FOHO Blog – Global Housing & Living Guide for Foreigners

Essential Apps for Foreigners in Korea (2025 Guide)

Moving to Korea? Our guide to essential apps helps foreigners navigate life before and after getting an ARC. Find tools for banking, food, and transit.

Evan Han

CEO & Founder of FOHO, a housing platform for foreigners in Korea. Experienced in rental market trends, proptech innovation, and foreign tenant support.

Oct 18, 2025

TIP

Table of contents

01The Ultimate App Guide for Foreigners in Korea: Your Phased Toolkit for 2025
•Phase 1: The Survival Kit (Pre-ARC / Short-Term Visitors)
•Phase 2: The Integration Suite (Post-ARC / Long-Term Residents)

The Ultimate App Guide for Foreigners in Korea: Your Phased Toolkit for 2025

Moving to South Korea is an adventure. But navigating daily life here depends on a digital toolkit you've likely never heard of. Forget the apps you use back home; Korea operates on its own digital ecosystem, and gaining access is a process.

Many guides offer a simple list of "must-have" apps. This one is different. We'll give you a practical, two-phase strategy based on a crucial concept for every foreigner: the "Digital ARC Wall."

The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is your official ID in Korea. Before you have it, your access to essential services is limited. After you get it, a new world of convenience unlocks. This guide is structured around that reality, giving you the right tools for the right time.

Phase 1 is your Survival Kit. These are the apps you need from day one, accessible without a Korean ID or local phone number.

Phase 2 is your Integration Suite. These are the powerful, mainstream apps you can "graduate" to once you have your ARC and are officially a resident.

Phase 1: The Survival Kit (Pre-ARC / Short-Term Visitors)

This toolkit is for your first days, weeks, or months in Korea. It prioritizes services that work with foreign phone numbers and international credit cards.

1. Translation: Papago

For any non-Korean speaker, a translation app is a daily necessity. Naver's Papago is the undisputed leader in Korea, offering more accurate and natural translations than its global competitors. Its engine is optimized for the nuances of the Korean language.

Why it's essential:

Image Translation: This is its killer feature. Point your camera at a restaurant menu, a sign, or a product label for an instant on-screen translation. This makes dining out and grocery shopping possible.

Conversation Mode: Facilitates basic spoken conversations with taxi drivers or shopkeepers.

Honorifics Setting: The app has a toggle for formal language. Always keep this on when messaging strangers (like sellers on second-hand markets) to avoid being unintentionally rude.

2. Navigation: The Naver Maps & Kakao Maps Combo

Due to government restrictions, Google Maps has very limited functionality in Korea. You must use a local app. The two best options, Naver Maps and Kakao Maps, are good at different things. The best strategy is to use both.

Use Kakao Maps for Discovery:

Strengths: Kakao Maps has a better user review system, with clear star ratings and more user photos. It's the best tool for answering the question, "Where should I go?"

Weakness: Its public transit directions often remain in Korean, even if the app is set to English.

Use Naver Maps for Transit:

Strengths: Naver Maps provides excellent, real-time public transit information in English. It tells you bus arrival times and even which subway car to board for the fastest transfer. It is the best tool for answering, "How do I get there?"

Weakness: Its review system is less useful, often featuring long blog posts instead of simple ratings.

Your Workflow:

Find a great restaurant or cafe using the reviews in Kakao Maps.

Copy the address.

Paste the address into Naver Maps to get the best English-language walking and transit directions.

3. Food Delivery: Shuttle

While Korea's food delivery market is world-class, the biggest apps are difficult for new arrivals to use. Shuttle is the exception.

Why it's essential: Shuttle was built specifically for foreigners. It has a full English interface, accepts foreign credit cards, and does not require a Korean phone number to sign up. Its delivery area is more limited than the major apps but covers most foreigner-heavy areas in major cities.

4. Taxis: TABA or k.ride

The dominant taxi app, Kakao T, is nearly impossible to set up without a Korean phone number. This created a need for tourist-friendly alternatives.

TABA: Officially partnered with the Seoul government, TABA was launched specifically for international travelers. You can register with a foreign phone number and pay with a global credit card. (Source: tabataxi.app)

k.ride: This app is made by Kakao, the company behind the main Kakao T app. It is their separate product designed to serve the tourist market they were previously missing.

For a visitor, both TABA and k.ride are far better choices than trying to make Kakao T work.

5. Online Shopping: Gmarket Global

Coupang is the "Amazon of Korea," but it sits behind the Digital ARC Wall. For new arrivals, Gmarket Global is the solution.

