Tag Archives: Travel

Useful Apps for Living Abroad in Korea

Keyboard

The reason I mention keyboard apps first is that you’ll find life much easier if you are able to type in Korean on your phone. You don’t need to be fluent in Korean to get by for a while in Korea, but you’ll need to at least be able to read and write the Korean alphabet to make good use of some of the other apps on this list. That means you’ll probably have to spend a little time studying Korean, but being able to read and write in Korean will make things go much more smoothly, whether you’re just taking a quick trip or living in Korea for an extended period of time. Don’t worry though, you can learn to read the Korean alphabet, called Hangeul, easily in about an hour or two. To learn Hangeul quickly, I recommend GO! Billy’s 90-minute YouTube series, and if you’re really excited about learning Korean I recommend TalkToMeInKorean‘s online lessons and textbooks.

Most smart phones these days offer options for typing in multiple languages in the settings already. However, if your phone doesn’t have the option to use multiple languages, you might consider installing a keyboard app like Gboard instead.

Translation Apps

If you don’t speak Korean, you’ll definitely want to keep some translation apps handy. I recommend being comfortable with more than one translation app if you plan on spending a significant amount of time in Korea. Sometimes one app might just be inaccurate or not be able to find the particular word or phrase you need, and sometimes you might need to translate offline. For a quick trip you might get by with one basic translation app, but to handle all the different circumstances you might find yourself in during an extended stay in Korea, it is best to have more than one app at your disposal. Here are the apps I recommend.

Naver Papago

Perhaps the most useful translation on this list is NAVER’s Papago. Papago is a fantastic app for quick translation on the fly. You can easily switch between several languages, and you have plenty of different input options. You can type in either language using the keyboard, use voice input, and even use a conversation mode similar to the one Google Translate offers. One of Papago’s best features is its camera input method. It allows you to take a picture or screenshot of the text you want to translate, pan around and zoom in on the image, and highlight the specific text you want to translate. Papago saves your translation history and allows you to star your favorites and frequently used words and phrases. Another fantastic feature about the app is its built-in phrasebook for everyday topics, travel and tourism necessities, and emergencies. Papago is a must-have in Korea, and it’s my go-to translation app for everyday use.

Google Translate

I know your Spanish teacher in high school told you that you can’t trust Google Translate because it’s just not accurate. Mine did too, and our teachers were right. Google Translate is not entirely reliable, but it has come a long way over the years. Many common phrases and individual words are perfectly accurate.

Google Translate has some handy features that make it a versatile app. It’s easy to input text in either language with various input methods and has a handwriting feature you can use even if your keyboard app doesn’t already have the option. You can also use your camera to translate text as you look at it. Google Translate also has voice input and a conversation mode that allows two speakers to converse back and forth in their own languages. Another great thing about Google Translate is that many languages are available to download for offline use, making this app indispensable when you don’t have cellular data or Wi-Fi. Google Translate also makes it easy to save frequently used words and phrases in a phrasebook.

Kakao Talk

Just like you probably rely on a favorite texting app at home, in Korea a lot of people rely on Kakao Talk. Kakao is another big name on the web in Korea. They offer many web services including Kakao Talk, navigation apps, games, and even a social platform called Kakao Story. If you have even one Korean friend or colleague you need to stay in touch with, they’ll probably ask if you have Kakao Talk, or “Katok,” as most people call it for short. Kakao Talk is a pretty straightforward messaging app, which is what you will really need it for. It offers free texting, phone calls, and video calls with all the standard features that other similar apps offer. It has deeper features and functions and connects to other Kakao apps and services as well. Kakao Talk is a convenient and versatile messaging app, and you’ll probably need to get familiar with it if you plan on staying in Korea for long.

Air Quality Apps

An unfortunate dilemma that comes with staying in Korea is the need to be wary of air quality. Korea has a bit of a pollution problem. Some of the pollution in the air comes from within Korea, and some of it blows over from China. The severity of the pollution varies with the weather and time of year. When the air quality is poor, you should wear a mask outside, even if you don’t plan on being out for long. Breathing the pollution can give you a sore throat, bother your sinuses, and make you sick.

Some weather apps like AccuWeather include an air quality index with the other weather information, but they may not be as accurate or reliable as dedicated air quality apps like AirVisual or MiseMise.

