Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sheriffadam]

Hi all, I'm about to move to Korea for 18-24 months, I've been reading about the hassles of getting phones in friends names etc and that won't be a problem.

But I'm tempted by the idea of an iphone/smart phone but not sure how much use I'll get from it? I have a supposed 'smartphone' here in the UK now but T-Mobile don't offer any support for it so all I can use it for is googlemaps and a bit of web browsing.

If I get an iphone in Korea does it have a whole feature of useful 'korean' apps? things like subway planners or handy gadgets (would they all be in korean or can you change the language?) does it work in english, what if a friend sends me an sms in hangul, will that work?

doesn't have to be an iphone, but something smart and useful, erm yeah, whats about?

[red_devil]

[shostahoosier]

if you're going to be here for about 2 years then I guess deciding to get it now would make the investment less of a blow over time.

Will you be in/near Seoul, Busan or one of the other major cities? If so then it can be very useful.

If you're going to be somewhere even remotely rural, dont bother.

[sheriffadam]

Busan man

it'll work out pretty well for me too my work will pay for it. I just want to make sure its 'worth' them paying for it rather than having it as a fashion accessory.

Thanks for the help!

[Harkonnen]

I've had my iPhone for over a year and never seen a place I can activate it. I bought it in the states, so is it a possibility to get a plan in Korea? And would Korean aps work on my phone?

[Slowmotion]

I'm waiting for the Samsung galaxy S to come out (android) but haven't found a release date yet.

[tatertot]

[Spud10]

You know Tatertot, we just keep waiting on phones... First n900, then Motoroi talk, now iPhone 4g.

I think we are just destined to never get have a great phone

Maybe BigBang ditch the Lollipop act & promote a Potato phone for us?

[tatertot]

[darkjedidave]

For me, having a full-scale Korean GPS (Gogo 3D) on my iPhone is one of the main reason I bought it. Not only is it very accurate (even outside Seoul) it also relies solely on the GPS, so it uses no data.

That, and I can whip it out and play games in uncomfortable elevator rides or subway trips!

[danxtptrnrth]

Additional question about iphone.
I'm looking to get one and sign a two-year contract. Anyone have a two-year contract? If so, how much are you paying and for what(ie:talk/text/data)?
Thanks

[danxtptrnrth]

Additional question about iphone.
I'm looking to get one and sign a two-year contract. Anyone have a two-year contract? If so, how much are you paying and for what(ie:talk/text/data amount)?
Thanks

[Hootsmon]

I went into a shop today to ask about the Motoroi Android phone and was told that it's impossible for an E-2 Visa holder to get one because its SK. I know LG is bringing out an Android phone or two, with a full qwerty keyboard, which is cool...but I particularly liked the Motoroi's 8 megapixel camera and the fact you don't need to convert music files.

Does anyone know of any other Android phones coming to Korea soon, comparable with the Motoroi, that an E-2 Visa holder can buy?

And aye, I know you can get a Korean mate to get it for you, but it's still a two year contract and I'd feel a bit bad tied to someone for so long. Prefer having phones in my own name.

[abiandjamesinsk]

I got an i-phone the week that it came out in Korea, as my British one had no support here. It has totally changed our experience of Korea, especially in the way that we get around. It will tell me the different travel option, the amount of time it takes and even guide me to the place I am going on foot. I also regularly use the FX index, a translation programme and an app to tell me about different Korean food, which is really handy. The other advantages of the i-phone here are that the whole thing is in English, where many of the Korean phone of the same calibre have only a limited operation in English.

If you get a two year visa, you should have no problem getting one in your own name. The only down side to the i-phone in Korea is that you are really limited on your download/internet time (unlike the UK where it is limited). I don't know if this is the same for Korean smart phones or not. My 2 year contract cost me about 50,000 won an month, which when you take into account what the same package would cost in the UK is very cheap.

Having had serval phones here, this is the best one that I have come across. Hope this helps.

[guava]