The honest Korea packing list, what first-timers overpack, what Korea’s convenience stores sell better and cheaper, and what you genuinely cannot do without.
Korea has outstanding retail infrastructure. GS25, CU, and 7-Eleven convenience stores on every corner stock toiletries, medicines, essential clothing items, and snacks at low prices. Olive Young (the dominant health and beauty chain) stocks K-beauty at source prices 30 to 50 percent cheaper than those of international retailers. You do not need to over-prepare.
This guide covers what to actually bring, organized by category, with seasonal notes at the end.
Before you pack: Korea’s customs restrictions apply to certain medications and foods. See the Korea what not to bring guide before finalising your bags.
Documents and Money
- Passport: Valid for the duration of your stay. Airlines typically require a 6-month remaining validity check with your carrier.
- Return flight booking: Have your confirmation accessible for immigration.
- Travel insurance: Non-negotiable. Korea’s healthcare is excellent, but not free for visitors.
- Cards: Korea is one of the most cashless countries in the world Visa and Mastercard accepted almost everywhere. Carry some cash (Korean won) for pojangmacha stalls and traditional markets, but you need far less than in Japan.
- T-money card: Get one at Incheon Airport immediately on arrival. Covers every subway, bus, and most taxis. See the T-money guide.
Clothing
Korean fashion culture is strong, and the shopping is excellent. Many visitors buy clothing in Korea rather than bringing too much with them. Pack light and leave room in your bag.
- Comfortable walking shoes: You will walk 15,000 to 25,000 steps per day. Comfort over fashion.
- Layers: Korean buildings are either very warm or very cool, depending on the season. A light zip layer or cardigan works in most conditions.
- Modest cover for temples: Shoulders and knees should be covered at major Buddhist temples and palaces. A light scarf handles this.
- Packable rain jacket or umbrella: Spring and summer have significant rainfall. A compact umbrella (available from any Korean convenience store for 5,000 to 10,000 won if you forget) is the minimum.
What not to bring: More than 3 to 4 outfits. Korea has excellent laundromats (coin laundry) and most accommodation has laundry facilities. Washing in Korea costs around 3,000 to 5,000 won for a full wash and dry.
Electronics
- Power adapter: Korea uses Type F plugs (same as most of Europe) at 220V. If you are coming from North America, you need an adapter. Most modern electronics handle the voltage automatically; check for ‘100-240V’ on your device’s power brick.
- Portable battery bank: Essential. A day of navigating with Naver Map, photographing, and translating quickly drains a phone’s battery.
- Download Naver Map offline: Korea’s navigation app. Google Maps does not give walking or driving directions in Korea due to national security regulations. Download Naver Map before you land.
- Download Papago: Korea’s best translation app, significantly more accurate on Korean than Google Translate. Download the Korean language pack offline.
Health and Toiletries
Korea’s pharmacies (약국, yakguk) and Olive Young stores stock almost everything you need at excellent prices. Korean skincare and sunscreen, in particular, are significantly cheaper at source.
- Prescription medication: Bring enough for your trip plus extra, in the original packaging. See the Korea what-not-to-bring guide to find out which medications require advance import approval.
- Basic pain relief: Available at any Korean pharmacy if needed.
- Sunscreen: Buy it in Korea. Korean sunscreen (especially from Olive Young and CosRX) is lighter, cheaper, and often better than Western equivalents. Do not pack heavy Western sunscreen bottles.
- Face mask: Useful on yellow dust (hwangsa) days in spring. Korean pharmacies sell KF94 masks (Korea’s equivalent of N95) at excellent prices.
Do not pack: Full-size shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Every hotel and most guesthouses provide them. Even budget accommodation stocks toiletries.
Korea-Specific Essentials
- Small coin purse: Korea uses 10, 50, 100, and 500 won coins. You accumulate them quickly at convenience stores and vending machines.
- Reusable shopping bag: Plastic bags cost extra (around 100 to 200 won) at Korean shops since 2022.
- eSIM or local data SIM: Korean mobile data is fast, and coverage is excellent everywhere. Buy an eSIM from holafly before you leave home (around 10 USD for 10 days) or buy a physical SIM at Incheon Airport on arrival.
- Kakao T app: Korea’s ride-hailing app. Link a credit card before arriving. Far more reliable than street hailing during late-night or peak hours.
What to Buy in Korea
Leave deliberate space in your bag for: K-beauty skincare and cosmetics (Olive Young is the best single stop), Korean snacks and ramyeon varieties unavailable at home, traditional ceramics and lacquerware from Insadong, Korean fashion from Hongdae boutiques, and gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) and doenjang (fermented soybean paste) from traditional markets if you cook Korean food at home.
Packing by Season
Spring (March to May)
Light layers, a packable rain jacket, and comfortable walking shoes. Temperatures range from 8 to 22 degrees. Cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April) brings crowds, pack a small picnic mat if you plan to do blossom viewing in the parks, and a face mask for yellow dust days.
Summer (June to August)
Lightweight breathable clothing, a compact umbrella (essential for the July monsoon), strong sunscreen (buy in Korea), and sandals for evening walks. In Seoul, the August heat regularly exceeds 33 degrees Celsius, with high humidity.
Autumn (September to November)
Layering is key. September is still warm. November evenings are cold. A mid-weight jacket covers most of October: the best season to visit and the easiest to pack for.
Winter (December to February)
A proper winter coat (temperatures in Seoul regularly drop to -10 degrees Celsius in January), thermal base layers, a warm hat and gloves. Korean winters are dry and clear but genuinely cold.
