Korean Convenience Store Guide (2026): What to Buy, How to Pay, ATMs

By Gape · 6 min read · Published October 25, 2026

Quick answer: A Korean convenience store (편의점) such as CU, GS25, 7-Eleven or emart24 lets you pay with a T-money or WOWPASS card or won cash, and GS25 also takes Alipay, WeChat Pay and even US dollar, yen, euro and yuan notes. Stores registered to sell medicine stock up to 11 approved over-the-counter drugs, one pack per item per purchase. You can also top up and refund T-money there; for cash, ATM support for foreign cards varies by machine, so check the screen or use an exchange kiosk.

Which convenience store chains will you find, and what do they offer visitors?

Four chains dominate: CU (씨유), GS25 (지에스25), 7-Eleven (세븐일레븐) and emart24 (이마트24). Each sells T-money cards and top-ups, but their visitor services differ.

T-money charges a ₩500 fee for every refund. Services like exchange kiosks are in selected stores, mostly in tourist areas, not in every branch.

How do you pay at a Korean convenience store?

Have two ways to pay: a transit card or mobile wallet as your main option, and won cash as backup. The chains don’t publish one rule for foreign Visa and Mastercard cards, so don’t rely on a single card.

• T-money (티머니) and EZL cards are sold and loaded at convenience stores nationwide, and T-money has the most affiliated stores of any transit card, per VISITKOREA. Tap it on the reader at the counter.
• WOWPASS is a foreigner-only prepaid card that works like a debit card at stores that take card payments. WOWPASS’s help pages list a one-time fee of ₩5,000 for a card issued at its machines and ₩6,000 for first-time membership. At convenience stores, look for the Tmoney Travel Card+ (₩6,000), which T-money sells as a T-money card with WOWPASS functions.
• Alipay and WeChat Pay made up 97.7% of what foreign customers paid through GS25’s foreign payment methods in 2025. GS25 also runs UnionPay discounts at about 2,000 stores until 19 March 2027.
• Foreign cash notes are accepted at GS25 (US dollars, Japanese yen, euros and Chinese yuan).
• Won cash works everywhere.

Load your T-money with won before a day out. Then the same card covers the subway, the bus and your snacks.

What do foreign visitors actually buy?

GS25 published the products foreign customers bought most so far in 2026 (as of July), and they’re a good starting list:

At beach-area GS25 stores in July 2026, visitors also bought drinks, bottled water, ramen, milk and snacks, plus swim rings, goggles and hats. If you’re spending ₩15,000 or more at a tax-free GS25, see our Korea tax refund guide for how instant refunds work.

Can you buy medicine at a Korean convenience store?

Yes, but only a short list, and only at stores registered to sell it. Korea’s safe household medicines (안전상비의약품) system designates 13 products; two were discontinued in 2022, so 11 are on sale.

• Types: fever and pain relievers (including Tylenol and Children’s Brufen syrup), cold medicines (such as Panpyrin), digestive aids (such as Bearse) and pain-relief patches.
• Where: only stores registered with the local district office as open 24 hours, every day of the year.
• How many: one pack of each product per purchase, and stores may not sell them to children under 12.

There is no anti-diarrhea medicine, antacid, allergy medicine or wound ointment on the list. For those, find a pharmacy (약국). A 2025 survey by the Korean Pharmaceutical Association found many registered stores breaking the rules, including selling two packs of the same item, so read the label yourself.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to expand the list to up to 20 products in December 2026. Until that happens, expect the current 11.

Can you get cash or exchange money inside a convenience store?

Sometimes, but not at every ATM. Whether a convenience store ATM accepts your foreign card depends on the machine, and Korea has no single public list.

To try an ATM:

1. Look for your card network’s logo on the machine.
2. Choose English on the first screen.
3. Read the fee the machine shows before you confirm.
4. If it offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and withdraw in won.
5. If your card is refused, don’t keep retrying; try a bank ATM or an exchange kiosk.

Exchange kiosks are the alternative. GS25’s kiosks change 15 currencies into won and convert foreign coins into store points, which banks usually won’t take. CU’s kiosks also handle 15 currencies (notes only), scan your passport and cap exchanges at US$2,000 per person per day. As of January 2025, emart24’s digital ATMs at a few stores, including Starfield COEX Mall and Haeundae, issued a prepaid card you can load in 15 currencies.

How do you top up and refund T-money at a convenience store?

Hand your card and cash to the cashier and say how much to load. Plain T-money cards cost ₩3,000–5,000, and under-18s must register their birth date at the store to get youth fares.

To get your balance back before you fly home:

1. Go to a convenience store whose limit covers your balance (see the chain table above).
2. Ask for a refund (환불). The store pays out the balance minus ₩500.
3. For balances over ₩50,000, go to T-money’s headquarters or an ATM with a T-money refund function, which pays into a Korean bank account.

For which card to buy in the first place, see our T-money vs Climate Card guide.

How old do you need to be to buy alcohol and cigarettes?

You must be 19 by Korea’s calendar-year rule: the Juvenile Protection Act counts you as an adult from 1 January of the year you turn 19. In 2026, that means anyone born in 2007 or earlier.

Sellers are legally required to check the buyer’s age and identity. Carry your passport if you look young.

What changed recently

• April 2026: 7-Eleven added LINE Pay for visitors from Taiwan.
• 16 July 2026: The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced plans to expand convenience store medicines from 11 to up to 20 products in December 2026, and to let stores that aren’t open 24 hours sell them in areas with no pharmacy or 24-hour store. Neither has taken effect yet.

FAQ

Are Korean convenience stores open 24 hours?

Many are, but not all. Only stores registered as 24-hour, year-round outlets can sell medicines, and stores in rural areas often close at night.

Can I pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay?

Yes, at GS25: Alipay and WeChat Pay made up 97.7% of foreign customers’ spending through foreign payment methods there in 2025. At other chains, check the stickers at the counter.

Can I buy a SIM card at a convenience store?

GS25 lists SIM cards (USIM) among the items foreign visitors bought most in 2026. Stock varies by store, so check before you count on it.

Can I get my T-money balance back at any convenience store?

Up to each chain’s limit: under ₩20,000 at GS25, ₩20,000 or less at 7-Eleven, and ₩30,000 or less at CU and emart24, minus a ₩500 fee.

Do I need ID to buy beer at a convenience store?

Bring it. Korean law requires sellers to check age and identity for alcohol and tobacco, and your passport is the ID that proves your birth year.