KOncierge
Login
CatchTable for Foreigners: How to Book Korean Restaurants Without a Korean Number (Updated July 2026)
booking-reservations

CatchTable for Foreigners: How to Book Korean Restaurants Without a Korean Number (Updated July 2026)

Yunseong Ahn1 min read
Share

Learn how foreigners use CatchTable to book Korean restaurants without a Korean phone number: sign-up, deposits, cancellations, and card requirements.

Yes, foreigners can use CatchTable — download the CatchTable Global app, sign up with an email address or Google/Apple login instead of a Korean phone number, and pay deposits with a foreign-issued Visa, Mastercard, AMEX or JCB card. It covers over 8,000 restaurants nationwide, including waitlists, and is free to download and use. Some reservation-only spots require a deposit to deter no-shows, but waitlists never do.

CatchTable Global at a glance for foreign visitors
FeatureDetailCostNotes
Sign-up methodEmail, Google, or Apple accountFreeNo Korean phone number required per Korea.net and VisitKorea
Restaurant coverage8,000+ nationwideN/APer Google Play listing
Languages supported20 languagesN/APer Google Play listing
App costFree to download and book₩0Deposits, not booking fees, are the only charge
Typical deposit₩1,000 to 100 (~$1)% of meal priceVaries by restaurantSet individually by each restaurant per NamuWiki
Deposit payment methodForeign-issued credit card onlyCharged at booking, deducted from final billVisa, Mastercard, AMEX, JCB accepted
Waitlist (remote or on-site)Join without depositFreeReal-time status shown in-app
Cancellation refund window3-5 business days for foreign-card refundsVaries, e.g. 100% refund 2 days before visitTerms set per restaurant
Late arrival policy~15-20 minutes past your turnDeposit forfeited, no refundReservation auto-cancels if you're not present
No-show penalty (fine dining)Up to 40% of pre-ordered menu priceCan exceed ₩100,000 (~$71)Unverified secondary claim, needs review
Customer supportsupport@catchtable.net / +82 1800-5895N/APer App Store listing
CatchTable Global at a glance for foreign visitors
Infographic: CatchTable Global at a glance for foreign visitors

How do you actually download and set up CatchTable Global?

Search for "CatchTable Global" (not the domestic-only "CatchTable" app) on the App Store or Google Play — it's built by WADcorp, whose parent Wad had raised ₩70 (~$1) billion in funding as of April 2024. During setup, register with email or Google/Apple; there's no field forcing a Korean mobile number, the main barrier tourists hit on domestic apps. You can browse by city, cuisine, or Michelin status in one of 20 languages. The global version launched in March 2023 with about 1,500 businesses and has since scaled to today's nationwide catalog.

What does a deposit actually cost, and when do you pay one?

Deposits apply only at certain reservation-only restaurants, and the amount is set per venue — anywhere from a symbolic ₩1,000 (~$1) up to the full meal price. It's not a booking fee but a no-show deterrent, deducted from your final bill on arrival. Deposits can only be charged to a foreign-issued card — Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, JCB — while remote or on-site waitlist entries need no deposit. Cancel within a restaurant's stated window (one common term: full refund two days ahead) and foreign-card refunds typically post in 3 to 5 business days.

What happens if you're late or miss your waitlist call?

Arriving roughly 15-20 minutes after your turn is called can trigger automatic cancellation, forfeiting the deposit with no refund, per guides on booking Michelin and 'black/white chef' restaurants. This matters most on walk-in waitlists at high-demand spots — the app flags long real waits at places like London Bagel Museum and certain Sancheong restaurants — so keep the app open and watch your queue position rather than wander off. Some fine-dining restaurants apply steeper no-show penalties tied to a pre-ordered tasting menu; one blog cites a Fair Trade Commission allowance of up to 40% of menu price, potentially over ₩100,000 (~$71) — unconfirmed against a primary source.

Sign-up and browsing are genuinely foreigner-friendly — the real friction is judgment calls under pressure: which deposit terms are real, whether a listing is truly full, and how a language barrier turns a no-show dispute into a lost deposit. KOncierge's bilingual assistant handles those edge cases and secures tables at fully booked or waitlist-only restaurants for you.

Let KOncierge's concierge team lock in your Seoul restaurant reservations for you.

Ask KOncierge

By passport

United States / Canada
Visa, Mastercard, and AMEX-issued US and Canadian cards work for CatchTable deposits without needing a Korean bank account.
United Kingdom / Australia
UK and Australian cards on Visa or Mastercard networks are accepted the same way as US cards; no Korean SIM or number is needed to complete sign-up.
Singapore / Malaysia
JCB and Visa/Mastercard cards issued in Singapore or Malaysia work for deposits; email or Google/Apple sign-up bypasses the local phone-number requirement entirely.

Frequently asked questions

Does CatchTable cost money to use?

No — downloading CatchTable Global and making standard reservations is free. The only charge you'll ever see is a restaurant-set deposit at certain reservation-only venues (commonly ranging from a few thousand won up to the full meal price), and that amount is deducted from your final bill rather than being an extra fee. Waitlist entries, whether joined remotely or in person, never require a deposit.

Do I need a Korean phone number to use CatchTable?

No, and this is the most common misconception among first-time visitors. CatchTable Global lets you register with an email address or a Google/Apple account, a setup confirmed by both Korea.net and VisitKorea specifically to remove the domestic phone-number requirement that blocks tourists on most local Korean apps.

What happens if I need to cancel a CatchTable reservation?

Refund terms are set per restaurant, but a commonly cited policy is a full refund if you cancel at least two days before your visit; refunds to foreign-issued cards typically take 3 to 5 business days to process. Cancelling late or simply not showing up usually forfeits any deposit charged, so check the specific restaurant's cancellation window shown at booking.

Can I use CatchTable for Michelin-starred restaurants in Korea?

Yes, CatchTable Global is the primary booking channel for many Michelin and so-called 'black and white chef' restaurants covered in Korea's Netflix-driven dining scene, and its 8,000+ restaurant catalog includes fine-dining spots that are otherwise near-impossible to book without a Korean number. High-demand tables still fill within minutes of release, so setting a calendar reminder for booking-window openings helps.

What cards work for CatchTable deposits?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and JCB all work for deposit payments as a foreign visitor, according to guides covering black/white chef restaurant bookings. The deposit is charged at the time of booking and later subtracted from your bill at the restaurant, so it functions as a hold rather than an additional cost.

Is CatchTable the same as OpenTable or Resy?

Functionally similar, but CatchTable is Korea-specific and, per Korea Economic Daily, is the only Korean table-reservation app offered in multiple languages for foreign tourists. It also layers in a live waitlist system used heavily by walk-up-only restaurants in Korea, a feature that's less central to OpenTable or Resy's model abroad.

Sources

#catchtable global app#book korean restaurant no phone number#catchtable deposit refund

How was this article?

More to read