Navigation Apps

At home in the States, a lot of us are used to using popular navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze, but sadly those won’t work so well in Korea. Google Maps might be better than nothing in a pinch, but in Korea it just doesn’t cut the mustard. Here are a couple alternative navigation apps you might find useful for getting around in Korea.

KakaoMap

Kakao comes in handy once again. KakaoMap seems to be the most reliable map app in Korea. It works pretty much the same as apps like Google Maps. You can even use it in English, but you’ll find better search results for some destinations if you’re able to type their names in Korean. Just like Google Maps, you can search for the best routes by car, bus, bike, or on foot; save favorites; and choose to see the map in several different modes.

Kakao Navi

Kako Navi is a GPS app similar to Android Auto or Waze. It displays detailed information about traffic congestion and the locations of speed monitoring zones and CCTV cameras for traffic law enforcement.

MAPS.ME

MAPS.ME is particularly useful for its offline features. This app also works similarly to Google Maps, but allows you to download maps for offline use, even in places where Google Maps might not let you. It allows you to save area maps, locations, and routes for offline use, which can be a lifesaver when traveling somewhere without data or Wi-Fi.

Public Transportation Apps

In addition to their great navigation apps, Kakao also offers a suite of public transportation apps. For finding a taxi, Kakao offers Kakao T, which allows you to request a taxi to pick you up at your location. If you’re looking to take a bus, there’s KakaoBus. This app offers bus stop information for many cities in Korea and can notify you of bus arrivals and departures. Finally, if you need to take the subway, you might want to try KakaoMetro for checking subway maps and information and finding the right train and exit. Your mileage may vary with some of these apps depending on where you are in Korea, as some apps and services might not work well in small cities or rural areas.

Travel Apps

Now that we’ve covered getting around within Korea, let’s mention a few things about traveling internationally from Korea. Incheon International Airport is a big hub for international travel, and it’s surprisingly affordable to travel to a lot of other countries from Korea. If you’re staying in Korea for an extended period of time, it’s likely that you’ll want to travel for a vacation or a long weekend. If you plan on traveling during holidays, especially big Korean holidays like Chuseok, you’ll want to plan as far ahead as possible. Everybody in Korea has the same grand idea of taking a nice international vacation on their long weekends and holidays, so tickets can get expensive if you don’t plan and buy tickets well in advance.

Jeju Air

Jeju Air is a budget airline that offers affordable flights to many major international destinations. It’s a popular airline in Korea, because it’s cheap and offers some great deals, especially if you book well in advance. They also have a rewards system, so if you plan on being in Korea for a while and using Jeju frequently, it’s probably worth creating an account. Jeju flights are not always for sale on the usual big travel websites, so be sure to check Jeju directly.

T’way Air

T’way Air is another budget airline based in Korea. I haven’t used this one myself, but depending where you want to go, it’s another cheap alternative to consider when booking your trip.

Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is a travel site for booking cheap flights and hotels. They offer some good deals that you might not find on more well-known sites, and they even list Jeju and T’way flights.

Apps for Learning Korean

Whether you’re going to be staying in Korea for a while or you just really love the language and culture, you might be looking for some apps to help you learn Korean. Like I mentioned previously in this article, if you’re serious about learning Korean, I’d recommend TalkToMeInKorean.com. They offer free audio lessons, and they sell a great collection of textbooks and workbooks for serious students. No app out there can really get you to a true mastery of a language, but there are a few that can supplement your learning along the way.

AnkiDroid

Anki is a flashcard-based study app you can use to memorize just about anything. You can download flashcard sets made by others or create your own. Anki will then show you some new cards each day and use spaced repetition to review old cards. Anytime you come across a new word or phrase, add it to your deck of flashcards, and Anki will do the rest! You can read more about Anki in this post, too!

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone won’t make you fluent, but it can give you a good start. It’s available on mobile devices and in a web browser if you prefer to use it on a computer. Rosetta Stone takes the immersion approach to learning a language, attempting to simulate the way we naturally learn our native language as we are exposed to it. It’s speech engine also helps you improve pronunciation. Rosetta Stone is a good place to get started, but it will not help you fully understand things like reading, writing, and grammar, and it will not prepare you very well for natural, real world conversations all on its own. If you decide to subscribe to Rosetta Stone, I recommend you check prices on their website and in the mobile app before you pay. The pricing within the mobile app has previously been significantly lower than the pricing offered on the Rosetta Stone website, and subscribing from either the app or the website grants you full access to both platforms.

