Received a Mobile Gift Voucher? Who Can Extend It or Get the Refund

The diagram below is a self-made illustration, not a real screen.

Got a gift voucher that’s about to expire? The person who received it can usually extend it or get a refund too.
Basics like the 60% balance rule and the 7-day refund are in our kzk guide on getting refunds for unused gift cards. This guide covers only extensions and the recipient’s rights.

Who this is for

• You received a voucher that expires soon
• Someone told you “only the sender can get a refund”
• You have expired gifts sitting in your gift box

Step 1. The standard terms count recipients as customers

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) standard terms for new-type gift vouchers (No. 10073) define a customer as “the buyer or anyone who received it from the buyer” (Art. 1).

• A customer can ask for an extension before the voucher expires.
• Unless there is a special reason, the issuer extends it in 3-month units (Art. 5(4)).
• A “special reason” only counts if the terms already say extension isn’t possible.
• Unused vouchers can be refunded for up to 5 years from purchase (or last top-up) (Art. 7).

A KFTC policy announcement (Korea.kr) also says:

• People who received a voucher as a gift must have the same refund rights as buyers.
• The standard terms were revised, and refund rates for expired, unused vouchers changed:
• ₩50,000 or less: 90%
• Over ₩50,000: 95%

• Refund as points or store credit: 100% (only at companies that run a points system)

• Companies choose whether to adopt the standard terms, so check each company’s own terms for the actual rates.

Step 2. KakaoTalk Gifts: who gets the refund depends on timing

This follows Kakao’s official help center. These steps happen after you log in to KakaoTalk.

• During the sender’s “buyer cancellation period,” the sender can cancel the order.
• Item and fixed-amount vouchers: about 94 days, counting the purchase day

• Balance-type vouchers: about 367 days, counting the purchase day

• After that period, the recipient can get the refund. (Vouchers from discounts or giveaways are excluded.)

• To see who holds the refund right, check the “buyer cancellation period” in the gift’s info.
• If you decline a gift, the sender is refunded.
• If you return a delivered item, the sender is refunded.
• Vouchers from events, or ones that can’t be extended, may not be refundable after they expire.
• For vouchers received on or after September 1, 2023, Kakao says you can choose a 100% refund as shopping points within 7 days after expiry. Conditions apply, such as being 14 or older.

Step 3. Giftishow: the recipient applies for extensions and refunds

This follows Giftishow’s official terms of use and product notices.

• The recipient can request an extension before the voucher expires, in 3-month units.
• Extensions are available within 5 years of the purchase date (first issue date).
• If a Giftishow voucher expires unused, the recipient can request a refund within 5 years of purchase. The terms say 90% of the amount paid is refunded.
• The sender can request a refund only if the recipient can’t. Once the sender has been refunded, the recipient can no longer request one.
• The sender can cancel the order within 7 days of purchase.
• Vouchers from corporate promotions or events may have limited extensions and refunds.
• A product notice says extensions are processed only during weekday business hours (09:00–18:00). A request on the weekend right before expiry may be too late.

Common mistakes

• Trying to extend after the voucher has expired (extensions only work before expiry)
• Requesting an extension on the weekend and assuming it will go through
• Asking the sender to cancel, which clashes with the recipient’s refund
• Assuming event or giveaway vouchers follow the same rules

Checklist

• ☐ Is the voucher still valid? (If so, extend it first.)
• ☐ Did you check the “buyer cancellation period” in the gift info?
• ☐ Is it a voucher from an event or giveaway?
• ☐ Did you check the issuer’s customer service hours?
• ☐ Is it within 5 years of purchase?

For refunds on vouchers you bought yourself, see our gift card and voucher refund guide.

We also have a $4.99 PDF guide that collects more everyday money-saving tips. Take a look if it’s useful →