So remember how in Part 1, we talked about the apps you can download but can’t fully use? Well, welcome to the more difficult side. I am talking about the ones that don't even allow you to get past the app store. They look at your non-Korean IP address and say, “Not today.”

So here are the fully exclusive Korean apps, the ones that you basically have to breathe Korean to have access to them.

PASS by KT

PASS is a Korean app that you need for everything in Korea. From opening accounts to verifying your age on websites and morex, just name it! However, if you are located outside of Korea and attempt to download the PASS application, the application store will not allow you access because it does not recognize your IP address. Even if you have a Korean SIM, a person still must have an active Korean phone plan in order to register for PASS.

Government 24 (GOV. KR App)

This is where Koreans get their official documents, like birth certificates, residency records, tax papers, and every other official document. There is a requirement that you have to have a Korean social security number and also a Korean resident registration in order to use GOV24 as well, and because of this, it won’t usually show up on the app store unless you are in Korea, and no one is complaining. I mean, what do you need it for as a non-Korean in the first place?

Toss Bank App

Yes, we talked about Toss in Part 1, but that was the finance app. This one is their banking platform, and it’s even more restrictive than the finance side. To use Toss, you need a Korean ID, a Korean address, a Korean number, and a Korean verification from a Korean bank; if you do not have one of those items, the app will automatically not load for you.

KakaoBank

Just like the Toss Bank, you must live in Korea and have all the needed paperwork to use this app. You cannot install the app by downloading from any app store outside Korea, and even if you were able to sideload, registration on the app requires a complete verification of your Korean ID, which means a knockout for foreigners. Koreans use this app for daily banking, funding, saving, debit cards, etc., while foreigners can enjoy viewing the yellow logo only.

Local Delivery Apps Like Yogiyo Original and Baemin Merchant Apps

You may have heard of Baemin (Baedal Minjok), which is Korea's top delivery app for food. While the user version of this app is available internationally, the merchant app and earlier versions for riders are only available and can only be used by users in Korea, and you must provide a business registration number to register for an account; there are no exceptions.

Basically, if you want to use all these apps, you must either be Korean or be a Korean resident, but honestly, that’s fine. It gives us one more reason to daydream about living in Seoul for real, right?