This is a simple list of the apps I relied on most heavily as an expat in Korea. Our family lived in Seoul from 2017-2020 and truly loved it.

Technology made all the difference for our quality of life in Seoul. The incredibly useful apps listed below helped me navigate public transit with two kids in tow, communicate with locals with only MINIMAL confusion ;), and have delicious gimbap delivered straight to my doorstep. Magic.

My husband and I can both read Hangul (the Korean alphabet system)…but only have survival Korean language skills. Because of that, most of the apps you’ll find listed below are either fully in English, or are user-friendly for those who aren’t fluent in Korean. With that said, there are some EVEN BETTER APPS out there for fluent Korean speakers. But…if you speak fluent Korean then I’m sure you’re already searching Naver with your Hangul keyboard and you don’t need me. 🙂

I am not sponsored or affiliated with any of these apps; just trying to disseminate helpful information!

Getting Around

1. KakaoMap

Touted as “Korea No.1 Map”, this navigation tool is certainly very popular amongst local Koreans and expats alike. I used it most often for driving directions. KakaoMap never steered me wrong- truly. I can’t claim that for some of the other navigation apps! You can now type and search in English, but navigation audio & step-by-step directions are still only available in the Korean language. I found it simple enough to follow the arrows and guesstimate based on the kilometer count where to turn.

One of my favorite features is that it pairs well with KakaoTalk (more on that later) and makes it very simple to share your location or meeting point with friends.

Learn more about the app here.

2. Citymapper

Citymapper is available in lots of cities around the globe. I don’t recommend it for driving directions or subway routes in Seoul. However, bus navigation is where this app shines for expats in Korea. I found it incredibly accurate in determining where and when each bus would be arriving, adjusting decently well for traffic (most of the time). Functioning completely in English, this app will be your key to getting around ABOVE ground.

Get more info & download the app here.

3. Subway Korea

If you’re getting around on public transportation in Seoul, you will quickly become BFFs with the subway transit system. We spent our first two years in Seoul exclusively using public transportation and the subway system is fantastic. I have only good things to say about it, even after lugging two children, the stroller, diapers, snacks, etc. all around the city. It’s the cleanest AND cheapest metro I’ve ever been on– only about 1200-1500 won ($1-$1.50) to get from one end of the city to the opposite end, including transfers.

This app is great because it functions fine offline- you can see the subway map regardless of your wifi/data, which is all you really need to choose which line to get on next & check how soon your stop is.

Bonus: This app also covers the Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju subway systems. We used public transit when we visited Busan and I loved having an app to use that I was already familiar with all set-up and ready to go.

Download the app & learn more here.

Other Alternatives:

Waze has the benefit of working on the U.S. Military bases (others don’t at all); but it was very iffy for me everywhere else, so I don’t recommend it.

Naver is very popular in Korea and has recently become available in English, too! Worth checking out. I usually used KakaoMaps for how it pairs with KakaoTalk, but found Naver to be accurate.

Communication Station

4. Google Translate

This app is obvious but ohhhh so useful. I can’t talk about survival apps in Korea and not talk about Google Translate. The “take-a-photo, then translate the selected Korean text” feature and the ability to scan-over a sign or flyer and see immediate translation are HUGE. I also used the standard “type in your message, then magically translate it to Korean” function all the time in stores and while talking to maintenance workers, grocery clerks, and the apartment doormen.

Although many people speak English in Korea (younger generations especially), it’s unrealistic (and a little selfish) to expect to rely on that. I found that making the effort (having my message all typed out and translated on google translate) went a long way in clearing up any miscommunications and forging bonds in the community.

5. KakaoTalk

Kakao is everywhere in Korea. There are Kakao themed cafes, multi-story shops filled with merchandise, plush pillows featuring the emoji characters, and soooo much more.

You can’t go anywhere in Seoul without hearing the “appo!” sound notification- meaning someone nearby just got a Kakao message on the KakaoTalk app. Expats and locals alike form group chats, club message boards, work threads, individual messages, and more.

Your KakaoTalk login/profile often functions through your Korean phone number so make sure you also connect it to an email account so you don’t lose all of your messages & contacts if switching around your phone situation. I learned this the hard way.

6. Hangouts & 7. FaceTime

I lump these together because I used them for essentially the same purpose: To stay in contact with my friends and family NOT living in Korea! Hangouts app (the Google message & voice system) was the most successful “text messaging” & standard phone call system we found during our time abroad– when communicating with people in the U.S.A.

FaceTime is obviously great, too, if you & your loved ones both have iPhones. I could not have survived without these blessed tools.

Improving Quality of Life

8. AirVisual Air Quality Forecast

Unfortunately, air pollution is a significant problem in South Korea. There is debate about the origins, but all can agree that the low air quality can affect daily life in Korea. Spring typically has the highest numbers (worst air quality) and fall the lowest (best air quality), but really you can have a smoggy day in any season.

Often you can look outside (especially from tall apartment buildings) and just see how polluted the air is. We didn’t realize there was a mountain range out in the distance you could see out our window until an exceptionally clear day. This is one of the more depressing facets of Seoul expat living, but something important to think about.

The most convenient way to know whether or not to mask-up before going outdoors was by quickly checking the app Air Visual.

The app has a little icon that will change colors based on the current air quality: green is excellent, yellow is iffy for sensitive populations, orange isn’t good for anyone, and red and purple mean YIKES stay inside. Keep a close eye on it because the air pollution levels vary significantly from morning to afternoon to evening!

Young children, pregnant women, and the elderly are all more susceptible to the negative effects of air pollution.

9. Coupang Eats

Food delivered straight to your door. These services are available in most cities and suburbs by now, but it doesn’t make it any less magical when you don’t have to make dinner from scratch, nor even step out of your house to pick-up the food that you didn’t make.

This app is designed well and is easy to navigate. We had no problems with delivery couriers; if anything, they were often faster than the expected delivery times. There’s a huge variety of food options on Coupang Eats: Fried Chicken, Korean soups, Gimbap, McDonalds, soup & salad shops, Krispy Kreme, pizza, you name it. Download here.

The Yogiyo food delivery app is also popular, but our Korean skills just weren’t at the level needed to find success there.

And….there you have it! My 9 most-used apps during my time as an expat in Seoul, South Korea.

I hope this is helpful & informative for any Seoul expat starting (or continuing on in) their journey abroad!

Do you agree with this list? What apps would you add??

Are you team Naver or KakaoMap??

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

& Check Out the Many Other Posts on Expat Life in Korea:

7 GLOBAL STORES YOU’LL RECOGNIZE IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

HERE ARE 6 REASONS WE BOUGHT A CAR AS EXPATS IN SEOUL

HERE ARE 4 FANTASTIC WEEKEND GETAWAYS NEAR SEOUL (FAMILY FRIENDLY!)

SEOUL EXPAT SERIES: HOW TO SHOP FOR GROCERIES IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

Jeju With Young Kids: A Guide to Korea’s Favorite Island

Cover Image by Daebong Lim via Pixabay