WOWPASS service is an All-in-One card service that solves all the inconveniences of currency exchange / cash payment / credit card / transportation card that foreigners experience when travelling in Korea.
Anyone travelling in South Korea who wish to travel more conviniently and at a lower cost can enjoy the WOWPASS service.
(Currently, the WOWPASS service is not open to South Korea nationals.)

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The WOWPASS card can be reserved online or issued directly from all available WOWPASS machines in Korea.

2. Where can I use the WOWPASS card balance?

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You can pay anywhere in Korea such as shopping mall, cafe and restaurants, if card payment is accepted. (South Korea is a card society!)

Accepted Locations for Payment with WOWPASS Balance (Inserting the card's IC chip into a terminal): -Restaurants, cafes, taxis, duty-free shops, shopping malls, cosmetic stores, hospitals including plastic surgery/dermatology clinics, tourist attractions, and other kiosks for unmanned payments. -Locations: Available anywhere in Korea, including Seoul, Busan, and Jeju Island.

Locations where WOWPASS payment is not accepted: -Currently unavailable for online/mobile app payments like delivery apps. -TIP: Short-term foreign visitors often find it challenging to make online payments in Korea

-Difficulties in payment at cash-only food stalls or underground shopping areas. - TIP: We recommend using WOWPASS machines for small withdrawals or currency exchange in Korean won! -PIN entry is necessary for in-person purchases over 50,000 KRW on KTX trains, which can make transactions challenging.

Locations Accepting Tmoney Transit Balance with WOWPASS (Touching the card): -Limited to subway stations, buses, taxis, and convenience stores. -You need to separately top-up your Tmoney balance at subway stations!

Summary -Using WOWPASS card's IC chip for payment is possible at any offline store nationwide, while Tmoney is used by touching for subway/bus/taxi/convenience store transactions.

3. Can I use the WOWPASS card online or as easy payment method?

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The WOWPASS card can only be used for offline payments at the moment.

4. How can I top-up my card balance?

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Cash Top up
- You can top-up your WOWPASS at various locations throughout South Korea. At major locations in Seoul and nationwide, you can easily top up your balance with cash using WOWPASS machines, free of charge. (WOWPASS accepts a total of 16 different currencies. Check the accepted currencies and exchange rates.)

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Mobile App Top up
- WOWPASS can be topped up by using overseas credit cards or mobile wallets through the WOWPASS App.

5. Is there a WOWPASS machine at airports?

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Yes, WOWPASS machines are installed at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 & Terminal 2 Stations, as well as Gimpo International Airport Station and Jeju Airport.

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If you arrive in South Korea via Incheon Airport, you can purchase an AREX Express Train ticket from airport to Seoul station, enter the express train station gate, and find one of our WOWPASS machines. At the machine, you can make a WOWPASS card with preloaded Tmoney balance!

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Currently, KRW withdrawal / card re-issue / cash-to-cash exchange functions are not available at the WOWPASS machines installed at Incheon Intl Airport.

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If you are not taking the AREX express train from Incheon Airport, you can first purchase a single train ticket to the city without purchasing a separate Tmoney card. Then, locate a WOWPASS machines anywhere nearby, including Seoul station, Hongik Univ. station, Myeongdong station, etc. to get a WOWPASS card!

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Cash exchange service is not available from the WOWPASS machine at Jeju Airport.

6. Is there a card top-up limit?

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Due to relevant government standards, a maximum balance of 1,000,000 KRW can be topped up at once. Please refer to below for other limits:

Cash Top-up from the WOWPASS machine
-Daily maximum top-up/currency-exchange amount: Up to 2,000,000 KRW
-Weekly maximum top-up/currency-exchange amount: Up to 10,000,000 KRW.

Top-up via app using a credit card or mobile payment service
-Maximum top-up limit per transaction: 200,000 KRW
-Maximum top-up limit per month: 1,000,000 KRW

7. Where can I withdraw cash from my card?

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Yes, you can withdraw cash in KRW from your card via a WOW Exchange machine. 

*The machines located within Incheon Airport AREX train stations do not offer cash withdrawal service.

However, you need to download the WOWPASS app, register your card, and enter 8-digit code to the app which will be displayed to you through a WOW Exchange machine. Then, you are able to withdraw your balance in KRW. A maximum withdrawal amount is 100,000 KRW at a time, with a withdrawal fee of 1,000 KRW. Unfortunately, we currently do not support cash withdrawal in smaller unit. So please use your WOWPASS card in such cases. It is difficult at this point to support cash withdrawal in a foreign currency other than KRW. Also, cash withdrawal through a bank transfer is not supported currently, but will be supported in near future. For cash withdrawal details, please check the WOWPASS app's User Guide -> WOWPASS Balance Withdrawal tab. You can check machine location via: https://www.wowexchange.net/exchange/location/list?lang=en_US

8. Can I transfer my balance to a friend?

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 Yes, you can send and receive balances between WOWPASS users by using balance transfer feature.

9. What is the card's validity period?

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The card is valid for 6 years from the date of issuance. Additionally, the balance loaded onto the card remains valid for 6 years from the last top-up or card reissue date. Even if the card expires, you can transfer the remaining balance to a new card upon reissuance.

10. I topped up my card, but I can't make a payment.

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WOWPASS has two types of balances.
Please check which balance you topped up and which payment method you are using.

WOWPASS Balance
Used by inserting the IC card.
You can top it up via WOWPASS machines or the app.

Tmoney Balance
Used by tapping the card.
Mainly used for transportation, convenience stores, cafes, etc.

If you cannot make a transaction even if there is sufficient balance for the payment method, there may be an issue with the card itself. In case of a faulty card, a reissue will be necessary. The card reissue fee is 3,000 KRW.

11. What happens to the balance if I reissue the card?

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WOWPASS balance will automatically transfer to the new card and can continue to be used.
However, Tmoney balance is stored on the card itself and cannot be transferred. If needed, you will have to top up the Tmoney balance on the reissued card.

12. Can I use WOWPASS card for public transportation?

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WOWPASS Card's Tmoney functions are equivalent to general Tmoney card functions. Upon Tmoney top up, you may enjoy South Korea\'s several transportation methods such as subway, buses using WOWPASS Card.

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Online (WOWPASS app):
You can transfer balance from WOWPASS balance to Tmoney balance.
(Transferring from Tmoney balance to WOWPASS balance is not possible.)

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Offline:
You can only top up with Korean won cash at subway ticket machines or convenience stores.

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Tip: We recommend you to exchange cash or withdraw cash from your WOWPASS card balance at a WOW Exchange machine.

13. My card isn’t registering in the WOWPASS app. Why?

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The card might already be registered under another account. If this is the case, please contact customer service with your card number and passport information for assistance.

Customer Service ⇒ https://www.orangesquare.kr/en/wowpass-customer-service

14. Is there a WOWPASS service fee?

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We charge service fee in case of

First membership registration fee: 5,000 KRW
*Membership registeration fee is not refundable.

Cash withdrawal fee: 1,000 KRW

Card re-issuance fee: 3,000 KRW

We do not charge for currency exchange, top-up, payment as well as an annual card service fee.