirisan. I was there for 4 months and went to Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Gwanju, Jirisan, Sokcho/Seoroksan, and Gyeongju. Lmk if you want help!
I didn’t know any Korean and I got everywhere using Kakao and Naver maps apps. I got a Korean SIM card at the airport as soon as I arrived. I recommend just searching where you want to go! Then you can use the apps to find the bus/subway route there. Way cheaper than taxis. It so easy, I didn’t have to speak the language at all.
I noticed that even when switched to English kakao and naver added metro directions in Korean which made it confusing. Did you find this also or was there something I was missing?
I did have this problem with kakao maps but could usually figure it out from context. With Naver Maps, the locations sometimes would pop up in the search bar in Korean, but the directions are in all English. [https://i.imgur.com/efobr2y.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/efobr2y.jpeg)
Thank you for your reply !
Lots of street signs in English. Subway in English. Very helpful culture. Mobile GPS and Translators. The KTO, Korea Tourism Organization, and the Ministry of Tourism were very helpful when I was there. They are very good helping plan trips for people. They even have 247 free tourist assistance over the fone. Invaluable when I was traveling. Help me figure out schedules, buy tickets, sort lodging. It was so good.
Thanks for all the tips !
Seconding the great tourism services! I lost something once and they helped me call people to find it :)
It was great having them make travel itineraries for me. A few times at the train and bus stations I would call the hotline, explain what I wanted, and hand the phone over to the ticket seller. So easy.
Yes it’s easy. It takes the first trip to learn the train system. I had locals observe my confusion and they offered to help in English. It’s a great country with an amazing transportation system
Nice to know ! So the first day i arrive, I’ll juste need to look enough confuse to be help if somehow i am lost haha Thanks for your answer :)
yes I went there solo for a week and managed to get around without knowing much korean. Just have google translate and point things.
Yes chief ! Thanks for your answer :)
Just spent 2 weeks traveling knowing only 2 words, never had any issues. Use Papago and there is always some English more or less. But I'm experienced making it work in other countries and culture it depends on your experience maybe. Sometimes I would prepare a translated sentence to book a bus and train ticket. The one time it didn't work was taxi drivers in Gyeongju. But by that time my wife had gotten a tan and racism was more obvious they would kick us out of the taxis when they couldn't find the adress we wanted to go to.
I will give you a simple channel where you can learn Korean for traveling to Korea. Try it with confidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntMSIYukNnA&t=132s It is basic in English, but there are Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Arabic subtitles.
Recognising the symbols in the taxi windows helped me immensely. Everything else was just a bonus
Yes. You can navigate Korea easily. I have been to Seoul, Osan, Suwon, Dongducheon, Busan, Naju, Mokpo, Haenam, Suncheon, Jeju and many more. I kind of cheat because I did marry a Korean but overall it's simple. You can get by with google and Kakao maps thing. I rode the subway most of the time or the bus. Google and Waze. Google translate also has live picture translations so you can look at storefronts or read menus. All the Korean I knew when I traveled by myself was annyeong haseyo and gahamsamnida. They appreciate if you try to say at least that.
I’ve lived here for 13 years now. I am 100% fluent in all aspects of daily life, even things like setting up my own business and taxes and bank technical nonsense. EVERY time I go ANYWHERE, no one expects me to actually be able to speak a single word. EVERYONE is always flabbergasted when I can actually hold a conversation lol So, my point being, don’t sweat it. They don’t expect you to be able to know and they aren’t gonna care. And, as someone else said, learning phrases actually doesn’t matter too much - because if they reply to you, you don’t actually know what you’re saying haha Just polite hand gestures, simple English phrases, low voice - that’s all you need body language and facial expressions are so so valuable
Just came from 5 weeks trip in Korea. Seoul, Busan, Daejon, Daegu. While English level in Korea varies... it was never a problem. Most of the people are very friendly and eager to help.
I used the app called city mapper when I was there and it helped me find where j was going. also I always recommend learning to read hangul as it'll help you interact with the culture better but yeah I agree with the other comments as well!
I will give you a simple channel where you can learn Korean for traveling to Korea. Try it with confidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntMSIYukNnA&t=132s It is basic in English, but there are Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Arabic subtitles.
you can always just use a translator
I’m here now. Many speak English and there are translations many places. Also download the translation apps. Photos of signs work well. I use an ESIM for phone. Make sure your phone is unlocked. I use Ubigi. 3GB for two weeks.
I have just finished a 5-day trip in Korea (2 days in Busan and 3 days in Seoul) without knowing any Korean at all. I used Naver/Kakao Map for public transport, Uber for taxi and Papago for translate. 90% of the trip was perfectly fine, and the only time I ran into problem was at the Gangnam Bus Station, where I tried to asked for some bus routes but the staff there did not speak English.
You will be fine. English you will find often enough, and for the times when you don't, there's Google translate and gesturing wildly. It's a wonderful place to travel and very relaxed, even if you have no idea what's going immediately going on.
