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.
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 65,000 cards were issued within just 5 months of launch, so if Korea is on your upcoming travel list, this is one freebie not to miss.
Image credit: @gloriaecoli via Instagram
While the Lotte Tourist Membership Card was launched as an exclusive at the Lotte Department Store Myeongdong, it can now also be redeemed at Lotte Department Store Jamsil and Lotte Department Store Busan Main from now till 31st December 2026.
There are 2 collection points at Lotte Department Store Myeongdong:
There are 2 collection points at Lotte Department Store Jamsil:
There is 1 collection point at Lotte Department Store Busan Main:
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.
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$2.10 to ~S$4.19.
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.
Image credit: Ozzy via Google Maps
Beyond affiliate discounts, cardholders can also enjoy 5% off purchases above KRW100,000 (~S$83.87), depending on which branch you were issued the card.
There are a few things to note:
Also, selected products and brands at the Myeongdong outlet are excluded, so ask before purchasing.
Image credit: @happylotteworld via Instagram
If you were planning to visit Lotte World Adventure, Seoul Sky, Lotte World Aquarium, and Lotte World Adventure Busan, having the Lotte Tourist Membership Card can get you up to 20% off.
With ticket prices for attractions like Lotte World Adventure going up to KRW67,000/adult (~S$56.26), this saves you around KRW13,400 (~S$11.25).
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.
More things to do in Korea:
Cover image adapted from: Lotte Department Store, anstoned 920 via Google Maps
Originally published on 24th February 2026. Last updated by Josiah Neo on 19th June 2026.
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