In this blog, I will be sharing everything you need to know before traveling to South Korea. it will include all Korea travel requirements. I have always wanted to visit South Korea as I have been an avid Kpop fan for the past ten years (my current favorite groups are Ateez and BTS). My sister and I were supposed to visit back in 2020 but we had to eventually cancel our flights because of COVID. Then we attempted to visit again in March of 2022, but South Korea was still enforcing the 10 days quarantine so those plans eventually fell through as well. In June of 2022, South Korea announced that they had officially suspended the 10 days quarantine and behold it was time for me to make an entrance in South Korea. It has been a long time coming and now I am literally counting down the days.
Unfortunately, my sister won’t be going with me for this trip (we plan to visit together sometime in the future), so for now I will be traveling with two other friends. First, we decided on the dates for the trip and then submitted our time off requests and now operation travel to South Korea has officially begun.
I completed all hotels, and flight reservations and I also did all the research for this trip. I am here to share some information on what you need to know, and what you need to do before your departure to South Korea.
Planning an international trip is very exhausting especially when it is your first time visiting that country. It takes lots of time and effort to put an international trip together to ensure everything goes smoothly. So I am here to assist by providing all Korea entry requirements.
Complete your Flight Reservations:
Once you know what dates you will, I will recommend the first thing you should do way ahead of time is to complete your flight reservation, so you get the best deals. In my case, I completed my flight reservation three months ahead of time. If you can complete your reservation before then, that’s fine too but three months before departure is usually the ideal timeframe. We will be flying with Air Canada; it will be my first time using Air Canada, so I am looking forward to this trip.
Complete your Hotel Reservation:
The best cities to stay as a tourist in South Korea are Hongdae, Gangnam and Myeongdong. These areas are very popular amongst tourists and have proximity to public transportation. You will also find lots of shopping, cute cafes, and street food options in this area.
Complete your K-ETA application:
Note that nationals of countries who are eligible for visa-free entry are required to get K-ETA approval to board the flight to South Korea. Make sure you submit your K-ETA application and get approved before your trip. You can submit your application in your native language via the K-ETA official website (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do) or via your airline reservation and pay the fees which is about 23 US dollars. This is the most important Korea entry requirement.
Go Shopping:
Now that you have completed your flight and hotel reservation, the next step is to go shopping to get some trip essentials. I will also recommend you pack lightly for your trip to South Korea because South Korea has so much cute stuff at very cheap prices so I promise you, you’ll be shopping a lot so either pack lightly or bring an extra suitcase for all the new items you will purchase on your trip.
Order Your Foreign Currency Exchange:
Cash is highly recommended while traveling to South Korea. Though many places use the card systems, local businesses and some street food vendors accept cash, so it is advisable to carry some local currency with you. The ideal method for currency exchange is usually in your home county via your bank. This is the safest method for me, and the bank usually offers competitive rates, so I always use this method before any international trip. If you forget to complete your foreign currency exchange before your trip, you can withdraw some funds in local currency at your destination. Just remember not to complete your foreign currency exchange at the airport as you will not be getting the best offer/rates.
Pack Your Bags:
You have done most of your due diligence and your trip is almost here, so it is time to start packing your bags in anticipation for your departure date. Pack all your trip essentials and hygiene products and remember to pack light so you can freely shop in South Korea.
Complete the Q-Code Application Maximum Three Days Before Your Flight:
All visitors to South Korea are required to fill out information for the Korean quarantine system, known as Q-Code. All visitors can now enter South Korea without the 10 days quarantine requirement, and you don’t have to show a negative Covid test or your vaccination card. The only requirement is to fill out your Q-Code before going through immigration.
Start The Countdown:
Congratulations, you have now completed all the tasks required to board your flight and successfully pass through immigration in South Korea. You can now begin the countdown and get ready to have the best time of your life in South Korea.
I will also be visiting Tokyo, Japan so I might share some tips on what to do before your trip to Japan. If needed, I can also share my Itinerary for South Korea and Japan. I will definitely be blogging/vlogging my experiences and activities during both trips so be on the lookout for lots of fun content.
Thank you for stopping by on such a busy day and have yourself a great rest of your day.
Stay Blessed!
