Enough to travel comfortably: subway signs, menus in tourist areas and announcements are bilingual, and younger Koreans usually understand basic English. Outside tourist zones expect limited spoken English β the Papago translation app fills every gap.
Hotels, airports and major attractions all operate in English. At local restaurants, pointing at the menu plus a translation app works perfectly. Learning two phrases β μλ νμΈμ (hello) and κ°μ¬ν©λλ€ (thank you) β earns instant goodwill.
π People also ask
Is Papago better than Google Translate in Korea?
Yes, Papago (made by Korean firm Naver) handles Korean grammar, slang and menus far more accurately than Google Translate. It does live camera translation of signs and menus, voice conversation mode, and works offline once you download the Korean language pack.
Can I get around the Seoul subway without speaking Korean?
Easily. Every station and line is numbered and color-coded, signs and announcements are in English, Chinese and Japanese, and ticket machines have an English mode. A T-money card (β©2,500 deposit) taps you through, and apps like Naver Map or KakaoMetro give English routing.
Do taxi drivers in Korea speak English?
Most older drivers speak little English, so show your destination in Korean text or a map pin. Kakao T, Korea's main ride-hailing app, has an English interface and lets you set the destination digitally, avoiding any spoken exchange. International Taxis in Seoul guarantee English-speaking drivers.
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