Internet in South Korea for travellers: which eSIM to choose
In South Korea you use your phone for everything: maps, transport, translating on the go. These are the two ways to take data with you: a data plan, or unlimited with 3 GB a day.
Which plan suits your trip length
| Trip | Data plan | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | 1 GB · €3.95 | €9.95 |
| 7 days | 10 GB · €10.95 | €19.95 |
| 15 days | 20 GB · €17.95 | €36.95 |
| 30 days | 50 GB · €34.95 | €64.95 |
Prices include VAT and match the South Korea page. Validity: the 1 GB plan, 7 days; 3 to 50 GB, 30 days.
If you'll be using a translator and maps all day, expect to use more than on a beach holiday. The calculator starts from exactly that: what you do on your phone.
When unlimited pays off and when it doesn't
A week of unlimited data costs €19.95. For less, you get 20 GB (€17.95), almost 3 GB a day, spread however you like.
- Maps, transport and messaging: the data plan goes further, because there's no daily allowance to reset and no speed drop.
- Video, uploading high-resolution photos or sharing data: go unlimited, and stop counting.
- A month: 50 GB for €34.95 against €64.95 for unlimited.
What exactly the unlimited plan includes
3 GB a day at full speed and, once that's used, 1 Mbps until the next day.
At 1 Mbps, messaging, maps and ordinary browsing still work. We say so on the plan card, not in the small print: this is how "unlimited" plans work.
Where your traffic exits
In South Korea, your traffic exits in Singapore.
It isn't a local exit: some websites and apps will see you as if you were in Singapore. For maps, messaging, social media and video nothing changes; what can change is the language a website greets you in, a search engine's local results or a security alert from your bank. This is also stated on the destination page, before you buy.
The network is 5G, with whatever coverage each area has.
How to activate it
- Install it at home, on Wi-Fi. It doesn't use data or start the clock.
- When you land, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line.
- The days start with the first connection to a Korean network.
Steps for each model are in the installation guide, and questions about your phone are answered by the compatibility checker.
Frequently asked questions about internet in South Korea
Do I keep my own number?
Yes. The eSIM only provides data and your SIM stays in your phone: calls and texts still reach your usual number.
Does it work with transport and translation apps?
Yes: it's ordinary data. The only difference from a local SIM is that your traffic exits in Singapore.
What if I'm also visiting Japan on the same trip?
This plan covers South Korea only. For two countries, look at the Asia eSIM or buy one for each destination.
What happens when I use up the unlimited plan's daily allowance?
You drop to 1 Mbps until the next day, when you get 3 GB at full speed again.
Can I top up if I run out of data?
Not currently: you'd need to buy another plan.
Our recommendation for a week in South Korea
The 10 GB plan for €10.95, valid for 30 days. If you stream a lot of video, the 7-day unlimited plan for €19.95.