Having internet when we are traveling is a great advantage, not only to share your photos with friends and family, but also to find your way around, look for restaurants or answer any questions you may have in this incredible country known for its contrasts between tradition and modernity. Travel eSIM cards are the most recommended option to have internet in South Korea quickly, easily and affordably compared to other options such as roaming or SIM cards.
In this post we have made a selection of the main brands selling eSIM cards in South Korea to save you the search for information and help you choose. In addition, we tell you all their features, such as browsing speed, price, duration of data plans or data sharing.
Below, you can read about all the details of Holafly, Ubigi, Airalo, Maya Mobile and Truphone, although we’ve already told you that our favorite travel eSIM is Holafly for the confidence that makes us feel their unlimited data plans, 24/7 customer service in several languages and the quality of their products, which will never leave you stranded.
Comparison of eSIMs for a trip to South Korea
When comparing different eSIM brands we must take into account all the features that will determine if the card fits the needs of our trip. That’s why we have prepared this table with all the essential information about each brand to help you choose. We’ll delve deeper into each eSIM brand later on so you won’t miss any of the information.
| Brand | Plan duration | Data sharing | Unlimited data | App | GB per plan | Support | Price | Trustpilot | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly | 15, 7, 10, 15, 20 days | No | Yes | Yes | Unlimited Data on all plans | In English and other languages, direct chat and WhatsApp | 19€ – 57€ | 4,7 | 4,4 |
| Airalo | 10 and 30 days | No | Yes | Yes | Unlimited data | In English, via a bot | 32€ – 62€ | 2,6 | 3,8 |
| Maya Mobile | 5, 10, 15 and 30 days | Only in some plans | Yes | No | 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB and unlimited | In English, via a bot | 8€ – 119€ | 4,7 | 3,2 |
| Ubigi | 7 and 30 days | Yes | No | Yes | 1GB, 3GB, 10GB | Via email in 8 languages | 7€- 29€ | 4,4 | 4 |
| Truphone | 1 and 30 days | Sometimes | No | Yes | 100MB, 1GB, 2GB,5GB | In English, by email or through the App | 5€ – 15€ | 1,8 | 3,6 |
1. Holafly, eSIM for South Korea with unlimited data plans
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continent and by country. Holafly’s eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 160 destinations. 24/7 technical support in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian, and Japanese. Very flexible pricing. All of the eSIM plans have unlimited data. Payment can be made in euros, dollars and Mexican pesos. It has an App where you can check the consumption and the remaining days of the contract. |
| Inconveniences | Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. They are one of the most expensive options on the market, but it is worth it because they offer more gigabytes than the rest. Holafly’s eSIM card for South Korea does not allow data sharing. You can’t do the installation through their App. |
Holafly is our favorite eSIM brand on Passporter because it offers unlimited data and a 24h customer service in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Japanese that responds in less than a minute by chat or WhatsApp, and is currently the best customer rated company on Trustpilot with a score of 4.7.
On Holafly’s website you can find 5 unlimited data plans with a duration of 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 days between 19€ and 57€.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Mexican Pesos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days – unlimited data | 19€ | 19$ | $399 |
| 7 days – unlimited data | 27€ | 34$ | $517 |
| 10 days – unlimited data | 34€ | 34$ | $699 |
| 15 days – unlimited data | 47€ | 47$ | $899 |
| 20 days – unlimited data | 57€ | 54$ | $1199 |
There are two options to install the Holafly eSIM. One is scanning the QR code that you will receive by email once you have completed the purchase. And the other is the manual installation that you can do without a computer, simply typing a code in the settings of your mobile. This code will be sent to your email and you can also consult it in the Holafly App, which is very convenient to control the duration of the data plan.
Here we leave you this ranking where we evaluate from 1 to 5 all the features of Holafly’s eSIM cards for South Korea based on our experience.
In this post you can read about our experience with Holafly eSIM cards and some users’ opinions: Our review of Holafly eSIM: is it worth it?.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4,8 | 3,5 | 3,5 | 4,8 | 0 | 4,5 | 4,4 |
2. Airalo and their unlimited data plans
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Airalo eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install. It is one of the cheapest brands in the market. They offer a wide variety of eSIM cards with different duration, price and gigabytes. They have eSIM cards for 190 countries. Their eSIM card allows you to share data with other devices. Allows you to recharge the eSIM. They offer unlimited data for South Korea. They have App and you can buy and install the eSIM from it. |
| Inconveniences | If you use more than 3GB per day, the browsing speed will drop to 5Mpbs. Its eSIM cards do not include calls and sms. The duration of data plans is limited to 10 and 30 days. Their services and technical support is exclusively in English and takes a long time to respond. |
This company, founded in Singapore in 2019 by Turkish entrepreneurs Abraham Burak and Ahmet Bahadir Özdemir, was one of the first to offer these services, and has a broad coverage of countries where they offer eSIM cards.
