How do I use Naver Map in English to find my way around Seoul?
Set the language, confirm the branch, and check the station exit before you start walking.
By A Drop of Seoul Editorial ·
If you’re choosing one map app for a first trip to Seoul, Naver Map is a practical place to start. It combines detailed local place listings with public-transport and walking directions, and its English version translates many reviews and place filters. This guide focuses on the simplest task: setting it up and using it to get from a search result to the correct entrance.
Quick answer
Set Naver Map to English, find your destination, and confirm its address before choosing a route. Keep three details in view: the direction you’re travelling, any transfer, and the exit closest to your destination. A station name alone will not tell you which side of the road you will come out on. If an English search does not find the place you want, try the Korean name or address supplied by the business.
Set up the language before you head out
NAVER’s help page directs Android users to the profile icon beside the search bar, then Settings and Language. On iOS, the language option takes you to the app’s preferred-language setting in the device settings. Labels can vary with the version, so use the official help page if your screen looks different. Do this while you have a comfortable internet connection.
Make sure you’ve found the right branch
Compare the address with the one on your booking or the business’s own page. A familiar name is not enough when there are several branches. Keep the Korean name and address in a note, especially if a friend has sent you a translated or shortened name.
Read the whole route once
Set your actual starting point and select the travel mode you need. Before walking to a station, look at the full journey: where you board, which direction you need, where you change, and where you leave the station. Compare more than the headline travel time if you have luggage or want fewer transfers.
Give the last few minutes some attention
Once you arrive, check the recommended exit and then the walking section. A café might be upstairs or have its entrance on the next side of the building. Read the floor information in the business listing or booking instructions instead of treating the map pin as the front door.
If the route or search looks wrong
Recheck the branch, location permission, starting point, and transport mode. Try the Korean address if the name search is unhelpful. If you’re already nearby, show the address to a station staff member or the business. A small correction early is easier than following the wrong branch across town.
A local tip
Save the destination details before leaving your hotel. A screenshot is useful for the address and exit number, but refresh the route when you travel so you aren’t relying on an old departure time.
Read next
Need the rest of your travel toolkit? See Which Apps Should I Install Before Visiting Seoul? for taxis, restaurant reservations, translation, and backup maps.
