TL;DR — 3 things to know before ordering
- Set your phone language to English BEFORE opening Baemin. Baemin reads the device system language. If your phone is in English when you first open the app, the entire interface — categories, checkout, confirmation — appears in English. If you open it in Korean first, you may need to force-close and reopen after changing the language.
- Guest ordering works without a Korean account. Tap "Order as Guest" on the login screen. Verify with your home country phone number — international numbers (not just Korean 010 numbers) receive the SMS code. No ARC card required.
- For payment, use Apple Pay (from June 2026) or scroll to find "해외 신용카드" (foreign credit card). Apple Pay with foreign-issued cards (Visa, MC, JCB, Amex) is now supported — the first Korean delivery app to offer this. If you don't use Apple Pay, scroll past Korean payment options to find the '해외 신용카드' option.
ℹ️ Before You Start — One Setup Step
Phone language must be set to English before opening Baemin.
Baemin's English interface is triggered by the device language setting, not an in-app option. The sequence matters:
1. Go to Phone Settings → General → Language
2. Set primary language to English
3. Then open the Baemin app
If you already opened Baemin in Korean: force-close the app, change the phone language to English, then reopen Baemin. The interface will switch.
Baemin's English interface is triggered by the device language setting, not an in-app option. The sequence matters:
1. Go to Phone Settings → General → Language
2. Set primary language to English
3. Then open the Baemin app
If you already opened Baemin in Korean: force-close the app, change the phone language to English, then reopen Baemin. The interface will switch.
8-Step Guest Order Process
Complete walkthrough from app download to food arriving at your door.
1
Set phone language to English
iPhone: Settings → General → Language & Region → Add Language → English → set as Primary
Android: Settings → General Management → Language → Add Language → English → drag to top
This must be done BEFORE opening Baemin for the first time.
Android: Settings → General Management → Language → Add Language → English → drag to top
This must be done BEFORE opening Baemin for the first time.
2
Download Baemin from App Store or Google Play
Search "Baemin" or "배달의민족". The icon is blue and white with a chef character. Install and open. If the interface shows in English, you're ready. If it's in Korean, force-close, confirm your phone language is English, and reopen.
3
Tap "Order as Guest" on the opening screen
The login screen shows Kakao, Naver, and phone login options at the top. Below these is a smaller link: "Order as Guest" (or 비회원 주문하기 in Korean if it didn't switch). Tap this to proceed without account creation. You will not be asked for an ARC card or Korean registration number.
4
Enter your international phone number for verification
On the phone verification screen, tap the country code field and select your country (e.g., United States +1, United Kingdom +44, Japan +81). Enter your phone number. Baemin sends a 6-digit SMS code to your number. Enter it to verify. This works with most international numbers — you do NOT need a Korean 010 number for guest orders.
5
Enter your delivery address
Enter your accommodation address in Korean format. Korean addresses use the road name system (도로명 주소): e.g., "서울특별시 중구 명동길 74" (Myeongdong). Find your exact address from your hotel booking confirmation email, or search your hotel name in Naver Map and copy the Korean address shown. Enter any additional details (room number, floor) in the detail field.
6
Browse restaurants and add items to cart
Baemin shows restaurants that deliver to your address. Categories are in English (Chicken, Pizza, Korean, Chinese, etc.) in English mode. Menus from individual restaurants are mostly in Korean but most items have photos. Use Google Translate's camera feature: point your camera at the menu text for live translation. Check minimum order amount (shown on restaurant page) before selecting.
7
Select "해외 신용카드" (Foreign Credit Card) at checkout
On the payment screen, scroll down through the payment options list. Look for "해외 신용카드" (foreign credit card). It may be several options down the list. Tap it and enter your Visa or Mastercard details (card number, expiry, CVV, and billing name). Foreign-issued cards accepted. If your card is declined, try disabling your card's international transaction block via your bank's app.
8
Confirm and track your order
Review the order summary (items, total, delivery fee, address) and confirm. Baemin sends an SMS to your international number when the restaurant accepts the order and again when the rider picks it up. Real-time delivery tracking appears in the app. Typical delivery time: 25–45 minutes in central Seoul.
