Everyday Apps

Baemin배달의민족

The market leader by a wide margin. Largest restaurant catalog; many areas now have an English UI option.

To sign up → Korean phone number + email. Foreign Visa/Mastercard accepted; KakaoPay and bank transfer also work.

Coupang Eats쿠팡이츠

Bundled with your Coupang account. Fast single-restaurant deliveries; aggressive promotions for Wow members.

To sign up → Same as your Coupang account (Korean phone + email). Foreign cards accepted.

Yogiyo요기요

Long-standing #2 player. Strong in suburbs and second-tier cities.

To sign up → Korean phone required. UI is Korean-only, so use Papago if needed.

Shuttle Delivery셔틀딜리버리

English-first delivery service catering to foreigners — smaller catalog, but the friction-free option when you're new.

To sign up → Email + foreign phone number both work. International cards accepted.

Coupang쿠팡

Korea's Amazon. Rocket Delivery brings most items the next morning; Wow membership (~₩7,900/month) is excellent value.

To sign up → Korean phone number + email. Foreign Visa/Mastercard works fine. Some items require ARC for ID-verified delivery (alcohol, etc.).

Gmarket Global지마켓 글로벌

English-first marketplace operated by Gmarket. Best when you want a Korean retailer but an English checkout.

To sign up → Email only — no Korean phone needed. International cards accepted.

Market Kurly마켓컬리

Premium grocery delivery, especially fresh and imported goods. Dawn delivery before 7am.

To sign up → Korean phone number + Korean payment method (card or KakaoPay).

CGV씨지브이

Largest cinema chain. Strong IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX presence. Has the most foreigner-friendly online booking.

To sign up → Guest checkout available with no signup. English website. Foreign cards accepted.

Megabox메가박스

#2 chain, generally cheaper and quieter than CGV. Good Dolby Atmos screens.

To sign up → Account creation requires Korean phone. Guest booking works with foreign cards.

NOL Tickets놀 (구 인터파크 티켓)

Formerly Interpark Ticket — rebranded to NOL in 2024. The single most important app for K-pop concerts, musicals, and shows; often the only route to the tickets foreign fans want.

To sign up → Email account. The English ticketing portal at tickets.interpark.com still works for foreign-card checkout.

TVING티빙

Home of CJ ENM content (tvN dramas, Mnet shows). Now bundled with Paramount+ catalog.

To sign up → Korean phone + Korean payment method usually required. Some plans accept foreign cards.

Coupang Play쿠팡플레이

Free with a Coupang Wow membership. Original Korean series and sports rights (EPL, K-League).

To sign up → Bundled with Coupang account. Foreign card works if your Coupang account is set up.

Melon멜론

The dominant Korean music streaming service. Best if you're deep into K-pop and want chart accuracy.

To sign up → Korean phone + Korean card almost always required.

KakaoTalk카카오톡

The messenger every single person in Korea uses. Required for KakaoPay, KakaoT taxis, KakaoBank, and a thousand small services. Install this first.

To sign up → Phone number (Korean or foreign both work). Email backup recommended.

Naver Map네이버 지도

The best map in Korea — far more accurate than Google Maps for transit, walking, and Korean addresses.

To sign up → No account needed for most features. English UI available.

Kakao Map카카오맵

Strong alternative to Naver Map; some prefer its bus arrival times and indoor maps.

To sign up → No account needed. Tied to KakaoTalk for full features.

Papago파파고

Naver's Korean-aware translator. Significantly better than Google Translate for Korean text, menus, and signs.

To sign up → No account needed. Camera + voice translation built in.

Kakao T카카오T

Dominant ride-hailing app. Book regular taxis, premium Black, and large vans. Uber operates in Korea only through this app.

To sign up → KakaoTalk account + payment method. KakaoPay or registered card.

Toss토스

Finance super-app: free instant transfers, credit-score tracking, card consolidation, even insurance. Increasingly English-friendly.

To sign up → Korean phone + ARC. Once set up, links every Korean bank account into one dashboard.