Before you’re ready to take Seoul by storm, there’s a couple essentials we have to talk about. I didn’t realize how many little things I needed to take care of just to get situated. First off, I’m going to talk about getting a sim card or a prepaid Korean number.
If you’re staying in Seoul for an extended amount of time, you’ll probably want to get a Korean phone number and a good amount of data.
EG sim card
When you buy a prepaid sim card, you’re purchasing a plan with a limited amount of minutes and data. I bought my sim card from EG http://egsimcard.co.kr/ mostly because of the convenience. They have an option of ordering the prepaid sim card online and then picking it up whenever you arrive between the gates at Incheon Airport. If you don’t want to buy online, you can also buy it right at the airport at any of the collection areas. It’s also easy to recharge your minutes or data online or through a mobile app. It also helps that the EG Facebook is foreigner friendly so you can ask questions in English and get a reply within a couple hours.
Do you need data? For me, the answer was yes. If you’re new to Seoul or you’re directionally challenged like me, you’ll get lost. Data will be your lifesaver in those places that don’t provide WiFi (see below). And it’s a safety net for when you’re supposed to be meeting up with a friend and can’t get WiFi. Or when you need to quickly Google Translate something. Trust me, you’ll be happy you signed up for the extra gigs in those emergency situations. But if you’re pretty certain you can find WiFi whenever you need it and your Korean is pretty good, then it may not be worth it!
The basic plan goes for around 30,000 won which includes 1-gig of data and 15,000 won voice call balance (that goes for 264/minute). There is also a 20,000 plan that only includes voice balance and no data.
Another way to do it, is to walk into a convenience store or cellular provider shop (SK, KT, etc) and buy a prepaid sim card there. Your best bet would be in a tourist heavy area (or the airport) to ensure that the shop is foreigner friendly or go with a Korean friend. You can just go back to the store to recharge your service or do it online.
WiFi
WiFi is a necessity and most of the time, Seoul has got you covered. When you’re out and about, look out for the “Seoul WiFi” network, which is free WiFi set up by the government. In the last couple of years, Korea has been working to get free WiFi all over Seoul. In fact, the government claims that by 2017, there will be free WiFi everywhere in Seoul.
While it has gotten better, as of now, I’ve only been able to get free WiFi 60% of the time. Often, your prepaid sim card will come with free access to Olleh/LG/UPlus WiFi around Seoul, but it still doesn’t cover every area. A lot of my “free” wifi comes from EG sim card providing me with Olleh WiFi.
Here are some tips on places to get WiFi in Seoul!
Populated Areas – If you’re in Gangnam, Hongdae, Myeongdong, Sinchon or any of the other populated
Coffee Shops – If you’re going to a coffee shop just for the internet, make sure to ask if they have WiFi before you buy anything because unfortunately, not all shops provide WiFi. If the shop has WiFi, the password will either be posted near the cash register or on your receipt.
PC Bangs – Internet rooms are all over Seoul and can be a lifesaver if you’re in need of WiFi. There is an hourly charge that goes from to 400 won to 1500 won depending on the PC Bang. They’re usually filled with gamers.
Subways – Unlike in other countries where going underground means cutting ties with the rest of the world, the WiFi connection on the Seoul subways are spectacular. Often, you can find free WiFi or Olleh connections on the subway or in the boarding areas. Data works on the subway, too.
Fast Food Restaurants/Food Chains – Small restaurants will probably not provide WiFi but Lotteria, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, etc will provide you with free WiFi in their establishments.
Tourist Friendly Places/Tourist Attractions – Tourist Attractions are more likely to provide free WiFi, such as museums, shows,
IPtime – If you check out the available networks on your phone as much as I do, you’ll see that iptime often shows up wherever you go. I use iptime as my primary source of internet where I live as it’s more stable than my landlord’s wifi! You can connect to iptime and iptime5G where it’s available but in many areas, it’s restricted.
Olleh – http://first.wifi.olleh.com/en/index_new.html You can sign up for Olleh separately (which is available in a wide variety of areas in Seoul) which goes for around 3,000 won a day.
If you’re on an android phone, this mobile app provides a map of free hotspots in Seoul. It works offline!
WiFi Egg / Pocket WiFi – If you need internet wherever you go, then you might need to go for a paid service: Pocket WiFi, WiFi-Korea or Olleh’s egg. They usually have a deposit and charge you by the day or month.
Various roaming eggs
That’s it for WiFi and sim cards! Get that settled and you’re well on your way in getting situated in Seoul.