"Changed my phone to English before downloading Baemin. The whole app was in English, ordered fried chicken at midnight from my Hongdae hostel — arrived in 30 minutes. Game changer for late-night Korea travel."
r/solotravel · score 389 · April 2026
Finding Your Korean Address
The most common sticking point — getting the Korean-format address right.
Method 1: Hotel Booking Confirmation
Most hotel booking confirmations (from Booking.com, Agoda, Airbnb) include the Korean address in the property details section. Look for text containing "시" (city), "구" (district), "동" or "길" (road). Copy and paste directly into Baemin's address field.
Method 2: Search on Naver Map
Search your hotel name in Naver Map. When the hotel card appears, tap it to see full details. The Korean address is displayed prominently — copy it. Naver Map shows the road name address (도로명) which is the format Baemin uses.
Method 3: Show Front Desk
Ask your hotel or hostel front desk: "What is your address in Korean for a food delivery?" Most staff in tourist areas speak some English and will either write it for you or show you on their computer screen.
Room numbers matter: Enter your room number or floor in the "detailed address" field (상세주소). Delivery riders use this to confirm where to leave the order. For hostel dormitories, use the dormitory name and your bed number, or just "front desk please."
Ordering Without Korean
Strategies for choosing and ordering food when menus are in Korean.
✓ Look for photo menus first
Most popular Baemin restaurants use photo menus. Scroll through the menu section — if you see clear food photos with prices, you can order by image without reading Korean. Popular Korean fried chicken chains (BBQ, BHC, Kyochon) all have excellent photo menus.
✓ Use Google Translate camera
Open Google Translate, select camera mode, and point it at any menu text on screen. It overlays English translations in real time. Especially useful for menu items that don't have photos, ingredient descriptions, and option names (size, spice level, side choices).
✓ Stick to recognizable categories first
Baemin categories in English mode include: Chicken, Pizza, Chinese (Korean-Chinese style), Burger, Sushi, Tteokbokki, Convenience foods. Korean fried chicken is universally loved by first-time visitors — order from a national chain like BBQ Chicken or BHC and you can't go wrong.
CAUTION Minimum order amounts
Each restaurant sets a minimum. Most are ₩10,000–₩15,000. Baemin shows the minimum prominently on the restaurant page before you start ordering. The delivery fee (₩2,000–₩5,000) is added at checkout and is separate from the food total.
Common Problems and Fixes
Issues that actually happen during foreign guest orders.
FAIL "The app is in Korean even though my phone is in English"
The phone language was probably set after Baemin was already cached.
Fix: Force-close Baemin completely (swipe away from app switcher). Then verify your phone's primary language is English. Reopen Baemin. If it's still in Korean, uninstall and reinstall the app with English as the phone language.
Fix: Force-close Baemin completely (swipe away from app switcher). Then verify your phone's primary language is English. Reopen Baemin. If it's still in Korean, uninstall and reinstall the app with English as the phone language.
FAIL "I can't find the 'Order as Guest' option"
On some versions of Baemin, the guest order button is smaller and lower on the login screen.
Fix: Scroll down past the main login buttons (Kakao/Naver/Phone). Look for "비회원으로 주문하기" in Korean or "Order as Guest" in English near the bottom of the login screen. It's there — it's just not prominently featured.
Fix: Scroll down past the main login buttons (Kakao/Naver/Phone). Look for "비회원으로 주문하기" in Korean or "Order as Guest" in English near the bottom of the login screen. It's there — it's just not prominently featured.
FAIL "No restaurants show up at my address"
Common causes: address entered incorrectly, or you're in an area with limited delivery coverage.
Fix: Double-check your address format — Baemin needs a valid Korean road address. If your hotel is in a very tourist-heavy area (like central Myeongdong), try a slight address variation. Some high-rise hotels require entering the building name separately. Also check if Baemin shows a "minimum order for delivery" warning — some areas have higher thresholds.
Fix: Double-check your address format — Baemin needs a valid Korean road address. If your hotel is in a very tourist-heavy area (like central Myeongdong), try a slight address variation. Some high-rise hotels require entering the building name separately. Also check if Baemin shows a "minimum order for delivery" warning — some areas have higher thresholds.
FAIL "My foreign credit card was declined"
International transaction blocks are the most common cause. Many banks automatically block international online transactions as fraud prevention.
