Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

I just got my first job at a public school, prior to this I spent a year in a hagwon. Now I am trying to get my own phone and I am encountering severe resistance and sneaky people.

Just a word of advice for all those shopping for phones, go with a Korean. They will raise the price if you are a foreigner on your own. I went to look at phones and get prices with my girlfriend two weeks ago, I went back a week later without her and the prices were significantly higher and in some cases doubled from the previous week.

Ridiculous, that really p*ssed me off.

Recently I went back with her and we got a phone and a plan, for 100,000 won less then the guy had quoted me by myself. Anyway, I have been waiting all weekend for the damn thing to be activated when lo and behold they call her and tell her that I can't have a cell phone. Apparently I have to have lived in Korea for one year previously to get my own phone????

Ha.

Well, I did. . . but, because I changed jobs and got a new ARC none of that counts... and I have to put my phone in someone else's name. IS THIS FOR REAL? Give me a f*cking break! Can't they connect the f*cking dots back to my passport number?

I feel discriminated against. I feel like this place is uberidiotic. Are there other countries that do this to people? For the love of Christ, they were going to do some sort of wire withdrawal from my bank account, does this somehow imply that I am soooo untrustworthy, being a "foreigner" and all, that they cannot even trust me to maintain a significant balance in my bank account to pay my cell bill?

[ttompatz]

[Wangja]

Not essentially different here than in USA. I was told in San Diego that if I wanted a HP on monthly account I'd have to buy a 300 USD phone, sign a one-year contract and put up a deposit of 1,000 USD.

Should I consider my self discriminated against ecause I am not American? No, of course not: it's their assessment of a credit risk.

[chaz47]

[ttompatz]

[chaz47]

[ttompatz]

[kiwigirl :O)]

the phone thing....i can relate to this

i am currently with ktf and the whole process of getting a phone out of them was nothing short of a miracle...i had to jump through hoops like the circus dogs in tutus

i also paid 250,000 won yes i said 250,000 won and its a contract...despite the fact my korean friend went with me the price was still astronomical!!! they told me that my unlimited minutes each month included toll calls...boy did i get a nasty suprise later when my phone bill reached heights of 300,000 so naturally i changed plans and stocked up on calling cards (i dont have a home line)

now they only say i can pay by my foreign visa credit card which is a crock of shyte because at first they wanted my korean bank account number to direct debit my money out of...i tried to take it in written in korean and they say their policy is that they cant use foreigners korean bank accounts as they have had some dodgy people give an account number and then they closed it and have done a runner...

so enough of my waffle...i understand your pain!!!!

[jajdude]

Three years ago I bought a cheap used phone in Itaewon. Cost was 50,000 won, plus 30,000 worth of calling on it. It still works fine. I just had to show my passport, didn't have an ARC at the time. I just drop into a KTF office every month or so and purchase 10,000 won worth of calling to keep it going. I guess this is called a card phone?

[Pyongshin Sangja]

LG Telecom Will Give You a Phone

No Deposit!

Monthwy Pwann!

As long as you have an ARC, a passport and a bank account!

I've been telling you plumbers this for years.

Even works in Gunther's bar!

[sheba]

It was the same for me - my supervisor gave me her 6 month old phone for free but at the shop they wouldnt put it under my name til Id been here a year. My supervisor just kept it under her name and I have to give the phone back when I leave....

On the other hand, my friends bought prepay fones the first month they were here. Sounds like calls and messages are significantly more expensive though.

[chaz47]

[pdxsteve]

[Pyongshin Sangja]

LG? Really? They are the friendliest. Try another store? I've never had a bad experience with them. God knows I've tried.

[chaz47]

my gf is going to call the main branch office, head honcho, whatever tomorrow and try to sort things out... it irks me to think i still need someone to vouch for me... good lord i paid the key money on my own apartment, you think they'd trust me with a cell phone plan... ?????