Although Airalo is one of the cheapest brands in the market, the truth is that their plans for South Korea are more expensive than usual because they offer eSIM plans with unlimited data. However, you have to know that the unlimited data is not real, as after spending 3GB, the speed will drop to 5Mbps.
Airalo’s eSIM cards sometimes give problems, such as Roaming being charged even if the eSIM is installed, and the technical service is not the most efficient and takes a long time to respond.
Airalo’s eSIM card data plans for South Korea are for 10 and 30 days, and prices range from $32 to $62. The brand has an App through which you can buy and install the eSIM, and later recharge it when you run out of data.
| Data plan | Price in U.S. Dollars |
|---|---|
| 10 days – unlimited data | 32$ |
| 30 days – unlimited data | 62$ |
On Airalo’s website you can choose between 2 unlimited data plans. We have compared customer reviews and comments on Trustpilot and found that Airalo has one of the lowest scores with 3.7. Here you have the ranking for each aspect of Airalo and in this post you can also read about our opinion of the brand: Our review of Airalo eSIM: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 4.5 | 4 | 4 | 4,5 | 3 | 3,8 |
3. Maya Mobile, one month data packages
| Advantages | They offer data packages by continents and countries. Maya Mobile eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install with a QR code or manually. They have eSIM cards for 194 destinations. Data plans limited to 3GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB which can run out quickly. Flexible pricing. They have unlimited data plans. Rechargeable after 30 days. Allow you to share data with other devices. Data plans of 5, 10, 15 and 30 days. |
| Inconveniences | Their eSIM cards do not include calls or sms. They do not have an App. TThe unlimited data plan is limited to 2GB per day at 5Mbps. Technical support in English via a bot. |
This company offers eSIM cards for 5, 10, 15 and 30 days in South Korea. In this case, the price of the data packages varies depending on the gigabytes. In total they have 4 packages of 3, 5, 10 and 20 gigabytes, and another with unlimited gigabytes. The unlimited data plan is relative since the maximum browsing speed is 5Mbps and after having used the daily 2GB of the plan, it drops to 1Mbps. The price ranges from €8 to €119.
Like Holafly, Maya Mobile is characterized by the speed and simplicity of its hiring and installation process, which is also done through a QR code that arrives in the mail. In addition, they have a 100% refund policy of the purchase in case the data does not work, which is not usual since they have at least two data providers in each country where they offer their services.
| Data plan | Price in Euros |
|---|---|
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 1 GB | 8 – 10€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 3 GB | 12 – 16€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 5 GB | 17 – 21€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – 10 GB | 25 – 31€ |
| 5, 10, 15 and 30 days – unlimited data* | 27 – 119€ |
In Trustpilot you can see that the brand has an average score of 4.7, but there are hardly any comments. Here is the table with the score for each of the features of their eSIM cards.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4,5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4,5 | 3 | 3 | 3,2 |
4. Truphone and their App
| Advantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Truphone eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install in your App. They have eSIM cards for 188 countries. 24/7 customer support both in the app and on the web. Very affordable prices. You can recharge data from the App. No need to scan QR code. They offer data plans for Apple Watch. They offer 100 MB free trial for 1 day. |
| Inconveniences | Gigabytes are limited to 5GB, they do not have unlimited data cards. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes (1GB). Data sharing is only available on some devices. Purchases cannot be made on the web, only from the App. The duration of data plans is limited to 1 or 30 days. Its services and technical support are exclusively in English. |
Truphone is a UK company that offers eSIM cards to connect to the internet in over 160 countries. It was a pioneer in the industry and thefirst global operator to launch eSIM for iPad, Apple Watch and Google Pixel devices. In addition, it has been since 2016 a technology partner of Apple, which gives it a great competitive advantage and makes it easier to install eSIMs on its devices.
For South Korea the brand offers 4 data plans of 100MB, 1GB, 2GB and 5GB. Prices range from £5 to £15. The 100MB plan is free for you to try their product for one day. The problem with this brand is that their data plans have very few gigabytes (maximum 5GB) and this means that you can run out of internet in the middle of your trip.
