Paying — Korea runs on cards
Verified 21 September 2026
You do not need to carry much cash. Restaurants, cafes, convenience stores and taxis nearly all take cards.
A few exceptions:
- Foreign-issued cards are occasionally declined, especially on older terminals in small shops. Keep cash or a T-money / WOWPASS card as backup
- Traditional markets and street stalls are sometimes cash only
- Apple Pay acceptance is still limited
Carrying 50,000~100,000 KRW in cash and paying for everything else by card works well.