Korean Job Discussion Forums

jst · Joined: 14 Feb 2010

Anyone use a pay as you go cellphone? If so, where did you get it from and what is the cost?

cmr · Joined: 22 Mar 2006

My first cell phone in Korea was like that. I didn't want to spend too much money on that, so I went to a cell phone store and bought a second hand phone from them and they set up everything for me there. I just had to go to the same brand of store once in a while to deposit some money when my credits were too low or gone. Things may be different now, though, that was many years ago.

joshhughes77 · Joined: 07 Sep 2009

My first phone was like that too, I had it thru LG Telecomm. Honestly, it was a pain in the you-know-what. I never knew when it was gonna run out of minutes, and it seemed like it always happened on Saturday night when I was trying to meet up with people. Then I'd have to wait until Monday to recharge it.

NYC_Gal · Joined: 08 Dec 2009

My first phone was the same. It was 50k used, and every month I'd put 20 or 30k on it. I was able to check my balance by dialing ##96 and a text would show up saying I had x amount of money left. The place was by school, so was convenient enough.

If you can, though, see if a Korean friend will put you on their plan. My friend put me on hers recently, because she got a new phone, so I got her old one and just pay her whatever I owe for the month.

crapolaho · Joined: 24 Aug 2009

I've had mine from LG for almost two years now. I think the phone itself was 120k and I spend 20k every three months or so on it. If you prefer texting over calling people then it's probably the best choice.

peppermint · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:47 am Post subject:

Janny · Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Location: all over the place

I bought a second-hand phone for 50,000 won a few years ago. Every month or so, I buy two SK cards to bank up the minutes, 10,000 won each. I keep an extra one, unscratched, in my wallet just in case.

Then I buy a calling card for Canada, 15,000 won, which gives me 300 minutes. That's fine as long as I don't make a majorly long overseas call. Also keep an extra one in my wallet.

Serves me well, but I don't make alot of calls, so that's probably why. If I was a big talker, it might get expensive.

I'm very glad I never had to go through the hassles of getting a contract.

furtakk · Joined: 02 Jun 2009

i have one. it's not bad. if you mostly text i would recommend it. the minutes get eaten up really quickly if you talk on it a lot (outgoing only) though. i usually only need to put 20 or 30,000 a month on it.

i got it as soon as i got my arc. i didn't know any korean at the time and the person knew no english. it took a few minutes, but it was easy enough to setup even with the language barrier.

waseige1 · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

Yes and love it.

I get a text (in Korean) from a number when my minutes get low. I added the number in my address book as "Buy Time" so I would know what was going on.

I love it and spend about 20,000 every two months.

LOVE IT.

pangaea · Joined: 20 Dec 2007

My first phone cost 50,000 won from the shop around the corner from my school. It wasn't a spectacular phone but it suited my needs. Having to reload the minutes on it was a pain in the a**, though. I never knew when they would run out and if it happened after the store was closed for the night or on Sunday, I would have to wait until the next business day to make a deposit. That's not cool if you are trying to meet up with friends or if you like to have it just in case you get lost.

The director of the school I'm in now provided a cell phone for me and will just deduct the cost from my pay every month. I'm fine with that because I had a phone almost immediately and it's one less thing I have to deal with.

confucian · Joined: 13 May 2010

I was given my phone by a nice Korean gal who was getting a new phone. I originally wanted a plan, but the first fellow I went to did not do business with foreigners. I got pay as you go instead, and I get 10 000 won worth of minutes every 5 weeks-my passive aggressive nod to the first gentleman who would not take my money resulting in less of my money going back into the national economy. Whenever I need to make a long local call, I use my TCard on a payphone instead.

edit: if you have ktf, call 0161500 and follow the prompts to get your balance

glennmeister · Joined: 05 Dec 2006

I have been using pay as you go with the same phone number for about 8 years now. I like it because I don't use my phone much so I save a lot of money. I have been using SKT the whole time. They are usually friendly when I go in to put more money on my phone. The number to call to see how many minutes you have is 011-200-7277.

wormholes101 · Joined: 11 Mar 2003

C00LAS1CE · Joined: 14 Feb 2010

Don't mean to thread hijack, but does anyone know if it's possible to get a phone with a decent camera (min 5 megapixel camera) for prepaid? I was looking around in Itaewon and just saw a bunch of cheap pieces of s--t.

SuzyQ2828 · Joined: 29 Apr 2009

I don't remember the phone company but the phone is a CYON. I got it for 20k and I can recharge it at any ATM, it sends me a text when I have like 2,000W left so i have time to go recharge it.. it also has a dmb and a camera included! and... ZOOZOO CLUB- BEST game ever!