South Korea is also included in the global plan covering 114 other countries, and in the Asia-Pacific plan.
| Data plan | Price in Euros | Price in Dollars | Price in Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day – 100 MB | 0€ | 0$ | 0£ |
| 1 day – 1 GB | 5€ | 5$ | 5£ |
| 30 days – 2 GB | 9€ | 9$ | 9£ |
| 30 days – 5 GB | 15€ | 15$ | 14£ |
Although on the website you can check the data plans and all the details about their eSIMs, to buy the eSIM card you will need to download the mobile application. Once downloaded you will need to create an account by entering your details directly or via Google or Facebook. You can then choose the country and data plan you need for your trip and pay securely. A great advantage of the App is that it detects if your mobile is compatible with eSIM before allowing you to make the purchase.
The installation and activation processes are done through the App, so you won’t need to scan any QR codes. Just keep in mind that you will need internet to perform the operation.
If you go to Trustpilot you can see that Truphone has over 100 reviews and a score of 1.8, one of the lowest among eSIM card providers. We have also rated the Truphone eSIM card based on our experience and these are our findings.
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,5 | 3,5 | 4 | 3,5 | 4,5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3,6 |
If you want to know more about our experience with Truphone eSIM cards and the opinions of other users visit this post: Our review of Truphone eSIM: is it worth it?
5. Ubigi and their eSIM cards for smart cars in South Korea
| Andvantages | They offer regional, country or global data packages. Ubigi eSIM cards are easy to purchase and install via the web or App. Ubigi’s eSIM is installed for free from the App. They have eSIM cards for 190 destinations. 24/7 real time technical support. They offer eSIM cards for smart cars. Their eSIM cards allow data sharing. You can recharge the eSIM card from the App. |
| Inconveniences | Gigs are limited to 10GB or less and do not have unlimited data plans. Short-term plans have very limited gigabytes. Their eSIMs do not include calls or SMS. The duration of the plans is limited to 7 or 30 days. Their support service is exclusively in English. |
Ubigi is a provider of eSIM cards a bit different than the rest of the data plan companies for traveling abroad. While with other brands you have to choose and buy the plan and then proceed to install the eSIM, with Ubigi it’s the other way around. First you can install the eSIM for free and then add credit depending on the gigabytes you are going to use. You can pay in dollars, euros, pounds and yen.
On their website and App you will find three plans of 7 and 30 days for South Korea with 1GB, 3GB and 10GB. The price is $4 and $29. South Korea is also included in the Asia and global plan.
These eSIMs are intended for people who travel a lot and for long periods. The downside is that all of their plans have data limits and you can run out of internet in the middle of your trip.
| Data plan | Price in U.S. Dollars | Price in Euros | Price in Pounds | Price in Yens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days – 1 GB | 7$ | 7€ | 6£ | 1000¥ |
| 30 days – 3 GB | 9$ | 9€ | 8£ | 1300¥ |
| 30 days – 10 GB | 29$ | 29€ | 25£ | 3800¥ |
Luckily, their App works very well and in addition to buying the eSIM from there, you can install and recharge it if necessary. Also, Ubigi’s eSIMs allow for data sharing with other devices
A curious thing about Ubigi eSIM cards is that they also work in cars with internet. Some models of Jaguar, Fiat, Land Rover, Alfa Romeo or Jeep already incorporate this technology. These plans are different from the mobile ones.
In this table you can see how we rate each feature of Ubigi’s eSIM cards. And if you want to know our opinion about Ubigi eSIMs, check out this post: Our review of Ubigi eSIM: is it worth it?
| Data | Duration | Support | Price | App | Speed | Data Sharing | Currencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4,5 | 4 | 4 | 4,8 | 4 |
Conclusion what is the best eSIM for South Korea
In this post we have seen that there are many important factors to consider when comparing eSIM cards as, for each type of travel you will have different connection needs. That’s why we have prepared this section where we tell you based on our experience which eSIM card is best for South Korea.
A very important aspect to take into account is the technical service to help you in the installation process and solve any doubt or problem. Most brands such as Maya Mobile or Airalo have a chat bot that takes a long time to respond. In this aspect Holafly tech support is the best as they respond in less than 1 minute in Spanish, English, German, French and Japanese via web chat or WhatsApp.
When we travel we don’t want to run out of data in the middle of our vacation, that’s why eSIM cards with unlimited data are the best option if we want to travel without worries. In this case, the brands that offer unlimited data are Holafly, Airalo and Maya Mobile, but they not real because after the first 2 gigabytes per day of the contract with Maya Mobile, and 3GB with Airalo, the browsing speed drops.
