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Things in Korea That Feel Super Advanced (and Things That Don’t)

Things in Korea That Feel Super Advanced (and Things That Don’t)

A realistic look at everyday life in South Korea

South Korea has a global image of being ultra-modern: 5G, K-pop, esports, robots, neon lights and high-speed trains. And a lot of that is true.

But when you actually live or travel there, you quickly notice something funny:

Some parts of life in Korea feel like the future…
and other parts feel surprisingly old-school.

This post looks at things in Korea that feel super advanced – and a few that don’t – from the perspective of someone used to life in Europe or Switzerland.

1. Super Advanced: Internet, 5G and Wi-Fi Everywhere

South Korea is consistently ranked among the countries with the fastest average internet speeds in the world, with strong nationwide broadband and mobile coverage.

What this feels like in daily life:

  • Public Wi-Fi is common in cafés, subways, trains and even some streets.

  • 4G/5G coverage is strong, especially in cities.

  • Streaming, gaming, video calls – almost always smooth.

You rarely worry about “bad internet”. For visitors from countries with patchy coverage, this feels very advanced and very normal at the same time.

2. Super Advanced: Payment Apps & Cashless Life

Card and mobile payments are deeply integrated into everyday life in Korea:

  • Credit/debit cards are accepted almost everywhere, even for small amounts.

  • Mobile payments through apps like Samsung Pay, Naver Pay, Kakao Pay are widely used for online and offline purchases.

  • QR codes, NFC and app-based loyalty systems are standard in cafés, convenience stores and restaurants.

For many visitors, it feels like:

“Wait, I can pay with my phone for literally everything here?”

At the same time, some very small shops still prefer cash – so it’s “almost cashless”, not 100%.

3. Super Advanced: Public Transport & Navigation

South Korea has an extensive, punctual and high-frequency public transportation system, especially in cities like Seoul and Busan.

What feels advanced:

  • Metro trains every few minutes, often with platform screen doors, digital displays and clear English announcements.

  • T-money and similar transport cards work on subways, buses and sometimes taxis and convenience stores – just tap in and out.

  • Navigation apps like KakaoMap and Naver Map give detailed route guidance, real-time bus locations and train times.

Intercity transport also feels modern:

  • High-speed KTX trains connect major cities with speeds up to around 300 km/h.

For someone used to less frequent trains or more expensive tickets, the combination of frequency, price and integration feels very advanced.

4. Super Advanced: Convenience Stores & Delivery Culture

One of the biggest “future-feeling” aspects of Korea is pure convenience:

24/7 Convenience Stores

Chains like CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Emart24 are everywhere and open all day, every day.

Inside you can:

  • Heat up ready meals

  • Pay bills, charge cards, print some documents

  • Buy snacks, simple meals, drinks, hygiene products, even basic medicine

Hyper-Efficient Delivery

South Korea has a huge food delivery and quick commerce ecosystem:

  • Apps like Baemin (Baedal Minjok), Coupang Eats, Yogiyo deliver food from almost any restaurant.

  • Groceries and parcels are delivered quickly; same-day or next-day shipping is common, especially from large platforms like Coupang.

For many foreigners, especially Europeans, this feels like a glimpse of a “convenience future” where everything comes to you with a few taps.

5. Super Advanced: Digital Services & Apps for Everything

Daily life in Korea often runs through a small set of powerful apps:

  • KakaoTalk is a messaging app that also handles payments, maps, reservations, taxis and more.

  • Naver functions as a search engine, map, blog platform, shopping platform and more in one ecosystem.

  • Many restaurants, cafés and clinics use app-based reservations or number systems.

From the outside, this integration feels very advanced – almost like the “super app” model people talk about in tech conferences.

But this is also where we start to see limitations…

6. Not So Advanced: Paperwork, Banks & Website Design

For all the high-tech surfaces, some parts of Korean administration still feel quite old-fashioned, especially if you are used to modern e-government systems.

