Is Driving in Korea Dangerous? | Guide to Driving in Korea

[@francoberbanojr1454]

I’ve been driving here in Korea for almost 3 years now.I’m more responsible driver now than before I was driving in the Philippines.

[@lostthenfound]

Oh that's very interesting to hear! How does Korea compare with the Philippines for driving? Compared to Canada it's a lot faster paced here for sure. You have to make decisions really fast here but in Canada you have more time to think and react. Probably just because there are less people in Canada!

[@JECKORWALKINGVLOG]

boss my tax kaba na binabayaran?

[@Ben-dh1kt]

Thank you for this video! I've been looking around driving tips in Korea and not many videos of this kind exist

[@lostthenfound]

Hi Ben thanks for the comment! 🙌 Let me know if you have any additional questions that aren't covered in the video too! There is so much to talk about driving here haha

[@bikechingu]

Korea has really nice roads and hi-ways (not to mention the bicycle paths), new and fancy cars but I think many Korean drivers lack road courtesy. I use Kakao Maps and I love its bicycle navigation. Drive safe Matt!

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot Thoan I agree completely! I hope that people start to prioritize safety over speed as time goes on. Luckily it's already slowly starting to change that way so hopefully it continues! You too drive safe!!

[@ohwell2790]

I really like your videos, they are no nonsense and entertaining. The best for you two in the new year.

[@lostthenfound]

Thank you so much! Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year! 😃😄😁

[@AverageCho]

Appreciate your take on driving safety in Korea. I've seen some other videos where they talk about how easy/simple it is to drive in Korea and how all the signs are in English. People should not underestimate how many wreckless drivers there are in Korea, especially in big cities like Seoul. Also lots of signs in Korean only as you mentioned. Just because you have driving experience in NA does not mean you will feel comfortable driving in Korea.

[@lostthenfound]

@AverageCho thanks a lot for the comment! It's very important that people are prepared for driving here, as like you said there are so many reckless drivers that only have the goal in mind of "getting there as fast as possible." It's quite a bit different than driving in NA for sure, and although it's getting better every year I still think it's my least favourite aspect of living here.

[@user-yo5581]

한국의 교통 문화가 더 발전될 필요가 있다는 말에 공감해요! Thank you for your video. Drive safe!

[@lostthenfound]

감사합니다! 한국에서는 좋은 점이 엄청 많이 있으니까 계속 살기로 했는데 교통 문화가 꼭 발전해야 돼요. 그래도 갈수록 좋아지니까 미래가 밝아요! Thanks a lot! Drive safe! 😊

[@1uniqueislander968]

I've rented a car for the first time in Jeju Island. Great place to start driving in South Korea.

[@lostthenfound]

Oh that sounds great @1uniqueislander968! I've never driven there, but every time I've been to Jeju it seems like the bus drivers drive insanely fast haha. Did you have a good time driving there?

[@1uniqueislander968]

@@lostthenfound I had a great experience driving around jeju last March my first time seeing Cherry blossoms, I just visited last month again with family and I was their driver and tour guide. I bicycled toured around Jeju and hiked Gwaneumsa trail to Mt. Halla peak last year September and loved it (thank you for your jeju insights/tips videos). I've learned more about Jeju culture and history every visit also discovered so many places and things to do with family. My most favorite about Jeju is the solitary nature, hiking and cycling infrastructure.

[@lostthenfound]

@@1uniqueislander968wow that's great! Thanks for sharing your experience! The Gwaneumsa Trail and biking around Jeju are two of my favourite things to do in Korea as well. There is just something special about Jeju eh! 😊🌴

[@1uniqueislander968]

@@lostthenfound yup, sometimes the places finds you. I guess cuz where I come from Guam is a nice beautiful island but it's not developed for cycling, hiking and outdoor activities like in Korea, also the crimes and danger including insane drivers here makes me vulnerable. Jeju🍊 found me 😄

[@lostthenfound]

@@1uniqueislander968 oh wow you are from Guam?? We've wanted to travel there for so long! Really interesting to hear your perspective on Jeju as someone who lives on a tropical island though! That's great that you found so much in Jeju! 😁

[@rf9645]

I will soon be driving in Jeju Island, have you heard about what it is like to drive there? Love the video!

