East Asia
Solo travel in South Korea
3/5English level
Solo travel in South Korea
Fast, safe and wired: excellent transit, 24-hour convenience and easy solo dining in big cities. Thin English outside Seoul and Busan, and apps that want a Korean phone number, are the trade-offs. The easiest place to start is Seoul.
Best places in South Korea for solo travelers
| Place | Solo | English | Locals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | 5/5 | Common in tourist areas | Polite but reserved |
| Busan | 4/5 | Limited | Polite but reserved |
| Jeju | 4/5 | Limited | Polite but reserved |
| Gyeongju | 4/5 | Limited | Friendly |
| Seogwipo | 4/5 | Limited | Friendly |
| Jeonju | 4/5 | Limited | Friendly |
| Sokcho | 4/5 | Limited | Friendly |
| Gangneung | 4/5 | Limited | Friendly |
| Yeosu | 4/5 | Rare | Friendly |
| Incheon | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas | Polite but reserved |
| Daegu | 3/5 | Limited | Polite but reserved |
Solo travel by place
Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- K-ETA (Ministry of Justice)
- Korea e-Arrival Card
- Korea Visa Portal
- Speedtest Global Index: South Korea
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.