This is the YouTube link to the livestream: https://youtube.com/live/EoUImcHI3NY?si=MtLtmC7yXCoPVd8P
September 30th, 2025
Weddings are usually semi-formal to formal in Korea. Women: Elegant dress or skirt/pants and blouse combo. Men: Suit and tie or blazer with trousers. Avoid white and overly flashy colors. Hats/fascinators are uncommon. Reference: https://search.naver.com/search.naver?sm=tab_hty.top&where=image&ssc=tab.image.all&query=%ED%95%98%EA%B0%9D+%ED%8C%A8%EC%85%98&oquery=11%EC%9B%94+%ED%95%98%EA%B0%9D+%ED%8C%A8%EC%85%98&tqi=j5PCEsqo1fsss6GTiZ0ssssst%2BN-277251&ackey=1ofyq4n4
Korean weddings are usually short, efficient, and well-organized, often lasting around 2 hours total including the meal. Typical flow: 1) Arrival & Guestbook (15–20 minutes) Upon arrival, usually Korean guests would go to the reception desk, give cash gift in an envelope, and sign the guestbook. GUESTS FROM ABROAD can sign the guestbook but please DO NOT pay–this is NOT an expectation! You’ll be directed to an assigned seating chart near the entrance where you can find your table location. Your name will be on the designated table, so you can go directly to your seat. 2) Ceremony (30–40 minutes) Usually held in a wedding hall, short and to the point — sometimes with live music, readings, or vows. Guests may freely take photos throughout. 3) Group Photos (10–15 minutes) Immediately after the ceremony, there will be formal photos with the couple. First family photos, then friends/colleagues. 4) Reception Meal (45–60 minutes) For this wedding, a plated, Western-style course meal will be served, followed by a traditional Korean dish. The main course will feature meat by default. If you do not eat meat or have other dietary restrictions, please indicate this in your RSVP so an alternative option can be arranged. Wine and soft drinks will be provided to all guests. Coffee will be served after dinner; tea is also available by request.
Airport Railroad Express (AREX): 45 minutes direct to Seoul Station, ₩9,500 (~$7 USD). All-stop AREX: Cheaper, stops more often. Airport Limousine Buses: Comfortable option directly to major hotels. Taxi: ₩60,000–₩80,000 ($45–$60 USD) to central Seoul; higher at night.
We recommend WOWPASS (https://www.wowpass.io/en): Works for subways, buses, taxis, and small purchases at many shops and restaurants. Load Korean Won using your foreign debit/credit card — no local bank account needed. Tracks your balance via a multi-language app and offers easy refunds when you leave Korea. Available for pickup at Incheon Airport or select locations in Seoul. Alternative: 1) T-money card - Rechargeable card used for subways, buses, some taxis, and convenience stores. Buy at convenience stores or subway stations (~₩2,500–₩4,000 for the card). Top up with CASH ONLY at kiosks or convenience stores. There's a way to put the T-money card on your apple wallet, but you will need to top up with cash if you do not possess a Korean bank account. Unused balance refund is possible only at certain locations before departure. 2) Climate Card - Unlimited public transport rides within Seoul only. Top-ups can be done using a credit card but I think cash is needed at purchase. 3) Discover Seoul Pass (https://www.discoverseoulpass.com/app/main) - Includes bunch of sight seeing options and public transport--may be a good option if the pass offers what you've already planned to see.
Google Maps does not provide accurate walking or driving navigation in Korea due to mapping restrictions. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap instead — both have English versions and are the go-to for locals. You can download them before your trip: Naver Map or Kakao Map
Kakao T and the foreigner friendly version of the app called k.ride: The most widely used taxi app in Korea. When booking your ride, you have the option to pay after the ride which will likely be the easiest. You can pay with cash, card, or in-app (requires Korean payment method). Uber: Available in Seoul and there availability has increased a lot recently. They should be fairly reliable. You can also hail taxis on the street — look for the red light in the front window (means available), however, drivers will prioritize Kakao calls and it may be hard to find a driver.
Often, it can be difficult or not feasible to make online transactions without a Korean phone number and local bank account. Some websites and apps may allow foreign credit cards or PayPal, especially if they have an English version. If you need to make a purchase or booking and run into issues, please reach out to Amy for assistance. You can use Catch Table app to make reservations for restaurants.
No--you are not expected to tip anywhere! Also, many places you pay on the way out instead of waiting for the bill.
In summary, the essential applications recommended to download are: 1) Naver Map - Navigation and location sharing (Kakao Map works too but Naver is the most common) 2) Kakao Taxi (foreigner version is K.Ride)- Calling taxis 3) Catch Table - Restaurant reservations Optional: 1) Naver - It's Korean version of Google, some searches will only appear on Naver and not on Google but most show up on both. 2) Naver Papago - It's Naver's translation app; Google translate works fine but Papago is superior in translating English<>Korean. 3) WOWPASS - Prepaid card for public transportation and small purchases if you don't want to deal with cash, especially for public transportation.
Wedding invitation: https://www.barunsonmcard.com/m/kunor-jung Wedding guide part 1: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GzaVf15nn5t-v4nFY5h6ygvpWhM9lgYzVhfmH83XJP4/edit?tab=t.0 This website is part 2 :). Let us know if you have any other questions or need recommendations!