Korean Job Discussion Forums

[harri2002]

if you are a foreigner? how many of you own one?

[Wangja]

Got mine from Carrefour about 5 years ago with no problem.

[ohfamous]

When I got mine last year, the stores said there were only two ways:

1. By yourself: Get an ARC, bank account, job, and a Korean credit card.

2. With a Korean: Have a Korean friend buy it and give it to you. The bills will still go to your friend until you get an ARC, bank account, job, and Korean credit card.

They were quite adamant about the credit card. So I had my cousin, who is Korean, buy it for me. She's still getting the bill. Other people have been able to put down deposits like 200,000 won to get phones. I'm not sure if this is still true, since the stores never told me about it. You can also get pre-paid card phones instead.

Check out the FAQs under Cell Phones: http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=20636

[thekingofdisco]

It is now very easy to do by yourself. With LG you do not even have to put down a deposit. KTF and SK ask for a somewhat hefty deposit, but still it is all quite easy.

My deposit with SK was 200,000.

I helped a friend last week aquire a phone at LG, and so can definately say that it is really easy to do, and cheap. He was all set-up with the phone in under 20mins.

Credit card is not needed.

[buymybook]

Why did you buy from SK(hefty deposit) if LG is cheaper(no deposite)?

[peppermint]

with SK you get a wider range of phones to choose from, and maybe better service. I've had a phone with LG for most of the last 3 years and it's mostly worked fine, with a few exceptions when I was hiking.

[Grotto]

go to Coex walk around wait until someone sets their phone down and leaves for a second...take phone walk away...use pay as you go plan

Cost to you? Possible deportation
Free phone? Priceless

[verschiedenes]

SK Telecom has better service. In more remote areas 011 numbers are usually the only ones still working.
If you pay the 200,000 (used to be 500,000 about 2 years ago!) deposit you only need your ARC; they didn't ask me for a bank account or credit card.

[jinglejangle]

[Gollum]

I switched from SK (2 years) to LG a month ago. I like LG better so far.

I wasn't impressed with a lot of the SK phones... for example, the same phone as mine is available from SK, but without a Mini-SD Memory card. I have noticed that companies will do this a little with different models of phones.

My LG calls seem to be more clear, and my last phone was even a more expensive Samsung model. I'm very happy with LG so far. I had KTF 2 years ago before SK, and THAT did suck. Then again, my phone was older, too.

In my opinion, the "SK has the best coverage" argument is now a few years out of date. Everyone seems to have great coverage now -- at least in the cities. I haven't had a problem with my phone outside of the city yet, either.

SK has the advantage of being able to take overseas to Japan and the USA for example, and ROAM. But I wouldn't want to pay charges for that.

[pdxsteve]