Korea, the practical basics: fifteen things worth knowing first

These are the rules of the place rather than the sights, and the parts that stay true next year. Some of it is the opening chapters of our guidebook, opened up; the rest is written from the official sources we could read at the origin — the law, the city, the agency — with the places we could not verify left out rather than guessed at.

Everything on this shelf

• Your first three hours in Korea, in the order they happen Follow your arrival in Korea from immigration to the airport exit. Prepare your documents, internet access and money, and avoid common first-day mistakes.
• Incheon Airport to Seoul: three ways, and how to choose Compare train, bus and taxi options from Incheon Airport to Seoul. Understand tickets, transfers and what to check before choosing your route.
• The transit card, and the second tap everyone forgets Learn how T-money, transfers and tapping out work on Korean public transport. Prepare for subway and bus journeys before your first ride.
• Booking KTX: what to do a month out, and what to do fifteen minutes out Prepare to book KTX trains with Korail. Learn about choosing seats, checking booking times and planning intercity travel around your Korea itinerary.
• Hangul in an hour: the letters, and how they stack Start reading Hangul with consonants, vowels and syllable blocks. Learn the basics that help you recognize Korean names, station signs and menus.
• Reading a Korean sign, a Korean menu and a Korean door Recognize useful Korean words on station signs, doors and menus. Get practical reading notes for finding your way and ordering during your trip.
• One phrase, one small bow, and what to call people Know when to say annyeonghaseyo, how bowing works and how Korean names are used. Practical greeting notes for everyday encounters in Korea.
• Calling the staff, paying at the counter, and not tipping Learn how to call staff, order food and pay in Korean restaurants. Practical notes on shared dishes, table customs and tipping before your first meal.
• The manners that actually matter, and the ones nobody minds Learn everyday Korean etiquette around shoes, age, priority seats and photography. Understand the situations you are likely to meet while traveling.
• Food allergies in Korea: who has to label, and who does not Understand Korean allergen labels and their limits. Read ingredient and restaurant communication notes before choosing where to eat in Korea.
• Korean public holidays: the rule, not the dates Understand Korean public holidays, including Seollal and Chuseok. See how holiday periods can affect opening hours, train bookings and your travel plans.
• Fine dust in Korea: four words, and what they mean Understand Korea’s four fine-dust forecast grades and where to check official air-quality information when planning time outdoors.
• The tourist tax refund: three things you have to do Understand the tourist tax-refund process in Korea, from your passport and shopping documents to customs checks. Find the official sources in the guide.
• Three numbers to keep, and what each one actually answers with Find the Korean numbers for police, fire and ambulance services, plus tourist assistance. Learn which service to contact and what information to prepare.
• Drinking in Korea: the age is a year, and the street is not a ban Read Korea’s drinking-age rules and limits on drinking in public places. Check the official sources and understand what to look for before going out.

Looking for a place instead of a rule?

The region pages answer the other half of the question — what is there, how you reach it from Seoul, and how many days it wants.

Korea, region by region