How to Use Naver Map in English

Last checked: October 2026

In most countries you can get around with Google Maps. In Korea you can't, at least not yet. Most visitors use Naver Map, a Korean map app that works in English. This page explains how to set it up, how to read its subway and bus directions, and what to do when a search goes wrong.

Best app: Naver Map
Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese
Google Maps: Transit only, no walking or driving
Bookings: Passport verification since June 2026

Exit 2 sign at Sungshin Women's University Station in Seoul at night — Photo: Udonhan1992 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Why Google Maps doesn't work well in Korea

Google Maps shows places and gives public transit directions in Korea, but it has no walking or driving directions. Korean law limits taking detailed map data out of the country, and Google's servers are abroad.

On February 27, 2026, the Korean government gave Google conditional approval to export 1:5,000 map data for navigation and directions.
Google first has to meet security conditions, such as blurring military sites and processing the data on servers in Korea, and the government has to check them.
As of October 12, 2026, the transport ministry said Google had not yet formally submitted its plan. Walking and driving directions had not launched.

Install Naver Map before you fly. Even if Google adds directions later, Korean apps have more places, live bus times, and subway exit numbers.

Set up Naver Map in English

Install NAVER Map from the App Store or Google Play. The app lists English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.
The app follows your phone's language. If your phone is set to English, Naver Map opens in English.
Allow location access, so the app can show where you are and when to get off.

Place names, addresses, categories, opening hours, and place details are translated.
Since October 2024, Korean visitor reviews can be translated into English, Japanese, or Chinese with Naver's Papago, and the restaurant filters (open now, Korean food, and so on) are translated too.
Naver's App Store listing says it offers English navigation for driving.

Searching: English or Korean?

Naver itself says its English data for building names, place names, and public transportation is not complete. English searches often work for big sights and chains, but small restaurants and shops can be hard to find.

Copy the Korean name. Hotel bookings, attraction websites, and restaurant posts usually show the name in Korean. Copy it and paste it into Naver Map.
Try the address. English addresses work only if the order is exact, so a copied Korean address is safer.
Add the area. Chains have many branches. Search "Starbucks Myeongdong" rather than "Starbucks".
A place you can find in English may not show up in Korean, and the other way around. If one fails, try the other.

Reading subway directions

When you get transit directions, a subway route shows:

Line and direction. Platforms are split by direction, so check which way you're going before you go down.
Which door to use. The app tells you the train door closest to your transfer.
Exit number. The exit to use at your destination station. Big stations have 10 or more exits, and the wrong one can put you across a wide road.
Get-off alerts. Once you start navigation, the app counts down the stops and alerts you before your station, with voice and pop-ups.
Real-time arrival times for the next trains.

Our guides show stations the same way: line badge, station name, and exit number.

Line 3 Gyeongbokgung Exit5

Pay with a T-money card, and tap it when you get off too.

Bus directions and live arrival times

Transit routes include buses. Each one shows the bus number, the stop to board at, and how many stops to ride.
Naver Map shows live bus arrival times, so you know how long to wait.
On buses, the app alerts you when to board and counts down the stops, so you don't need to follow Korean stop announcements.
Many city buses don't take cash. See T-money.

Saving places

Save restaurants and sights with the bookmark button. Saved places appear in the Save tab on the home screen.
You can save up to 5,000 places and sort them into lists by type, such as restaurants, cafes, and sights.
Share a list with friends. They see your later changes too.

Logging in and passport verification

You can read the map and get directions without an account. To book a table, order, or pay in Naver Map, you need a Naver account that has passed identity verification. Until recently this meant a Korean phone number.

Since June 4, 2026, foreigners with a passport issued outside Korea can verify their identity with it.
You do it on your phone. You don't need a Korean phone number or a call to customer service.
It unlocks Naver Map reservations, orders, and payments. Naver says it will add more services and languages step by step, so not every service supports it yet.
Each business decides whether to accept cards issued abroad for bookings. If a booking fails at payment, the place may not accept foreign cards. Call or walk in instead.

Kakao Map: the other option

Kakao Map is the second big Korean map app. It also gives transit, walking, cycling, and driving directions, live bus times, and a subway map. Its App Store listing names English and Korean.

Kakao says English place names and location details are not always standardized, so search in Korean when English fails.
Install both. If one app can't find a place, the other often can.
For taxis, Kakao's separate apps (Kakao T and k.ride) matter more than Kakao Map. See taxis.

Desktop and offline

Desktop: Naver Map also runs in a web browser at map.naver.com, which is handy for planning before your trip. Walking courses are made in the PC version and then show up in the app.
Offline: we couldn't find an official offline mode for Naver Map. Plan on mobile data, and get an eSIM, SIM, or pocket Wi-Fi before you need directions.
Screenshot the route and the Korean address before you go underground or into an area with weak signal.

Common problems

The place doesn't show up. Search the Korean name or address, add the neighborhood, or try Kakao Map.
The English result is the wrong place. Check the address and the map pin. Chains and similar names mix up easily, so add the area to your search.
Booking or payment won't work. Make sure you're logged in and have done passport verification. Some places don't accept cards issued abroad.
The app is half in Korean. Naver says some business details aren't translated yet. Use the review translation, or copy the text into a translator.

Next steps

FAQ

Does Google Maps work in Korea in 2026?

Partly. It shows places and public transit directions, but not walking or driving directions. The government gave Google conditional approval to export detailed map data in February 2026, but as of October 2026 those directions had not launched.

How do I change Naver Map to English?

Naver Map follows your phone's language, so it opens in English on a phone set to English. It supports English, Japanese, and Chinese.

Why can't Naver Map find a place I search in English?

Naver's English data for place and building names is not complete. Copy the place's Korean name or address and search again, add the neighborhood name, or try Kakao Map.

Can foreigners book restaurants on Naver Map without a Korean phone number?

Yes, since June 4, 2026. Foreigners with a passport issued abroad can verify their identity with it and then use reservations, orders, and payments in Naver Map. Some businesses don't accept cards issued abroad.

Should I use Naver Map or Kakao Map?

Naver Map has the stronger English support and is the one most visitors use. Install Kakao Map too, because a place one app can't find often shows up in the other.