In this table you can make an estimate of the data you will need on your trip based on your usual consumption.
| Plataform | Gigabyte consumption per hour |
| 0,12GB – 0,18 GB | |
| 0,12GB – 0,18 GB | |
| 0,06 GB | |
| Tiktok | 0,18 GB – 0,8 GB |
| Netflix | 0,3GB – 7GB |
| Youtube | 0,14GB – 1,7 GB |
| Amazon Prime | 0,8GB – 6GB |
The installation process of eSIM cards is always simple and fast, but it is true that there are some companies that make it even easier. The first thing is to check if your mobile is compatible with the eSIM of the brand. This information you can check on the website of each provider, and in the case of Ubigi, downloading the App informs you if your phone is compatible.
The purchase of the eSIM for South Korea can be done through the web in the case of some brands such as Holafly or Maya Mobile, or through the app such as Airalo or Ubigi. Holafly’s website is very intuitive and easy to use.
The only brands that allow installation through the App are Airalo, Truphone and Ubigi, and in the case of Holafly, from the App you can get the code to install the eSIM manually without using a computer. You can also do the installation scanning a QR code that you will receive in the mail as soon as you have completed the purchase with Holafly, Airalo or Maya Mobile.
Often when we travel we want to share data with other devices. In the case of South Korea only Airalo, Ubigi and Maya Mobile
But one of the most important aspects is price. The cheapest brands are Truphone and Maya Mobile, however, their data plans are very limited and you’re likely to run out and have to pay again with the top-up. That’s why it’s sometimes advisable to pay a little more and get an eSIM card with unlimited data to get peace of mind and not have to reload again.
All in all, Holafly eSIM cards are our favorite choice for traveling to South Korea because of their multi-lingual technical support that responds in less than a minute. With Holafly you’ll always travel with peace of mind.
Other options for having internet in South Korea
There are several ways to get internet when traveling abroad, however, eSIM cards are our favorite option because of the number of advantages they offer which we are about to detail.
| Convenience | Immediate delivery and activation upon purchase. Purchase prior to travel. Easy installation; unlike SIM cards, there is no need to remove the original card. You’ll be connected as soon as you land, no need to find a store first. You’ll find tailor-made plans to suit the duration and needs of your trip. No need to rely on batteries, as with Pocket wifi. You won’t have to carry an extra device during your trip, like the Pocket Wifi. |
| Peace of mind | You will have 24/7 technical support in English, unlike with a SIM or Pocket Wifi. You will not have to worry about forgetting or losing any device other than your cell phone. |
| Security | You will avoid using public wifi networks vulnerable to hacking. You will avoid entering personal data in endless forms to get Wifi. No need to open or manipulate your mobile phone like with SIM cards. |
There are other alternatives to connect to internet in South Korea that may also interest you. That’s why we have prepared this list with other options, their prices, advantages and disadvantages for you to compare and choose the one that best suits your trip.
1. Buying SIM cards for South Korea
This was the most common option until eSIM cards came along. When you arrive at your destination you can get yourSIM card at the airport or in the commercial areas of the cities. There you will find stores of the main telephone companies such as SK Telecom Co and KT Corp.
In South Korea these companies offer a wide variety of SIM plans, so the price of the cards will vary depending on the length of contract and gigabytes.
Although this is one of the most widespread methods to have internet, the truth is that it has several disadvantages as detailed in this table.
| Advantages | There are a variety of brands and data plans to choose from. Installation is fast. They can be purchased online or in physical stores. You can make calls and send messages with a local number. |
| Inconveniences | It always replaces your regular SIM, which can be lost or damaged. The cell phone must be opened and handled during the installation process. You have to travel to buy it or wait for the card to be delivered. When the contract of your travel SIM expires, it must be replaced by another one. You will not be able to keep your regular phone number. |
2. Rent a Pocket WiFi for South Korea
A Pocket WiFi is a wireless router that allows us to connect to the internet from any location. These are the advantages and disadvantages that this system, considered one of the most expensive ones, has.
| Advantages | Can be used by several devices at the same time. You can choose the gigabyte package that suits you best. No need to install anything on our cell phones. |
| Inconveniences | It is one of the most expensive options. There are few brands to choose from. Contracts are usually of long duration. In addition to the data plan, you have to pay for rental, insurance and shipping costs. The battery lasts 6 hours maximum. If you use it with more people you have to be in the same room. You have to carry it with you wherever you go and you run the risk of losing it. |
Some of the best brands to rent Pockets Wifi in South Korea are Travelerswifi and Wifivox. The plans are contracted per day or per month depending on the company. With Travelerswifi for example, the day costs almost €6, and with Wifivox between €7 and €11 per day. To these costs, however, must be added shipping costs, insurance, extra batteries or car chargers.
