South Korea: Best Tourist eSIMs Reviewed (2024)

Are you thinking of traveling to South Korea soon and looking for the best travel eSIM?

Many eSIM providers are available nowadays, but not all are equal or good.

Some offer unlimited data, while others include a phone number for local, regional, or global use.

Some have blazing-fast speeds, while others have extended validity.

Whatever you need, there will be an eSIM for your liking.

In the case of South Korea, I recommend one of these eSIM providers, which I have tested in numerous countries on multiple continents:

• Airalo
• Alosim
• Holafly
• Nomad

What do they offer?

eSIM	Packages	Prices	Data	Phone Number?	5G NR?	Discount Code(s)
Airalo	2	32 USD & 62 USD	Unlimited for 10 days & unlimited for 30 days	No	No	APR10 (10%) & APR15 (15%) 2
Alosim	5	5 USD – 27 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 10 GB for 30 days	Yes (CA/US number) 1	Yes	PTW (5%)
Holafly	5	19 USD – 54 USD	Unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 20 days	No	No	PHONETRAVELWIZ (5%)
Nomad	7	5 USD – 30 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 45 days	No	Yes	ADU123 (3 USD) 3

¹ Alosim allows you to pick a Canadian (CA) or American (US) phone number through its sister app Hushed, giving you credits worth 30 minutes (within South Korea or from South Korea to anywhere else) or 50 texts (same conditions as calling)
² if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM, use code APR15 for 15% off. You can still get 10% off using code APR10 if you are an existing customer. Note each code has a redemption limit of 3000 (while the codes of Alosim and Holafly have no redemption limit)
³ if you have never purchased a Nomad eSIM, use code ADU123 for 3 USD off. On Tuesdays, use NOMADTUE for 10% off on plans of 10 GB or higher

Do any of these providers offer regional, Asian, or even APAC (Asia-Pacific) eSIMs? Yes!

eSIM	Regional eSIMs?	Countries	Phone Number?
Airalo	Yes (Asialink)	18	No
Alosim	Yes (Asia and a sub-regional one)	Up to 13	Yes (CA/US number)
Holafly	Yes (Asia)	11	No
Nomad	Yes (Asia, APAC & a sub-regional one)	Up to 21	No

What about eSIMs global eSIMs exist? Of course!

eSIM	Global eSIMs?	Countries	Phone Number?
Airalo	Yes (Discover(+))	120+	Yes (Discover+ only)
Alosim	No	N/A	N/A
Holafly	No	N/A	N/A
Nomad	Yes (Global 109/136)	109 & 136	No

The discount codes I highlighted earlier can also be redeemed for any regional or global eSIM.

Now that we have an overview of our options let's go through each and find out about their benefits.

But if you already have an eSIM provider in mind, just click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Airalo, Alosim, Holafly & Nomad.

Original publication: 26^th of August 2022. Last updated: 21^st of April 2024.

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Table of Contents

Airalo South Korea eSIMs

Airalo has three kinds of eSIMs that can be used in South Korea: LG U+, Asialink & Discover(+).

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	Data	5G NR in South Korea?
LG U+	South Korea only	2	32 USD & 62 USD	Unlimited for 10 days & unlimited for 30 days	No
Asialink	South Korea & 13 17 Asian countries (expanded)	6	5 USD – 185 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 100 GB for 180 days (half a year)	Yes
Discover(+)	South Korea & 120+ countries globally	12 (6 for Discover & 6 for Discover+)	9/15 USD – 69/89 USD 1	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 365 days (1 year)	Yes

¹ 9 USD and 69 USD apply to the Discover eSIM. Discover+ eSIM costs between 15 USD and 89 USD

Remember to use code APR15 for 15% off if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM before OR code APR10 for 10% off if you are an existing Airalo user (valid until the 31^st of March – only the first 3000 users can redeem either discount code).

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: LG U+, Asialink & Discover(+).

Airalo was the first eSIM store launched in 2019.

It is also the largest eSIM provider, covering more than 200 countries and territories.

The first eSIM I ever tested was one from Airalo (in the Netherlands).

This is why I have tested Airalo eSIMs in more countries than other providers.

Airalo gives each country's eSIM a unique name that is often related to said nation.