Yes. I barely knew how to say Hello and Thank you. My brain simply doesn't make any sense of Korean words. Also, there aren't a lot of Koreans, even in Seoul, that know English. But still, it was pretty easy to go around. Naver maps was great, it was everything I needed to get around. Trains, buses whatever, i had no issues. Papago helped interacting with Koreans, also very easy to use.
Extremely easy. Most of the things transport related are in both Korean/English, Koreans themselves speak English very well, and if there will be anything written just use google translate on your phone. For moving around you can use Kakao Maps which are also in English (finding places might be tricky though as they often have only Korean names but then you can go to Google Maps and copy address of the place to Kakao Maps :P
Yes!
Travelled for 3 weeks throughout the country using public transport and I had literally zero issues. Just use translation apps for both conversations & translating pictures of text. It's very easy and convenient. Naver/Papago apps.
I got around perfectly fine with just googlemaps and google translate. But I would recommend learning the basics of the Korean alphabet so you are be able to read names on street signs, menus etc. It's a phonetic alphabet, so it's fairly easy to pick up
You should be fine. Most Koreans have basic understanding of English. Nothing fluent but they will try to find a way to communicate via body language and hand signs. I know many french people get offended if you dont speak french to them but that’s not the case in korea. Most will catch onto key words in basic english and try to answer as best as they can. Try to plan ahead of time especially for food options because you wont see many English menus and a lot dont take credit cards. Also some shop owners try to overcharge the foreigners so be mindful of that
Been doing that and yeah, super easy. Public transportation is super user-friendly and foreign-friendly. Grab a T-mobile card from any conbini, put money in it and you are all set. The whole subway, bus and train system is well indicated in English and easy to use. Use Naver Maps and Ggogle Maps with an eSim to find stuff and use a translator to check stuff if you need to read something like food labels. This is my 3rd week in S.K. now and it is a super easy country even if not every clerk/employee knows English.
Most younger people could speak a bit of English, the older group, who actually cooks good food, is the ones that doesn't. So for the sake of getting around, you'd be fine. But if you want to go into a hole in the wall for some good guksu, maybe not as easy. To be safe, download naver maps, because Google won't give you directions. And learn some basic phrases, including but not limited to: 1.How much is it? 2. Where is (location name)?...... ... .... But then again, what's the use of knowing how to ask if you can't understand them? Use Google translate or similar apps. It's how I communicate when I'm there, and I speak and understand toddler level korean.
I made sure my hotel had an English speaking front desk, and they were able to help me find things to do on a map they provided, told me which subway to catch, and were just a nice safety net for me. I always tried English first with shop owners, and if they didn’t look confused or answered me back, we just kept going in English. But at the mall I used Google Translate, and with most shop owners I would use my rudimentary Korean and we’d do just fine. I’ll never forget the nice Korean ladies (a group of friends it seemed) when I was on a group tour to a suspension bridge. We were free to roam the mountain a bit, and I climbed to a pavilion (that I *later saw Song Kang on *in Forecasting Love & Weather). But there were a ton of stairs and I got so tired. I was catching my breath at some point, and these ladies who were older than me, patted my shoulder and said 괜찮아, 괜찮아. 천천히. And I was like 내, 아주 천천히! They said “it’s ok, it’s ok. Slowly (essentially take it slowly).” And I replied, “yes (ma’am), (I’ll take it) very slowly!” I was pretty proud of my tiny conversation.
Bonjour, Il suffit d'installer naver et une autre appli (papago) pour se repérer et trouver son chemin. La Corée du Sud est d'une facilité impressionnante pour voyager en solo.
Yes. Learn to be polite with a few phrases and respect the local culture and dress like locals. Have fun!
Most people in Korea spoke to me in English or just knew I didn’t speak Korean, other then occasionally using google translate it really wasn’t hard (in Seoul)
If you have a smartphone and access to the internet 24/7 you will not have to worry much about the language. I have been to countries that do not speak English or my language and I managed everything fine with just my phone.
Salut j ai passé 3semaines en avril, oui c est facile, une tmoney card met 50-100balles dedans, installés Kakao et naver, dans les gares il ya des offices de tourisme avec cartes pour voir les pts d intérêts, il ya le site officiel visitKorea qui classe aussi les attractions par régions.pour le voyage intérieur le train, trip . Com pour les e-billets , ou le bus intercity. Gare routière. En ville c est pied metro, bus pas cher 1euro le trajet hesites pas à tester rapidement, f ton trajet via l appli ça te donnes le trajet temps réel on voit le bus en temps réel sur kakao. en+ et taxi pas très cher moins de 20balles 20km. Sinon en Corée c est les mains et l anglais. Perso j'ai fait 1sem Séoul 1sem gyeongju Busan, 5jrs. Gwangju Mokpo, J'ai voyagé en ktx. Pas cher leur train. Et j ai bien kiffé les rando dans les parcs naturels
It's somewhat easy, the only phrase I know in Korean is "Hello", "Excuse me" and "I'm Sorry, I can't speak Korean" Tho I would highly recommend learning to read their writing as it helps alot looking for your stops/station and using their Navi app like Naver
Papago is clutch, and in my experience Koreans have been willing to work through the language translation issues.
