Korean pharmacies in Seoul
Pharmacies sell over-the-counter medicine, pharmacy skin care and supplements, and pharmacists give free advice.
- Usual length
- -
- Starting prices seen
- -
- Listings on one booking site
- 34
- English
- 9 of 11 listings we checked say English is available
Prices and counts: the 11 most-viewed listings we checked on creatrip.com on 2026-10-25. Booking-site prices are often promotions and change without notice.
All 11 listings we checked were free to reserve. Product prices are not shown.
What happens
- You browse the shelves or tell the pharmacist what you need.
- The pharmacist can advise on symptoms, dosage and side effects.
- You do not have to buy anything to ask for advice.
- Some pharmacies in tourist areas offer help in English and other languages.
Before you book
- Use a translation app or show a photo of the product you want.
- Look for a 'Language assistance available' sign at the door.
- Some pharmacies in tourist areas offer tax refunds. Ask before you pay.
- For nights and holidays, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association runs sites that list open pharmacies. You can also call 1330 for travel help or 1339 for medical advice.
Watch out for
- Antibiotics and some other drugs need a doctor's prescription.
- Convenience stores sell only basic medicine, with no pharmacist to ask.
- Pharmacy skin care such as PDRN products are cosmetics, not medicine.
Where the shops are
MyeongdongHongdaeSeongsuJamsil
Neighborhoods that show up most among the listings we checked. We do not recommend a specific shop.
Sources
- Health Consultation Centers for Everyone: Pharmacy Guide in Korea | Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea), 2024-12-06
- A Must for Your Korea Trip: K-Pharmacy Shopping | Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea), 2026-09-21
- What to know about Korean pharmacies | The Korea Times, 2026-03-31
- Sick in Korea after hours? Here's what visitors need to know | The Korea Times, 2026-03-14
- Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists | The Korea Times, 2026-10-24
Next step: choosing a shop yourself
- Pick two or three shops near where you are staying. The neighborhoods above are where most listings are.
- Send each shop the same questions: the total price with tax, whether it is per person, whether English is available, and the deposit and cancellation rule.
- Compare the written answers. Booking-site banners are often promotions and change without notice.
- For lasers, injections or anything a doctor does, read the treatment page first and ask the clinic for its registration to treat foreign patients.
Public help in English
- Korea Travel Hotline 1330 | Korea Tourism Organization. Call 1330 in Korea for travel help in English and other languages.
- Medical Korea | Government site for foreign patients, including clinics registered to treat them.