South Korea Travel Tips: Make the Most of eSIM

South Korea is a beautiful destination, offering an unforgettable experience that blends ancient traditions with the world’s best innovations. It has historic places and serene temples for you to explore. At the same time, you can enjoy a vibrant K-pop culture while using cutting-edge tech.

The country also treats you to savory street delicacies, ensuring you re-energize for your exploration of attraction sites. Whatever the reason you’re traveling to South Korea, one thing that remains the same is the need for mobile connectivity.

eSIM technology provides seamless connectivity in South Korea, ensuring you stay connected to the internet and power essential travel apps. We’ll explore how eSIM can change your trip abroad.

Fast Setup for Instant Connectivity

You’ll need an eSIM-compatible smartphone to use this new mobile connectivity tech and stay connected in South Korea. Only then can you follow the steps below to set up travel eSIM for Korea and use navigation apps to explore the country:

• Purchase an eSIM plan: Since you’re traveling to South Korea, ensure the eSIM plan you’ve purchased provides data connectivity in the country. You’ll receive a QR code via email after paying for a plan.
• Connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot: Activating your eSIM plan for a South Korea trip requires a connection to a Wi-FI hotspot to scan the QR code.
• Add eSIM: Go to your smartphone Settings and scroll to “Network & Internet” or “Cellular,” depending on your OS. Then go to “Add Cellular Plan” or “SIMs,” and you’ll be prompted to scan the eSIM QR code.
• Label the eSIM profile: You can name your eSIM plan as “Korea Trip” to help you distinguish it from your physical SIM if you need to connect to the internet. Also, you’ll select it as your preferred option for mobile data.

Using Korean apps that make travel easier

South Korea has helpful apps & resources to help you explore its attraction sites. What’s more, you’ll use its apps to access transportation services while exploring the maps and routes to your preferred destinations. You’ll want to use the following South Korean apps:

Exploring Attractions

• VISITKOREA: Approved by the Korea Tourism Organization, this is the official app for learning Korean culture. Also, this app allows you to explore the immigration process, tourist attraction sites, and major events.
• Creatrip: Developed for K-culture experience, this travel app allows you to book restaurants and celebrity beauty salons. You can even book concerts to see your favorite K-pop artists.

Transportation

• Subway Korea: This app allows you to explore the South Korean subway system by offering a map with real-time trans schedules. It also displays the route of your favorite liner.
• Seoul Bike: You can explore South Korea’s capital by riding a bicycle, and you’ll need this app to rent a bike.

Payment service

• WOWPASS: This prepaid card allows you to pay for any service in South Korea. It works like a debit card and allows you to add or withdraw funds from an exchange kiosk.

Avoid Costly Roaming Charges Abroad

An eSIM is an important digital tool you need to power travel apps and stay connected with your friends over VoIP services like WhatsApp and Zoom. Even more impressive, it allows you to avoid expensive internet plans from your home carrier.

• eSIM Uses Local Data: Your home carrier will charge expensive data prices to connect to the internet via mobile data in a foreign country. On the other hand, an eSIM carrier gives you access to local data rates and prevents you from paying expensive data roaming prices.
• Dual-SIM Functionality: At the same time, eSIM gives your smartphone a dual-SIM functionality since it can have two SIMs: One is data-only, while you’ll use the second for calls and SMS. You can choose to use a data-only eSIM to reduce connectivity costs.
• Instant Activation: An eSIM boasts instant activation without the user having to visit a SIM store for a new physical SIM card. This saves you a trip to a kiosk and extra costs from purchasing a physical SIM.

One eSIM, Multiple Travel Benefits

Having a single eSIM profile on a mobile device can have multiple benefits. One of the most beneficial eSIM profiles is the Holafly eSIM.

Holafly eSIM

Holafly is an eSIM carrier providing data-only services for South Korean travelers. It allows you to keep your traditional SIM for important calls and texts while using it for mobile data. It has the following benefits:

• Unlimited Data: Holafly eSIM provides unlimited mobile data in many destinations, including South Korea. However, the data plans have a fair usage policy.
• No Roaming Charges: eSIM provides a future for mobile connectivity by allowing users to connect to cellular networks with local data plans. You don’t experience data roaming from your home carrier as a result, saving travel expenses.
• Retaining Your Physical SIM: You can use an eSIM alongside your home carrier SIM, allowing you to retain your primary phone number for important calls and texts.
  

Holafly eSIM data can also be shared with other mobile devices via a hotspot. However, you can only share up to 500mb per day. Nonetheless, this sharing capability allows you to share your data with friends.

Backpackers and Digital Nomads Rejoice

Traveling with a backpack allows you to travel light while powering essential apps and connectivity tools from the palm of your hand with an eSIM. Also, digital nomads who visit many destinations will find eSIM convenient for the following reasons:

• Instant Connectivity: You can activate an eSIM plan anywhere, including at the airport, to stay connected to your destination. An eSIM saves you the journey of visiting a SIM subscription kiosk to connect to a local mobile network.
• Affordable Local Plans: eSIM gives you access to local data plans to avoid data roaming costs from your home SIM.
• Remote work access: The internet access from an eSIM allows you to complete remote tasks and submit work on schedule.

eSIM has become an essential travel tool, as it connects you to the internet without buying expensive data plans from your home carrier. You’ll use it to power travel and navigation apps in South Korea while connecting with friends via VoIP apps like FaceTime. Consider having an active plan for your trip abroad.