Korean Job Discussion Forums

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

I don't want to pay 800,000 for a phone (my visa doesn't allow a 2-year contract for a phone,) so I'm cool with this one for now.

My husband, mom, and sister all have iphones, so the cross-platform aspect is sweet.

[Drew10]

See, that's an issue that i think i should address.

With E2/E1 visas you CAN sign up for a 2 year contract, most stores don't advertise this fact to protect people with E class visas. I've done the math a few times for a few different models of phones and at the most (on a 55,000 plan) you pay around 100,000-150,000 won off the price of your phone, so instead of 800,000 when you cancel your contract you end up paying 650,000-700,000. SK, KT, and LG usually require you have at least 6 months left on your ARC leave date in order to open an account. My particular store will open accounts, but I make sure to sit the customer down and spell out that if you buy an iPhone you will still owe over 700,000 won for it if you cancel after a year.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

I went to 3 stores and they refused to give me a 2 year contract because of my 1-year visa status. 700,000 for a phone is ridiculous. I always got my iphones for free from work, and before that, I got my regular phones for $200 or less with a contract, depending on the model.

I just cant, in good conscience, pay that much for a phone unless it gives back rubs and makes tea.

[Drew10]

My store deals mostly with military clients, and a few of these guys are...well..i hate to say this because i used to be a military guy in Korea..but they're idiots.

I can assertively say this because when i say "you will owe over 700,000 won for that iPhone when you come in to cancel in a year" they still get giddy and proclaim to their friends "what a good deal this is..it's even cheaper than back in the states!"

Hey, who am i to turn down a sale?

Most stores refuse 1 year contracts because it isn't profitable, but we are a military friendly store so we have different deals (read: don't come here to buy an iPhone if you aren't military). However, we can fully service other foreign clients with SK, KT and LG phones.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Many stores don't provide that option because people could just leave, taking the phone with them, and not paying the 700,000 won. I understand why they have the policy, but it truly does cost far too much.

My little sister got her iphone 4 in NYC for $200 and signed a 2 year contract. She doesn't split the cost of the phone. $200 was the cost. She just has to have a monthly data plan (50 or 60 bucks) for 2 years. If she cancels, she pays a cancellation fee.

I'm not sure what the AT&T cancellation fee is (they are the only carrier of non-jailbroken iphones at the moment in the states), but it's certainly not the equivalent of 700,000 won.

[Drew10]

Yeah, phones here are pretty overpriced. But if people will pay then companies will charge.

I know that without a contract, the iphone is around $599 or so in the states. Still cheaper than the 814,000 base price that KT charges.