Download 8 Korean Apps for A Perfect Self-Guided Trip to Korea

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package

Instead of taking a Korea tourist package, are you planning on a self-guided trip to this beautiful country? You want to experience the tourist and cultural attractions in South Korea yourself but still don’t know where or how to start?

Don’t worry, Your Favorite K-Cult is here and we will help you conquer your self-guided trip to Korea in 8 Korean apps in today’s article.

Pros and Cons of Self-guided Trip Korea

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Seoul by night (©Freepik)

Is Self-guided Trip better than Korean Tourist Package? (H3)

  • Your schedule, you decide! One of the biggest pluses of having a self-guided trip is that you can freely plan and manage your time. You can enjoy every moment, go to every tourist destination, experience every Korean culture without being bound by a fixed schedule. Traveling to Korea on your own will also give you the freedom to explore every corner of South Korea without having to worry about being late for the group tour’s departure time, because you can easily use many types of transportation such as taxi, buses, subways,…
  • Enjoy local cuisine: You can try all types of local food without any constraints. You can visit famous restaurants or cafes you saw on Instagram reels and enjoy a dish that you really want to try.

🍵5 Traditional Tea Houses in Insadong, Seoul

  • Be proactive about time and location: You can completely decide on your own time and location to travel, in accordance with your personal preferences and needs. This allows you to explore destinations that really interest you, without having to follow a default tour schedule. All you need is just some Korean apps and a Korean subway map!

Is It Hard To Travel on Your Own in Korea?

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
Korean subway map of line number 2, there are 10 lines in total! (©Wikimedia)
  • Language Difference: Although English is commonly uses in many countries, but not everyone in Korea can speak English. Besides, you might find it hard to get use to the Korean culture on your first time here in South Korea. Not everyone can use English, especially in Korea, when English is not a common language, which leads to misunderstandings or difficulties in finding out local information.
  • Complex Transportation System: Although Korea has a developed public transportation system, diverse from subways, buses, KTX, etc. But even the Korean subway map is not an easy game for self-guided tourists (and even Koreans themselves 🤫). Unfamiliarity with transportation systems, signs and directional signs also makes the travel experience more complicated.
  • Too much information: Finding information about tourist attractions, Korean culture, transportation, and other services can be difficult due to language limitations and a huge amount of information. Which caused confusion and you don’t know where to start.

Create Your Own Korean Tourist Package with 8 Korean Apps

Take a look at these 8 Korean apps best suit to build your own Korean tourist package or plan for a Seoul itinerary. From map, translate, public bike rental to mobile transportation apps, these definitely are must-have Korean apps if you are planning for a trip to Korea!

Papago: Domestic Translate App

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©Papago

Papago is a modern translation application, developed by Naver in Korea. Papago has many great function that allowing you to translate from and to many different languages into super standard Korean. Besides, Papago also has voice detection, direct translation from image, text scanning features that make it easier for you to communicate, read menus or sign boards, …

Not only people who are planning for a self-guided trip, those are about to have a Korean tourist package also need this app for smooth communication with the locals!

Naver Map: Bus, Subway, Restaurants, Navigation

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©Naver Map

When does the train arrive, how many minutes does it take to get to the next destination, where can I find the Korean subway map? Naver Map got everything! With Naver Map, you can easily look up information about tourist destinations, information about public transportation such as routes, bus and train stations, departure times, as well as suitable routes for your needs.

In addition, the application is also set up in both English and Korean for locations, making it easy for you to communicate with the locals or find a nearby restaurant. For those who are planning to have a Seoul Itinerary, this app is the best for doing some research of the most attractive places to visit since it got both information and reviews in English.

📍Naver Map and Naver Navigation – A to Z

Naver: the Korean Google

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©Naver

One of the greatest Korean apps – Naver is considered to be the Korean Google, this is the richest source of information about tourist destinations, restaurants, cafes and everything you want to know for your Seoul Itinerary. This versatile application is available in both Korean and English, making it easy to use for everyone.

You can easily find detailed information such as ticket prices, operating hours, reviews and comments from other users on restaurants, attractions, … to help you plan your own Korean tourist package!

Kakao Taxi: From Taxi to Car Rental

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©KaKao Taxi

If you are on an urgent to go somewhere and don’t have time to use public transportation, a taxi is a perfect choice. This is one of the most popular Korean apps for taxi and car rental. You can designate a pick-up location according to the regulations in Korea, avoiding uthe situation of waiting for a taxi in the wrong area.

KaKao Taxi is one of the Korean apps belongs to KaKaoTalk, you can log in to KaKao Taxi by using your KaKao Talk account. Note that foreigners cannot do in-app-paying, you can pay directly to the taxi driver by card or cash after arriving at the location. This is an indispensable application for your self-guided trip to Korea.

Klook: One day Tour, Tickets, Experiences

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©Klook

Klook is a quite familiar and useful travel application if you want to book tickets in advance for any service and experience activities for a self-guided trip to Korea. You can easily buy a SIM card, book tickets for amusement parks like Lotte World, Everland, or experience Korean culture like renting hanbok, and participating in short tours. You can even rent a car by the hour or day if you own an international driver’s license through Klook!

Seoul Bike (따릉이): Public Bike Retal

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©따릉이

For those who are planning for a Seoul itinerary, riding a public bike by the Han River sounds like a perfect date! You can easily access the application, rent a bike and pay online with a Visa card, helping to save time and be convenient to use. With only $1 per hour, renting a public bike should be on your

1330 Korea Travel Hotline (한국 관광 정보 앱)

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©한국 관광 정보 앱

This is an application that provides travel information and support for foreign tourists when traveling to Korea, with online consultation feature via hotline number 1330. You can search for information about tourist attractions. sightseeing, shopping, cuisine, culture, and even Korean subway map.

The support switchboard is multilingual and especially Vietnamese. If you encounter any problems or have any questions, you can freely contact the switchboard or the 1330 application to meet a Vietnamese consultant. dental.

Korea Tour Card (한국 관광카드 앱): Mobile Transportation Card

korean apps, korean subway map, seoul itinerary, self-guided trip, korea tourist package
©Korea Tour Card

If you plan to use the Korea Tour Card when traveling to Korea on your own, this application will be a useful tool. You can search and purchase transportation card packages through your VISA card, manage your card’s balance and transactions, and receive special offers from Korea Tour Card partners. But unfortunately, this application is currently only available on Android devices.


After getting to know about these 8 Korean apps, are you ready to create tour own Korean tourist package? Don’t hesitate to comment if you want to know any other tips when traveling to Korea, and don’t forget to follow Your Favorite K-Cult to update information on Korean beauty, travel and entertainment!

May good skin be with you, kimchi 🙏

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