Julia Christine Botin

Annyeonghaseyo from Seoul!  Here are 10 travel saving tips in the land of K-Drama

Article (news)

Aneth Ng-Lim

<p>It’s officially summer in Seoul, and with the weather hot and humid, plus the threat of rain, most tourists are staying away.  If you don’t mind the rising temperatures and carrying an umbrella, this is your chance to visit the land of K-Drama for cheap.</p><p>Here are the many ways we were able to save, while enjoying the attractions and experiences only Seoul can offer.</p><div><strong>#1 DIY Visa application<br/></strong></div><p>We found applying for a visa to travel to South Korea easier compared to other countries.  The list of requirements is straightforward, and you can choose to ask travel agencies to do it for you (for a fee, starting at around P2,300) or do it yourself and only pay P900 (which is what we did).  The application center is also conveniently located in Taguig, a short walk from SM Aura.</p><div><strong>#2 Search for air fare discounts<br/></strong></div><p>Low cost carriers offer as low as P7,000 roundtrip airfare, according to Google Flights.  But we decided to fly with Asiana Airlines because they offered a new member discount when you sign up from their site.  We paid around $220 including baggage allowance and meals on board and enjoyed flying in and out of NAIA Terminal 1 and Incheon International Airport Terminal 1.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175022891335920190607-seoul-korea-AFP-.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><strong>#3 Swipe with the right credit card</strong></div><p>Using the right credit card, you can get free travel insurance for you and your family members flying with you.  You just need to pay for your air tickets with that credit card to get the complimentary travel accident and/or inconvenience protection.   Another thing to pay attention to is the currency conversion fee, which can range from 1.6 percent to 2.5 percent.  This is the fee charged by local credit cards for converting the transaction amount paid overseas to Philippine pesos.  In some cases, there is another 1 percent transaction fee charged by MasterCard or Visa.  Of course, the lower the rate, the better for you.</p><div><strong>#4 Peso is the stronger currency</strong></div><p>This does not happen often, but we always love it when it does.  When in countries like Hong Kong, Malaysia or Singapore, we multiply the prices to get the conversion to Philippine peso.  But in South Korea, you divide the price, and not just by half, but by .042, meaning an item worth KRW1,000 is only P41.52.  You get to spend like royalty without breaking your own bank.</p><div><strong>#5 Not all money changers are equal</strong></div><p>Stay away from money changers in airports – they will always give you the worst rate.  But I made a mistake this time and went to a bank, and got a poor rate too.  Money changers are very accessible in Seoul, and they also have money changer machines which means you can exchange currencies 24x7.  Our best rate came from the aptly named Best Rate money changer at the lobby of Migliore Hotel Seoul Myeongdong.  We brought US dollars but saw they will exchange pesos too.</p><div><strong>#6 The best things in Seoul can be free</strong></div><p>No tourist in Seoul can miss Olive Young, home to all the viral skincare products.  At their Myeongdong store next to Station 6, you can sign up to be a member and get a free pouch with sample products, plus 5 percent discount on first purchase.  We also discovered Beauty Play which has two branches in Seoul, where you can sign up for free makeup lessons, or free skin care analysis, or free color analysis.  Plus get a small bag of product samples just for signing up.</p><div><strong>#7 Cash is still king</strong></div><p>Seoul is very much a payless society and you can tap away or swipe away for payments, even with food stalls.  But we realized they will give discounts if you pay in cash.  After a lovely K-BBQ dinner, we were about to tap and pay when the cashier said she will knock off 5 percent from the total if we paid in cash.  The same thing happened when we bought a wind chime from an artisan store.  We saved anywhere from KRW1,000 to KRW5,000 with purchases paid in cash.</p><div><strong>#8 Nap and shower for free</strong></div><p>When headed home and you have time to burn at the airport, no need to pay for lounge access and save on $45.  At Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, we stumbled onto a Nap room, a Shower room, a Nursing room, a Kiddie Play room and many more at Level 4 – all for free.  So from take-off to landing, don’t miss out on these deals that can make your money go further.</p>

<p>If you don’t mind the rising temperatures and carrying an umbrella, this is your chance to visit the land of K-Drama for cheap.</p>

If you don’t mind the rising temperatures and carrying an umbrella, this is your chance to visit the land of K-Drama for cheap.

8 Travel tipid tips in the land of K-Drama

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8 Travel tipid tips in the land of K-Drama

Aneth Ng-Lim

Published Jun 18, 2025 02:46 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 18, 2025 04:19 PM PHT

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