Airalo LG U+ (South Korea) eSIM

Airalo's South Korea eSIM is called LG U+.

As highlighted in the table earlier, there are two South Korea LG U+ eSIM variants:

1. South Korea/LG U+ “unlimited data” (3 GB high-speed data/day and incoming calls) eSIM for 10 days, costing 32 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. South Korea/LG U+ “unlimited data” (3 GB high-speed data/day and incoming calls) eSIM for 30 days, costing 62 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

With the Airalo LG U+ eSIM, you can use the LG U+ South Korea network.

In my South Korea SIM card buying guide, I tell you more about which South Korean mobile operator is/are the best in coverage or speed so you can manually select the network that would suit your needs.

Airalo Asialink eSIM

Next, we have the Airalo Asialink eSIM to be used in South Korea and 13 17 other Asian countries.

After Airalo updated its Asia regional eSIM from China Unicom (which was terrible) to Asialink, it could be used in 14 Asian countries for the longest.

The old “Asia” eSIM was terrible. The eSIM only gave you 4 GB of high-speed data before you would be dealing with throttled speeds (@ 256 Kbps if I recall correctly), and the validity was up to 14 days. It was not practical when you visited multiple countries in Asia!

Although the word Asia was doing some heavy lifting, the Asialink eSIM could only be used in East- and Southeast Asian countries.

In 2024, it finally got a solid update.

Not only have four South Asian countries been added (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka), but you can also use 5G NR in more than half of the supported 18 countries (the eSIM was previously restricted to 4G/LTE only).

This is because Airalo switched partners (Singtel from Singapore to JoyTelecom/CSL Mobile Hong Kong).

So, the results I got with various Asialink eSIMs prior to 2024 are inaccurate now (as they were Singtel Asialink eSIMs) 🫠.

Ah well, this gives me a reason to revisit all these exciting East- and Southeast Asian countries again 😎.

You have these six Asialink options to choose from:

1. Asia/Asialink 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 5 USD
2. Asia/Asialink 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 13 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Asia/Asialink 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 20 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Asia/Asialink 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 37 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Asia/Asialink 50 GB eSIM for 90 days, costing 100 USD
6. Asia/Asialink 100 GB eSIM for 180 days, costing 185 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

You can use the SK Telecom network with the Asialink eSIM (with 5G NR access).

In my ongoing Airalo Asialink review, I tell you all the 18 countries where the eSIM can be used.

But you can also use the map below as a reference.

Airalo Discover(+) eSIM

Lastly, we have the Airalo's global Discover and Discover+ eSIMs.

These eSIMs can be used in South Korea and 120+ other countries on each continent.

Previously, Airalo's Discover Global eSIM was kind of… meh.

I have had a decent experience with that eSIM, but I felt it could improve.

The new Discover(+) eSIMs have a maximum validity of 365 days (instead of 180) and can use 5G NR in most destinations.

Moreover, the + variant gives you an Austrian (+43) phone number.

As a result, the Discover+ eSIM can be up to 20 USD more expensive than the Discover eSIM, but the benefits are worth it, in my opinion (I have the + variant installed on my phone).

These Airalo Discover(+) eSIMs are available:

1. Discover 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 9 USD
2. Discover+ 1 GB (with 10 minutes and 10 SMS) eSIM for 7 days, costing 15 USD
3. Discover 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 17 USD
4. Discover+ 2 GB (with 20 minutes and 20 SMS) eSIM for 15 days, costing 27 USD
5. Discover 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 24 USD
6. Discover+ 3 GB (with 30 minutes and 30 SMS) eSIM for 30 days, costing 36 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
7. Discover 5 GB eSIM for 60 days, costing 35 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. Discover+ 5 GB (with 50 minutes and 50 SMS) eSIM for 60 days, costing 50 USD
9. Discover 10 GB eSIM for 180 days, costing 59 USD
10. Discover+ 10 GB (with 100 minutes and 100 SMS) eSIM for 180 days, costing 79 USD
11. Discover 20 GB eSIM for 365 days, costing 69 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
12. Discover+ 20 GB (with 200 minutes and 200 SMS) eSIM for 365 days, costing 89 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

The Discover(+) eSIM can use the KT South Korea and SK Telecom networks (all with 5G NR access).

