Sending Gifts to South Korea (2024)

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There's no getting around it: sending gifts to South Korea can be challenging, with an ocean of options and high fees to navigate. And whether you're sending a gift to a friend, family, or a loved one, whether for White Day, a birthday, a wedding, or any other occasion, it's therefore always a smart idea to consider things such as cost, convenience, and your recipient's preferences before sending your gift.

Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to send gifts to Korea, for example, by post, through online stores or gift delivery services, or by sending an international wire transfer. This short guide provides an overview of these methods, showing you the pros and cons of each, and helping you to make the best choice based on your needs and circ*mstances.

Option 1: Send a Gift to South Korea by Post

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Sending gifts through the post or with a private courier service is an excellent option because it allows you to send a gift from anywhere in the world to Korea — regardless of whether your beneficiary lives in Seoul, Busan, or anywhere in between!

To send a gift to South Korea by post, you'll first need to have the gift in your possession. The smaller it is, the easier and cheaper it will be to post. Next, you'll need to securely package your gift and take it to a post office. Alternatively, you can mail it through a private courier service, which will be even more expensive, but it will be much quicker, and the tracking will be more precise. Either way, you'll need to pay for shipping to South Korea, and the cost will depend on the weight and size of the package and the distance it needs to travel.

In some cases, you may need to fill out an South Korean customs form, which will require you to declare the contents and value of the parcel. Additional duties or customs fees may also need to be paid when the package arrives in South Korea.

Private couriers may have different rules and procedures, so it's a good idea to check with the company you're using for more information. Examples of courier services that send packages to South Korea include DHL, UPS, and FedEx, but we recommend Eurosender, whose simple platform provides excellent value for money when sending gift parcels to South Korea.

Post your parcel to South Korea with Eurosender ❯

Option 2: Send a Gift to South Korea Online

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Instead of sending a gift from your country to South Korea, another option is to order a gift online that gets shipped right to your beneficiary's address. This method tends to be cheaper because unless the gift is still being shipped from another country, you'll usually avoid shipping costs and duties. There are a few ways of sending gifts online to South Korea:

Online Shops

A few popular online retailers and e-commerce stores used in South Korea or that deliver to South Korea include Coupang, SSG, and Hmall. You can consider shopping around online for something that your beneficiary might like and sending it to their address (or to someone else's address who knows to pass it along!).

Some online shops like Amazon even come with gift wrapping and other personalization services, such as adding a personal note, so you can add a personal touch to the gift. Again, it's always a good idea to shop around and explore what options are available to you.

Online Gift Delivery

Similar to the above, some online companies specialize in delivering gifts specifically, rather than goods in general, to or within South Korea. Typical gifts include flowers, chocolates, treats, toys, gift baskets, and many others. We recommend browsing the web to find a local service that operates near your beneficiary in South Korea.

Gift Cards

Gift cards, coupons, and vouchers are an easy option for sending gifts to South Korea. Many online retailers offer gift cards that can be used to make purchases in stores and online in South Korea, while others might be exclusive to a specific product, service, or location.

For example, you can consider buying a voucher for a popular shop, restaurant, movie theatre, resort, hotel, park, zoo, or spa at a location near where your beneficiary lives. Once you've purchased a voucher from the retailer's website, you can usually give your beneficiary's physical mailing address, and the card will be sent to them directly.

Option 3: Send a Wire Transfer to South Korea

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If you want to be quick and straightforward and don't think your beneficiary will mind getting money rather than a physical, wrapped gift, then sending a wire transfer is an excellent way to send gifts to South Korea. (Alternatively, you could also use this method to send money to somebody else you trust in South Korea, who can then buy the gift and deliver it themselves to your beneficiary, or use this method to let your beneficiary choose their own gift.)

Most banks and money transfer apps allow you to send international wire transfers to South Korean bank accounts, which usually takes less than 2 to 3 business days. Once the money's arrived in your recipient's South Korean won bank account, they can use it immediately!

Wire transfers are a faster and more convenient way to send money internationally, but they often come with steep fees and hidden exchange rates when done via the bank. We therefore recommend comparing the money transfer marketplace before sending to Korea to make sure you're getting the best deal possible:

Option 4: Send Airtime to South Korea

Daniela Araya

Another option to send somebody a gift in South Korea is to send airtime or mobile data to their mobile phone. This is usually a fast and cheap method to get the job done, though you should ensure it's indeed a good gift for your recipient since many people would prefer a physical gift to something less tangible like airtime or mobile data.

If you know that your recipient would love to receive airtime or mobile data, then it's easy. Just enter your recipient's mobile number on our dedicated sending page below:

Send airtime or data to South Korea

From there, you'll need to do the following (don't worry — it takes just seconds to get done!):

1. Sign up with WorldRemit for free,
2. Choose ‘Airtime’ from the options available,
3. Confirm your beneficiary's mobile number and network,
4. Pay for the airtime by credit card or bank transfer,
5. You and your recipient receive an SMS when the airtime arrives.

FAQ About Sending Gifts to South Korea

• Can I send gifts to South Korea from overseas?

  Yes, it's possible to send gifts to South Korea from overseas, and there are several different ways of doing it. If you want to send a gift that you have, you can send it via the post or via a private courier company (we recommend Eurosender for its great fees). Alternatively, you can buy a gift online and have it delivered to your recipient in South Korea. A third option is to send your recipient money as a wire transfer. Though convenient, this option can be pricey, so we recommend comparing providers on Monito before you send your gift money.

• What's the best way to send gifts to South Korea?

  The best way to send gifts to South Korea depends on your preferences and your beneficiary's preferences. If you know they want a special gift from your country, then the best method will often be to post the gift. If you know they want something you can buy online, then purchasing the gift on a South Korean or international online store and delivering it to your beneficiary will normally make the most sense. If you don't know what your beneficiary wants or know they're not too picky, consider sending them a gift card or a wire transfer of money directly.

• How much time should I calculate to send gifts to South Korea?

  It depends on the method you choose to send the gifts. If you send the gift by post, it can take 1 to 4 weeks to arrive internationally. With a private courier, it takes far quicker, usually less than one week. If you have a gift delivered via an online store, the delivery will probably also take a week or less (though there are a lot of factors which could influence this delivery time). Finally, if you want to send money to them, an international transfer will take only 1 to 3 business days on average.

• How much does it cost to send gifts to South Korea?

  Total costs also depend on the method you choose to send the gifts. Aside from the cost of the gift itself (which can cost as much or as little as you choose), international postage can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 or more depending on the weight and size of the package and the distance it needs to travel. Delivery via an online shop is usually cheaper, but if the delivery is international, it could be pricey too. Sending money internationally with your bank will cost around 5% to 10% of the value of your transfer, but sending with a money transfer specialist app will cost 0.5% to 5% depending on currencies and payment methods.

Why Trust Monito?

You’re probably all too familiar with the often outrageous cost of sending money abroad. After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services across the globe. Today, Monito’s award-winning comparisons, reviews, and guides are trusted by around 8 million people each year and our recommendations are backed by millions of pricing data points and dozens of expert tests — all allowing you to make the savviest decisions with confidence.

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