Gay dating apps in Korea are probably one of the most popular ways to meet others for networking, friendship, dates, and hook-ups — with the most prevalent gay dating applications being Jack’d, Grindr, and Tinder.
Many single gay natives and foreigners in Korea have, or have had these dating apps on their phones, largely due to the fact that natural encounters with other gay men and women in Seoul are quite seldom.
Some people may find these applications promiscuous or distasteful, but in general, users will be able to find whatever they are looking for. Sure, active users may receive countless messages asking for sexual endeavors, but if they are opposed to these types of interactions, they have the option of ignoring or blocking them on the app. Users also have the ability to see how close others users are via GPS features.
Tips for using these applications are to be truthful with the information you choose to disclose, be honest about what you are looking for, and be careful with the personal pictures you choose to share with others. Furthermore, if you decide to meet someone from one of these applications, it’s always safer to meet in a public place.
Because these applications are all free of charge, it is recommended to try all of them and see how they complement what you are looking for. There are also other gay dating applications you can try, such as Lavendr, VGL, Scruff, Hornet, MR X, Adam4Adam, GuySpy, GROWLr, PlanetRomeo, etc. Some applications have specific niches, such as GROWLr for “bears,” VGL for the “very good looking,” and Scruff for those who admire facial hair.
If you have any questions about the LGBTQ community or being gay in Korea, please feel free to e-mail inquiries to joeyseoul@gmail.com.
Below is a list of 10 LGBTQ-friendly dating apps in South Korea.
Note: In our research, we weren’t able to find as many apps geared towards just women, but if you have any more suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment down below and we will add it to the article!
For Both Men and Women
Tinder
Tinder is a popular choice for those looking to find a potential partner, no matter where they are in the world. Through the app, you can choose not only the age and location settings for your matches, but also your preferences in terms of gender and sexual orientation – making it a popular choice in the LGBTQ community. Tinder’s simple swiping function is what made it first appeal to the public – just swipe right to show your interest in a profile, left to pass. Or, you can swipe up to super like somebody.
OkCupid
OkCupid is another popular app amongst foreigners in Korea that has LGBTQ-friendly settings! It works much like any other online dating site/app, but users are required to answer a series of questions when they sign up. Your answers to the questions will inform the app’s algorithm of who your best matches are and set you up with them.
Gay Dating Apps in Korea For Men
Grindr
One of the more popular gay dating apps, Grindr is a popular app in Korea for those looking for a potential partner. It is a social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people. With Grindr, you can not only see who’s nearby, but also browse and find people from all over the world. To narrow down your search for a potential partner, you can use filters to find someone you think is a good match for you. If you update to Grindr XTRA, you can see 6x the profiles with zero ads.
Jack’d
Jack’d is a location-based dating app for gay and bisexual men. With this app you can build friendships, set dates, make long-lasting relationships, or have one-time intimate encounters – depending on what you’re looking for. You can also monitor how fast other guys respond to messages to see if he’s the right person for you.
VGL
VGL, which stands for “very good looking,” is the “#1 gay dating app for twinks, twunks, jocks, and pups,” according to their site. It allows its users to browse and message as many profiles as you want for free. You can follow individuals you like on VGL and gain followers yourself to stand out. This app also lets you post and view an unlimited amount of photos. Each user is verified, so no need to worry about getting catfished. You can search for the type of guy you like using hashtags, and also find their social media accounts to get a better understanding of the type of person he is.
Scruff
Scruff is a gay dating app designed for people who, believe it or not, are attracted to facial hair. This app was founded in 2010 for gay, bi, transexual, and queer men. Currently, there are 12 million users on the app worldwide. If you find a profile you like on the app, send the user a “woof” to express your interest.
Hornet
Hornet connects 25 million men worldwide. Marketed as a social networking app as well as a dating app, Hornet was sounded in 2011 as a way to make it “fun and easy for gay, bi, and curious guys to connect with each other.” Through the app, users can not only create their own profiles, but keep up to date on news affecting the gay community, and access a city guide written by other users to find LGBTQ friendly events and venues in their city of residence/travel.
MR X
MR X is a gay dating app dedicated to men over 30 – though younger men interested in 30+ partners are welcome to join as well! his app was created for gay, bi, and curious men to meet each other, find great dates, and make new friends. Inappropriate photos are not allowed and will be removed immediately. Through the app, you can see who’s nearby, who’s far away, who’s interested in you and more.
Adam4Adam
Adam4Adam sets you up with other gay, bi, or curious men around the world. It allows you to view an unlimited amount of guys on the grid, and you can even personalize your search by filtering for body type, age, ethnicity, and more. You can also block other people if you do not want them to contact you. Inappropriate photos are strictly prohibited on this app.
GuySpy
GuySpy is a dating app for gay, bi, or curious men around the world. Profiles on this app are required to have detailed descriptions and several photos in order to allow users to have a better understanding of potential matches. You can exchange videos, voice or chat messages with those near your location, and even send your current location through the app for when you are ready to meet.
GROWLr
GROWLr is a gay dating app marketed towards those looking for “bears,” masculine gay men who belong to an inclusive gay community. The app, which currently has over 10 million members around the globe, aims to connect fellow “bears” together for dating, hookups, and friendships. You can send and receive messages, photos, and videos and even make video calls.
Gay Dating Apps For Women
Zoe
Zoe is a dating app for lesbian, bisexual and queer women. It’s the most popular of it’s kind in Korea, and is used for dating, relationships and friendships. It has a face verification feature, which is required when you create an account to protect users from fake profiles. The app’s layout is similar to that of Tinder, with a straightforward appearance and features.
Thanks for checking out our list of LGBTQ-friendly dating apps in Korea. If you’ve had personal experiences with any of these apps and would like to share, or if you feel like we missed a good one, feel free to leave a comment down below! Also, check out our other article “Your Guide To Dating Apps in Korea.” and “Being gay in Korea“
Sarah Park contributed to this article.