Is it better to spend money by credit card or cash when traveling to South Korea?

Credit card is more convenient and cost-effective.

There are many shops and shopping malls in Korea that can be paid by UnionPay card or Alipay. There is no handling fee for swiping UnionPay cards, which is very cost-effective according to the real-time exchange rate of the day.

In cash, you need to change money first, and the exchange rate will cause certain losses. But if you change it into money, the exchange rate is not low, and it is not much different from the exchange rate of credit cards. If you must compare, it is a little more cost-effective and convenient to swipe your card. Therefore, when shopping in a shop that supports UnionPay card payment, you can swipe your card directly, and cash can be used when you can't swipe your card.