Changing money — do not do it all at the airport
Verified 21 September 2026
Rates vary a lot by location. Listed best first.
| Where | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Myeongdong / Namdaemun money changers | Best | Cash only. Limited opening hours |
| WOWPASS | Bank level | 24-hour kiosks. Doubles as a transit card |
| Banks | Bank level | Weekday daytime only. Passport required |
| Airport exchange counters | Worst | Only when you must |
At the airport, change only what you need to reach the city. Do the rest downtown.
Why WOWPASS is worth knowing about
For a foreign visitor this is usually the easiest option. Currency exchange, transit card and payments on one card.
- Feed foreign banknotes into the kiosk and it converts them to won, loaded onto your card
- Accepts 16 currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, CNY and more)
- Tap the card for subways, buses and taxis
- Available 24 hours, so bank opening times stop mattering
Where do you get the card? The machine issues it on the spot
There is no counter to visit and no application form. The kiosk prints and dispenses the card there and then.
- Around 444 machines nationwide (official figure) — hotels, convenience stores, subway stations, tourist spots
- Airports have them — Incheon T1 and T2, Gimpo, Jeju, Gimhae (Busan), Daegu. Also Incheon Port and Busan Port
- In Seoul: Myeongdong, Hongik University Station, Dongdaemun (DDP), Seoul Station. In Busan: Haeundae, Seomyeon
- The card fee is shown on the machine screen. Check the amount before you confirm (changes often — please verify)
- To settle it in advance, reserve online on the official site and collect the card after you land
- Once you have it, register the card in the WOWPASS app — balance, freezing a lost card, and topping up the transit balance are all done there
- Korean nationals cannot be issued a card. The service is for foreign visitors only
Three things to know before you go — these matter
- The machines at Incheon Airport cannot exchange foreign cash. The T1 and T2 machines (inside CU convenience stores) only issue cards and top up in Korean won. To turn dollars or yen into won, use a machine in the city. Gimpo Airport offers the full service; Jeju Airport cannot exchange cash
- There are two separate balances. The payment balance (you insert the card) and the T-money transit balance (you tap the card) are not the same pot. The transit balance must be topped up separately, at a subway station or in the app. Not knowing this leaves you stuck at the gate
- It does not work for online payments or delivery apps. Offline stores only
Top-up limits are 1,000,000 KRW at once, 2,000,000 per day, 10,000,000 per week. Topping up with a foreign card in the app is capped at 200,000 per transaction and 1,000,000 per month.
If the rate is all you care about, the money changers in Myeongdong or Namdaemun are still the best. You just need cash in hand, and they close.