The beauty of traveling lies in its ability to enrich your life in countless ways. From enjoying food and creating lasting memories, to connecting with others, travel is a wholesome experience. Nonetheless, some uncontrollable instances might make the whole travel experience unpleasant. For instance, getting sick while on holiday and needing immediate care or medication. In this article, we unravel the 4 tips for getting medications in Korea as a tourist.
4 tips for getting medications in Korea as a tourist
1. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications
What are OTC medications? They are common medications for conditions like headaches, colds, and allergies (skin conditions included) that are available without a prescription in South Korea. You can buy these at local pharmacies (약국, yak-guk) which are easily accessible in most neighborhoods, shopping districts, and near hospitals. If you need comprehensive English communication, try to visit the bigger pharmacies. To learn more about what you can buy at a pharmacy, check out our article here.
Just in case you can’t find a pharmacy, did you know that Olive Young and Lotte Mart also carry a wide range of OTC medications? These include vitamins, painkillers, and cold remedies – a cool tip to getting medications in Korea as a tourist!
However, most pharmacies and drugstores are not open 24 hours. In the event you need these medications at night, the next best place you can find basic OTC medications, like pain relievers or cold remedies, will be at convenience stores such as GS25, 7-Eleven, and CU.
2. Visit a local doctor
When it comes to getting prescription medications in Korea as a tourist, you need to visit a local clinic. Here’s what a general guideline looks like. First, look for clinics that cater to tourists or expatriates who have English-speaking doctors who are accustomed to treating foreigners.
Second, you’ll need to describe your symptoms, medical history, and the medication you’re looking for during the consultation with the doctor. For the consultation, expect to pay between KRW 30,000 to KRW 80,000. Any further diagnostic tests or treatments you receive at the clinic will be an additional fee. Afterwards, you will be given a prescription for any required medication to bring to the pharmacy to get the medication. For the prescription cost, expect around KRW 20,000 for 1 week of medication depending on the drugs prescribed.
In emergency cases, please call 119 or visit the emergency room (응급실, eung-geup-sil) to get immediate medical care. However, make sure to have travel insurance, as visiting a hospital emergency room can be costly when compared to a local clinic. Click here and find the travel insurance recommended by Go! Go! Hanguk.
*A gentle reminder: If you prefer to bring your own prescribed medications, do note that South Korea has strict rules about bringing medications into the country. For certain controlled substances, you might need to get approval from the Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA). These include narcotics and any medication with amphetamines.
3. Online reservation system
Undoubtedly, South Korea has become a global leader in the medical industry. Be it cosmetic surgery or general medical services, it has attracted many foreigners to seek medical help in Korea. However, getting treatments or medications may be confusing as a tourist when there are so many options available.
To help streamline the process, we also suggest looking at the various online reservation systems for medical appointments. These include hospital-specific online reservation platforms, where patients can schedule appointments with specialists, request consultations, or book general check-ups. The reservation systems are usually available in English.
There are also national and regional online platforms like Kakao Health (available for download on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store) and CloudHospital (using an AI system to find the best available options for patients).
Whether you are looking to book a time to get a physical examination or wish to get prescription medications in Korea as a tourist, above are some options you can consider.
4. Useful phrases for getting medications in Korea as a tourist
약을 사고 싶어요.
(Ya-geul sa-go sip-eo-yo)
I want to buy medicine.
두통이 있어요.
(Du-tong-i i-sseo-yo)
I have a headache.
감기에 걸렸어요.
(Gam-gi-e geol-lyeo-sseo-yo)
I have a cold.
배탈이 났어요.
(Bae-ta-ri na-sseo-yo)
I have an upset stomach.
감기약이 필요해요.
(Gam-gi-ya-gi pi-ryo-hae-yo)
I need cold medicine.
두통약이 필요해요.
(Du-tong-ya-gi pi-ryo-hae-yo)
I need medicine for a headache.
진통제가 필요해요.
(Jin-tong-jae-ga pi-ryo-hae-yo)
I need pain relievers.
Avoid spending an unpleasant holiday in Korea! We hope this guide to getting medications in Korea as a tourist comes in handy in times of need. For more information, follow the Go! Go! Hanguk blog and our TikTok account! And please don’t hesitate to contact us about living and studying in Korea!