For an entire list of countries where the eSIM can be used, you should check out my ongoing Airalo Discover+ eSIM review.

Although the map below may be helpful if you know your world map well.

In every country I visit where I test country-specific Airalo eSIMs, I also try out its Discover+ eSIM (if it can be used there).

So you better check it out now and then to see if I wrote about the country/countries you plan to visit and read about the eSIM's performance in said country, as it is not always perfect.

Before Airalo updated its global eSIM, I used the old version (Discover Global) in 15+ countries. From August 2023, I will only test the Discover+ eSIM. This is why some country-specific reviews (like Japan) still refer to Discover Global and show the old eSIM image instead of Discover+.

Airalo eSIMs for South Korea Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Airalo eSIM covered in this section:

• LG U+:
  • can be used in South Korea only
  • is priced at 32 USD and 62 USD
  • has two variants (unlimited for 10 days and unlimited for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Asialink:
  • can be used in South Korea and 13 17 other Asian countries (expanded)
  • is priced between 5 USD and 185 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 100 GB for 180 days)
  • has 5G NR access in South Korea (and most other supported countries)
  • has no phone number
• Discover:
  • can be used in South Korea and 120+ countries worldwide
  • is priced between 9 USD and 69 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 365 days)
  • has 5G NR access on all supported networks in South Korea (and in many other countries)
  • has no phone number
• Discover+:
  • can be used in South Korea and 120+ countries worldwide
  • is priced between 15 USD and 89 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 365 days)
  • has 5G NR access on all supported networks in South Korea (and in many other countries)
  • includes an Austrian phone number
    • offers up 200 international minutes and 200 international SMS (to any country worldwide, including those the eSIM cannot be used in)

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Alosim South Korea eSIMs

Alosim has three kinds of eSIMs that can be used in South Korea: South Korea, Asia & Asia Five Pack.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	5G NR in South Korea?	Phone Number?
South Korea	South Korea only	5	5 USD – 27 USD	Yes	Yes
Asia (new)	South Korea & 12 Asian countries	7	5 USD – 185 USD	Yes	Yes
Asia Five Pack	South Korea & 4 Asian countries	4	5 USD – 27 USD	Yes	Yes

Note: it is often cheaper or more convenient to buy the Asia eSIM instead of the Asia Five Pack one, so I will not cover it in this section. However, I did want to mention/highlight it in case you are interested. The links above will bring you to the product page of the Asia Five Pack eSIM.

Remember that you can use code PTW for 5% off any Alosim purchase (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want).

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: South Korea and Asia.

Alosim is backed by AffinityClick, which is known for the Hushed app.

That app with the tagline “Temporary & Second Phone Number App for Wifi, Data Calling & Texting” has over 8 million downloads.

It took a while, but AffinityClick finally bundled its product, which is a big deal.

Why? With any Alosim eSIM purchase, you will get a Hushed redemption code, giving you up to 30 international minutes or 50 international SMS.

You get a free +1 (American or Canadian) phone number from one of the more than 300 supported area codes.

While it would be fantastic to get a South Korean phone number instead, it is impossible to get one for the time being due to local regulations.

Either way, Alosim is the only eSIM provider that gives you a phone number for each eSIM purchase.

And it has eSIMs for over 170 countries, including South Korea.

Alosim South Korea eSIM

For South Korea, you have the following five choices:

1. South Korea 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 5 USD
2. South Korea 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 8 USD
3. South Korea 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 10 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. South Korea 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 15 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. South Korea 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 27 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Alosim's South Korea eSIM gives you access to the KT South Korea (5G) and SK Telecom (5G) networks.

For more information on how South Korean mobile operators perform, check out my South Korea SIM card buying guide, where I discuss the performance of each SIM card (in terms of coverage and speed).

Alosim Asia eSIM

Next and finally, we have Alosim's Asia eSIM to be used in South Korea and 12 other Asian countries.

For the longest time, Alosim did not have a proper Asia eSIM.

Instead, it had, and still has, the Asia Five Pack eSIM for five Asian countries (Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan & Thailand).

It took some convincing (more than half a year), but it finally introduced a proper Asia eSIM in December 2023.

