Everything to do before you land.
In the order you'll actually do them. Three weeks out, two weeks out, day-of, first day. Skip nothing — the order matters.
Visa quick lookup
Guidance for common passports. Always verify with HiKorea before flying.
| Country | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. Apply 72h+ before flying. |
| 🇨🇦Canada | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. Apply 72h+ before flying. |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. Apply 72h+ before flying. |
| 🇦🇺Australia | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. Apply 72h+ before flying. |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | Visa required | Visa required for most travel purposes. Apply at the Korean Embassy in Mexico City; allow 2+ weeks. |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | Visa required | Visa required. Apply at the Korean Embassy in Brasília or consulate in São Paulo. |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Visa required | Visa required. Apply at the Korean Embassy in Buenos Aires. |
| 🇯🇵Japan | Visa-free | Visa-free up to 90 days. K-ETA currently waived (verify before flying). |
| 🇸🇬Singapore | Visa-free | Visa-free up to 90 days. K-ETA currently waived (verify before flying). |
| 🇵🇭Philippines | Visa required | Visa required. Apply at the Korean Embassy in Manila or consulate in Cebu. |
| 🇮🇩Indonesia | Visa required | Visa required for most travel purposes. Apply at the Korean Embassy in Jakarta. |
| 🇻🇳Vietnam | Visa required | Visa required. Apply at the Korean Embassy in Hanoi or consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. |
| 🇹🇭Thailand | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
| 🇮🇳India | Visa required | Visa required. Apply at the Korean Embassy in New Delhi. |
| 🇩🇪Germany | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
| 🇫🇷France | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
| 🇪🇸Spain | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
| 🇮🇹Italy | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
| 🇳🇱Netherlands | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
| 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates | K-ETA | K-ETA required for visa-free entry. |
Documents & visa
3+ weeks before- 1
Passport valid 6+ months from arrival
Korea requires at least 6 months of remaining passport validity from your arrival date. Renew now if you're close.
- 2
Check your visa or K-ETA requirement
Most visa-waiver passports need K-ETA before flying. Some passports (PH, ID, VN, IN) require a full visa at a Korean embassy. Status changes year to year — verify on the official site.
HiKorea — official entry portal ↗ - 3
Travel & medical insurance
Korean hospitals are excellent but expensive without coverage. Pick a policy that covers concert injury and lost electronics.
Phone & internet
2 weeks before- 1
Order an eSIM (cheaper than airport SIM)
Activate the day you land. Holafly is unlimited but pricier; Airalo is metered but ~50% cheaper for short trips.
Compare eSIMs (Airalo / Holafly) → - 2
Install KakaoTalk and verify your number
Korea runs on KakaoTalk for restaurant reservations, hotel concierge messaging, fan-cup café event entry, and your in-Seoul friends. Install before you land so verification works on your home number.
How to set up KakaoTalk → - 3
Install Naver Map (English UI)
Google Maps does not have walking/transit directions inside Korea. Naver Map is the standard — its English UI is good now.
Naver Map walkthrough → - 4
Install Papago (Korean translator)
Naver's Papago handles photo-translation of menus and signs better than Google Translate for Korean specifically.
Translate menus with Papago →
Money & payments
1 week before- 1
Confirm your cards work in Korea
Visa, Mastercard, and Amex are widely accepted. Discover is NOT — leave it home. Tell your bank you're traveling.
Cards, cash & budget guide → - 2
Open a Wise or Revolut account for FX
Saves 2–4% on currency conversion. Order the physical card if you can — useful for ATM withdrawal in Korea.
- 3
Plan to buy a T-money card on arrival
T-money is the public-transit card. Available at any convenience store (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven) in the airport arrivals hall. Cash-loaded.
How T-money works → - 4
Carry ~₩100,000 cash backup
Most places take cards, but small cafés, traditional markets, and some taxis prefer cash. Pull KRW from an airport ATM with your foreign card.
Concerts & fan-club access
Trip-dependent- 1
Verify your Weverse / fan-club status
Most BTS-related ticketing prioritizes paid fan-club members. Weverse fan-club is the current gate; verify your membership window covers your trip dates.
- 2
Create Interpark / Yes24 accounts (Korean)
Major ticketing platforms in Korea require Korean phone number verification. You can sometimes bypass with a Korean-resident friend or a registered SIM.
- 3
DO NOT buy from unofficial resellers on Twitter
Korean ticketing tracks ID strictly; resold tickets often fail at venue entry. If a deal looks too good, it's a scam.
At the airport
Day of arrival- 1
Activate your eSIM before exiting customs
Airport Wi-Fi is fine but inconsistent. Get cellular live before you leave the arrivals hall.
- 2
Buy your T-money card at a convenience store
CU and GS25 in the arrivals hall sell them. Load ₩30,000 to start (covers a few days of subway).
- 3
Pick your transit: AREX train vs. limousine bus
AREX express train to Seoul Station (~43 min). Or limousine bus direct to your hotel area. Taxi only if you're going somewhere awkward by transit.
Airport to Seoul: compare options →
First day in Seoul
Settling in- 1
Test taxi with Kakao T
Hail with the app — no language barrier, fare shown upfront, foreign cards accepted. Set your hotel as a saved location.
Taxis with Kakao T → - 2
Test your card at a convenience store
Buy water and a snack. Confirm your card swipes/taps cleanly. If it doesn't, fix it now, not when you're standing at a café counter.
- 3
Walk one pilgrimage stop near your hotel
Don't stack the whole list on day one. Pick the closest pin, walk it, learn the subway pattern, eat something. The rest can wait.
Browse things to do →
We'll remind you, on time.
Drop your trip date — we'll email each step at the right moment before you fly.