KoreaHowTo is a practical travel guide for people visiting Korea who want to feel a little less confused, a little more prepared, and a little more comfortable while they are here.
I’ve lived in Korea my whole life.
Because of that, there are many things about everyday life here that feel completely normal to me—but I know they may not feel normal at all when you’re visiting Korea for the first time.
Sometimes it’s something practical, like figuring out the subway, ordering at a restaurant, paying for something, or finding a place to leave your luggage.
Other times, it’s simply wondering:
“Why do people do it this way in Korea?”
Those are exactly the kinds of things I wanted to write about on KoreaHowTo.
Why I Started KoreaHowTo
I also love traveling, and I’ve had plenty of confusing moments in other countries myself.
There were times when something seemed completely obvious to local people, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do.
Sometimes I only figured it out after making a mistake or trying it myself.
Other times, I learned something near the end of a trip and thought:
“I really wish I had known this before I came.”
And sometimes the information I wanted wasn’t about a famous attraction at all.
I wanted to know why local people did certain things, what was considered normal there, which small habits would make my trip easier, or how I could understand the country a little better instead of simply moving from one tourist spot to another.
Those experiences made me think about people visiting Korea.
If I feel that way when I travel abroad, wouldn’t travelers coming to Korea have many of the same questions?
I may have lived in Korea my whole life, but when I travel to another country, I’m a foreign traveler too.
I know what it feels like to stand somewhere unfamiliar and think:
“What am I supposed to do here?”
That feeling is one of the biggest reasons I started KoreaHowTo.
I wanted to take the things I naturally know from living in Korea, combine them with what I’ve learned from being a traveler myself, and turn them into information that could actually make someone’s trip easier.
What You’ll Find on KoreaHowTo
KoreaHowTo focuses on situations travelers are likely to encounter in real life.
That includes things like:
- KTX trains, subways, buses, taxis, and navigation apps
- card payments, cash, tax refunds, and shopping
- Korean restaurants, BBQ, markets, convenience stores, and cafes
- luggage storage, accommodation, eSIMs, and other travel basics
- museums, hiking, seasonal trips, and things to do in Korea
- everyday Korean habits and cultural differences you may notice during your trip
I don’t want KoreaHowTo to be another site that simply says:
“This place is famous. You should visit.”
I would rather tell you:
“This is how it usually works here.”
“This will probably make things easier.”
“Knowing this before you arrive might save you some trouble.”
Those small details are often what I find most useful when I travel too.
I Use Both Personal Experience and Verified Information
Many KoreaHowTo articles begin with things I’ve experienced in everyday life in Korea, places I’ve visited, or services I’ve actually used.
When I have firsthand experience, I try to include the practical details that official websites sometimes leave out.
But I don’t want to pretend I’ve personally experienced something when I haven’t.
For information that can change—such as transportation systems, booking procedures, prices, tax refunds, reservations, store policies, or travel services—I try to check current official information whenever possible.
Sometimes official information tells you what is technically possible.
Real-life experience tells you what is actually convenient.
I think travelers need both.
When Things Change, I Try to Update Them
Korea changes quickly.
Train booking systems change. Apps change. Prices change. Store policies and travel procedures change too.
When I find that something important has changed, I try to check the information again and update the relevant guide.
I also try not to present something as a fact when I’m not sure it is true.
If you notice information on KoreaHowTo that has changed, find an error, or have a question about one of the guides, please feel free to reach out through the Contact Korea How-to page.
I Hope Korea Feels a Little Easier to Understand
I don’t think a good trip is only about knowing which attractions are famous.
Sometimes knowing which map app works better in Korea makes a bigger difference.
Sometimes it’s knowing what to do when the lockers at Seoul Station are full.
Sometimes it’s understanding why Korean restaurants often expect people to share food, or why something that seems unusual to a visitor feels completely normal to Koreans.
And sometimes understanding the reason behind a small cultural difference makes a country much more interesting.
That’s what I hope KoreaHowTo can help with.
If this site can reduce a few of those moments when you find yourself thinking,
“What do I do here?”
“Why does Korea do it this way?”
or
“I wish I had known this before my trip,”
then KoreaHowTo is doing what I created it to do.
I hope it helps you travel through Korea a little more comfortably—and understand it a little more along the way.