Well, the word proper is doing some heavy lifting because mostly East- and Southeast Asian countries are covered + Bangladesh.

The Asia eSIM has 5G NR access in most countries it can be used in, which is a central selling point too.

This also means you can experience 5G NR speeds in South Korea on KT South Korea and SK Telecom with this eSIM.

Let's see how much each of the seven Alosim Asia eSIMs cost:

1. Asia 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 5 USD
2. Asia 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 9.50 USD
3. Asia 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 15 USD
4. Asia 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 20 USD
5. Asia 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 37 USD
6. Asia 50 GB eSIM for 90 days, costing 100 USD
7. Asia 100 GB eSIM for 180 days, costing 185 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

The Asia eSIM has access to the same two networks as the South Korea eSIM.

As mentioned, you will also get a Hushed phone number with any Alosim Asia eSIM purchase.

The Asia eSIM can be used in the following 13 countries:

Alosim eSIMs for South Korea Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Alosim eSIM covered in this section:

• South Korea:
  • is priced between 5 USD and 27 USD
  • has five variants (1 GB for 7 days – 10 GB for 30 days)
  • has 5G NR access
  • includes a free +1 (American or Canadian) phone number through Hushed
    • allows for up to 30 international calls and/or 30 international SMS (within South Korea or from South Korea to any other country)
• Asia (new):
  • can be used in South Korea and 12 other Asian countries
  • is priced between 5 USD and 185 USD
  • has seven variants (1 GB for 7 days – 100 GB for 180 days)
  • has 5G NR access in South Korea (and numerous other countries)
  • includes a free +1 (American or Canadian) phone number through Hushed
    • allows for up to 30 international calls and/or 30 international SMS (within South Korea or from South Korea to any other country)

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Holafly South Korea eSIMs

Holafly has two kinds of eSIMs that can be used in South Korea: South Korea and Asia.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	5G NR in South Korea?	Phone Number?
South Korea	South Korea only	5	19 USD – 54 USD	No	No
Asia	South Korea & 10 Asia countries	6	27 USD – 79 USD (price increased)	No	No

Remember that you can use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off any Holafly purchase (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want).

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: South Korea and Asia.

Holafly made a name for itself by introducing unlimited data plans in June 2022, which was uncommon back then.

Now, it has eSIMs for more than 160 countries.

And more than 100 of them have unlimited data plans.

Holafly South Korea eSIM

South Korea is lucky enough to have unlimited data eSIMs, and you have five options:

1. South Korea unlimited data eSIM for 5 days, costing 19 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. South Korea unlimited data eSIM for 7 days, costing 27 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. South Korea unlimited data eSIM for 10 days, costing 34 USD
4. South Korea unlimited data eSIM for 15 days, costing 47 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. South Korea unlimited data eSIM for 20 days, costing 54 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Be aware that as of mid-2023, Holafly eSIMs with unlimited data plans (excluding European ones) are speed-restricted to 18 Mbps (the speeds are even slower in some countries).

While 18 Mbps is not exactly a snail's speed, much faster speeds are available for lower prices with other eSIM providers mentioned in this guide.

Anyway, with this eSIM, you can use the KT South Korea networks.

Holafly Asia eSIM

Previously, Holafly's Asia eSIM was… uncompetitive.

You had two variants: 6 GB for 15 days (44 USD) and 10 GB for 30 days (54 USD), both with a daily maximum of 500 MB.

After some lobbying (just kidding – suggesting), Holafly introduced unlimited data plans for its Asia eSIM.

However, the word Asia is doing heavy lifting because it can only be used in several East- and Southeast Asian countries.

Unlike its Europe eSIM (review), which is priced the same as country-specific European eSIMs, the Asia eSIM is pricier.

What I mean is that if you buy the 20-day unlimited data plan for Spain or Europe, you pay the same 54 USD for the Europe eSIM as if you were to buy the Spain one. This makes purchasing the Europe eSIM a no-brainer if you visit two or more European countries.

See, I was not lying – the prices between the Spain eSIM and the Europe one are identical. And European eSIMs also include a phone number. This is not the case with Asian eSIMs (yet).