Innovative Language

Innovative Language offers courses for a lot of languages. The website for their Korean courses is KoreanClass101.com, where you can listen to their podcasts and access many other useful learning tools, some for free and others requiring a subscription. Innovative Language often offers big sales and discounts on apps and books available on their store page as well, especially for new subscribers. Much of the content you can find in Innovative Language podcasts and apps is also available for free on their YouTube channels.

HelloTalk

HelloTalk is a language exchange app. It allows you to chat with native speakers of your target language who wish to learn your native language. You can message each other for free and easily translate texts and correct mistakes to help each other improve. The app also offers free voice and video calls to practice speaking and interacting with native speakers. There are some paid features available, but the free version should be more than adequate for most users.

Duolingo

Duolingo is primarily useful for memorizing key words and phrases from the app or your favorite browser. It makes memorizing vocabulary somewhat entertaining and gives you a little sense of progress to keep you motivated. However, it can get a bit tedious and will not help you much with speaking or grammar, although it is still improving over time.

Quizlet

Quizlet is a good flashcard tool, and it offers several methods for learning and memorizing vocabulary cards in engaging ways. You can make your own flashcard sets, or you can study sets that others have already made. Quizlet is available for free on mobile devices or in your web browser.

I hope you found this discussion helpful and thought-provoking. If you’ve found some other apps useful in Korea, or you think I missed something that should be on this list, please feel free to share! If you enjoyed this article, consider subscribing and following the Grammarai Warrior Facebook page for updates.

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Ten Awesome Things About Living in Korea

Cleanliness

In the States we almost expect certain cities to be fairly dirty, and we don’t really think much of it. If you live in a rural area, you might be a little surprised by how dirty a place like New York City can be, but for the most part, we’re all pretty used to some level of filth on the streets. After getting accustomed to U.S. cities, I was pleasantly surprised to see how clean Korea was. Even taxis in Korea are clean, and they don’t even smell like cigarettes inside! Sure, it’s not spotless, and not quite as pristine as somewhere like Japan, but Korea’s cleanliness is impressive and much appreciated.

Korea’s cleanliness and orderliness are not only limited to tourist destinations like Seoul and Busan either. Even in relatively small cities, people are committed to keeping their hometown clean. City workers help keep the streets and sidewalks clean and well-swept, and there are even programs in place to keep senior citizens active and involved by organizing meetings to pick up trash, pull weeds, and sweep sidewalks and parks. After a lengthy stay in the cleanliness of Korea, your home city might seem surprisingly unsanitary when you get back!

Public Transportation

Besides actually being clean and not making you feel like you’re going to get lung cancer from breathing the air inside, taxis and buses in Korea are plentiful and affordable. Taxis are everywhere and can even be easily requested by an app on your phone. Buses and trains make traveling around your city or between cities affordable and easy. Even a somewhat more expensive and comfortable bus line is surprisingly cheap. Taxis are also very cheap compared to prices you might be used to. Korea’s infrastructure and well-organized public transportation systems make it quick, convenient, and affordable to get just about anywhere.

Travel Opportunities

Besides convenient domestic travel, living in Korea also comes with some great opportunities for international travel. Incheon International Airport is a major hub for international travel. Living in the States, traveling all the way to Europe or Asia is dauntingly expensive and often seems out of reach for many of us, but once you’re over there, international travel can be surprisingly affordable. Plus, budget airlines in Korea such as Jeju Air and T’way Air make travel to many popular destinations even cheaper. Living in Korea makes it easy to go on awesome and affordable international trips during your time off whether it’s just a long weekend or a full summer break.

No Tipping

You might be used to handing over an additional ten- to twenty-percent at restaurants or leaving a few bills on the table at hotels, but you don’t have to in Korea. Wait staff in Korea are expected to do a good job simply because it’s their job. Wait staff are even expected to do a bit more in Korea. Korean customers often call a waiter or waitress from across the dining room whenever they need something rather than waiting until the next time one comes to check on their table, and staff are fully expected to respond promptly and politely. Korean wait staff do not demand or even expect a tip for simply doing what they are already supposed to be doing. In fact, they might even be offended by tipping and think you are being arrogant. Coming from a culture where tipping is demanded even for poor service, this sense of responsibility for doing one’s own job without expecting extra payment can be very refreshing—for you and your wallet.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi in Korea is fast and affordable. There are a few big providers for Wi-Fi, cable TV, and cell phone service, and they usually offer all three in a bundle for a surprisingly reasonable price on one easy bill. And when you’re not at home, there are cafes and restaurants everywhere, so you can easily find Wi-Fi on the run. Some places offer free public Wi-Fi, while at others you might have to ask for the password or buy something first, but either way, Wi-Fi is always readily available, reliable, and affordable.

