Young’s I/OGuides that smooth out small travel hassles
← Pharmacy & hospitalAcross Korea · Pharmacies and convenience stores
Guidance from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association and the emergency medical portal

Need medicine on a Sunday or public holiday

Most pharmacies in Korea close on Sundays and public holidays. First find an open pharmacy through Pharm114 or E-Gen; for minor symptoms, check the stock of designated medicines at a registered 24-hour convenience store.

Checked on
📍 Open in NAVER Map ↗Google Maps ↗How to do it ↓
Sundays and public holidays
Most Korean pharmacies close. Unlike in Japan, there are very few drugstores that stay open on Sundays.
Convenience-store medicines
The statutory list has 13 items: 5 fever/pain medicines, 4 digestive medicines, 2 cold medicines and 2 patches. Tylenol Tablets 160 mg and Children's Tylenol Tablets 80 mg are discontinued, so 11 items are usually available in practice.
Convenience-store rules
You may buy one package of each item per purchase, and sales to children under 12 are prohibited. Only registered 24-hour stores may sell them, so not every convenience store carries them and stock varies.
Finding an open pharmacy
Search Pharm114 or E-Gen by date and time. Public late-night pharmacies generally operate from around 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., but hours vary, so call first.
Interpretation and directions
The 1330 Travel Helpline is available in Japanese and English 24 hours a day and can help locate a nearby place or provide interpretation support.

Ask a pharmacist to help choose medicine and decide how to take it. If symptoms are severe, call 119.

Search Pharm114 ↗Find hospitals and pharmacies on E-Gen ↗

How to do it

  1. In Pharm114 or E-Gen's hospital and pharmacy search, enter the date and time you plan to visit.
  2. On NAVER Map or KakaoMap, search ‘휴일약국’, ‘일요일 약국’ or ‘공공심야약국’ plus the area name.
  3. For a public late-night pharmacy in particular, call before leaving to confirm that day's hours and whether the medicine you need is in stock.
  4. If you cannot find a pharmacy and your symptoms are minor, ask a registered 24-hour convenience store about its stock of designated medicines.
  5. Call 1330 if you need help finding a nearby place or interpreting. If symptoms are severe, call 119 immediately.

Korean to show on the spot

두통약 있어요?

Do you have medicine for a headache?

배가 아파요.

My stomach hurts.

열이 나요.

I have a fever.

감기약 주세요.

Please give me cold medicine.

얼마예요?

How much is it?

Sources checked