Pharmacies in Korea: treating a cold or fever, late-night pharmacies and what to buy
Common medicines are easy to buy at pharmacies. Seoul pharmacies open until 1 am, what visitors look for and phrases to make yourself understood.
Machine translation from French, being reviewed. Read the French version (reference)
Contents
In Korea, the pharmacy (약국, yakguk) is the first stop for a minor health problem. Over-the-counter medicines are easy to buy and the choice is wide2.
Finding a pharmacy, even at night
Pharmacies are everywhere, especially near clinics. In the evening, Seoul has 39 public late-night pharmacies (공공심야약국) across its 25 districts, open from 10 pm to 1 am. 28 of them open every day of the year, the other 11 on certain weekdays1.
In DariPharmacies near me on the mapWhat people buy at night
In 2025, at these late-night pharmacies, painkillers, fever reducers and anti-inflammatories came first (30.4% of sales), ahead of digestive (21.8%) and respiratory medicines (10.6%). Almost 80% of purchases were over-the-counter medicines1.
Visitors' "pharmacy shopping"
In May 2026, foreign visitors' spending in pharmacies rose 206.1%, the highest increase of all categories2. More than 30 pharmacies opened in Myeongdong in the second half of 20252. The most requested products2:
- skincare: scar care, acne treatments, anti-pigmentation, regenerating creams;
- everyday medicines: colds, heartburn, throat, pain-relief patches;
- supplements: vitamins, probiotics, omega-3, lutein.
Many tourist pharmacies have signs in English, Chinese and Japanese, and sometimes a dedicated staff member for foreigners. Showing a photo of the product on your phone works well2.
Useful phrases
| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 감기약 있어요? | gamgiyak isseoyo? | Do you have cold medicine? |
| 열이 나요. | yeori nayo. | I have a fever. |
| 목이 아파요. | mogi apayo. | I have a sore throat. |
| 배가 아파요. | baega apayo. | I have a stomach ache. |
| 알레르기가 있어요. | allereugiga isseoyo. | I have an allergy. |
Frequently asked questions
Are there pharmacies open at night in Seoul?
Yes: 39 public late-night pharmacies, from 10 pm to 1 am, 28 of them open every day1.
Can I buy cold medicine without a prescription?
Yes, common over-the-counter medicines are easy to buy at pharmacies2.
Sources
- Herald Business, pharmacies publiques de nuit de Séoul (31/01/2026) · checked on 26 October 2026
- The Kyunghyang Shinmun, la ruée des touristes vers les pharmacies (04/07/2026) · checked on 26 October 2026