Motion Sickness Pills in Korea: Kimite, Bonaling & Toslong OTC Guide

## Motion Sickness Pills in Korea: Which OTC One Should You Actually Buy? For most travelers, a chewable tablet like Bonaling or a liquid shot like Toslong taken 30 minutes before you board is the easiest choice, while the Kimite scopolamine patch behind the ear is best for long ferries if you apply it 4 hours ahead. All three are sold over the counter at any Korean pharmacy, no prescription needed. I get carsick on winding mountain roads to temples, so I have bought motion sickness medicine in Korea more times than I would like to admit. Here is what actually worked for me, and what I would skip. Korea has a lot of situations that trigger motion sickness. The ferries out to Jeju or the smaller islands, the express buses on curvy expressways, even some of the older intercity trains. If you are prone to it, sorting out your motion sickness pills before the trip saves you a miserable few hours. ## What kinds of motion sickness medicine can you buy in Korea? Korean pharmacies stock three main formats of motion sickness medicine: chewable or oral tablets, small liquid drink vials, and the stick-behind-the-ear patch. They all aim to prevent nausea rather than cure it once it has started, so timing matters more than the brand. Here is the quick comparison I wish someone had handed me on my first ferry. | Product | Type | Main ingredient | When to take | Price (approx.) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Bonaling A (보나링) | Chewable tablet | Dimenhydrinate + scopolamine | 30-60 min before | 2,000-4,000 won | | Toslong / Toslong S (토스롱액) | Liquid vial | Dimenhydrinate blend | 30 min before | ~5,000 won / 5 vials | | Kimite (키미테) | Patch behind ear | Scopolamine | 4 hours before | 4,000-7,000 won | | Dimenhydrinate tablet | Plain tablet | Dimenhydrinate | 30 min before | varies | How to actually buy it, step by step: 1. Walk into any pharmacy (약국, yak-guk). Terminals, ferry docks, train stations and airports almost always have one. 2. Say "meolmi-yak isseoyo?" (멀미약 있어요?) which means "Do you have motion sickness medicine?" 3. Tell them the format you want: "patch" for Kimite, or "chewable" or "liquid." 4. Mention who it is for, especially if it is a child, so they give the right dose. 5. Pay in cash or card. It is cheap and quick. If you want the fuller pharmacy walkthrough, I covered the phrases and etiquette in our [Korean pharmacy English guide on buying medicine anytime](https://beautydir.co/24-hour-weekend-pharmacy-seoul-buy-medicine-guide) - handy if you land late and everything is closed. ## Kimite patch vs Bonaling vs Toslong: which is right for you? Choose the Kimite patch only for long trips you can plan 4 hours ahead, pick Bonaling if you want something quick and chewable, and grab a Toslong liquid vial if you are already at the dock and forgot to prepare. The biggest mistake I made early on was slapping a Kimite patch on 20 minutes before a bus left. It does basically nothing that fast. The Kimite patch uses scopolamine, which is strong and lasts a long time, roughly up to 72 hours from one patch. You stick it on the dry, hairless skin behind one ear. Because it is potent, it also has the most side effects: dry mouth, drowsiness, and blurry vision are common. The one warning I take seriously is washing my hands right after touching it. If scopolamine gets from your fingers into your eye, it can dilate the pupil and blur your vision for hours. I learned this the hard way and spent an afternoon on Jeju with one giant pupil, genuinely unsettling. Bonaling is a chewable tablet that mixes dimenhydrinate (an antihistamine) with a little scopolamine. It kicks in within about 30 minutes and is far more forgiving on timing. Toslong is the liquid version, a tiny vial you knock back like a shot 30 minutes before boarding. Both make you drowsy, which honestly is a feature on a long bus ride. ## What does the science and the dosing say about motion sickness medicine? Dimenhydrinate calms the over-stimulated inner ear and blocks the acetylcholine signals that trigger nausea, while scopolamine blocks those signals more aggressively, which is why it works longer but hits you with more side effects. This is not just marketing, it is the documented mechanism from the drug regulators. Some concrete numbers from Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and consumer agencies that shaped how I dose it: - Liquid Toslong: adults take one vial 30 minutes before travel. If you need a second dose, wait at least 4 hours, and never take more than 2 doses in a day, according to the [MFDS drug information for Toslong](https://nedrug.mfds.go.kr/pbp/CCBBB01/getItemDetail?itemSeq=199800924). - Kimite patch: apply at least 4 hours before you need the effect. Adults use one full disc, children aged 8 to 15 use only half a disc. - Age limits: most oral motion sickness pills are off-limits for kids under 4, and the [Korea Consumer Agency warns](https://www.kca.go.kr/home/sub.do?menukey=4005&mode=view&no=1001285784) that the Kimite scopolamine patch should not be used on children under 8 because of the risk of serious side effects. I once assumed "more is better" and doubled up a liquid vial with a patch on a rough island crossing. Bad idea. Dry mouth so intense I could barely talk, plus a foggy head for the whole day. One product, taken on time, is the move. If you are traveling with a lot of small medical odds and ends, our [travel medicine kit for a Korea trip guide](https://beautydir.co/travel-medicine-kit-korea-trip-what-to-pack-vs-buy-pharmacy) breaks down what to pack versus buy locally. A few real-world notes from repeated trips: - On the KTX high-speed train I rarely need anything. It is the express buses and ferries that get me. - The patch is great for overnight ferries because you apply it the evening before and forget about it. - If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly, or have glaucoma or prostate issues, talk to the pharmacist first. Scopolamine is not for everyone, and this is where the "just ask" part of buying motion sickness medicine in Korea really matters. ## Frequently asked questions about motion sickness pills in Korea

