Korean (한국어) is the only official language, and outside hotel staff and younger people in Seoul, day-to-day English fluency is limited. In practice, this matters far less than it sounds.
Signage
Subway systems, major roads, and tourist sites are signed in English (and often Chinese and Japanese too) as standard. Menus at most restaurants aimed at any foot traffic — not just tourist spots — increasingly have English or photos.
Apps do most of the work
- Papago (Naver's translation app) handles Korean noticeably better than Google Translate, including photo translation of menus and signs.
- Naver Map or KakaoMap for directions — Google Maps' turn-by-turn transit directions are unreliable in Korea; these two aren't.
- Kakao T to call a taxi without needing to say your destination out loud.
A handful of phrases that go a long way
- Annyeonghaseyo (안녕하세요) — hello
- Gamsahamnida (감사합니다) — thank you
- Juseyo (주세요) — please (give me) — added after pointing at a menu item works fine
- Hwajangsil-i eodiyeyo? (화장실이 어디예요?) — where's the bathroom?
Getting stuck
The 1330 Korea Travel Hotline connects you to an English-speaking operator who can translate for you over the phone with a taxi driver, shopkeeper, or pharmacy on the spot — genuinely useful in a pinch, not just a formality.