Google Maps gives limited directions in Korea, and shuttle confirmations often arrive by KakaoTalk. Install these apps before you fly to a Korean ski resort.
You land at Incheon Airport, open Google Maps and ask for directions to your ski bus stop. The result is a straight line and a shrug.
Google Maps works for searching places in Korea, but its directions are limited because detailed Korean map data has not been cleared for export. Walking and turn-by-turn driving directions have been missing for years, so plan on local apps instead. Install the ones below before you board the plane, while you still have fast Wi-Fi and your home SIM for verification codes.
Naver Map is the app most Koreans use, and it has an English interface. It tells you which subway exit to take, which bus platform to stand on and roughly when the next bus arrives. KakaoMap does the same job and is a good backup if one app's search fails on an English name.
Tip: save your resort and your hotel as favorites (the star icon) on day one. After that you can route back without typing a Korean address on a cold phone screen.
KakaoTalk is Korea's default messenger. Ski shuttle operators, lesson schools and rental shops often send booking confirmations and pickup changes through KakaoTalk rather than email. If a shuttle's departure point moves because of snow, that is usually where you will hear about it. Register with your own phone number before you leave home.
Kakao T is the main taxi-hailing app. You set the destination in the app, so you don't need to explain the address to the driver. Overseas card and foreign phone number support has been added in recent versions, but registration can still be fussy, so set it up early. Uber also operates taxis in Seoul. In mountain areas like Pyeongchang or Jeongseon there are far fewer taxis, so book the ride back from the slopes well before the last lift.
Papago is Naver's translator and handles Korean noticeably better than most alternatives. Its camera mode is the feature you will use most: point it at a cafeteria menu, an ingredient label or the rental waiver and it translates the text in place.
After a long day you may want fried chicken delivered to your condo. The big delivery apps, Baemin and Coupang Eats, often need a Korean phone number and payment method, which makes them awkward for visitors. Resort condos usually have delivery menus at the front desk, and the staff can place an order for you.
Check off four installs: Naver Map, KakaoTalk, Kakao T and Papago. Add a mobile data plan or eSIM, because none of these apps help much offline. For getting from the airport to the slopes, read our guides to reaching resorts without a car and moving around with heavy luggage.