Unlike most country-specific Asian eSIMs, the Asia eSIM is valid for up to 30 days (instead of 90 days).

This is something to keep in mind if you plan on taking your time traveling through multiple countries.

Below is an overview of all the Holafly Asia eSIMs:

1. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 5 days, costing 27 USD
2. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 7 days, costing 34 USD
3. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 10 days, costing 37 USD
4. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 15 days, costing 47 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 20 days, costing 54 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 30 days, costing 79 USD (price increased) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Unfortunately, the same speed restriction that applies to the South Korea eSIM (18 Mbps) also applies to the Asia eSIM.

You can use the Holafly Asia eSIM in the following 11 countries:

Holafly eSIMs for South Korea Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Holafly eSIM covered in this section:

• South Korea:
  • is priced between 19 USD and 54 USD
  • has five variants (unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 20 days)
  • has 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Asia:
  • can be used in South Korea and ten other Asian countries
  • is priced between 27 USD and 79 USD
  • has six variants (unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number

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Nomad South Korea eSIMs

Nomad has five kinds of eSIMs that can be used in South Korea: South Korea, CN-JP-KR (China, Japan & South Korea), APAC (Asia-Pacific), SEA (Southeast Asia)-Plus & Global.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	5G NR in South Korea?
South Korea	South Korea only	7	5 USD – 30 USD	Yes 4
CN-JP-KR 1	China, Japan & South Korea	5	4 USD – 33 USD	No
APAC	South Korea & 19/20 Asia-Pacific countries	12 (6 for 20 countries & 6 for 21 countries)	8 USD/7 USD – 65/48 USD 2	Yes 5
SEA-Plus	South Korea & 13 Asian and Oceanian countries	14	6 USD – 39 USD	No
Global	South Korea & 108/135 other countries	6 (3 for 109 countries & 3 for 136 countries)	25/19 USD – 45/57 USD 3	Yes 6

¹ the China-Japan-South Korea/Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand eSIM is new (launched in 2024) and part of Nomad's Small Regional Plans. While the plan can be useful when you visit two of these covered countries or all three of them during your trip, purchasing an Asia/APAC-wide eSIM is often more convenient, so I will not cover this eSIM in this section. I did want to mention/highlight them in case you are interested. The link above will bring you to the product page of the Small Regional eSIM
² 8 USD and 65 USD apply to the 20 Countries Plan. 21 Countries Plan eSIMs costs between 7 USD and 48 USD
³ 25 USD and 45 USD apply to the 109 Countries Plan. 136 Countries Plan eSIMs costs between 19 USD and 57 USD
⁴ 5G NR access for most eSIM options (except for 1 GB for 7 days (5 USD variant))
⁵ 5G NR access is available for the 20 Countries Plan eSIMs only
⁶ 5G NR access is available for the 136 Countries Plan eSIMs only

Nomad is an eSIM provider covering over 160 countries.

It also has the strongest presence in Asia in terms of number of packages for country-specific countries and (sub-)regional eSIMs.

And very generous data plans are available (up to 50 GB).

Unlike many eSIM providers that refer to Asia as several East- and Southeast Asian countries, Nomad has eSIMs covering those regions + Oceania and South Asia.

Nomad South Korea eSIM

For South Korea, you have these seven choices:

1. South Korea 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (eSIM Go), costing 5 USD
2. South Korea 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (SingTel), costing 6 USD
3. South Korea 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (SingTel), costing 11 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. South Korea 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (SingTel), costing 14 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. South Korea 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (SingTel), costing 20 USD
6. South Korea 15 GB eSIM for 30 days (SingTel), costing 24 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
7. South Korea 20 GB eSIM for 45 days (SingTel), costing 30 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

If an eSIM is powered by JoyTelecom, you can use 5G NR or some or all supported South Korean mobile networks. If the eSIM is powered by Global1SIM, Nomad Black (Tele2 Sweden), Singtel, or Truphone (rebranded to 1Global) instead, you will be restricted to 4G/LTE.

Because these providers are different, you can access different South Korean mobile networks depending on who powers them.

The best way to find out is by pressing See Details on the Nomad South Korea eSIM product page.

My South Korea SIM card buying guide will inform you which network(s) is/are the best regarding coverage and speed.

