Ever been bounced for dining alone? #TravelBlog #KoreaTravel #FirstTimeInKorea

What cash‑only surprise caught you off guard? #FirstTimeInKorea

Surnames follow no system at all. 이 is written Lee, Yi, or Rhee depending on what that person settled on, so don't correct anyone's spelling of their own name. #FirstTimeInKorea

Don't plan off last year's peak dates. The Korea Meteorological Administration publishes bloom and foliage forecast maps each year — check two weeks out. #FirstTimeInKorea

Google Maps still can't give proper driving directions in Korea. Set up KakaoNavi, Naver Map or T-map before you leave the rental lot. Speed cameras are constant and drink-driving penalties are heavy. #FirstTimeInKorea

Check the delivery fee and minimum order before confirming — both are set per restaurant. Choosing 포장 (takeout) often removes the fee completely. #FirstTimeInKorea

Don't wave for a server — press the call bell on the table. At smaller places you pay at the counter on the way out, not at your seat. #FirstTimeInKorea

A passport-only account is possible before the ARC arrives, but it may cap transfers and block overseas remittance entirely. Worth knowing before you rely on it. #FirstTimeInKorea

Pull the property's registry document before you sign: check for existing mortgages and make sure the landlord's name matches. Deposit-return fraud here is well documented. #FirstTimeInKorea

The catch is timing: keep top-ups small in your final days. A big recharge on day 8 is money you then have to go recover. #FirstTimeInKorea