I found that many travellers complained about language barriers in Korea. As I lived in Korea for a long time, I can give you some useful tips. First, most young people in Korea learn English in school, which means that they can understand basic word and sentences. So, you don't need to use polite expressions when you ask something to people, (though it seems weird). e.g) If you're looking for a toilet, you'd say "Excuse me, where is the toilet?" rather than "Excuse me, Could you please - - -" Second, ask those who look like students. Young students, esp. university students, are really keen to study English. Moreover, they like to talk to foreigners to practice their English. (But they hardly try to have a chat with you since they're usually shy.) So, feel free to ask or talk to people who look like students. I bet most of them will eagerly you. Third, Korea has become very globalized that they use a lot of English words in their life. But pronunciation often cause problem, especially "t" at the end of the word. If people don't understand your English, pronounce it like "tu". e.g) ticket : tic ke tu. In fact, this tip would be more helpful in Japan. They pronounce also "l" like "lu".
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