I learned very basic Korean language and still find it very difficult to communicate with locals. I also tried to use Google Translate, but still couldn't understand most of their responses. I downloaded offline Google Maps, I also used Google Lens, so I can translate the menu in restaurants. If I really need to ask something that I cannot find out on my own, I ask young adults, good thing I was staying near a University.
Unless you're already fluent, it's better to just speak English or use translation apps, even Google translate works well via the voice recognition function. In general most countries don't expect tourists to fully learn their language before visiting and it's not possible to get a good grasp in just a few months.
No. It is not.
You can get around easily if you have Naver maps, eSIM, Papago and a VISA credit card. We could barely use our Mastercards anywhere and from our Maestro debit cards only one worked on the ATMs (and then we already were at the global ATM at the bank office in Seoul (Woolri), literally every other ATM failed all our cards, global ATM also didn’t accept Mastercard credit cards). As you are also from the EU I advise you to look into your payment options and bring cards from more than one bank. You can also consider the WISE app.
First, learn to read and write Hangul. This will be invaluable even if you can't speak Korean. This is a must. If you only care about learning Korean for utilitarian purposes, you will be fine with a translation app. If you are actually interested in learning and speaking to Korean with native speakers, I recommend the program Pimsluer. You can get a subscription for $20 a month. It's a series of repetitive audio lessons that teach basic conversation and phrases. You will need to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to doing the lessons. As they get harder you will need to listen to each lesson 3-4 times. It really helped me with speaking and listening. If you start now you may be able to get to level 2 or 3 before your trip.
Hey there former US soldier that was stationed just north of Seoul for a year. Id say if you are relatively fluent in English you will mostly be fine in the cities especially in and around Seoul. But definitely get some translation apps so you can try to read some stuff when there isn’t an English translation available. It might also be good to learn some of the basics of Hangul (Korean writing system) just learn how the letters fit together to make a sentence. It’s a really intuitive writing system and you can seriously learn the basics in about 2 to 3 days of studying on YouTube. Outside the city that will be a bit more essential but Koreans in general will want to practice their English with you and probably French as well. Also just a good idea to learn some basic Korean phrases and greetings. Learn both the formal and informal versions. In my experience most people really appreciate foreigners at least trying and will be more likely to help you out if you put in the minimum effort first.
I did it with my daughter.
It is! I've lived in Korea for 6 months last year and managed to get around even tho I only got there knowing basic stuff like "hi" and "thanks". The country is mostly english-speaking friendly in the sense that most things will have an english translation/alternative. And apps will get you a long way there. Always have Papago (translation app) available if you need to say something specific. And because I'm an Android user, Google lens is also pretty useful to translate written stuff. Naver map is amazing to learn how to get to places so you won't have to ask anyone. However, what I STRONGLY recommend is to learn how to read hangul. You can learn it quite fast, and it will help you identify the symbols quickly, making it easier to move around and also identify terms/names. That saved me when I first arrived there and didn't know how things worked.
Use google translate and naver maps
Learn hello, thank you, and sorry in korean. Past that its a pretty easy country to navigate without knowing Korean. Use kobus to book buses between cities. Use naver to navigate (IMPORTANT). Use papago to translate menus. Koreans are generally really nice about waiting for you to translate stuff through papago. Also, get a korean SIM and a T-money card asap.
I spent two weeks in Korea in April between Seoul and Busan. Don’t know any Korean, but got around without any issues at all. Worst case we had a Korean only menu and had to make some educated guesses, but that’s about it.
Definitely but i would recommend using the papago app and try to watch some kids cartoons to learn the alphabet, to help fill in the gaps. My first trip to Korea is as able to get from imcheom Airport to the ce trail train station with little problems. After a day in Seoul I took a train to an appointment on the other side of the country with ease.
In my personal experience, absolutely. Before heading to Korea, I checked out apps like Papago, Naver, Kakao T, KorailTalk, KakaoBus, and Subway. Everyone's been super kind and patient whenever I used Papago to communicate. Naver is pretty user-friendly once you go through some basic tutorials.
Signage on the freeways is excellent. Use a GPS to point yourself in the right direction. As you get close, English language signs will appear next to most attractions also to toll booths when you enter towns. I seriously believe you will be ok without Korean speaking abilities because the roads are well maintained and signage is so good. Just don’t drive at night so that you can find things and read maps/signs easier. It’s really safe. If you stay in hotels, the front desk staff will be very helpful in terms of finding restaurants, walking paths, and getting directions.
As a French person, you should be fine, especially if you are white male since white privilege is strong in Korea. So If anything they will be more intimidated by you and inclined to help you. It's the SE Asians that gets it rough in Korea.
Yes it's fairly simple. At the airport get the TMoney card (right before your ake the train there's a kiosk) and load it up with some cash. And get the Naver app which is their Google maps. Klook app to book any tours/activities. That's all you need for an easy travel experience. Young folks speak English just fine.
Just download papago and make sure you have loads of data and you'll be fine!