KakaoMap - Korea No.1 Map Reviews

KakaoMap is one of the worst navigation apps I’ve ever used. It gives the most minimal directions in English, and 90% of it is verbally/narrated at the last minute. Visually, the locations and directions are still in Korean, so it’s like someone leading you blindly somewhere by verbally telling you “go left, go right, speed camera ahead.” If you don’t read Korean, it is extremely difficult to understand exactly where you are. Worst off, it can’t find the English romanized version of Korean addresses so you have to plug in the address in Korean (again, a disadvantage if you can’t write or read). It also won’t tell you which lane you need to be in and we got lost in Seoul 3 times at night (I lived there for 3 years, so this shows how crappy the navigation is even for locals). We found Naver navigation to be the best alternative. Google maps does not work in Korea, but Naver comes close with strong English support and letting you know which lane is best. Do yourself a favor and download Naver navigation instead of this. We only were able to get by on this because I can read Korean. My boyfriend who was a co-driver, cannot read, so KakaoMap was absolutely useless for him.

KakaoMap is great for users who tours around Seoul but using this for driving around and outside Seoul is one of the worst things you can do. The usability of KakaoMap was absolutely outrageous. The developers seem to never driven a car in Korea. KakaoMap would tell you to exit the highway five seconds before the exit pops out which makes it impossible to change lanes and exit out. Same applied to navigating roads within Seoul. Navigation itself was really confusing too since it would direct us to be in left lanes when we should stay on right lanes… Just amazed how absurd and frustrating a navigation can be. We had to spend $50 of unnecessary toll fees within couple days. Thanks KaKao!

So, feeling like you want to travel around Korea, and not knowing where to go and navigate it?? No problem-o!!! Just use this app. Granted, you’ll need to grasp Hangul to type in you location, but the learning curve for using this app is short after you’ve handled the just-as-short Hangul learning curve.
Seoul’s busy subway and bus system? this app is your best travel buddy!
Wanna go to a different city, but don’t the streets well enough? this app will help!
These features saved me:
• compass arrow showing where you are.
• compass direction and cone of vision showing you which direction you are pointing toward.
• tapping on the alerts option to ding when your bus is arriving.
• long distances from your location tell you which train to take, where to get off, and which bus or taxi to take.

I had no issues utilizing KakaoMap in Korea. I was able to navigate my way in Seoul and Busan by using KakaoMap. Being able to read and type Korean is a plus, as all of the navigation is in Korean. My friends, however, were also able to use KakaoMap without knowing the language by tracking their locations and using the maps provided. Overall, great app for traveling through Korea!

Works very well. Used it in the countryside. It tells you when to slow down for traffic light and speed cameras

KakaoMap is fantastic as far as navigation and search function. However, it would be so much better and useful if they would modify it to be able to be used in conjunction with Apple CarPlay. The way it is, you have to disconnect from CarPlay and use the screen and speaker from the phone to navigate while driving instead of your vehicles speakers and display.

KakaoMap was really great at first. However, it doesn’t seem to work these last few days. Of course, it always stops working at the most inconvenient time. After a recent auto update of KakaoMap , the public transportation tab keeps malfunctioning. Re-installing KakaoMap does not seem to work as well. I am disappointed that I now have to look for another app for maps in Korea.

It's been years since apple watch has been on the market but still no support. While riding a bicycle apple watch + kakao map will be a great way (and maybe the only way) to navigate inside Korea. Please fix this I beg you.

Excuse my ignorant foreign self- here is a suggestion for us tourist foreigners: let me search for location in Hangul and have an option to change that to English once I find the location. Why? Because I cannot read Hangul but I can copy it for the search. I am familiar with the English names. Thanks!

Pretty good app to use to get around Seoul. It has taxi, bus and subway routes that are pretty accurate and includes estimated costs. I think a person who can’t read Korean will have a slightly more difficult time using KakaoMap as the details are 70% in Korean.

I used to love KakaoMap but lately I have had problems adjusting the volume during navigation. I don’t understand what has changed. It is very dangerous to try to change the volume without just using the side buttons on my phone. Please change this or I will have to switch to a different app.

The navigation map constantly redraws itself every second or so as the car moves forward. Dear developers, please update KakaoMap to provide users with a smoother graphical driving experience. Keep up the good work, though!

As most have requested, it would be cool if the iPhone version was translated into English, Last version 4.2.3 had English as an option, and it worked great...until KakaoMap was updated to 4.2.4 (bug fixes) and the ability to use KakaoMap in English was removed ??!!! Clearly they have the ability to have English as an option.

I really wish you could search a place 검색할 때 and decide whether it is a 출발지 or a 도착지 선택필수 ㅠㅠㅠ It automatically makes it 도착지 and does the route. How annoying!

Everything else is perfect 😂😭

If you are planning to visit south korea, this will do the job. Don’t expect google maps in here cuz it basically doesn’t support the korean map.

kakao👍

Difficulty searching for English words. Great navigation once route is set up though.

Great experience so far it’s been amazing lurking around korea. Great for my future travels. I highly recommend!!

The essential navigation app for Seoul, a necessity when traveling and living in Korea

It gave me the wrong times for all the buses to take and guided me to a much slower route because of the wrong times of the buses. Thanks a lot for the terrible experience. Am going to delete KakaoMap and use naver map instead.

Traffic cams don’t work in latest update, all black screens, every camera.

KakaoMap has really gotten good recently. There are a few features I do still wish for though.

- More detailed underground/station maps.

- Folders or tags/labels for favorites (possibly with different icons or at least different colored stars).

Thanks for the hard work, devs!

I am enjoying a lot by using this app

Would give 5 stars if English is provided. Best map app if you’re visiting Korea.

(Update x6)
Though this might have to do less with the map (not sure) some busses are 2-3 minutes later than KakaoMap suggests. Still the best map in Korea.

(Update x5)
I have found the accuracy mightily improved and use this daily in my coming and goings in and out of Seoul. I can find everything and more importantly KakaoMap finds me. 5 stars.

(Update X4)
I went to a 회기역 and when I left and went for to 왕십리역 KakaoMap kept thinking I was at 회기역 and neither wifi or LTE could convince it otherwise. Not even restarting KakaoMap . I needed to know how long before I got off line 5 and I had to use another app- which I think I will use from now on as KakaoMap has location issues.
(Update X3)
After spending time with KakaoMap , I now know where things are and it is so much easier to use. I still get placed 8 stations away on LTE, but on wifi it is accurate. So if there is no wifi, this is not KakaoMap to use.
(Update x2)
The accuracy has improved greatly. It takes a few seconds as the dot dances closer to where I am, i am now only on the wrong side of the street, but I can see my bus stop to know tap and get the times.
Now that I better understand KakaoMap it is becoming easier to use and at times like it better that Daum Maps, but I do miss some things from that app.

(Update)
I used it again this morning and KakaoMap danced my location around the 강남 area, eventually finding me- it works best with wifi on. LTE is the problem I have.
I miss the dedicated bus button from Daum maps.

When I am at 강변역 it finds me. When I get off at 역삼역 the map says I am still at 강변역. Even after I close it and restart. I am forced to manually find the station I am at so i can check the bus times.
Bus times were easier to find.

This is a step backwards.