Which plan to pick, the 3 telecoms' real contact info, the sign-up process, how billing works, and alternatives beyond the big 3 — everything you need to actually get installed over the phone.
As of October 2026
When you call a telecom, they'll ask right away: "Internet only, or bundled with TV? Do you want a landline too?" If you haven't decided beforehand, it's easy to end up signing up for things you don't need just from listening to the rep's pitch. Pick based on your own usage pattern from the table below first.
For reference, you don't need to source a Wi-Fi router separately. SK Broadband and LG U+ include a router free with every plan, and KT includes it free only on plans of 1Gbps or above (plans under 1Gbps, like 100Mbps or 500Mbps, may add a KRW 1,100/month fee or require a separate purchase) — it's worth confirming "is the router included?" once when you sign up.
| Your situation | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Live alone, watch mostly OTT (Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, etc.) | Internet-only 500Mbps + a smart TV (or a Chromecast/Fire Stick on your existing TV) | You can watch all your OTT services through the smart TV's own apps or phone mirroring, without an IPTV set-top box. (The 100Mbps plan itself is cheaper, but 500Mbps feels noticeably more stable for 4K — see the "bottom line" below) |
| Also want Korean free-to-air/cable broadcast channels (news, variety shows live, sports broadcasts) | Internet + IPTV bundle | Live broadcast channels often aren't on OTT, so you need a set-top box (IPTV) to watch them |
| A household, or 2-3 people streaming at the same time plus video calls and working from home | 500Mbps-1Gbps | The more devices connected simultaneously, the more headroom you need |
| Living alone, mostly documents/email, video only occasionally (HD-level) | 100Mbps can work | Netflix HD (1080p) only needs 5Mbps so there's headroom on paper, but Wi-Fi signal loss and concrete walls bring the real-world speed down quite a bit. Pick this only if budget matters most, and go with 500Mbps if you watch 4K often |
| Landline phone | Mostly unnecessary | If you have a mobile phone, a long-stay foreigner will rarely use a landline — bundling it just adds to the bill |
If you're mostly on Netflix and YouTube, "internet-only 500Mbps + a smart TV" is the cleanest, cheapest combination.
For reference, Netflix's official recommended speed for 4K is about 15Mbps, so 100Mbps looks like enough on paper — but once you factor in the speed loss through a Wi-Fi router and multiple devices at once, 500Mbps feels considerably more stable in practice.
If you really need to watch Korean TV broadcasts, you can add IPTV at that point — there's no need to bundle the triple play (internet + TV + phone) from the start.
There are actually far more internet providers in Korea than just KT, SK Broadband and LG U+ — including regional cable operators. But realistically, for a foreigner facing a language barrier, these are the only 3 you can actually rely on (plus the "budget internet" resellers on these 3 networks covered in section 5 below). The general customer service lines (100, 106, 101, etc.) are all Korean-only by default, so we've left those out and only listed the channels that actually work in a foreign language.
| Telecom | Channel that works in a foreign language | What we actually confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| KT | Global Call Center 080-448-0100 globalshop.kt.com |
The official info says this line supports English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian (weekdays 09:00-18:00, for combined internet/mobile/TV inquiries). But in some actual calls, only English and Chinese showed up as options. Besides the regular plans (Internet Wide, Essence/Basic), the site also describes a no-long-term-contract "Prepaid Internet" (3 months, 6 months, 12 months) in multiple languages — but even applying by phone ends up with you finding a nearby 'KT Global Store' to finish in person. It doesn't get completed over the phone alone. |
| SK Broadband | bworld.co.kr's foreigner-only page online consultation request |
There's a separate foreigner-only page offering "1-year contract + English consultation." On that page, you select English or Chinese and enter your phone number, and it appears that a callback comes in that language (we weren't able to fully confirm the callback itself goes through, so take this as reference only). There's no store-finder function — sign-up proceeds by phone (either calling directly or via callback). |
| LG U+ | mglobal.lguplus.com (080-851-1004) |
The site has an English/Russian/Chinese/Vietnamese selection menu. But in practice it was more of a portal that steers you toward visiting a nearby 'U+ Global Shop' store, without plan details or pricing information. The phone line (080-851-1004) also turned out to be English only in practice — the weakest of the 3 on this front. |
The document needed across the board is your Alien Registration Card (ARC) (SK Broadband also accepts a Domestic Residence Report Card (국내거소신고증, for overseas Koreans), a diplomat ID, or a USFK ID). If someone applies on your behalf, they also need your passport, a signed consent form from you, and the proxy's own ID in addition to the registration card.
If a long-term stay isn't a sure thing yet, KT's Prepaid Internet is worth a look. There's no 1- or 2-year contract — you pay by credit card for just the period you need, in 3-month, 6-month or 12-month units (choose by speed: Essence (1Gbps), Basic (500Mbps), or Slim (100Mbps); installation fee and equipment deposit are separate; no refund on early termination).
You can use it with no early-termination penalty to worry about, and just let it end when the term is up.
The site states the consultation line (080-448-0100) supports English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian, but as with KT's general consultation line above, an actual call may only offer English and Chinese — if you specifically need Vietnamese or Russian, it's safer to double-check before calling.