These devices usually have about 12h of autonomy, after that time you will have to recharge it. It is a good alternative if we use it to work in a fixed place, for example.
This system for a short trip can be uneconomical. This is why it is usually recommended for longer stays or business trips where the device is always kept in one place and can be shared among several people. Most brands will not rent it for less than three days.
3. Search for free WiFi networks in South Korea
In South Korea it is easy to find free wifi hotspots in big cities, in fact, it is something that surprises tourists a lot when they travel to this country. You can find free wifi in public transportation, restaurants, cafes, hotels and museums.
Despite the ease of finding wifi hotspots, be aware that these networks are vulnerable to hacking, and that your personal data may be at risk. It is therefore recommended that you use them with great caution and be careful about sharing personal information.
| Advantages | It is free of charge. There is nothing to install on our cell phones. |
| Inconveniences | It is difficult to find free access wifi networks. Public wifi networks are often slow or give connection problems. You often have to fill in forms and share your personal data. Some free wifi networks have limited time. You have to be near the router to connect. These networks are vulnerable to hacking. |
4. Enable roaming for South Korea
Data roaming is a service offered by phone companies to continue using your local data plan when traveling to South Korea. The cost of this service is usually high, so it is advisable to check with your usual carrier before embarking on your trip, to avoid surprises at the end of the month.
From Spain there are several telephone companies that make this service available to their customers, such as Vodafone, Movistar, Orange, Jazztel or Yoigo. The price varies depending on the brand, but it can be as high as 12€ per megabyte spent, which is really expensive compared to other options such as eSIMs.
| Advantages | There is no need to install anything on our cell phone. There is no need to contract any extra service. You can receive calls, send messages and connect to the internet immediately. |
| Inconveniences | This is the most expensive option. Sometimes it is activated without us realizing it. Not all telephone companies offer this service. |
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Frequently asked questions about how to have internet in South Korea with an eSIM
eSIM cards allow you to have internet on your mobile when you travel abroad without having to remove your regular SIM as with SIM cards. This is possible thanks to a chip incorporated in the latest generation of cell phones.
The purchase of the eSIM data plan can be done through the web or the App of some brands. Choose your destination, duration and gigabytes of data plan and pay securely.
The eSIM installation and activation is a really easy procedure that will take you just a few minutes.
Once you have verified that your cell phone is compatible with the product and chosen the data plan that best suits your needs, go to the mobile data settings on your smartphone and select “add data plan”. Then the camera will open so you can scan the QR code that you will have received in the mail after the purchase. Then the installation and activation of your card will begin.
This process must be carried out with internet connection, so it is recommended to do it before embarking on the trip or upon arrival at the hotel.
Most models of common brands such as Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Huawei or Google are compatible as long as they are recent models. Several iPads are also supported. However, it is best to check on the website of each provider, where they will tell you all the compatible models.
SIM cards can be purchased in physical stores or online, whose delivery period ranges from 48 to 72 hours. There are also companies that offer same-day express shipping.
The eSIM cards must be activated with an internet connection, so it is recommended to do so before embarking on your trip.
Only Holafly offers eSIM cards with real unlimited data. Maya Mobile and Airalo’s unlimited data is capped.
Data plans usually do not allow data sharing, but those plans with a specific number of GBs included do.
Holafly is a Spanish company founded in 2018 that you can trust, it has been tested by more than 400,000 customers, travel blogs and Youtubers. Holafly markets eSIMs since 2019.
Holafly has over 10. 000 positive experiences posted on Trustpilot, with an “Excellent” rating and 4.7 average score.
Maya is owned by a U.S. company, Maya Virtual Inc. Maya’s reviews on Truspilot are good, out of 4.7 average rating.
You can buy your eSIM anytime before or during your trip to South Korea from the online store of the specialized brands.
The reviews of Airalo on Trustpilot are good, out of 2,6 average rating.
At Passporter our favorite eSIM for travel to South Korea is from Holafly because of our confidence in their efficient multi-language support, unlimited data and the positive experiences we have had with them.
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