How to Use Korean Apps for Daily Life: Delivery, Taxi & Banking for Foreigners

Must-Have Apps to Survive and Thrive in Korea Without Speaking Fluent Korean

1. Why You Need Korean Apps (Even If You’re Just Visiting)

In Korea, daily tasks like ordering food, calling a cab, or sending money are app-based.

Most locals don’t use websites—they rely on apps like Baemin, Kakao T, and Toss.

Even if you don’t speak Korean, many of these apps are now partially or fully available in English,
and you can survive with simple hacks and translation tools.

2. Top Korean Delivery Apps You Should Know

  • Baemin (배달의민족)

    • Korea’s #1 food delivery app

    • Easy-to-navigate UI, even without English

    • Works best with Korean address input (use Naver Map to copy/paste)

  • Yogiyo (요기요)

    • Great for promotions and discounts

    • Similar interface to Baemin

    • Useful if you want different restaurant options

  • Coupang Eats (쿠팡이츠)

    • Fast, single-order delivery

    • Good UI, often faster than Baemin in busy areas

🛠 Tips:

  • Use Papago app to translate restaurant names or menu items.

  • Payment with Korean cards or Kakao Pay/Naver Pay only.

3. Taxi & Transportation Apps for Easy Travel

  • Kakao T (카카오T)

    • The Uber of Korea

    • Book taxis, airport shuttles, bike rentals, and parking

    • Option to pay via card or Kakao Pay

    • Offers basic English support and maps

  • T-map

    • Navigation + taxi + black car service

    • More localized, mostly Korean-language interface

    • Great if you have a Korean friend to set it up for you

🚖 Pro Tip: Use the “자동 결제 (auto payment)” option in Kakao T to avoid handling cash.

4. Korean Banking Apps for Foreigners

  • Toss (토스)

    • Simplified banking, transfers, bill payments

    • Korean-language only, but very intuitive

    • Many expats use it once set up

  • Kakao Bank (카카오뱅크)

    • App-based bank account

    • Easy to open (with ARC and phone number)

    • Good for transfers and card management

  • KB Star / Hana Bank / Shinhan SOL

    • Official banking apps of Korea’s major banks

    • Offer limited English but still complex for beginners

💡 Most banking apps require a Korean phone number and ARC (Alien Registration Card) to use.

5. Must-Have Utility Apps for Daily Life in Korea

  • Papago – Best translation app for Korean-English

  • Naver Map – Accurate navigation and public transport routes

  • KakaoTalk – Korea’s #1 messenger (used for everything)

  • Coupang – For online shopping and next-day delivery

  • Seoul Subway App – Best for navigating metro routes with transfer times

🧠 Tip: Install all apps before arriving, and set app language to English where available.

6. Quick List: App Setup Checklist for Foreigners

  • ✔️ Create a Korean App Store account (or change Play Store region)

  • ✔️ Get a Korean SIM card with data + phone number

  • ✔️ Sign up for KakaoTalk first (used as login for many services)

  • ✔️ Use Naver or Google to search for how-to guides in English

  • ✔️ Use auto-translation features in Android/iOS for live screen translation

This will smooth your setup process and help you avoid getting stuck on login pages.

7. Final Tips to Maximize App Use in Korea

  • Enable Korean keyboard input on your phone

  • Keep your ARC and Korean bank account info handy for sign-ups

  • Join expat groups on Facebook for app guides and promo codes

  • Use screen translation tools like Google Lens or iOS Live Text

  • Avoid using foreign cards—they often get rejected by local apps

With these steps, even non-Korean speakers can live like a local in just a few days.


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