As South Korea welcomed a record-breaking 20 million international visitors in 2025, ‘CHECK iN SEOUL’, an exclusive card and mobile platform for foreign travelers launched by LOTTECARD in January 2026 has quickly emerged as a must-have service among tourists visiting the country.
In 2025, South Korea welcomed approximately 20 million international visitors, marking a record-breaking year for inbound tourism. Notably, around 85% of travelers chose independent travel over traditional group tours, with women in their 20s to 40s emerging as a key consumer demographic. Reflecting this shift, ‘CHECK iN SEOUL’ is gaining traction among travelers by seamlessly integrating payments, transportation, and travel information into a single card and mobile app.
Previously, international travelers often cited high currency exchange fees and the inconvenience of card-only kiosk payments in Korea as major pain points. ‘CHECK iN SEOUL’ was designed to address these challenges by offering a more seamless and traveler-friendly payment experience.
LG U+ Partnership: Travelers can purchase discounted bundled packages that combine mobile USIM and eSIM services.
Easy Email Registration: Users can quickly sign up and verify their accounts using only an email address, eliminating complicated onboarding procedures.
Smart Top-Up & Currency Exchange: Travelers can apply for and preload the card through the app before departing from China. Upon arrival in Korea, the card can be instantly reloaded using KRW cash at airport kiosks, or with both foreign currency and KRW at downtown exchange kiosks.
Exclusive Youth Transit Discounts: Designed especially for family travelers, the industry-first Youth Transit Discount feature helps young visitors travel Korea more affordably.
Beyond Payments: A Gateway to K-Culture
‘CHECK iN SEOUL’ goes beyond being just a prepaid card, serving as a dynamic platform that connects travelers with the latest Korean trends and culture.
Smart Travel Journaling: The app automatically tracks users’ daily journeys through payment activity, allowing travelers to easily document and share their experiences on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
Culture & Entertainment Partnerships: Through collaborations with globally recognized IPs, entertainment brands, and cultural events, the platform remains closely connected to emerging trends in global travel, lifestyle, and pop culture.
Exclusive Lifestyle Benefits: Travelers receive cashback offers and special discounts at Korea’s leading shopping, beauty, and entertainment brands, enhancing the overall visitor experience, including Lotte Duty Free (10%), Lotte Mart (15%), Lotte World (30%), Olive Young (10~20%, varies by branch), and Musinsa (5%).
Expanding Its Role in Korea’s Inbound Tourism Market
A LOTTECARD representative stated, “As an integrated travel payment platform combining transportation, payments, and exclusive brand benefits throughout the entire travel journey, we will continue to deliver a more seamless and convenient experience for international travelers.”
Media Contact
Company Name: HERE UP Inc
Contact Person: Youri
Email: Send Email
Country: South Korea
Website: https://www.lguplus.com/korea-sim/kor/pc/product/check-in-seoul?tab=simcard
