Why Google Maps Doesn't Work in Korea?

First of all, welcome to Korea! 🎉
Korea is a really fun place to visit and to live in.

But if this is your first time here, there will be moments when you stop and think,
“Wait… why does this work like this?”

This blog is for foreigners who are living in Korea or visiting for a short time.
Here, I’ll share simple and practical explanations about things people actually get curious about in daily life,

such as transportation, food, everyday services, and the way things work in Korea. that are surprisingly hard to ask.

If Korea feels just a little more familiar after reading this, that’s more than enough.
Maps in Korea.

I’m Youngsoo, an office worker living a pretty ordinary life in Korea.
I go to work, meet friends, eat out, and find my way around.

Based on the things I use every day, I’ll try to gently walk through those small but awkward questions

So, let’s start with one of the things that confuses most people.

Why Google Maps Doesn’t Work Well in Korea?

If you’ve been using Google Maps without any problems before coming to Korea,
finding your way around here for the first time can feel surprisingly confusing.

You can search for places just fine, but when you try to get directions,
the routes often look strange or don’t show up properly especially for walking or
public transportation.

This isn’t simply because “Google Maps is bad.”
It’s because the way Google Maps works doesn’t fully match the environment in Korea.

1️⃣ Navigation data is limited in Korea

One of Google Maps’ biggest strengths is accurate navigation
and real-time directions.

However, in Korea,
the high-precision map data needed for detailed navigation
is not always fully available to overseas map services.

Because of this, Google Maps often:

 - Knows where a place is, but

 - Struggles to calculate the best way to get there

This is one of the main reasons directions feel unreliable.

"While Naver Map and Kakao Map accurately estimate about a 12-minute walk from Pusan National University (PNU) Station to the main gate, Google Maps often shows incorrect walking paths and bus stop locations. For the best accuracy in Korea, I highly recommend using Naver or Kakao instead of Google Maps."

2️⃣ Walking and public transportation information is incomplete

In Korea, daily movement relies heavily on:

 - Subway transfers

 - Bus routes

 - Walking directions

 - These details matter a lot.

Google Maps can be missing information in these areas
or show routes that don’t match real-life conditions.

For example:

 - Transfer times may be inaccurate
 - Updated bus routes may not be reflected

 - Walking routes may guide you through paths people don’t actually use

3️⃣ Real-time traffic data is weaker

Traffic conditions in Korea change frequently.
There are many construction zones, lane changes, and temporary road restrictions.

Compared to local map apps,
Google Maps does not reflect Korea’s real-time traffic flow
and lane-level information as accurately.

Because of this, when driving
or when you need an accurate arrival time,
Google Maps can be hard to trust.

4️⃣ Building-level information may not match reality

In Korea, it’s very common to have:

 - Underground shopping areas
 - Stores inside buildings

 - Multiple businesses sharing the same address

Google Maps often struggles to show:

 - Building interiors
 - Floor-level information

As a result, you may arrive near your destination and think,
“I’m here… but where do I actually go in?”

5️⃣ It’s not a language issue — it’s a localization issue

Many foreigners wonder, “Is this because my app is in English?”
or “Would it work better in Korean?”
In most cases, language is not the problem.

Even with English settings,
Google Maps lacks data that is fully optimized for
Korea’s roads, transportation systems, and daily living patterns.

So people in Korea use different map apps

For all these reasons,
people living in Korea usually rely on local map apps
instead of Google Maps for everyday navigation.

These apps are designed specifically for:

Korean roads
 - Public transportation systems
 - Real-time local conditions
 - That’s why many people use them for daily travel.

In the next section,

we’ll look at the map apps people actually use in Korea, and when each one works best.