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot R F! 🙌 Jeju should be similar to other places in Korea, but there are so many rental cars on the road so just watch out! A lot of people will be distracted looking at the scenery/taking pictures so I would give some extra room in front of you just in case! Have an amazing trip to Jeju!! You're going to have a blast! 🌴

[@ohhi5237]

jeju driving is great; they drive much slower (island people no stress)

[@michaeldavisphotographer]

I use Waze. But on motorcycles and scooters you have to be careful or it will occasionally route you over bridges or highways that are illegal for 2 wheelers. And the best thing about driving is freedom to get outside the city quickly and easily. There are short and beautiful drives just north of Seoul.

[@lostthenfound]

I've never tried Waze but I'll give it a try Michael! Totally agree about the freedom part too. It's not really "necessary" to have a car here, but things sure open up when you do! Just gotta avoid the weekends if possible haha.

[@michaeldavisphotographer]

@@lostthenfound Well it's a bit more dangerous, but I prefer the scooter over a car. I'd go crazy sitting in traffic so much. I can get to work in under 30 minutes when the 2 busses and a train would be 60-90 minutes depending on luck. I just have to pay attention closely to the weather during winter, but as a Canadian yourself and me being an Oregonian... I'm sure we'd agree that winters here are NOTHING like back home! haha

[@lostthenfound]

@@michaeldavisphotographer ah that's awesome! Would love to ride a scooter here too! Used to live in Government Camp OR for the summer to ski at Mt. Hood. I miss Oregon so much! Definitely way more snow in the winter than here too haha.

[@izzyh24]

Good. Very informative.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much!! 🙌

[@stephendueker9006]

Thank you for the information. I am concerned about what to do during accident.

[@lostthenfound]

No problem Stephen! During an accident you need to: 1) Stop your vehicle immediately where the accident occured and don't pull over to the side of the road 2) Call your insurance company and explain your situation/ask what to do Don't talk to the other driver much until you have spoken to your insurance and received instructions on exactly what to do.

[@BonFShaw]

Thank you for the video. Please turn down the music for future videos. It was 2X-3X too loud.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks for the advice Bon Shaw! I think the music was at -3db in this video. I'll start putting them at -6db just to make sure they aren't too loud. (I'm not a pro so if you have better advice please let me know 😁)

[@dadandsoladventures3111]

Nice video. Very helpful for novice drivers like me. Kakao map is my best option. My main problem is the parking and by parking itself. It's too small space. The parking fee is pricey. And the dropping off is difficult because everyone is in a hurry. Driving in a residential place is hard for cars park on each side of the road, and only 1 car can pass. Have a great day.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much @dadandsoladventures3111! Parking and pulling over here is definitely a hassle (especially in Seoul)! I don't think Korea was built to have such big cars everywhere haha.

[@andreayun]

Thank you for this!

[@lostthenfound]

Thank you! 😊

[@breezybaby6430]

So I'm going to ask my question since the video didn't quite go into answering it, and it's the entire reason I even looked for a video like this one. Is driving through red lights/stop signs still a common thing (not so much inside the big cities, but outskirts of Wonju, Osan, Gangneung, Mokpo, etc.). In 2007-8, driving between cities on a 2 or 4 lane road you were almost guaranteed to see someone(s) blow through a red light or stop sign. Highway speedlimits were a mild suggestion. Leaving any room between you and the car in front of you was just an open invitation for someone to cut in front of you. I felt like it was the wild west of driving in the world (although strangely, not the worst driving environment I've seen. That award goes to the Phillipines). I will always be grateful for the driving experience in South Korea. I've become the most attentive driver I know; and instinctually expect people to do the worst things on the road, thereby avoiding dozens of accidents back in the US. It's the fire that forges great drivers, if you have the nerve for it.

