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Life in Korea
Spots around Busan and Seoul you can visit when you need a break from studying, and the everyday basics — transit cards, your Alien Registration Card, apps, culture, and opening a bank account.
All 17 spotsHalf-daySea & beachesSpecial experiencesMarkets & food
Half-day trips
5 SPOTS01HALF DAY
Gamcheon Culture Village (Busan)
A hillside village of brightly painted houses and stepped alleys, with murals and small galleries throughout.
02HALF DAY
Yongdusan Park · Busan Tower (Busan)
A hilltop park in the middle of the old city, with an observation tower looking over the harbour.
03HALF DAY
Gukje Market · BIFF Square (Busan)
Busan's oldest market district, next to the film festival street — cheap food, clothes and everything else.
04HALF DAY
Gyeongbokgung Palace (Seoul)
Korea's largest royal palace, right in the middle of Seoul — don't miss the changing-of-the-guard ceremony at the main gate, held a few times a day.
05NIGHT VIEW
N Seoul Tower · Namsan (Seoul)
A hilltop tower with the best panoramic view of Seoul, reachable by cable car or a short hike — a classic sunset and night-view spot.
Sea & beaches
4 SPOTS06HALF DAY
Haeundae Beach (Busan)
The city's best-known beach, backed by the Marine City towers. It is the busiest place in Busan in summer.
07NIGHT VIEW
Gwangalli Beach (Busan)
Cafés and bars facing the water, with Gwangan Bridge lit up across the bay — the classic Busan night view.
08FULL DAY
Taejongdae (Busan)
Cliffs and a lighthouse at the southern tip of Yeongdo Island. The Danubi train runs a loop around the park.
09FULL DAY
Gyeongpo Beach (Gangneung)
A popular East Coast beach about two hours from Seoul by KTX — a common weekend trip for students based in the Seoul area.
Special experiences
4 SPOTS10TICKETED
Songdo Cloud Trail · Marine Cable Car (Busan)
A glass-floored walkway out over the sea, plus a cable car that crosses the bay above the water.
11BOOK AHEAD
Blueline Park Sky Capsule (Busan)
Small pastel capsules running on the old coastal railway between Haeundae and Songjeong. Tickets sell out on weekends.
12TICKETED
Lotte World Tower · Seoul Sky (Seoul)
Korea's tallest building, with an observation deck near the top floor looking out over the whole city.
13TICKETED
Everland (Yongin, Gyeonggi)
Korea's largest theme park, about an hour from central Seoul — rides, a zoo, and a seasonal flower festival.
Traditional markets & food
4 SPOTS14HALF DAY
Jagalchi Market (Busan)
Korea's largest fish market — choose your fish downstairs and have it prepared upstairs.
15NIGHT MARKET
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market (Busan)
A covered market that becomes a night food market after dark — one of the cheapest full meals in the city centre.
16STREET FOOD
Gwangjang Market (Seoul)
One of Seoul's oldest markets, famous for bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and rows of street-food stalls.
17HALF DAY
Namdaemun Market (Seoul)
Korea's oldest and largest traditional market, right by Seoul Station — clothes, street food and souvenirs, all in one place.
GETTING AROUND
Public transport tips
Subway lines 1–4 + Donghae line
Four metro lines plus the Donghae line along the coast reach almost every place on this page. Signs and announcements are in Korean, English and Chinese.
Get a transit card
Cashbee or a similar card gives you transfer discounts between subway and bus — cheaper than buying a single ticket for every ride.
Avoid peak season crowds
Beaches and the Sky Capsule are very crowded on summer weekends and holidays. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to go.
Hours and prices aren't listed here
They change too often by season and by day of the week for us to keep them accurate. Check the official page for each place before you go.
GETTING AROUND
Transit cards, compared
T-money
MOST WIDELY USED
A rechargeable card accepted on subways, buses, and most taxis nationwide. Sold and topped up at convenience stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven), subway ticket machines, and via the T-money app.
NationwideConvenience stores
Cashbee
BUSAN-FRIENDLY
Works the same way as T-money and is accepted just as widely, including on Busan's subway and buses. Either card works — pick whichever is easier to find near you.
Same transfer discountsRefundable deposit
REQUIRED FOR EVERYTHING ELSE
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The ARC is your Korean ID as a foreign resident. Once you have it, you can open a bank account, sign a phone plan, or sign a lease — most everyday services ask for it.
PassportPhotoCertificate of EnrollmentApplication formFee (₩30,000)
Registration deadlines and required documents are covered in Visa Guidance, and tracked in your Document Locker, Stage 4.
BEFORE YOU LAND
Apps to install first
KakaoTalk
Korea's default messaging app — almost everyone you meet here, from classmates to landlords, will ask for this instead of a phone number.
Naver Map or KakaoMap
Google Maps has very limited transit and walking directions in Korea. Use one of these instead for accurate bus and subway routes.
Toss or your bank's app
For checking balances, transferring money, and paying at stores. Most Korean banking apps now support English.
Coupang Eats or Baemin
The two main food delivery apps. Both usually have an English or foreigner-friendly mode.
Papago
Naver's translation app — more accurate than Google Translate for Korean, including a camera mode for menus and signs.
GOOD TO KNOW
Basic culture and etiquette
Take your shoes off indoors
Homes, some restaurants, and traditional guesthouses expect shoes off at the entrance. Look for a raised floor or a shoe rack.
Use two hands with elders
Give and receive money, gifts, or drinks with both hands (or your free hand supporting your forearm) when the other person is older or more senior.
Speech changes with age and status
Korean has formal and informal speech levels. Default to formal with strangers, professors, and anyone older — Koreans will tell you when it's fine to relax it.
Pour for others, not yourself
At a group meal or drinks, it's normal to fill other people's glasses and let them fill yours, rather than pouring your own.
AT THE TABLE
Restaurant manners
Side dishes are usually free
Banchan (반찬) — the small side dishes that come with most Korean meals — are typically complimentary and refillable. Just ask staff for more.
No tipping expected
Tipping isn't part of Korean dining culture and can confuse staff if you try. The listed price is the price.
Splitting the bill is normal
"Dutch pay" (더치페이) among friends is common and not considered impolite, though whoever suggested the meal sometimes covers it as a treat.
Call staff with the table buzzer or "저기요"
Most restaurants don't do table-side check-ins — press the buzzer on your table or say "저기요" (excuse me) to get a server's attention.
MONEY MATTERS
Opening a bank account
Most banks require your Alien Registration Card before opening a full account, so this usually comes after you register — a few banks offer a limited temporary account with just your passport in the meantime. Banks with dedicated foreigner service desks (Hana Bank, Woori Bank, KB Kookmin) tend to be the easiest starting point.
Get your ARC→Bring passport + ARC + phone number→Visit a branch in person→Get a debit card + mobile banking
Details here can change
Requirements, fees, and app availability shift over time and can vary by bank, city district, or immigration office. Confirm the specifics — especially anything involving your ARC or a bank account — with HiKorea, your bank, or your university's international office before you go.