Nomad APAC eSIM

The Nomad APAC eSIM can be used in 20 or 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific (Oceania) region, depending on the variant.

The APAC eSIM has the 20 Countries Plan (JoyTelecom) and the 21 Countries Plan (Singtel).

JoyTelecom-powered eSIMs have up to 5G NR access in all supported countries (except for Laos, where you are restricted to 3G) and have a maximum validity of 60 days (30 GB).

Meanwhile, Singtel-powered eSIMs (previously Truphone) have 4G/LTE access in all supported countries (even Laos), and they have a maximum validity of 45 days (20 GB).

Because of the partner switch, most eSIMs under the 21 Countries Plan have seen price reductions.

Below is a price list of all the Nomad APAC eSIMs:

1. APAC 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 8 USD
2. APAC 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 10 7 USD (price dropped)
3. APAC 3 GB eSIM for 15 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 13 USD
4. APAC 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 17 14 USD (price dropped)
5. APAC 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 23 17 USD (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. APAC 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 19 USD
7. APAC 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 28 23 USD (on sale) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. APAC 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 37 31 USD (price dropped)
9. APAC 15 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 37 USD
10. APAC 20 GB eSIM for 45 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 38 29 USD (on sale) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
11. APAC 20 GB eSIM for 45 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 62 48 USD (price dropped)
12. APAC 30 GB eSIM for 60 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 65 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Below is a country overview of the 20 Countries Plan and 21 Countries Plan eSIMs:

I have tested the Nomad APAC eSIM in various countries already (even when it was powered by providers that are not used anymore).

You can learn about my experiences in my ongoing Nomad APAC eSIM review.

Nomad SEA-Plus eSIM

The Nomad SEA-Plus eSIM can be used in 14 countries in Southeast Asia (SEA), Oceania & South Asia.

This is Nomad's newest regional eSIM covering Asian Pacific countries (late 2023 – powered by Singtel).

The main selling point was that this eSIM could also be used in two South Asian countries (Bangladesh and Sri Lanka).

However, the APAC eSIMs now cover these two countries too (+India and Pakistan).

But the SEA-Plus eSIM is cheaper than most APAC eSIMs.

Unfortunately, you will be restricted to 4G/LTE with the SEA-Plus eSIM.

Below is a price list of all the Nomad SEA-Plus eSIMs:

1. SEA-Plus 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 6 USD
2. SEA-Plus 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 12 USD
3. SEA-Plus 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 16 USD
4. SEA-Plus 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 23 USD
5. SEA-Plus 15 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 35 USD
6. SEA-Plus 20 GB eSIM for 45 days, costing 39 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Below is a country overview of the Nomad SEA-Plus eSIM:

At the moment, I have no ongoing SEA-Oceania review because (1) the eSIM is new and (2) it is too similar to the APAC and Nomad SEA-Oceania eSIMs (especially if I try the ones powered by Singtel).

This may change in the (near) future, so stay tuned!

Nomad Global eSIM

At last, we have the Nomad Global eSIM.

Depending on your chosen variant, the eSIM can be used in 109 or 136 countries.

Truphone (rebranded to 1Global) powers the 109 Countries Plan, giving you up to 4G/LTE access.

Meanwhile, the 136 Countries Plan is powered by eSIM Go, giving you 5G NR access in about half of the supported countries.

Each plan has three eSIMs: 1 GB for 7 days, 3 GB for 30 days & 5 GB for 30 days.

Below is a price list of all the Nomad Global eSIMs:

1. Global 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (109 Countries), costing 25 USD
2. Global 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (136 Countries), costing 19 USD
3. Global 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (109 Countries), costing 40 USD
4. Global 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (136 Countries), costing 40 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Global 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (109 Countries), costing 45 USD
6. Global 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (136 Countries), costing 57 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Because I have no ongoing review for this eSIM (its short validity makes it challenging to be a proper global eSIM), you can use the Nomad Global product page or the map below to find all supported countries.

