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Popular Medicines in Korea: Colds, Pain and Upset Stomachs (2026)

Checked against official sources on October 21, 2026

Illustration of blister packs, small bottles, an ointment tube and pain patches

Summary

Korean pharmacies sell over-the-counter medicines (일반의약품) without a prescription, grouped by complaint: liquid cold remedies, acetaminophen or ibuprofen painkillers, digestive liquids and enzymes, anti-diarrhoea tablets, throat lozenges, bite gels and pain patches. As of October 2026, Korean trade press lists Tylenol 500 mg, Gas Hwalmyeongsu Q, Pancol S and Panpirin Q among top monthly sellers. Prices are set by each pharmacy.

At a glance

Where to buy
Pharmacy (약국), no prescription
Tylenol 500 mg
Max 8 tablets (4 g) a day
Many cold and pain products
Contain acetaminophen; do not stack
Cough ingredient
Psychotropic at 60 mg a day or more
Prices
Each pharmacy sets its own
Checked on MFDS
21 October 2026

Korean for this

  • 감기약 주세요

    gamgiyak juseyo

    Cold medicine, please

  • 진통제 주세요

    jintongje juseyo

    Painkillers, please

  • 소화제 주세요

    sohwaje juseyo

    Something for indigestion, please

  • 반창고 주세요

    banchanggo juseyo

    Plasters (Band-Aids), please

  • 배가 아파요

    baega apayo

    My stomach hurts

  • 머리가 아파요

    meoriga apayo

    I have a headache

All Korean phrases

Details

If you feel unwell in Korea, a pharmacy can sell you common medicines without a prescription. This page lists products Koreans commonly use, grouped by complaint, with what each one is and what its label warns about. It is practical shopping information, not medical advice. Tell the pharmacist about allergies, pregnancy, children and any other medicine you take.

Before you start

  • Know the ingredient names of your regular medicines. Brand names differ between countries.
  • Look for 일반의약품. 일반의약품ilban uiyakpumOver-the-counter medicine means you can buy it without a prescription. Every product below is listed that way on the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) database as of 21 October 2026. Prescription-only medicines are not covered here.
  • Prices vary. Korean trade press describes OTC pricing as a seller price-display system, so each pharmacy shows its own price. We do not list prices.
  • Night and holiday options are in pharmacies at night. For the buying process, see how to buy medicine at a pharmacy.

Three phrases help: 감기약 주세요gamgiyak juseyoCold medicine, please, 이 약 먹으면 졸려요?i yak meogeumyeon jollyeoyo?Does this medicine make me drowsy? and 알레르기가 있어요allereugiga isseoyoI have an allergy. More are in Korean for the pharmacy.

What is popular, according to the press

  • Dailypharm, a pharmacy trade site, publishes a monthly OTC sales-count list. The list we viewed in October 2026 included Tylenol 500 mg, Gas Hwalmyeongsu Q, Pancol S, Panpirin Q, Taxen soft capsules and Ketotop patches among its first 20 entries.
  • Metro Economy reported on 23 June 2026 that foreign visitors at Myeongdong pharmacies mainly buy pain patches, digestive medicine and functional mask packs.
  • Kyunghyang Shinmun reported on 4 July 2026 that visitors also ask for cold medicine, digestives and throat relief, although skin products come first.
  • A Newsis report of 12 September 2026, using reviews from the WOWPASS app, listed skin creams, acne products, supplements, skin care and eye products as its top five; cold medicine was not among them.

These are sales and press reports, not recommendations.

Colds and fever

Product What it is Check on the label
판피린큐액panpirin kyuaekPanpirin Q liquid (Dong-A) Liquid cold remedy: acetaminophen, caffeine, chlorphenamine, methylephedrine, guaifenesin, tipepidine Can cause drowsiness. Not for under 2. Do not use within 2 weeks of an MAO-inhibitor antidepressant
판콜에스내복액pankoreseu naebogaekPancol S oral liquid (Dong Wha) Liquid cold remedy: acetaminophen, methylephedrine, chlorphenamine, caffeine, guaifenesin Drowsiness; do not take long term; no other acetaminophen or cold products
테라플루terapeulluTheraflu day and night powders (Haleon) Dry-syrup powder: acetaminophen plus phenylephrine; the night version adds pheniramine Ask about drowsiness; no other acetaminophen products
타이레놀콜드-에스정tairenol koldeu-eseu jeongTylenol Cold-S tablet (Kenvue) Tablet: acetaminophen, pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan, chlorphenamine Drowsiness. See the cough section below before you carry it abroad

Pain and headache

Product What it is Check on the label
타이레놀정500밀리그람tairenol jeong 500 milligeuramTylenol 500 mg tablet (Kenvue) Acetaminophen 500 mg for fever, headache, period pain and toothache Ages 12 and up: 1–2 tablets, at most 8 tablets (4 g) a day. Three or more drinks a day: ask first
게보린정geborin jeongGeborin tablet (Samjin) Acetaminophen 300 mg, caffeine 50 mg, isopropylantipyrine 150 mg Adult label: 1 tablet, up to 3 times a day, short-term use
이지엔6이브정ijien 6 ibeu jeongEZ-N6 Eve tablet (Daewoong) Ibuprofen 200 mg with pamabrom Not for under 2 or after week 30 of pregnancy. Can irritate the stomach; ask first if you have high blood pressure
탁센연질캡슐taksen yeonjil kaepsyulTaxen soft capsule (Green Cross) Naproxen 250 mg Not for pregnancy or under 2; no other anti-inflammatory painkillers

Tylenol, Geborin and the cold products above all contain acetaminophen. The Tylenol label says not to take it with other acetaminophen products. Combining them can exceed the 4 g daily limit and harm your liver.