Common surprises:

  • Some banks and public offices still require in-person visits, physical stamps and paper forms.

  • Certain online services only work with Internet Explorer-style security plugins, digital certificates or resident-only systems (though this has been improving).

  • Many websites feel visually busy, outdated in design or complex to navigate – especially compared to the sleek image of “future Korea”.

The result: you might pay with your phone and order groceries in two taps, but then spend 30 minutes downloading a plugin to access one official website.

7. Super Advanced: Beauty, Skincare & Aesthetic Clinics

Korea’s beauty and skincare ecosystem is famous worldwide, and it really does feel ahead of the curve in many ways:

  • Huge variety of dermatologist-developed skincare at accessible price points.

  • Widespread use of high SPF, anti-pollution and barrier-focused products.

  • Aesthetic clinics offering treatments ranging from laser facials to subtle cosmetic procedures with relatively standardised processes.

Major drugstore-style chains like Olive Young function as mini beauty tech labs, constantly launching new products and trends.

From a visitor’s view, it can feel like stepping into the future of skincare – though the social pressure that comes with it is another story.

8. Not So Advanced: Work Culture & Long Hours

While Korea is technologically advanced, work culture often feels more traditional:

  • South Korea has historically had among the longest working hours in the OECD, though there have been policies to reduce this.

  • In many workplaces, there is still an expectation to stay late, attend after-work dinners, and show loyalty through presence rather than pure output.

  • Hierarchies can be strong and age-based, with more formal communication than in many Western offices.

For people who associate “futuristic” societies with flexible, remote work and strong work–life balance, this side of Korea can feel surprisingly old-style and rigid.

9. Super Advanced: Safety Tech & Surveillance

In big Korean cities, you notice a lot of CCTV cameras and digital safety systems:

  • Cameras in subways, buses, streets and apartment complexes.

  • Emergency call buttons in parks and along rivers.

  • Pilot projects with AI-based CCTV and even hologram “virtual police officers” to deter crime in some public parks in Seoul.

For many visitors, this feels like a mix of:

  • reassuring (safety, monitoring), and

  • slightly dystopian (constant surveillance)

Either way, it definitely feels “advanced” compared to many places.

10. Not So Advanced: Language Barriers & Accessibility for Foreigners

From a local perspective, many systems are efficient and modern. For foreigners, however, things can feel less advanced due to language and access barriers:

  • Some apps, websites and services are Korean-only, with limited English support.

  • Opening a bank account, signing up for certain services or using some apps often requires a Korean ID number or local phone plan.

  • Translation apps help, but they’re not perfect for complex systems like contracts or government portals.

So while technology exists, it’s not always equally advanced for everyone – locals experience more of the benefits than short-term visitors.

11. Advanced and Not at the Same Time: The “Korea Paradox”

The mix of futuristic and old-school elements is what many people call the “Korea paradox”:

  • You tap your phone to ride a high-speed train…

  • But then sign a physical form with a stamp at the bank.

  • You order food at 2am from an app…

  • But struggle with an outdated website that only works on a certain browser.

Korea is both:

  • genuinely ahead in internet, mobile, convenience and beauty, and

  • still catching up in areas like bureaucracy, work culture and accessibility for foreigners.

This contrast is part of what makes living or travelling in Korea so interesting.

Final Thoughts: Enjoy the Future, Expect Some Friction

If you’re visiting or moving to Korea, you can definitely look forward to:

  • fast internet and efficient public transport

  • powerful apps and easy mobile payments

  • 24/7 convenience stores and quick delivery

  • a skincare and beauty scene that feels years ahead

At the same time, be prepared for:

  • some paper forms, in-person procedures and rigid work norms

  • websites that don’t feel as modern as the streets outside

  • systems that are built first for locals, not for foreigners

If you accept both sides, you’ll appreciate Korea not just as a “tech futureland”, but as a complex, evolving society – modern in many ways, traditional in others.