While You're Here
Money & Payments
How much cash to carry, where foreign cards fail, and how to get won.
Korea is card-first, with sharp exceptions
Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including for very small amounts — nobody minds if you pay ₩2,000 by card. But the exceptions are exactly the situations where being stuck is most annoying, so carrying some cash is not optional.
Where you will need cash
- Topping up a transit card. Most machines are cash-only.
- Traditional markets and street food stalls.
- Small, older restaurants — especially outside city centres.
- Some taxis, if the card reader is broken.
₩50,000–100,000 in cash covers a typical few days. You do not need to carry more; ATMs are everywhere.
Foreign cards: what actually works
| Situation | Reality |
|---|---|
| Shops, restaurants, hotels | Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. Amex much less so. |
| Subway and bus gates | Do not rely on contactless bank cards. Use a T-money card. |
| Korean websites and apps | Often fail. Many require a Korean identity verification that a foreign card cannot satisfy. |
| ATMs | Look for 'Global ATM' or the network logos. Not every machine accepts foreign cards. |
Getting won
- Withdraw a small amount at the airport to cover your first day. Airport rates are not great, so don't change everything there.
- For larger amounts, licensed exchange booths in areas like Myeongdong typically beat both airport counters and banks.
- ATMs at convenience stores and banks work well — choose to be charged in won, not your home currency, when asked.
When an ATM or card terminal offers to convert to your home currency, decline. That conversion is nearly always worse than your bank's.
Tipping
There is no tipping culture in Korea. Not in restaurants, not in taxis, not for hotel staff. Prices are the final price, and leaving extra money can cause mild confusion rather than pleasure.
Tax refund
Many shops offer immediate or airport tax refunds for tourists above a minimum purchase. Keep the receipts and your passport with you when shopping if you plan to claim; airport refund counters need both, and the queue before a flight is not the moment to discover you left a receipt in the hotel.