Cards work almost everywhere
Credit and debit cards are accepted at the vast majority of restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, and even a growing share of street food stalls and small market vendors. Contactless payment is widespread. International visitors rarely need to plan a trip around carrying large amounts of cash anymore.
Where you still want cash
- The smallest, most traditional market stalls, especially outside central tourist-heavy markets like Gwangjang.
- Some smaller guesthouses and rural day-trip vendors.
- As a backup if a card gets declined for an international-transaction reason at a smaller merchant.
Getting Korean won
ATMs at the airport and inside convenience stores (particularly those marked as accepting foreign cards) are the most reliable way to withdraw cash at a reasonable rate. Airport currency exchange counters are convenient but typically offer worse rates than either an ATM withdrawal or a city-center exchange counter — Myeongdong specifically has a cluster of competitive private exchange booths if you'd rather exchange cash directly.
T-money and transit payments
Your T-money transit card (see our getting around guide) is loaded separately with cash or card at convenience stores and station machines — it's not the same as your bank card, though some newer contactless bank cards can work directly on transit gates in limited cases.