Convenience

As several topics discussed so far have not-so-subtly hinted at, convenience is a big deal in Korea. People in Korea are often in a hurry and expect prompt professional service for just about everything. A lot of locals will openly admit that Koreans are not very patient people because they are so used to the countless conveniences in modern Korean culture.

Convenience stores in Korea especially live up to their name. Besides being everywhere and usually open late, they sell all kinds of things you might need in a hurry from toiletries to full meals. Convenience stores offer an impressive array of drinks and foods, hot or cold, and they even provide microwaves to heat up food and eat it right in the store for no extra cost.

Even picking up your prescriptions when you’re sick is convenient in Korea. Anywhere there’s a clinic or a hospital, there’s a pharmacy right next door or even in the same building. You might not even have to wait to pick up your medicine. Pharmacies are so efficient they sometimes have it ready by the time you get there.

Perhaps one of the most convenient things about Korea is the delivery service. Tons of restaurants offer delivery—even fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s. No wonder some people can become so impatient in Korea!

Affordable Medical Care

Medical care in Korea is extremely affordable. When moving to Korea from another country, you might find yourself getting sick more often for a while as your body adjusts to the new environment, but clinics and pharmacies are everywhere and won’t cost you hundreds for insurance copays and prescriptions. Any trip to a clinic or hospital back home in the States gets expensive fast and often comes with a sizeable copay depending on your insurance, but medical care in Korea is refreshingly affordable.

Healthy Lifestyle

Medical care might be very affordable in Korea, but hopefully, you won’t be needing it too often. Korean culture encourages healthy living, so it’s a little easier to keep a good diet and exercise regimen. Korean meals make use of lots of rice and vegetables, and even a lot of snacks and refreshments are designed to be at least relatively healthy. Many of the snacks and sugary beverages we often buy in large containers at home in the States come in smaller packages in Korea and are often individually wrapped. Drinks like soda and sweet tea come in smaller cans and bottles, and cookies, chips, and ice cream often come in much smaller containers. Korean culture makes it a little bit more inconvenient and expensive to eat too many sweets, even if you want to.

Besides encouraging healthier eating, Korea also encourages exercise. With everything being so close, it’s easy to walk or ride a bike just about anywhere you need to go. Korean schools often have picnics and outings to get students outside, and many parents also put their kids in taekwondo classes to keep them active and help them grow strong and stay limber. Public parks and playgrounds are almost always equipped with free exercise machines. Even the elderly stay very active in Korea, and you will often see them out walking, riding bikes, or volunteering to clean up parks and sidewalks. Korean culture does a good job of encouraging diet and exercise habits for people of all ages to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Safety

In addition to encouraging healthy living, Korean society also encourages safety. Overall there is little fear of walking around the city at night. Many Koreans work hard and late, so it is not uncommon to see lights on and a few people out and about even during the wee hours of the morning. Streets are clean and well-lit, and there are CCTV cameras everywhere that discourage crime. Korea also makes heavy use of CCTV cameras to watch traffic and establish speed monitoring zones to effectively keep people driving within the speed limits for safer highway driving. Whether you tend to be out late by nature or are just looking for a safe town to settle down in for a while, Korea is a secure and comfortable place to live.

Beautiful Scenery and Culture

No list would be complete without mentioning Korea’s beautiful scenery and unique culture. Korean culture offers a wonderful mix of the old and the new. You can experience old traditional Korean villages only miles away from bustling modern cities. Koreans are sure to keep up with modern fashion and style while also holding on to and still making us of the traditional Korean hanbok. The Korean people are equally proud of their rich history and their modern advancements and achievements. Korean culture is an interesting mix of old traditions and philosophies and modern comforts and technology. In addition to the rich culture, there is also some great scenery to take in. Korea has beautiful mountains to hike, beaches to relax on, islands to visit, and cities to explore. No matter what you’re into, you can always find plenty to enjoy in Korea.

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