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there Breezy Baby! When I first got to Korea in 2012, it was still common for people to go through red lights outside of Seoul in Gyeonggi-do and everywhere in the countryside. In Seoul I'd see it somewhat commonly especially if it's a small intersection. However, since then it has gone down drastically. In Seoul, the only time you'll see it is occasionally when there is a crosswalk with a traffic light and no pedestrians, but not at an actual intersection with cross traffic these days (maybe sometimes, but I can't remember the last time I saw it). However, the delivery drivers on motorbikes still blow red lights all the time because they only have a license plate in the back, so the cameras can't catch them (the cameras only record the front license plate). I see police crackdown on them a lot more these days, but I don't think they care that much or they'd stop doing it. Also, in the countryside it's still a lot more common for cars to blow through red lights on smaller intersections, but it's happening a lot less. Despite recent events, it feels like Korea is slowly becoming a "safer" country and I can feel it on a day to day basis, but some of that might be that I've just been here for so long that I am used to it, and am slowly forgetting what it's like in a country with stricter rules. Either way, Korea still has a LONG way to go when it comes to safety standards, but it's improving a bit. I also agree that driving here makes you hyper aware of everyone around you! I've been involved in numerous near miss accidents from cars disobeying rules, and I don't trust ANYONE. 😁

[@haaymaay6802]

I’m surprised that none of you who made a video about driving in Korea on KZbin mentioned the unprodected left turn sign/no sign. For me it was very big deal and learned it hard way lol. In Europe or North America you just turn left on green after oncoming traffic passes. But here you can only turn left on green with the sign or green arrow.

[@lostthenfound]

Ah yeah that's true! Didn't really think about it too much when I made the video. You can turn left on any of the 비보호 intersections just like you can in Europe/North America, but they are usually only on the quiet/narrow streets.

[@ohhi5237]

thats super illegal in europe

[@yyhun411]

3:02 부산에서 운전해보시면 그 느낌이 확 와닿을 겁니다. 도로는 복잡하고 운전을 험하게 하는 사람들이 많아서 스트레스 엄청 받으실 거에요

[@lostthenfound]

@yyhun411 네 저는 부산에서 운전을 몇번 해 봤는데 서울보다 약간 더 빨랐던 것 같아요. 근데 한국의 운전문화가 점점 좋아지고 있어요! ^^

[@Bae-w6u]

be careful at roundabouts, many do not know how to yield. 2nd be very careful at intersection, even if you have the the right, people will drive even if they have to yield.

[@lostthenfound]

Very good advice @user-uk4jl4ot6y, thank you very much!

[@juju-ct1qh]

한국인으로서 한국 도로 위에는 특히 보행자에게 위험한 상황이 너무 많습니다. 정지선을 안지키는 차가 많고, 신호등 없는 횡단보도에서 보행자를 배려하는 차는 거의 없고, 기본적으로 보행자보다는 차량이 우선이라는 문화입니다. 이런 점은 유럽처럼 보행자가 우선인 문화로 바뀌어야한다고 생각합니다.

[@lostthenfound]

@juju-ct1qh님 네, 저도 그렇게 생각해요. 한국의 운전문화는 점점 좋아지고 있는데 객관적으로 말하면 아직 위험한 것 같아요. 한국의 정부가 이 문제에 대해서 조금더 집중했으면 좋겠어요.

[@Harvey_Anderson17]

Thanks for this video. I just one question, I'm more into driving a stick shift. Do you think driving a stick is okay in korea? Or should I just get the automatic transmission? Thanks!

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot Harvey! 😊 I'd say stick shift would be amazing for the country roads as you get a lot of windy roads in the mountains where you almost feel like a rally car driver (with a bit of imagination). When driving in Seoul, you are constantly accelerating and braking because people are constantly changing lanes and cutting you off and there are way too many cars to go on a "joy ride". 🤣 I'd say go for the automatic if you are going to be in Seoul for the majority of your time!

[@Harvey_Anderson17]

@@lostthenfound alright mate. Thanks a lot. I guess I will purchase stick shift. 😁

[@lawrence5021]

저는 반대로 한국에서 2013년부터 운전을 시작해서 몇 년 간 운전 하다가 2018년부터 캐나다 밴쿠버에서 운전을 하고 있는데 말씀하신 내용에 굉장히 공감해요. 캐나다는 도시 설계도 자동차 위주로 넓고 반듯하게 잘 되어있고, 인구 밀도도 낮은 것도 있겠지만 확실히 전반적으로 교통 법규도 더 잘 지키고 운전도 잘 하는 것 같아요. 반면 가끔 한국에 돌아와서 운전해보면 살벌하더라구요. 운전자들도 문제지만 교통 체계도 좀 문제가 있긴 한것이 신호등이 캐나다에 비해서 주기가 2~3배쯤 길어서 한번 신호에 걸리면 정말 오랫동안 멈춰 있어야 해요. 이 때문에 신호 위반하는 차량도 더 많은 것 같구요. 그나마 희망적인 것은 매년 한국에 돌아올 때마다 사람들이 운전하는 것이 점점 나아지는게 보이네요. 처음 운전을 시작했던 2013년만 해도 한국의 교통 문화는 지금보다도 더 엉망이었어요.