Do I need a prescription to buy motion sickness medicine in Korea?

No, you do not need a prescription. Bonaling, Toslong, Kimite patches and plain dimenhydrinate tablets are all over-the-counter (OTC) products you can buy directly from any pharmacy. Just walk in and ask for "meolmi-yak" (멀미약). Pharmacies at ferry terminals, bus stations and airports keep them in stock precisely because so many travelers ask.

How far in advance should I take motion sickness pills before a ferry?

Take oral pills or the liquid vial at least 30 minutes before boarding, and apply the Kimite patch at least 4 hours before. Motion sickness medicine works by prevention, not rescue, so once you already feel queasy it is largely too late. For a morning ferry I put the patch on the night before.

Can children use Korean motion sickness medicine?

Some products, but with strict age limits. Most oral motion sickness pills are not for children under 4, and the Kimite scopolamine patch is not recommended under age 8. Children aged 8 to 15 use only half a Kimite disc. Liquid Toslong has age-graded doses from about age 3, so tell the pharmacist the child's age and let them pick and dose it.

What are the side effects of the Kimite patch?

The most common side effects are dry mouth, drowsiness and blurred vision, because scopolamine is a strong ingredient. The important precaution is to wash your hands right after touching the patch. If the medicine gets into your eye, it can dilate your pupil and blur your vision for hours. Avoid it if you have glaucoma or prostate problems.

Where can I buy motion sickness medicine as a foreigner in Korea?

At any pharmacy (약국), and conveniently they cluster around transport hubs like ferry docks, bus terminals, train stations and airports. English is hit or miss, but "Do you have motion sickness medicine?" or just "meolmi-yak" plus a gesture works fine. Prices are low, roughly 2,000 to 7,000 won depending on the product.

## References and sources - [MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) - Toslong liquid drug information](https://nedrug.mfds.go.kr/pbp/CCBBB01/getItemDetail?itemSeq=199800924) - [Korea Consumer Agency - Kimite patch safety warning](https://www.kca.go.kr/home/sub.do?menukey=4005&mode=view&no=1001285784) - [NamuWiki - Motion sickness medicine (English)](https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EB%A9%80%EB%AF%B8%EC%95%BD) - [Mayo Clinic - Scopolamine transdermal route, side effects and dosing](https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/scopolamine-transdermal-route/description/drg-20072848) - [VisitKorea - Pharmacy guide in Korea](https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/bbsHtmlView.do?menuSn=923&dataSetId=131&vcontsId=217224) For more OTC guides made for foreigners in Korea, visit [BeautyDir Pharm](https://beautydir.co/).