Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jasmine]

If I buy a Samsung CDMA phone here in Canada, will I be able to get it hooked up in Korea? I just want to have all my functions available in English. I hate having to memorise all the buttons for checking and deleting messages.

[Dan]

i believe newer phones can change languages so that all menus come up in English. The phone i saw was a fairly pricey one from LG Cyon.

an alternative plan if phones are not compatible internationally

[Hotuk]

Biligual phones are still not standard here, though I wish they were. I got an LG Cyon color phone in the summer but give it to my wife out of frustration with the menus. Replaced it with a Motorola, which does English. Nokias also do English, I believe.

[kimcheeking]

as far as I know all motorolas in Korea can be changed over to English. The guy in the shop won't know how to do it... ask a korean friend to look thru the manual and do it for you.

with basic Korean skills you should be able to do it yourself.

[Pilcrshr]

FYI most of the newer domestic manufactuers models (i.e. Samsung and LG) have optional english menus. The only problem is that they are typically found on the higher end models (translation $$$). I've found the most of the LG Cyon mobile phones have the optional english menus, but beware of the poor build quality. I've had mine for 4 months now and have been to the after-service offices thrice already. If I had to purchase again, I'd go with the Samsung phones.

EDIT: Jasmine, do not purchase the phone in Canada. Although its using CDMA technology, the frequencies used in Korea are different. You will have to exchange your SIM card (chip) inside of the phone to get your to work. It is not worth the hassle or money to do it.

[kangnamdragon]

I am just curious about how most foreigners get phones here. I know some people are married to Koreans. How else do you get phones? Do your friends use their id's? (I have a phone, I'm curious about how others get them for future reference to help other foreigners.)

[kimcheeking]

I first got my phone on my own id. I had to put down a 200,000 won deposit. I have since changed my phone to my wifes name and got my deposit back.

[Derrek]

The way to go is to have a Korean friend sign you up in thier name. Then you aren't paying the terribly high cardphone rates (something like 500 won/minute to call).

Buy a motorola phone (can do English) and go with 016 for a number. It's cheaper than 011, and quality is very good. I had recommended 011 before, but my Korean friends told me I should go with 016 because of cost.

I'm waiting on buying a new phone because I just bought a new camera.

[Captain Obvious 2.0]

[TobyWhite]

I was under the impression that North American phones will not work in Korea, and vice versa because of different service methods. Am I wrong? My friend brought her Nokia Fido phone here - can she use it? If I buy a Korean phone can I use it back home?

[weatherman]

Back in 2000 I put down 200,000 won and signed up with SK. I bought a Samsung model, and I have always found the after service very good. Every time I had my phone repaired for free, even when it got sunk in some slush and mud in some sink hole next to the curb. I have sinced changed phones twice and have never had any problems. Plus, the Korean menu is good reading practice And....These new camera phones are cool!

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

English menus on Korean phones? That would have saved me a lot of trouble last year when I was trying to access something or other (probably some dumb game) and accidentally locked myself out of my own phone.
Kids: Let this be a lesson. DO NOT just hit random buttons when something isn't working the way you want it to.

[mra]

A Korean friend of mine has a Motorola phone in Korea. It does not have an English menu option. The phone is recent and is still on sale now - so beware.

Also, Motorola tend to be functionally deficient anyway - eg, some will not allow you to pick a name from your address book when sending an SMS, so you have to remember the number. I had the same problem with my Motorola phone in the UK 3 years ago, I thought they'd have fixed it by now!

I have a Korean only phone in Korea. It was a nightmare to use until I got a Korean friend to teach me how to add to the address book and send/recv SMS messages.

Some Korean phones have some pretty mad features. One from Samsung, The Diamond Phone, has a feature which tells women when they are most and least likely to get pregnant!!

BTW, Korea uses a different system from every other country. You need to get your phone in Korea.

[The Lemon]

Yep - between my wife and me we've gone through five phones in the last 18 months - we're kind of phone junkies. Two Motorolas, two LGs, and a Samsung. Only one of them, the new Motorola, does English. The 2nd Motorola, a 2001 model still common, did not.

Our experience has been, in five different occasions of phone-shopping, the statement "nearly every phone will have English menus as an option", is incorrect. And we had to *go looking* for the new English one.

Once again, our phone history: 5 phones, 4 of them with no English, and no firmware upgrade to make them English.

[beckyinkorea]

if you want to know the deal with the phones, you should just buy it online (like sort of those ebay sites). ask some korean person to buy it for you. i have a nokia phone and it has both english and korean letters. since i dont have my korean skills down, i got this phone on english, and it's not so expensive to buy. plus nokia phones are so much easy friendly. la la la!!!! pzzzzzzzzzzzz