Subway Rules
Bus tag-out is not optional
Tap when boarding and leaving. Missing the exit tap can lose transfer discounts or trigger an extra fare on a later ride.
Line 9 Tagless is an opt-in mobile service
Tagless gates operate on the 25 stations from Gaehwa to Sinnonhyeon. Enable Tagless in Mobile Tmoney on a compatible setup first. A physical card or a phone without Tagless enabled still needs a normal tap.
Airport check: do not assume every airport rail or regional route is included in a Seoul pass.
Payment Hacks
Choose KRW to avoid DCC
If a terminal offers KRW or your home currency, choosing KRW normally declines Dynamic Currency Conversion and leaves conversion to your network and issuer. Compare issuer fees before travel.
Apple Pay: Hyundai Card is the Korean issuer
Apple's current South Korea list names Hyundai Card. An overseas card already in Apple Pay may work at a compatible NFC merchant, but acceptance is not guaranteed—carry a physical card.
Use WOWPASS as a backup, not your only wallet
Check its prepaid shopping balance separately from its transit balance, watch exchange and withdrawal terms, and keep another payment method for unsupported terminals.
Tax Refund Rules
Minimum: ₩15,000 per receipt
The store must participate and the traveler and goods must meet eligibility rules. Consolidate eligible items only when the store permits it.
Immediate in-store refund
At a participating checkout, present your passport before paying. Current general limits are at least ₩15,000 and under ₩1,000,000 in one payment, with no more than ₩5,000,000 during the trip.
Airport or general refund
If the store cannot refund immediately, keep the original tax-refund receipt, goods and passport. Follow the receipt's provider instructions and allow airport time for validation and payment.
Do not open or use goods that must remain unused for export validation. Rules and provider desks can change.
Olive Young Hacks
Carry the physical passport
For immediate tax-refund identity verification, do not rely on a photo or photocopy. Ask before checkout whether that branch and counter support the refund.
Big-sale windows move
Major O.Y Sale campaigns commonly appear around March, June, late August/early September and December, but exact dates and store participation change. Confirm the live app banner.
Check branch stock in the Korean app
Search the exact product and option, then use the nearby-store inventory checker. Treat the result as a lead, not a reservation—popular stock can disappear before arrival.
Olive Young refund quick check
This checks the general immediate-refund transaction threshold, not your exact refund amount.
Need the full steps?
Open the detailed guides for routes, receipts, airport validation and payment fallbacks.