Essential Korea travel apps every tourist needs (2026 edition)

Install these before you arrive: Navigation: - Naver Map (MUST HAVE — best for transit + walking + real-time bus tracking) - KakaoMap (backup, good for driving) Transport: - Kakao T (taxi booking, works with international cards) - Korail Talk (KTX train booking) Food & Delivery: - Yogiyo (food delivery, partial English) - Coupang Eats (widest selection, needs Korean number) Communication: - KakaoTalk (Korea's #1 messenger, everyone uses it) - Papago (Naver's translator — MUCH better than Google Translate for Korean) Money & Cards: - Wowpass app (check balance, find kiosk machines) - NAMANE app (customize your transit card design) Shopping: - Coupang (Korea's Amazon — next day delivery) New for 2026: - Pops app (find Seongsu-dong pop-up stores — updated weekly) - Visit Korea (official tourism app with AI recommendations) Pro tip: Papago's camera translation feature is a lifesaver for menus. Just point your phone at Korean text.