Nomad eSIMs for South Korea Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Nomad eSIM covered in this section:

• South Korea:
  • is priced between 5 USD and 30 USD
  • has seven variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 45 days)
  • has 5G NR access on select supported networks
  • has no phone number
• APAC:
  • can be used in South Korea and 19/20 other Asia-Pacific countries
    • 20 Countries Plan (powered by JoyTelecom/CSL Mobile Hong Kong)
    • 21 Countries Plan (powered by Singtel Singapore)
  • is priced between 7 USD and 65 USD
    • 20 Countries Plan: 8 USD – 65 USD
    • 21 Countries Plan: 7 USD – 48 USD
  • has 12 variants (1 GB for 7 days – 30 GB for 30 days)
    • 20 Countries Plan: six options between 1 GB for 7 days and 30 GB for 60 days
    • 21 Countries Plan: six options between 1 GB for 7 days and 20 GB for 45 days
  • has 5G NR access on select supported networks in South Korea (and numerous other countries)
    • 20 Countries Plan: 5G NR access on select supported networks in South Korea (and numerous other countries)
    • 21 Countries Plan: no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• SEA-Plus:
  • can be used in South Korea and 13 other Asian and Oceanian countries
  • is priced between 6 USD and 39 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 45 days)
  • has no 5G NR access in South Korea (or any other country)
  • has no phone number
• Global:
  • can be used in South Korea and 108/135 other countries globally
    • 109 Countries Plan (powered by Truephone/1Global)
    • 136 Countries Plan (powered by eSIM Go)
  • is priced between 19 USD and 57 USD
    • 109 Countries Plan: 25 USD – 45 USD
    • 136 Countries Plan: 19 USD – 57 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 5 GB for 30 days)
    • 109 Countries Plan: 1 GB for 7 days, 3 GB for 30 days & 5 GB for 30 days
    • 136 Countries Plan: 1 GB for 7 days, 3 GB for 30 days & 5 GB for 30 days
  • has 5G NR access in South Korea (and numerous other countries)
    • 109 Countries Plan: no 5G NR access
    • 136 Countries Plan: 5G NR access in South Korea (and numerous other countries)
  • has no phone number

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Overview of the Best eSIMs for South Korea

That was a lot of info we went over, so let's try to summarize everything.

South Korea-only eSIMs:

• Cheapest 3 GB South Korea eSIM: Alosim (10 USD)
• Cheapest 5 GB South Korea eSIM: Nomad (14 USD)
• Cheapest 10 GB South Korea eSIM: Nomad (20 USD)
• Provider with unlimited data plans for South Korea: Holafly
• South Korea eSIM with the longest validity: Nomad (45 days)
• South Korea eSIM with 5G NR: Alosim & Nomad
• South Korea eSIM with phone numbers: Alosim (American/Canadian)

Asia/APAC eSIMs covering South Korea:

• Cheapest 3 GB Asia/APAC eSIM: Nomad (12 USD (SEA-Plus))
• Cheapest 5 GB Asia/APAC eSIM: Nomad (16 USD (SEA-Plus))
• Cheapest 10 GB Asia/APAC eSIM: Nomad (23 USD (SEA-Plus))
• Provider with unlimited data plans for South Korea and Asia: Holafly
• Asia/APAC eSIM with the longest validity: Airalo (180 days) & Alosim (180 days)
• Asia/APAC eSIM with 5G NR in South Korea: Airalo, Alosim & Nomad (APAC 20 Countries Plan)
• Asia/APAC eSIM with phone numbers: Alosim (American/Canadian)

Regarding global eSIMs, Airalo's Discover(+) eSIM is cheaper, has more generous data allowances & longer validity than Nomad's Global eSIM (and includes a phone number for the + variant).

However, Nomad's eSIM has better coverage (135+ instead of 120+ countries).

Do not forget to use one of these discount codes for extra savings:

• Airalo: APR15 for 15% off if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM. If you have, use APR10 for 10% off (each code can be used 3000 times among all Airalo customers, so better redeem it quickly!
• Alosim: PTW for 5% off (the code can be used by anyone, including existing customers, as many times as you wish – no redemption limit)
• Holafly: PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off (the code can be used by anyone, including existing customers, as many times as you wish – no redemption limit)
• Nomad: ADU123 for 3 USD (or your currency's equivalent) if you have never purchased a Nomad eSIM

Enjoy South Korea (and neighboring countries)!

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