First-timer checklist for Korea

Before you book

• Confirm passport validity (many airlines expect 6+ months remaining — check your carrier).
• Look up your nationality’s entry rules on official sites (K-ETA, visa-free stay, or visa). Never assume a friend’s passport rules apply to you.
• Decide nights in Seoul vs day trips; short trips usually work better with one base near a subway interchange.

2–3 weeks out

1. 1
   Complete any required K-ETA or visa application early; screenshot approvals offline.
2. 2
   If you are on the temporary K-ETA exemption list, plan the e-Arrival card instead (see Electronic arrival).
3. 3
   Get an eSIM QR (download offline) or know where to buy a SIM / Wi-Fi egg at ICN.
4. 4
   Enable overseas card use / notify your bank; carry a small cash backup.
5. 5
   Install Naver Map, Papago or Google Translate (offline Korean), and KakaoTalk if hosts use it.

Arrival day

• Follow signs for Immigration → Baggage → Customs. Have hotel address ready.
• AREX, limousine bus, or taxi to the city — see Airport to city.
• Top up T-money or pick up a tourist transit card once you can pause downtown.

Common first-timer traps

• Assuming every café takes foreign cards — carry a little cash.
• Booking lodging far from a subway line for a short stay.
• Leaving SIM / eSIM setup until after baggage claim (queues can be long).
• Filling entry forms only in the jet bridge rush.

Tip

Tip: skim related community threads if your dates hit Korean holidays, big concerts, or festival weekends.