Fix: (1) Open your bank's app and check if there's an international transaction setting — enable it. (2) Try a different card (Visa vs Mastercard). (3) Some visitors use a Wise or Revolut card as a backup — these work more reliably for Korean app payments.
Fix: (1) Open your bank's app and check if there's an international transaction setting — enable it. (2) Try a different card (Visa vs Mastercard). (3) Some visitors use a Wise or Revolut card as a backup — these work more reliably for Korean app payments.
FAIL "My SMS verification code never arrived"
International SMS can sometimes take 2–5 minutes longer to arrive.
Fix: Wait up to 5 minutes before requesting a new code. Check that you selected the correct country code prefix (+1, +44, etc.). If you have a Korean eSIM or physical SIM with a 010 number, use that instead — Korean numbers receive verification codes faster and more reliably.
Fix: Wait up to 5 minutes before requesting a new code. Check that you selected the correct country code prefix (+1, +44, etc.). If you have a Korean eSIM or physical SIM with a 010 number, use that instead — Korean numbers receive verification codes faster and more reliably.
Baemin vs Coupang Eats
A quick comparison for foreign visitors.
| Feature | Baemin (배달의민족) | Coupang Eats |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign friendliness | High — improved 2024 onwards | Limited — primarily Korean-only features |
| Guest ordering | ✓ Available | ✗ Not available — account required |
| English interface | ✓ Via phone language setting | Very limited |
| Foreign credit card | ✓ 해외 신용카드 option | Complicated — Korean card preferred |
| Platform availability | iOS and Android | iOS only for international App Store users |
| Restaurant selection | Largest in Korea | Large — slightly fewer in rural areas |
| Recommended for tourists | ✓ First choice | Fallback if Baemin doesn't work at your address |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Guest ordering on Baemin accepts international phone numbers for SMS verification. Enter your home country phone number with the country code (e.g., +1 for the US, +81 for Japan, +44 for the UK). You'll receive a 6-digit code by SMS. A Korean 010 number is not required for guest orders. Note: if you have a Korean eSIM or SIM card, using a Korean 010 number makes verification faster and more reliable.
Yes. Select the '해외 신용카드' (foreign credit card) option on the payment screen. This accepts Visa and Mastercard from foreign-issued cards. The option won't be the first one displayed — scroll through the payment choices to find it. If your card is declined, it's likely due to your bank's international transaction block — open your bank app and enable international payments, or try a different card.
Apple Pay update (June 2026): From June 2, 2026, Baemin added Apple Pay support for foreign-issued cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex). This is the first Korean delivery app to support Apple Pay with overseas cards. If you use Apple Pay, you can now pay without manually entering card details.
Apple Pay update (June 2026): From June 2, 2026, Baemin added Apple Pay support for foreign-issued cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex). This is the first Korean delivery app to support Apple Pay with overseas cards. If you use Apple Pay, you can now pay without manually entering card details.
Yes, if your phone's system language is set to English before opening the app. Baemin reads the device language setting and switches the interface — categories, navigation menus, checkout process — to English. Individual restaurant menus remain in Korean, but most items have photos and Google Translate camera mode works well for reading Korean menu text in real time.
Yes for most hotels. Enter the hotel's Korean road address in the delivery field and your room number in the detail field. In tourist areas like Myeongdong, Hongdae, Insadong, and Itaewon, Baemin delivery is common and delivery riders know these areas well. Some luxury hotels accept delivery at the front desk lobby and bring it to your room — check with front desk if you're unsure.
Each restaurant sets its own minimum order amount, typically ₩10,000–₩15,000. This is displayed on the restaurant's Baemin page before you start adding items — look for "최소주문금액" (minimum order). Delivery fees range from ₩2,000 to ₩5,000 and are added separately at checkout. Some restaurants offer free delivery if your order exceeds a certain amount, shown as "무료배달" (free delivery) on the restaurant card.
Baemin is more foreigner-friendly: guest ordering is available without account creation, the English interface switches with phone language, and a foreign credit card payment option exists. Coupang Eats requires account creation, is iOS-only for international App Store users, and has limited English support. For foreign visitors making their first Korean food delivery order, Baemin is the recommended starting point.