Lotte Tourist Membership Card
One thing almost every tourist does when they land in Korea is to buy a T-money card. It’s your golden ticket to getting around – tap in for buses and trains, then use the same card to pay at convenience stores when you’re grabbing a late-night banana milk.
Now here’s the hack: instead of purchasing a T-money card, sign up for the free Lotte Tourist Membership Card, which also works as a transit card. This offer is exclusively for foreigners, and on top of sorting out your transport, it also gives you extra shopping discounts.
What is the Lotte Tourist Membership Card?
Image credit: Lotte Department Store
Think of it as a 2-in-1 travel essential. It works like your usual T-money card for public transportation, but also lets you enjoy shopping perks across Lotte Department Store and its affiliates.
According to news reports, cardholders can get 5% off at Lotte Department Store’s main branch, 10% off at Lotte Duty Free and 7-Eleven, and 7% off at Lotte Mart. Do note that membership perks may change from time to time, so it’s best to check the latest terms and participating outlets before you shop.
The cards are clearly in demand as well – more than 25,000 cards were issued within just 2 months of launch, so if Korea is on your upcoming travel list, this is one freebie not to miss.
When & where to go to collect the card?
Image credit: @gloriaecoli via Instagram
Head down to the main branch of Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong from now till 30th June 2026.
There are 2 collection points within the store:
- Tax Refund Lounge next to Gucci on 1F
- Foreign Customer Service Desk next to Lotteria on B1
How to collect the free membership card?
Since the Lotte Tourist Membership Card is only available to foreigners, you’ll need to present your passport at the counter, then complete a customer consent form and email verification.
Once that’s done, you’ll receive the card on the spot.
What can you do with your Lotte Tourist Membership Card?
Use it to pay for public transportation
Image credit: Kunsup S via Google Maps
As we mentioned earlier, it functions just like a T-money card, which means you can tap in and out of subway stations and use it on public buses.
While the free card doesn’t come with any stored value, it’s easy to load credits at convenience stores and subway station top-up machines.
For reference, a regular T-money card typically costs around KRW2,500 to KRW5,000, depending on the design, just for the card itself. So by getting this for free, you’re saving ~S$2.19 to ~S$4.38.
Use it to pay for purchases at convenience stores
The CU Hongdae Sangsang branch has an instant noodle “library”.
Image credit: 古月居士 via Google Maps
Your Lotte Tourist Membership Card can also double up as a payment card at convenience store chains, such as CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, and Emart24. And when you’ve run out of credits, just top up your card at one of these stores.
Enjoy 5% off at the Lotte Department Store Myeongdong branch
Image credit: Ozzy via Google Maps
Beyond affiliate discounts, cardholders can also enjoy 5% off purchases above KRW100,000 (~S$87.64) at the Lotte Department Store main branch in Myeongdong.
There are a few things to note:
- The perk must be used within 30 days of card registration
- Each cardholder can only get the 5% discount 3 times
- You’ll need to show your card during payment
Also, selected products and brands at the Myeongdong outlet are excluded, so ask before purchasing.
Collect your free Lotte Tourist Membership Card
Image credit: Lotte Department Store
BTW, the design of the card features iconic Korean landmarks in a holographic finish against a black background, making it look extra classy for something you didn’t even pay for. So don’t forget to collect yours – it’ll also serve as a little keepsake from your trip.
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More things to do in Korea:
- Places featured in KPop Demon Hunters
- Hwaseong International Theme Park by Paramount Pictures
- MomoZoo on Jeju Island
Cover image adapted from: Lotte Department Store, anstoned 920 via Google Maps