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Korean convenience store
- 1+1
- Buy one, get one free
- 2+1
- Buy two, get the third free
- Paying
- Foreign cards, Alipay and WeChat Pay at the till
- T-money top-up
- Cash only at the counter
Hungry in Seoul late at night? Here's what tourists put in their baskets at CU, GS25 and 7-Eleven, how the 1+1 and 2+1 tags get you free snacks, and how to pay.
Inside a CU convenience store, 2020 · Photo: Choi Kwang-mo (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons
What tourists buy
- DRINKBinggrae banana milk
The jar-shaped banana milk is a tourist favourite at CU and GS25 and is named in every 2026 report we checked on what visitors buy.
- DRINKBinggrae strawberry milk
Same jar, pink. Social media lists put it next to banana milk.
- RAMENBuldak noodles (Samyang)
The very spicy fire noodles. Tourists eat them in the store and pack them to take home.
- RAMENOttogi sesame ramen (Chamkkae)
A sesame-oil cup ramen that keeps showing up on visitors' social media must-buy lists.
- SNACKTriangle kimbap
Rice and filling wrapped in seaweed, in the fridge by the lunchboxes. An easy late-night bite.
- SNACKGreek yogurt
At GS25 it even outsold banana milk with foreign shoppers in one month, after Korean-style yogurt bowls spread on social media.
The ttungba latte (try it once)
- 1Grab a banana milk
From the fridge.
- 2Add a pouch of hazelnut coffee
The ready-to-drink coffee pouches sit with the cold drinks (our tip: grab any hazelnut one).
- 3Pour both over an ice cup
Pour both into a cup of ice and mix: that's the "ttungba latte" people post online. Ice cups are usually in the freezer (our tip).
How 1+1 and 2+1 work
- 1+1Buy one, get one free
Take two of the same tagged item to the till and you pay for one.
- 2+1Buy two, get the third free
Take three and pay for two.
- TAGSDeals rotate
Each chain changes its deals regularly, so read the tag on the shelf edge before you pick up two.
How to pay
- CARDForeign cards work
CU reports tourists paying with overseas cards and payment apps, and GS25 takes Alipay and WeChat Pay.
- CASHT-money top-up = cash
Topping up a regular T-money card at the counter is done with won cash. Keep a few ₩10,000 notes for it (our tip).
Say it in Korean (show this screen)
- Can I pay by card?
Ka-deu dwae-yo?
카드 돼요? - Is this 1+1?
I-geo won-peul-reo-seu-won-i-e-yo?
이거 원플러스원이에요? - Please top up 10,000 won.
Man won chung-jeon hae-ju-se-yo.
만 원 충전해 주세요.
Local tips
- Deals, products and prices change by store and month; the shelf tag is what counts.
- Many convenience stores have a small eat-in counter by the window, handy for cup ramen (our tip).
FAQ
What does 1+1 mean in a Korean convenience store?
It means buy one, get one free: take two of the tagged item to the till and pay for one.
What does 2+1 mean?
Buy two of the tagged item and the third one is free.
Can I use a foreign card at Korean convenience stores?
Yes, chains like CU and GS25 report tourists paying with overseas cards, and GS25 takes Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Can I top up T-money with a card at a convenience store?
No, topping up a regular T-money card at the counter is cash only.
Sources: Financial News: tourists at Insadong GS25 and Myeongdong CU (Oct 27, 2026) · Asia Economy: ttungba latte and tourist favourites (Jun 21, 2026) · Asia Economy CORE: foreign sales up 60%+ (Sep 12, 2026) · Dailian: what foreigners buy at CU, GS25, 7-Eleven (Jul 27, 2026) · Segye Ilbo: convenience store foreign payments (Jul 1, 2026) · Seoul Economic Daily: tourists' convenience store hauls (Jun 21, 2026) · Wikitree: foreign shoppers' baskets (Aug 11, 2026) · Sidae Ilbo: how 1+1 deals work (Mar 26, 2025) · SBS Biz: T-money top-ups (Mar 19, 2026)