FAQ

Personal Assistant & Concierge · FAQ

Help in Korea for Foreigners

How tickets work, what we handle, pricing, and the questions people ask most.

The basics
What is The Busaner?

A concierge service for foreigners across Korea. You message us with whatever you’re stuck on — a booking, a phone call in Korean, a form, an order, an errand — and a real person handles it online and comes back to you with the result, wherever you are in the country.

Who uses The Busaner?

Three kinds of people. Those living in Korea who keep hitting tasks that need Korean and a local ID. Travelers who want bookings and plans handled without fighting Korean-only apps. And companies looking after foreign staff. If you’re somewhere in between, message us and we’ll tell you straight whether we’re the right fit.

Why use The Busaner instead of Google, AI, or another service?

Google, AI, and other services each handle a piece of this, and sometimes that piece is all you need. The difference is simple: a list, a translation, or a booking handed over isn’t the point — getting what you actually wanted is.

A Korean site wants a local ID, a foreign card gets declined, a seller only replies in Korean — we get past that, and that’s the everyday work. But it doesn’t stop there. Google can name the best bakeries in a minute; the hard part is the cake whose design and flavor match what you pictured, or the bouquet and wrapping that suit the person and the occasion — someone going back and forth with the shop until it’s right, and caring whether it is. Doing that yourself, or leaning on a Korean friend, works once or twice and then wears thin. Your need met, not a task ticked off — that’s the whole job. When a free tool or someone else genuinely fits better, we’ll tell you.

Do I have to sign up or commit to anything?

No. Message us on WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, LINE, or email with what you need. We reply with options and a price. You only pay once you’ve decided to go ahead.

Pricing & tickets
How much does it cost?

We run on tickets. One ticket is ₩20,000 (about $15) and covers one request — a single task we can usually finish in around 15 minutes. Buying more at once brings the price per ticket down:

  • Single1 ticket₩20,000
  • Starter5 tickets₩70,000
  • Standard10 tickets₩120,000
  • Best20 tickets₩180,000

Every ticket is valid for one year from purchase. See the full breakdown on our Pricing page.

What counts as one ticket?

One request that takes us roughly 15 minutes — booking a table, calling a clinic, placing an order, sorting a delivery. Larger jobs that run longer or across several steps use more than one ticket. We give you that estimate before we start, never after the fact.

Are there markups or hidden fees?

No. You pay for our time in tickets, and nothing on top. Anything that goes to a third party — concert tickets, hospital fees, a contractor’s rate — is shown to you upfront and paid at cost. We don’t take a cut and we don’t push you toward places that pay us, because none do.

How do I pay?

Tickets are bought through PayPal, so a normal international card works and you don’t need Korean banking. Prices are shown in won; the exact dollar figure is what PayPal charges at checkout.

Can I get a refund on unused tickets?

Yes. Within 7 days of payment, you can cancel any tickets you haven’t used yet. We keep ₩20,000 for each ticket already used and refund the rest. Tickets stay valid for one year from purchase; any left unused at the end of that year expire. In-person visits and anything we’ve paid to a third party for you (hotels, event tickets, vendors) follow separate terms, and refunds are processed within three business days once confirmed. Full details are in our Refund Policy. To start one, message us with your payment date and the email you paid with.

Getting started
How do I start?

Message us with what’s going on — WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, LINE, or email. No form, no account. We come back with options and a quote, and you take it from there.

What language should I write to you in?

Whatever’s easiest — write in your own language. Translation already handles the words between us, so that isn’t what you’re paying for. What we do is get the thing itself done the way you actually want it: the right booking, an order that matches what you had in mind, a call that gets a real answer instead of a dead end. Tell us what you need and we take it from there.

When are you open, and how fast do you reply?

Every day, 9 AM to 9 PM KST. During those hours, most first replies land within 15–30 minutes. Messages sent overnight get answered the next morning. For genuine emergencies, we do our best whenever they reach us.

Will you remember my past requests?

Yes, and that’s the point of coming back. We keep track of the clinic you liked, the agent who was helpful, the order you’ll probably repeat — so the second time moves faster than the first. It stays private unless you tell us otherwise.

What we help with
Can you book Korean tickets I can’t buy myself — concerts, sports, KTX, Ticketbay?

Yes, and it’s core to what we do. A lot of Korean ticketing (Interpark, Ticketbay, Melon, club and team sites) wants a Korean ID or phone number, only runs in Korean, or won’t take a foreign card. We get you the seats you actually want and pass the real ticket price straight through, with no markup. Sold-out concerts, baseball, KTX, exhibitions, hard-to-find resale — tell us what you’re after.

Can you shop for me on Coupang, Karrot, or other Korean apps?

Yes — another everyday one. Ordering on Coupang, grabbing something off Karrot (당근) or Bunjang when the seller only deals in Korean and wants a Korean number, paying when a foreign card gets declined, booking a courier pickup, or pushing a stuck return through. We’ll also tell you which option is actually worth buying — not just place the order.

Can you book me a doctor’s appointment in Korea when I don’t speak Korean?

Yes — and this got harder since the doctor shortage started, with clinics full and walk-ins often turned away. Tell us your symptoms and we work out which department fits, find a clinic that takes foreign patients and actually has an opening, and book it. We can interpret by phone during the visit, request an English medical certificate (진단서) for an insurance claim, and translate your prescription. For complex cases, in-person accompaniment is available too.

Can you help with housing — finding a place, viewings, the lease, the deposit?

Yes, as far as you want to take it: shortlisting places that fit your budget and needs (pet-friendly, family-friendly, the right neighborhood), setting up viewings, reading the lease before you sign, and handling the 확정일자 (certified date) that protects your deposit under Korean law.

Can you help with visa, ARC, or address-registration paperwork?

Yes. We work out which forms apply, fill them in Korean, and can go with you to immigration or the district office (구청) when that helps. For matters that need a licensed lawyer, we bring in an English-speaking attorney from our network rather than guess.

Something I bought is faulty and the shop won’t help. Can you step in?

Often, yes. We read the shop’s policy in Korean, call on your behalf, and make the case for a refund, exchange, or repair. We can’t promise the outcome — that’s the shop’s call — but putting it clearly in Korean usually changes things.

In person
Can someone come with me in person?

Yes, around Busan and Gyeongnam. Hospital visits, housing viewings, government offices, banking — anywhere a phone call isn’t enough. In-person work is quoted per visit, and nothing is confirmed until you agree to the quote.

Limits & privacy
What can’t you do?

Anything illegal, and anything that needs a license we don’t hold — we won’t act as your lawyer, diagnose you, or give financial advice. For those, we connect you with the right licensed professional. And if something depends on a business we can’t move, we’ll tell you that before you spend a ticket.

Is what I tell you kept private?

Yes. Your details, documents, and medical information stay confidential. For companies, we’ll sign an NDA on request.

Still have questions?

Just message us — we reply within 15–30 minutes during opening hours.