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Don’t Go to Korea Without Knowing These 15 Tips! (2026) 🇰🇷

Lost Then Found 로스트 덴 파운드

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Planning a trip to South Korea in 2026? 🇰🇷

In this video, I share 15 essential Korea travel tips based on my 12+ years living in Korea covering everything from when to visit, SIM cards, transportation, money, apps, and local etiquette so you can travel smoothly and avoid common mistakes.

Whether you're visiting Seoul, Busan, or other cities in Korea, I hope this video helps out a bit, and please feel free to ask any questions in the description!

✈️ WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Best time to visit Korea (spring vs fall)
How to book cheap flights & hotels
SIM cards vs eSIMs in Korea
Cash, cards, and ATMs explained
T-Money card vs WOWPASS
Getting from Incheon Airport to Seoul
Public transportation tips (subway, bus, taxi)
Essential apps (Naver Maps, Kakao T, etc.)
Where to stay in Seoul (Hongdae, Myeongdong, Jongno)
Korean etiquette & cultural tips

📱🌐 LINKS TO WEBSITES/APPS IN VIDEO
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R...

🎥 VIDEOS MENTIONED IN VIDEO
Best Time to Visit South Korea 🇰🇷 Where to Go in Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer
Best Time to Visit South Korea 🇰🇷 Where t...
Where to Stay in Seoul 🇰🇷 In-Depth Virtual Tour of 9 Areas Great for Travelers!
Where to Stay in Seoul 🇰🇷 In-Depth Virtual...
Seoul Subway Ultimate Guide 🇰🇷 Best Apps, Where to Buy T Money Card, Elevator Access
Seoul Subway Ultimate Guide 🇰🇷 Best Apps, ...
The Ultimate Guide to Korea’s High-Speed Trains (KTX & SRT)
The Ultimate Guide to Korea’s High-Speed T...
Eating Alone in Korea 🇰🇷 Personal BBQ in Hongdae, Korean "Solo Drinking" Pubs, and More!
Eating Alone in Korea 🇰🇷 Personal BBQ in H...
Seoul Korea Ultimate Travel Guide: 7-Day Itinerary of What to See and Eat 🇰🇷
Seoul Korea Ultimate Travel Guide: 7-Day I...
Busan Korea Ultimate Travel Guide: 4-Day Itinerary of What to See and Eat 🇰🇷
Busan Korea Ultimate Travel Guide: 4-Day I...
Top 5 Day Trips from Seoul You Can’t Miss! (Nami Island, DMZ, Hwaseong Fortress & More)
Top 5 Day Trips from Seoul You Can’t Miss!...
Top 30 Korean Travel Phrases- MUST KNOW! by Grace’s Sooda
Top 30 Korean Travel Phrases- MUST KNOW!

💬 ABOUT THIS VIDEO
This video is not sponsored by any organizations or products. It was made from passion out of my own pocket with my honest recommendations and opinions.

📼 CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:42 #1: When to Come?
1:09 #2: Booking Flights
1:29 #3: Booking Hotels/Accommodation
2:22 #4: SIM Cards
3:37 #5: Getting Cash and Paying for Things
5:23 #6: Transportation Card
7:14 #7: Getting from Incheon Airport to Seoul
10:38 #8: How to Ride Public Transportation
12:44 #9: How to Ride Taxis
14:37 #10: Essential Apps
17:20 #11: Taking Tours
18:00 #12: Finding Restaurants and Cafes
19:55 #13: Discover Seoul or Visit Busan Passes
20:38 #14: Wheelchairs, Mobility Aids, and More
22:00 #15: Luggage Storage
22:42 #16: Language + Manners
24:19 Outro

Donations:
🅿️ Paypal: paypal.me/lostthenfound

20 Comments

@도장남 6 months ago Pinned

Great vid, just adding to wow pass. You need to bring your passport inorder to get a card. Also they offer esims. And the max amount the card can hold is 1 million ₩. I have been using it for 2 years and am quite happy everytime i am there :)

@KoreaBlueprint 6 months ago

Matt, this is hands down the most comprehensive guide I’ve seen! As a local, I’m seriously impressed by your 12 years of expertise. Your detailed breakdown of the 2026 travel cards and the clear comparison between taxi apps (Kakao T vs. Uber) are going to be life-savers for travelers. I also loved how you included those subtle cultural nuances, like using two hands and the indoor shoe etiquette—it shows how much you truly respect and understand Korea. 😭 You can really feel your love for this country in every tip. Thank you for putting so much heart into this!