Why it's essential: It is a version of the popular Gmarket site designed for international users. It features a full English app, accepts foreign credit cards and PayPal, and ships internationally. (Source: Gmarket Global App)

6. Train Travel: The Korail Website

For traveling between cities, Korea's KTX high-speed rail is fantastic. However, the official KorailTalk app is known for failing to process foreign-issued credit cards.

Your Best Bet: Book your tickets directly on the English-language Korail website (letskorail.com). The process is more reliable than the app for those without a Korean bank card.

Phase 2: The Integration Suite (Post-ARC / Long-Term Residents)

Once you have your Alien Registration Card (ARC), a Korean phone number, and a local bank account, you can cross the Digital ARC Wall. This toolkit unlocks the most powerful and convenient local services.

1. E-commerce & Food Delivery: Coupang & Coupang Eats

With an ARC, you can finally create a Coupang account. This is a game-changer for daily life.

Why it's essential: Coupang's signature "Rocket Delivery" service offers next-day, and often same-day, delivery on millions of items, from groceries to electronics. Coupang Eats offers similarly fast food delivery and has a great English interface.

2. Second-Hand Marketplace: Karrot (Daangn)

Karrot (당근마켓), also called Daangn, is Korea's hyperlocal app for buying and selling used items. It's an indispensable tool for furnishing an apartment affordably.

How it Works: The app connects you with sellers in your immediate neighborhood (usually within a 6km radius). Transactions are often done in person.

"Manner Temperature" (매너온도): This is your user rating. It starts at 36.5°C and goes up or down based on reviews from others. A high temperature signals you are a trustworthy person to transact with.

Pro Tip: All communication is in Korean. Use Papago and make sure the "honorifics" setting is on. Start your message by saying you are a foreigner using a translator to manage expectations.

3. Banking: Toss or Your Bank's Global App

A Korean bank account is key to your financial life.

Toss (토스): This fintech super-app is highly recommended. Toss Bank was the first digital bank in Korea to allow foreigners to open an account entirely online using their ARC, skipping a trip to a physical branch. (Source: The Korea Herald) It also has a clean, modern English interface.

Traditional Banks: Major banks like Shinhan, Woori, and IBK offer "Global" versions of their apps. They provide essential services in English but are often considered less polished than their main Korean-language apps.

4. Taxis: Kakao T

With a verified Korean phone number and a local payment method, you can now use Kakao T.

Why it's the standard: It has the largest network of drivers in the country, meaning shorter wait times and better availability, especially outside of central Seoul. It is generally the most reliable and cost-effective option for residents.

5. Immigration Services: HiKorea (Website)

This is a critical resource, but it is a website, not a mobile app. The official HiKorea portal is run by the Ministry of Justice and is where you will manage your visa status.

Core Functions:

Book Appointments: You must book an appointment on HiKorea before visiting an immigration office.
Extend Your Visa: Many visa extensions can be completed fully online.
Track Applications: Check the status of your visa or ARC application.

Bookmark hikorea.go.kr in your browser. Navigating the site can be tricky, so be patient.

Glossary of Useful Terms

Korean Term	Romanization	English Meaning / Context
외국인등록증	Oegugin Deungnokjeung	Alien Registration Card (ARC). Your official ID as a resident.
배달의민족	Baedal Minjok	"Nation of Delivery." Korea's largest food delivery app, often called Baemin.
당근마켓	Danggeun Maket	"Carrot Market." The most popular second-hand marketplace app (Karrot).
직거래	Jikgeorae	Face-to-face transaction. Common on Karrot.
매너온도	Maeneo Ondo	"Manner Temperature." The user reputation score on Karrot.
카카오 T	Kakao T	The dominant ride-hailing app in Korea.
전세 / 월세	Jeonse / Wolse	Two main housing rental systems. Jeonse is a large lump-sum deposit; Wolse is monthly rent with a smaller deposit.

By understanding the two phases of digital life in Korea, you can equip yourself with the right tools from the moment you arrive, making your transition smoother and more successful. Welcome to Korea!

Smarter Renting for Your Life in Korea

You've mastered the essential apps for daily life. Now, it's time to find your perfect home. But the Korean rental market can be complex, with language barriers, high deposits, and unclear processes creating stress for newcomers.

FOHO offers a simpler way. We provide access to verified, affordable listings with lower service fees. Our dedicated support ensures you have smooth communication with landlords every step of the way, helping you secure your new home with confidence and ease.

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