Survival Guide for Traveling in Korea

Taking a trip to a foreign country is exciting and challenging at the same time. We would like to give you some ideas or tips about Korea so that you feel less nervous. Above all, most Koreans are nice and speak at least some English. If you ask for help, they will speak to you in English. Koreans don’t expect foreigners to speak Korean, but if you try to use some Korean they will really appreciate your effort. So, it is a good idea to learn some very basic phrases before going to Korea.
▶ Hello = An-Nyung-Ha-Se-Yo
▶ Thank you = Gam-Sa-Ham-Ni-Da

Of course, eating is one of the first things you need to deal with. Many restaurants in Korea are open until late at night. Especially if you stay in big cities, you can find many restaurants open after midnight. Some Kimbop restaurants are open 24/7. They serve Kimbap and other kinds of Korean food. Many Chinese restaurants are open and deliver 24/7. We used to get Japchae (noodles with stir-fried veggies) and Tang-Soo-Yook (sweet and sour pork) delivered from a Chinese restaurant after 11 p.m. The delivery usually takes less than 20 minutes. No delivery charge or tip is expected.

Food will be delivered in actual dishes, not in disposable ones. The delivery person will come back within a few hours to take the dishes back. If you don’t finish your meal, it is okay to ask them to come back later. You don’t need to wash the dishes. Just put them outside your door. Of course, it will be nice of you to wash the dishes for them. Using actual dishes for delivery is to protect the environment. To throw away garbage, Koreans need to buy certain garbage bags from a store. It is a way to reduce the amount of garbage by making people pay for what they waste and encouraging them to recycle more.

A problem you may encounter is finding a public restroom. There aren’t many public restrooms in Korea. Of course, all restaurants and subway stations have restrooms. Also, if you are in emergency, find a bank or a hospital because they have their restrooms open. Some restrooms don’t have toilet paper. So it’s safe to carry a packet of tissue. Some restrooms have toilet paper, but not in the individual stalls.

Most bathrooms in Korea have drains on the floor of the bathroom – whether at home or in hotels. So it is no problem using water outside the bathtub. You don’t need to look for a shower curtain. Feel free to use the entire bathroom as if it is your shower.

For lodging, some hotels provide free shampoo and rinse, but some don’t. If they don’t, they usually have them in your room for purchase. To save money, carry a portable set of your own. J.J. often feels hot in Korean hotels. If you do, then ask for a fan. Most likely they’ll bring it to your room right away with no charge.