Some things are hard to explain across a language gap and matter too much to leave to gestures. These cards put the exact sentence in Korean on your screen so you can show it or paste it.

The four cards

The allergy and diet card tells restaurant staff what you cannot eat and asks them to check the broth, sauce and seasoning. The pharmacy card lists your symptoms. The hair salon card says how you want your hair cut. The delivery note is made for copying into the requests box when you order food or parcels.

Eating with allergies in Korea

Korean cooking uses ingredients you cannot always see. Kimchi usually contains fish sauce or salted shrimp, soups often start from anchovy stock, soy sauce contains wheat, and sesame oil finishes many dishes. Staff may not know every ingredient, which is why the card asks them to check and ends with a direct question. Packaged food sold in Korea must list major allergens on the label, so the Korean words on your card are also useful in a supermarket.

At the pharmacy

Pharmacies have a green cross or the word 약국 on the sign. Pharmacists can recommend medicine for colds, pain, stomach trouble and allergies without a prescription. Convenience stores also sell a small range of basics such as fever reducers and digestive medicine.