Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
South Korea is one of the most connected countries in the world: mobile internet works even in metro tunnels, on high-speed trains and in mountain national parks. The difficulty for a visitor is elsewhere. A local SIM is usually issued against ID, and many services are built around a Korean phone number. A data eSIM solves the main problem: internet comes on right after you land at Incheon, while your regular SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank texts.
You can buy an eSIM for South Korea online right on this page from 3 500 ₸: choose a data plan, pay by card and get the QR code within minutes. An eSIM is a digital SIM card — it installs on your phone with no plastic card and no visit to a phone shop.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Seoul and Busan and the rest of the country.
Roaming in South Korea with a Kazakh carrier is usually far more expensive, and roaming data runs out fast. With a Funsim eSIM you pay a fixed price for a data package and keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS — roaming on it can stay off.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for South Korea at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
In Korean cities almost everything runs through the smartphone: metro navigation, taxis and food orders, café payments, menu translation, train and bus tickets. You need a connection not only at the hotel. You keep switching between maps, a translator and messengers, and open Wi-Fi on the street is no substitute for a steady mobile connection.
Roaming from a Kazakh operator is usually much more expensive than a travel eSIM, so check your operator's current rates in advance. A local SIM is sold at airports and operator stores, but queues after a long flight and the need to show a passport eat into your time. An eSIM is installed at home in a few minutes, and you can pick a suitable option in the plan list above.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting it | Online, QR code by email | Already in your phone | Airport or operator store |
| Documents | No passport needed | Not needed | Passport usually required |
| Cost | Fixed data package | Usually much more expensive | Depends on plan and operator |
| After landing | Switch data roaming on, done | Works immediately | Queue, registration, SIM swap |
| Calls and texts | Usually data only, calls via messengers | Available, but pricey | Depends on the plan |
| Main SIM | Stays in the phone | Stays in the phone | Removed or moved to the second slot |
The network in Korea is dense almost everywhere, but each region has its own quirks: in some places you spend the day with a map in hand, in others you ride along the coast or take a boat to an island. Seoul, Busan, Jeju and the KTX trains are covered in our blog, so this list looks at other destinations.
Right after landing you need to find the exit, buy an express train or bus ticket and tell whoever is meeting you that you have arrived. If the eSIM is already installed at home, you only switch data roaming on for the right line and skip the operator counters. Coverage is stable in the airport and on the way into the city, and in Seoul you will immediately need maps to find the right station and exit.
These are districts where the interesting places hide in courtyards, on upper floors and in basement bars, and signs are often only in Korean. Without internet it is hard to find the entrance, check reviews and opening hours, and queues at popular cafés are often tracked online. An eSIM saves a lot of time here, especially in the evening when you need to work out how to get back to the hotel and call a ride.
The ancient capital of the Silla kingdom is an open-air museum of burial mounds, temples and bike rides. Distances between sights are noticeable, and buses and taxis are best called through an app. You need internet for routes, timetables and translating signs, which are not always duplicated in English.
The city is known for traditional houses and local cuisine. You will walk a lot, look up restaurants by reviews, take photos and send them to family. Mobile data is needed for maps and table bookings, and on narrow lanes it is easy to miss the right turn without it.
The East Sea coast and mountains right next to the town. Coverage in Sokcho itself is good, while on trails inside the park the signal can drop in places. Download an offline route map and the bus timetable beforehand, and check the weather and cable car status online.
Beaches, coffee streets and coastal roads that are easy to cover by bus or express train. You need internet for timetables, booking accommodation and choosing cafés. Outside town and on empty stretches of coast the signal can be weaker than in the centre, and in summer the network on beaches is sometimes congested because of the crowds.
Ulleungdo lies far from the mainland and is reached by ferry from ports on the east coast. At sea the mobile signal is unreliable, so check tickets, the forecast and the timetable on shore. The island is small and villages have coverage, but in the hills it is unstable. If the weather turns, sailings can be postponed, so keep internet and the carrier's contacts at hand.
Trips to the border are usually run by tour operators with their own rules. Read the tour terms and the limits on photography and electronics carefully: the organiser will tell you in advance what is allowed. Internet helps before and after the trip to make the booking, find the meeting point and contact the guide.
A popular short trip from Seoul by train and ferry or boat. It is worth checking ferry tickets, the return train timetable and the pier closing time online so you do not get stuck without transport in the evening. Coverage in the tourist zone is usually enough, so you can use maps and take photos without worrying about losing the network on the island.
We described the Naver Map and KakaoMap navigation apps in detail in the blog article. Here are the other services used by locals and tourists alike. Some of them ask for a Korean phone number at sign-up, so set up accounts in advance where you can.
The most popular taxi-hailing app in the country. Handy when you want to set the pickup point beforehand and not explain the address to the driver. Options for foreign cards and numbers may be limited, so check sign-in and payment before the trip.
The main messenger in Korea, where notifications from many services also arrive: restaurants, hotels, guides and booking services use it. If your host or guide asks you to write on KakaoTalk, install it in advance. Your usual messengers are enough for staying in touch with people back home.
A translator from Naver that handles Korean well. It translates text from the camera, which helps with menus and signs, and offers voice translation. Image recognition and conversation need internet, so an eSIM helps here. Useful in restaurants, pharmacies and shops with few English signs.
The Korail railway app for buying KTX and other train tickets. It has an English interface, convenient for tourists. Check the current payment and refund terms, and note that you need working internet at the moment of booking.
One of the largest food delivery services in Korea. You can order food to your hotel, and in Korea it is normal to have it delivered to a park by the river too. Registration and payment sometimes require a Korean number, so find out in advance whether an account will work for you.
A large online store with fast delivery, which also has a food delivery service. Useful if you need a charger, an adapter or cosmetics delivered to the hotel. As with other local services, registration may be tied to a Korean number.
A transit card for the metro, buses and taxis that works in most cities. The physical card is usually bought at convenience stores and kiosks near stations and topped up with cash. Balance and rides are easy to view in the app, if your phone supports it.
The Korean search engine and portal, used to look up restaurants, reviews and opening hours. Many cafés publish information there rather than on global sites. The interface can be switched to English, but part of the content stays in Korean.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. It is easier to do this at home than at the departure airport.
Choose a suitable plan on the page above, pay by card online and receive a QR code. No passport is needed to buy.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code or with the quick-install button while you have home Wi-Fi. You can also enter the details manually.
After landing at Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae or Jeju, turn off airplane mode and in settings choose the eSIM profile for mobile data.
Switch data roaming on for the eSIM line only. Keep the main SIM for calls and bank texts, but turn data roaming off on it.
If the package runs low, buy an extra one without deleting the installed profile.
Install the profile at home, and after landing switch data roaming on for the eSIM line only. Take a screenshot of the QR code and keep the instruction email: if you need to reinstall, they will be at hand.
