1. First Day in Seoul: What the Weather's Like in August 2025 and Which Apps to Download📱
Hello👋🏼 I'm Hanseul, the younger sister.
I'll be spending the month of August 2025 in Seoul, South Korea.
While i'm here, i'll be sharing lots of helpful tips about Korea, amazing places to eat, fun neighborhoods to explore, must-visit restaurants, and more.:)
If it were your first day in Seoul, where would you go?✈️
🌞 Weather in Korea in August 2025
On my first day in Korea, i was greeted by completely unexpected weather. Usually, the Korean summer kicks off the monsoon season around August, bringing lots of rain and sudden showers. But this time, the moment i stepped out of the airport, i was hit by an intense, almost suffocating heat.
People say summers have become noticeably hotter in recent years, likely due to global warming. Another thing that stood out to me was the air quality. In the past, fine dust blowing in from China during spring and fall meant that wearing a mask was almost a daily routine.
But this summer, the sky has been surprisingly clear.
Apparently, climate change has shifted wind patterns, so less dust is reaching Korea. But in return, the heat has become more extreme.
Still, seeing the clear, blue summer sky again felt really nice.🌻
📱 Useful Apps for Living in Korea
In Korea, most people rely on cards and smartphones for daily life. It's very common not to carry cash at all. Instead, people usually use a credit/debit card, or store their card in their phone using Samsung Pay or Apple Pay.
So if you're spending a few days in Seoul, it helps to know the apps that locals actually use. Here are a few i found especially useful.
1. Naver: Korea's Goolge
Naver is Korea's leading search engine. While Google is also used, local information(like restaurant reviews, maps, cafes and blog posts) is much more detailed and reliable on Naver.
However, most of the content is in Korea. I recommend using Google Chorme's auto translate function when browsing Naver websites. It helps a lot.
Link: https://www.naver.com
2. Kakao T: Taxi booking App
This is the most common way to get a taxi in Korea.
In the past, people used to hail taxis on the streets, but these days most Koreans book taxis through this app. It uses your current location to connect you with nearby taxis, and you can check the fare in advance.
The app also supports English, which makes it super convenient for travelers.
3. T-money: Public Transportation App
This app is very useful when taking buses and subways in Korea. You can use it to check bus/subway times, recharge your transportation card, and more. Many people also buy a physical T-money card from a convenience store and link it to the app. The card can be recharged and used for buses, subways, and even small purchases.
Good news is T-money now supports Apple Pay, making payment even easier!
However, the app interface is mostly in Korean, and although it has limited support for English, Japanese, and Chinese, most functions are only available in Korean.
Because of that i recommend just buying a physical T-money card from a convenience store and recharging it there. It's simpler for non Korean speakers.
Bonus Tip! M-Pass is a tourist transit Card and a prepaid transportation card designed specificailly for short-time foreign visitors. it allows unlimited rides on buses and subways within Seoul and surrounding areas for a set number of days(up to 7days).
* You don't need to recharge it.
It has a daily ride limit(up to 20 rides/day).
You can't use it for taxis or in convenience stores.
It's available for purchase at places like Incheon Airport and Seoul Station Tourist Centers.
LInk: https://www.t-money.co.kr/ncs/pct/tmnyintd/ReadFrgnMpassEngIntd.dev
4. CatchTable & Tableling: Restaurants and Cafe Reservation Apps
These apps help you reserve seats at popular restaurants or Cafes in advance. They're especially useful for popular spots where there's often a long wait. In some places, you might also see a self-check-in kiosk at the entrance where you can register your name for a waiting list. These apps work with that system too. If you're planning to visit a trendy spot that usually has a long wait, these apps are a must.
Apparently, climate change has shifted wind patterns, so less dust is reaching Korea. But in return, the heat has become more extreme.
Still, seeing the clear, blue summer sky again felt really nice.🌻
📱 Useful Apps for Living in Korea
In Korea, most people rely on cards and smartphones for daily life. It's very common not to carry cash at all. Instead, people usually use a credit/debit card, or store their card in their phone using Samsung Pay or Apple Pay.
So if you're spending a few days in Seoul, it helps to know the apps that locals actually use. Here are a few i found especially useful.
1. Naver: Korea's Goolge
Naver is Korea's leading search engine. While Google is also used, local information(like restaurant reviews, maps, cafes and blog posts) is much more detailed and reliable on Naver.
However, most of the content is in Korea. I recommend using Google Chorme's auto translate function when browsing Naver websites. It helps a lot.
Link: https://www.naver.com
2. Kakao T: Taxi booking App
This is the most common way to get a taxi in Korea.
In the past, people used to hail taxis on the streets, but these days most Koreans book taxis through this app. It uses your current location to connect you with nearby taxis, and you can check the fare in advance.
The app also supports English, which makes it super convenient for travelers.
3. T-money: Public Transportation App
This app is very useful when taking buses and subways in Korea. You can use it to check bus/subway times, recharge your transportation card, and more. Many people also buy a physical T-money card from a convenience store and link it to the app. The card can be recharged and used for buses, subways, and even small purchases.
Good news is T-money now supports Apple Pay, making payment even easier!
However, the app interface is mostly in Korean, and although it has limited support for English, Japanese, and Chinese, most functions are only available in Korean.
Because of that i recommend just buying a physical T-money card from a convenience store and recharging it there. It's simpler for non Korean speakers.
Bonus Tip! M-Pass is a tourist transit Card and a prepaid transportation card designed specificailly for short-time foreign visitors. it allows unlimited rides on buses and subways within Seoul and surrounding areas for a set number of days(up to 7days).
* You don't need to recharge it.
It has a daily ride limit(up to 20 rides/day).
You can't use it for taxis or in convenience stores.
It's available for purchase at places like Incheon Airport and Seoul Station Tourist Centers.
LInk: https://www.t-money.co.kr/ncs/pct/tmnyintd/ReadFrgnMpassEngIntd.dev
4. CatchTable & Tableling: Restaurants and Cafe Reservation Apps
These apps help you reserve seats at popular restaurants or Cafes in advance. They're especially useful for popular spots where there's often a long wait. In some places, you might also see a self-check-in kiosk at the entrance where you can register your name for a waiting list. These apps work with that system too. If you're planning to visit a trendy spot that usually has a long wait, these apps are a must.