[@lostthenfound]

@lawrence5021님의 말씀을 공감해요. 한국에서는 신호등이 왜 그렇게 오래 걸리는지 잘 모르겠지만 앞으로 신호등 타이밍을 바꾸면 더 좋지 않을까 싶어서요. 그리고 말씀하셨듯이 한국의 교통문화는 계속 좋아지고 있고 저도 한국의 미래에 대해서 밝게 바라보고 있어요!

[@june7675]

알버타에서 운전해보세요. 욕 절로 나옵니다. 벤쿠버도 옛날 같지 않고. 캐나다도 운전하는거 보면 미친놈들 엄청 많습니다. 한국도 많지만. 최근에 사스카츈에서 해봤는데 사스카츈은 좀 양반처럼 운전하는 듯.

[@lawrence5021]

@@june7675  몇 주 전에도 앨버타 다녀왔지만 밴쿠버에 비하면 양반입니다.... 캐나다가 예전 같지는 않고 밴쿠버나 토론토가 캐나다에서 제일 엉망인 것 같은데 그래도 아직도 한국보단 낫더라고요

[@june7675]

@@lawrence5021 비씨주 사람들이 알버타 사람들 보면 항상 fxxking Albertan 이라 항상 욕하는 이유가 운전을 개판으로 하기 때문에 그렇습니다. 특하 캘거리 갈때면 최소 교통사고 3건은 항상 봅니다. 알버탄들은 버릇이 앞에 차가 있으면 바짝 테일게이팅 해서 반드시 추월 해야 한다는 신념으로 운전 하는 사람들 입니다. 지들이 천천히 운전하고 싶을때는 반대로 세월아 내월아 기차꼬리 물게 만듭니다. 제 생각엔 알버탄이 1등 2, 3등은 벤쿠버나 토론토 사는 사람들. 한국은 단속 카메라 때문에 어쩔수 없이 성질 죽여가며 운전 하는 듯 합니다. 거의 매년 한국가서 운전 하면서 느끼는것 같습니다.

[@ruemignon]

I don't understand where you got the idea from that Korea is potentially dangerous for driving, especially when compared with North America. Statistically speaking, in 2021, having a Road fatalities of 6.0 per 100 000 population, drivers in Korea are much safer than their counterparts in the United States, of which the number is 12.89 per 100 000; Of course, there is still room for improvement, but for me, titulaire du permis de conduire français having covered countless mileage in Europe, NA and Asia, I find it very safe to drive in Korea. Needless to say that you don't have to worry about being shot at either.

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there! You're right that Korea's statistics are about 200% safer than USA when it comes to fatalities. That's pretty impressive! When I talk about Korea being a "dangerous" place to drive, I'm speaking from first hand experience when talking to other drivers here (Koreans and Foreigners). A lot of people that drive here think it's very dangerous to drive here, so I wanted to create a video discussing that point just in case people are curious about the topic (it's not a very good video looking back on it though haha). As far as my thoughts driving in Korea, my driving experience is limited to Western Canada (10 years), Western USA (3 years), and Korea (5 years), and from first hand experience I've seen the following things a lot more in Korea than Western Canada/USA: 1) Running red lights 2) Overtaking cars from the right side (instead of the left) at fast speeds 3) Tailgating 4) Randomly stopping in a "no stopping zone" 5) Parking illegally I've seen all of these things happen in Canada/USA as well, but I didn't see them nearly as frequently as I do here, so it could either be due to the fact that: 1) Korea is denser so they appear more frequently 2) These things are enforced less in Korea so they happen more frequently I'm not an expert so I don't have the answer, but luckily Korea is getting safer every year for drivers, and I feel safe enough to drive here that I still do it very often!

