Everything about Korea, answered by a Korean

Is it rude to tip in Korea?

Not rude, but genuinely unnecessary — and often confusing for the person receiving it. Korea has no tipping culture: restaurant staff, taxi drivers and hotel workers are paid a full wage and the price you see is the price you pay. If you leave cash on a table, a server will usually chase you down the street to return it, assuming you forgot it. The exceptions are narrow. Hotels aimed at international guests sometimes add a 10% service charge automatically (it'll be printed on the bill). Some tour guides and private drivers who work mainly with foreign tourists have come to expect tips because their customers offer them. Outside those cases, the polite move is simply to say 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida — "I ate well") on the way out. That lands far better than money.

— KoreaToolkit team, Seoul

Do I actually need cash in Korea, or is card enough?

Card covers about 95% of what you'll do, but the missing 5% is exactly the stuff travellers come for. Card works everywhere that matters: convenience stores, cafés, restaurants, taxis, subway (via T-money), department stores. Korea is more cashless than most of Europe. But you'll want ₩50,000–100,000 in cash for traditional markets like Gwangjang or Tongin, street food stalls, small temple entrance fees, and the occasional old-school place run by an elderly owner. One practical warning: many Korean card terminals reject foreign cards even when they accept "international" ones — this is a known issue with certain domestic-only networks. Bring two cards from different networks (one Visa, one Mastercard) and don't rely on Amex. ATMs marked "Global" at convenience stores accept foreign cards and are on nearly every block.

— KoreaToolkit team, Seoul