When I left Singapore after several years of living there, one of my last errands before heading to the airport was refunding my EZ-Link card. The process was straightforward enough—I got most of the balance back through the app, though the card itself cost a few dollars that were non-refundable. As I was doing it,…
If there is one subway line in Seoul that perfectly captures the city’s obsession with speed, it is Seoul Subway Line 9—the Gold Line. Let me be upfront about something: I almost never take the Express during rush hour myself. Standing packed into a crowded train is sweaty work—even in the middle of winter. My…
When looking for the best tourist card in Korea as an international traveler, it can be incredibly overwhelming to choose between all the options. When I traveled overseas as a Korean, I almost always used prepaid travel cards like Toss Card or Travel Wallet. They made things incredibly simple. I could pay in local currency…
If you need to store your luggage in Seoul on your final travel day, deciding where to leave your heavy bags can make or break your trip. Whenever I travel abroad, I always leave my suitcases at the hotel front desk after checking out—most standard hotels in Seoul will happily do this for you for…
If you are planning to travel to multiple cities in South Korea by high-speed train, you have probably come across the KORAIL Pass (also called the KR Pass)—an unlimited train voucher designed exclusively for foreign tourists. Many travelers assume it automatically saves money. But does it really? Honestly, I have never bought the KORAIL Pass…
If you use Kakao T or try taking taxis in Seoul, there is a good chance you will experience this at least once: a driver accepts your ride request, starts heading toward you, and then suddenly cancels. The first time this happened to me repeatedly, I was alone on a cold winter night near Gangnam…
