First Time in Korea? Start Here.
Landing in Korea for the first time is exciting — and a little overwhelming. This is the checklist Ellie wishes someone had handed her: the visa, the SIM, the card you’ll use fifty times a day, and the apps that actually matter. No fluff, just what you need before you land.
First things first: do you even need one? Most visitors can enter visa-free or via K-ETA — here’s how to check, apply, and how long it actually takes.
eSIM or physical SIM? Airport kiosk or pre-book online? Here’s what’s actually worth it.
Landed at ICN or GMP — now what? Your options into Seoul, with real cost and time for each.
The one card you’ll use on every bus, subway, and taxi. Where to get it, how to top it up.
The three apps on Ellie’s home screen that make Korea make sense: Naver Map, KakaoTalk, Papago.
Cash or card? When you’ll need which, and where to get the best exchange rate.
Korea has four real seasons — pack wrong and you’ll feel it. Here’s what to bring by season.