Indigestion and heartburn

Product What it is Check on the label
까스활명수큐액kkaseu hwalmyeongsu kyuaekGas Hwalmyeongsu Q liquid (Dong Wha) Herbal digestive liquid, 75 mL bottle, for bloating, nausea and overeating Stop and ask if no better after about a month
훼스탈골드정hweseutal goldeu jeongFestal Gold tablet (Handok) Digestive enzymes Not for age 7 and under. Swallow, do not chew
닥터베아제정dakteo beaje jeongDr. Bearse tablet (Daewoong) Digestive enzymes Not for age 7 and under
겔포스엠현탁액gelposeuem hyeontagaekGelfos M suspension (Boryung) Antacid sachet for acid, heartburn and stomach discomfort Take between meals and at bedtime; at least 4 hours apart

Diarrhoea and sore throat

Product What it is Check on the label
동성정로환에프정dongseong jeongnohwan epeu jeongJeongnohwan F tablet (Dongsung) Herbal tablet for diarrhoea and loose stools Not for age 7 and under. Ask first if diarrhoea comes with fever or blood
스트렙실허니앤레몬트로키seuteurepsil heoni aen remon teurokiStrepsils Honey and Lemon lozenge (Reckitt) Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge for short-term sore throat Ages 12 and up; at most 5 a day for up to 3 days; not with aspirin allergy

Bites, cuts and sore muscles

Product What it is Check on the label
둥근머리버물리겔dunggeunmeori beomulli gelRound-head Bumulli gel (Hyundai Pharm) Anti-itch gel for insect bites and skin itching Not for under 30 months, eyes, broken skin; stop after 5–6 days
후시딘연고husidin yeongoFucidin ointment (Dong Wha) Antibiotic ointment (fusidic acid) for infected skin and burns or wounds Use about a week at most; thin layer
마데카솔케어연고madekasol keeo yeongoMadecassol Care ointment (Dongkook) Centella extract with neomycin antibiotic for small scrapes and minor burns Not for the eyes; avoid long use; do not use if allergic to neomycin
신신파스아렉스sinsin paseu arekseuSinsin Pas Arex patch (Sinsin) Medicated patch with menthol and methyl salicylate for shoulders, back and sprains Not for under 30 months, wounds or eczema; once or twice a day
케토톱플라스타ketotop peullaseutaKetotop plaster (Handok) Ketoprofen patch for joint and muscle pain Not for under 15. Cover the patch area from sun during use and for 2 weeks after

Motion sickness

키미테패취kimite paechwiKimite patch (Myungmoon) is a scopolamine patch placed behind the ear at least 4 hours before travel. The label warns of drowsiness and says not to use it for children aged 7 or under, in pregnancy, or with glaucoma.

Cough medicine and dextromethorphan

Dextromethorphan is a cough-suppressing ingredient. Korea has designated products giving 60 mg a day or more as psychotropic since 1 October 2003. According to the Korean Pharmaceutical Information Center (2022), most combination cold products are OTC and carry 7.5–15 mg per dose, so the daily dose stays under 60 mg; stronger ones are prescription-only. The Korea Herald reported on 25 August 2026 that the ingredient is classed as psychotropic in Korea. We found no new rule in 2026. Tylenol Cold-S lists 15 mg of dextromethorphan and was still listed as OTC on the MFDS database on 21 October 2026.

If you carry it home, check your country's rules. China added dextromethorphan to its Category II psychotropic list from 1 July 2024.

Common problems

  • Doubling up on acetaminophen. Read every active ingredient. Cold products and painkillers often share it.
  • Taking a drowsy product before driving. Panpirin, Pancol and Kimite carry drowsiness warnings.
  • Using a sun-sensitive patch on a beach day. Ketotop needs cover from sunlight.
  • Giving adult products to children. Several labels set age limits or ask you to see a doctor first.
  • Expecting strong drugs over the counter. Prescription-only medicines need a Korean doctor.

Questions and answers

Do I need a prescription for these?

No. They are 일반의약품. Prescription-only medicines need a Korean doctor. See how to see a doctor.

Can I ask the pharmacist for a product by name?

Yes. Show the name on your phone. Pharmacists also suggest products for symptoms.

Do convenience stores sell these?

Only a short list. See pharmacies at night.

Can I take them home?

Rules differ by country. See Korean pharmacy must-buys.

Official sources (29)

Last checked October 21, 2026Next check due April 19, 2027

Rules can change. Confirm on the official site before you travel.

Next stepKorean Pharmacy Must-Buys: What Visitors Take Home (2026)

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