[@ruemignon]

@@lostthenfound Dear sir, thank you for your feedback! I really appreciate you taking the time explaining it in such great detail. From 2006 onwards, I myself regularly visited South Korea, and I lived consecutively in Seoul for about a year until the COVID epidemic outbreak. Although I have traveled quite a lot, the European way of driving remains more or less the 'norm' for me, which I am not going to dive into. My driving experience in NA is limited to the East coast of the States where I have noticed that: 1) People constantly overtake other vehicles on the right, so much so that I thought it was allowed. 2) Minor speeding is often ignored by law enforcement. As a result, a lot people drive 10 mph faster than the speed limit. 3) Drivers generally do not decelerate when approaching an intersection if the traffic light is green, as if it would staygreen forever. Even in China, drivers slow down at the intersection. I have seen quite a lot 1) in Korea as well, just like you mentioned, but quite rarely 2) and 3) For other things you pointed out: Tailgating --- Ture, is a big problem even in Europe. Tunning red lights --- I cannot recall seeing a lot of them. Overall, thank you again for your response. I would like to stick to my original comment that Korea is a very safe country for drivers. One last thing, you should probably try driving in China one day, and this time I'll give you a big thumbs up if you apply the same video title. lol.

[@lostthenfound]

@@ruemignon thanks for the follow up! Yeah I think every city is a bit different in NA for sure. When I lived in Los Angeles, California, I noticed that a lot more people would drive aggressively compared to Vancouver, Canada or Portland, Oregon for example. Also I've been to China before and it was certainly chaotic trying to cross the street! Haha I think I would need a lot of confidence to drive there, but maybe some day! 😁

[@띠용-n3f]

I'm Korean. People who were born in the 1960s and 1970s in Korea still drive very crudely thinking that it was that time. Most of the people who don't follow the law were born in the 1960s and 1970s.

[@lostthenfound]

Hi @user-yq5zw4py3x thanks a lot for the comment! I heard that back in the day it was extremely easy to get a driver's license in Korea. Luckily it's improving a lot every year!

[@ohhi5237]

Yes.

[@lostthenfound]

Ahaha short and sweet. I like it!

[@forexdragon]

Good video, but you need to film driving in Seoul's side streets and alleys where it's two way traffic, but there's only space for one car. Also, Koreans don't stop at uncontrolled intersections - they like to play chicken. I think you need to drive during rush hour as well or in places like Gangnam on the weekend. You are bang on about Koreans tail gating. Merging can also be an adventure.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot John and agree 100%! There are so many aspects of driving in Korea that can't be covered in one video so I just went on a scenic route and explained what came up off the top of my head. In the future I could definitely go a lot more in depth with it!

[@forexdragon]

@@lostthenfound Looking for it fellow Canadian! I'm a Korean-Canadian.

[@Monster-w9d]

What car is that at 8:44 the blue one ?

[@lostthenfound]

@user-tp1ki7vy7g I believe it's a Genesis G70 from a couple years back? I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like that.

[@semjhapetalviar9077]

For sue tectonic strap

[@JECKORWALKINGVLOG]

sir how about the tax?

[@lostthenfound]

You mean car tax paid yearly right? I think we pay around 200,000 KRW per year. I didn't even know about it until recently as my wife has been paying it haha. I think most people pay more than that though!

[@JECKORWALKINGVLOG]

@@lostthenfound thank you so much sir. Your video helps me a lot.

[@lostthenfound]

@@JECKORWALKINGVLOG I'm glad to hear that JECKOR! 😊 All the best with car ownership/driving in Korea!

[@user-gn5uk4dn5f]

으악 ㅜㅜ 저도 운전 마스터하고 싶어요

[@lostthenfound]

ㅋㅋㅋ 연습하면 할 수 있지! 😁👍

[@stephendueker9006]

Don't drive around 고속 terminal. Gridlock almost all day.

[@lostthenfound]

Haha that whole area around 고속 and 강남 is so annoying to drive through eh! Always takes forever!

[@mushiro-c2c]

So many maniac drivers you will see in South Korea. You will easily get involved road rage and even killed. Use public transport if you can.

[@lostthenfound]

Yeah it definitely has a lot of room for progression on the safety side! Hope the police learn to enforce the laws properly some day but until then public transportation is the way to go!