@jkang7265 6 months ago

It's such a luxury to have travel prep content like this so easily accessible on youtube. Family members travel to Korea all the time and still gleaned plenty of current, clear info from this!

Funny anecdote-- my 70+ mom visits Korea every few years. She's been finding herself using English-language services/touchscreen displays more and more lately-- since she "can't understand the way young Koreans talk" haha. Exaggerating slightly (I think? lol), but I love that a native Korean speaker like her constantly switches between EN and KR. And can, these days!

@donnahollman4259 6 months ago

Wow! Such a clear and concise video for visitors to Korea! It’s a must have - plus the links - to travellers!
Thank you Matt!

@mach1neg 6 months ago

2 weeks till i arrive, cannot wait, thanks for the tips!
been watching for years, so glad to finally be coming

@DangerDaveLok 6 months ago (edited)

When leaving South Korea, use the Seoul Station departure airlines check-in counters. You need to purchase and show your airport express train ticket to Incheon airport to use these airline counters for check in and baggage to be send to the airport. That way you do not need to queue at the airport counter. There’s also an app to use for fast entry and clearance at Incheon customs. Take note, do check if your airline has a counter at Seoul Station as not all airlines are available. Majority of the Korean airlines are available.

@jinngeechia9715 5 months ago

As for the priority seats on the subway and buses, be alert and use you common sense. You can sit on them but upon seeing a person who needs it, just give up your seat to them. Just don't fall asleep or stare down on your phone. Be aware of your environment and the other passengers that board.

@markl3282 3 months ago

Another YT vid showed me the sounds of the south Korean characters in 10 minutes. Totally worth the 10 minutes learning them and will make it so much more fun trying to reward Korean in the country. I've also heard that often english words can be used

@trangthu83 1 month ago

Best Korea travel guided video! Thank you for creating such high quality honest video with all the helpful tips ❤!

@Xia-hu 5 months ago

this will be my 3rd trip to Korea in may and I still could learn new things from your video. Kamsahamnida :)

@olaserhan1645 3 months ago

Thank you! Preparing a 7 week trip in Korea, this helped a lot!

@markstelzl1245 6 months ago

Great to see you back. We are heading to Korea in just over a week. Got a lot of great info from your videos. Thanks 👍🏼

@misscaroline542 6 months ago

Another amazing guide! Thank you, Matt! 😊

@ndychung007 6 months ago

Saved it to my Korea trip playlist. Thanks.

@DavidMorris-y8y 6 months ago (edited)

19:35 is the studio where I got a caricature on my last trip (there are various similar places throughout Ikseon-dong).
I love Korea in winter (my second last trip was Jan 2023). Living in Sydney, Australia, cold and snow are special experiences. That said, I wouldn't go in winter every time.
Also (possibly less important now with translator apps), a basic knowledge of hangeul (Korean alphabet) is useful.

@OnyxMoonSign 2 months ago

We're definitely going to Korea for the FOOD! 😂🎉

Having said that, I don't want to go to the "tourist" restaurants. I wanna go where the local residents go to eat. They know where the best places are- and where NOT to go- just like you do in your own hometown or neighborhood. And you'll be supporting small businesses which is always a WIN.
❤

@hmmjedi 3 months ago

Thank you for the video as I am short notice to visit as in I leave in 5 days... thankfully flights are all sorted and now I know what to do on the other side as I am flying in from Europe.