SK Broadband's foreigner-only page FAQ — genuinely useful content
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What documents do I need? | Besides an Alien Registration Card (ARC), a copy of a Domestic Residence Report Card (국내거소신고증, for overseas Koreans), a diplomat ID, or a USFK ID is also accepted — if you hold diplomat or USFK status, you can apply without an ARC |
| Do I need to buy my own router? | No. A Giga Wi-Fi router is included with every plan, so you can use it right after installation (WiFi 7 adds KRW 1,100/month and is up to 2x faster than WiFi 6) |
| Is there a data cap? | No. Every plan has unlimited data |
| Are there hidden costs? | No. You only pay the monthly fee + a one-time installation fee |
| How fast is installation? | If you apply before 3pm, same-day installation is possible, and you can also book a specific date |
| How do I pay? | Choose between automatic bank transfer or automatic card payment from a Korean account/card — both require an account or card issued in Korea (overseas-issued Visa/Mastercard usually can't be registered) |
| How do I cancel? | Contact them (106 or an online inquiry) at least 2 weeks before leaving the country. It's stated that an early-termination penalty may apply depending on your contract term and how long you've used the service |
From KT's official FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When am I billed? | Internet is billed in arrears, so this month's usage is billed next month — even if you cancel partway through, you're billed for however many days you used it, on next month's bill |
| What does router (technician visit) repair cost? | Free if the issue is KT's service or equipment, but if the cause turns out to be a customer-owned device or another telecom's issue, a KRW 15,000 call-out fee (VAT included) is charged |
| What if I move the internet to a different room? | Relocating the cable within your home incurs a call-out fee — the amount varies (KRW 11,000, 27,500, or 36,000) depending on when you signed up |
| What if the internet goes down at night? | File a repair request via the Global Call Center (080-448-0100) or kt.com, and a technician visit usually happens the next business day |
| What if I cancel partway through my contract? | You have to pay back the fee discounts and modem rental discounts you received so far (= early-termination penalty) |
| What if my contract ends and I don't cancel? | With no action from you, it automatically renews for another year (same rate and discount terms) |
| Can I get my bill in English? | Yes — if you sign up for mail or email billing, an English-language bill is also issued |
Contact the foreign-language-capable number (or callback request page) of the telecom you chose above directly. There are price/freebie comparison sites like Danawa and Tongsinnara, but they're all Korean-only, so they're hard to use if you need a foreign language — it's most reliable to just call directly with the plan you already decided on in section 1.
When you give your address during the phone consultation, they'll check availability right away. Officetels and newer villa buildings sometimes only support certain telecoms. If you're in a villa, check with your landlord or building manager first about whether a line is already installed — internet might already be included in your rent.
Whether by phone or in-store, your Alien Registration Card is the key document. SK Broadband often also asks for a copy of a bankbook tied to your Alien Registration Card (accounts opened with a passport are often not accepted, so check beforehand).
You usually book your preferred date within a few days to a week of applying. The exact lead time varies by region and scheduling, so it's best to confirm directly during the consultation.
A technician visits to install the router (Wi-Fi) and do a simple identity check. Someone must be home at the scheduled time.
Once installation is done, you can use the internet right away. If you bundled IPTV, ask the technician on the spot for the basic remote control operations.
Budget internet (resold internet) — these products run entirely on the big 3's own networks but charge a cheaper monthly rate.
Line quality (speed, stability) is identical to the big 3's direct service, but at the same speed the price tends to be about 25–35% lower than the direct rate — for example, KT Skylife's 3-year-contract rates are KRW 16,500 for 100Mbps / KRW 22,000 for 500Mbps / KRW 25,300 for 1Gbps (VAT included, confirmed October 2026).
For reference, KT Skylife's official FAQ states that foreigners can also sign up directly on the website with just an Alien Registration Card (ARC) (self-activation requires identity verification via Naver, Kakao, a credit card, or PASS).
| Provider | Network used | Customer service | Foreign-language support / foreigner sign-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| KT Skylife | KT network | 114 (free) / 1588-3002 | Consultation itself is Korean-only, but signing up directly on the website with just an ARC is possible |
| LG HelloVision | LG U+ network | 1855-1000 (general) / 1855-1082 (new sign-ups) | No mention of multilingual/foreign-language support in official materials |
| SK B tv Pop | SK network | Via SK Broadband customer service (106) | Couldn't confirm any separate foreign-language support |
In short, budget internet has a clear price advantage, but don't expect foreign-language support. If Korean-language consultation feels like too much, it's more reliable to look into the foreign-language channels of the big 3 above first (especially KT, which has the strongest multilingual support, then SK Broadband's foreigner-only plan) — but if you can handle it in Korean yourself, or have someone around to help, budget internet comes out considerably ahead on price. It's also worth preparing a translation app (camera translation) before calling, or using an interpretation service like BBB Korea (1588-5644) alongside it.
Apartment elevator noticeboards / local agents for the big 3 — in large apartment complexes or officetels, it's common to see regional cable operators' internet ads posted on the elevator noticeboard.
These regional cable operator plans are often just as cheap as budget internet, and signing up through a local agent for the big 3 often comes out cheaper than the price listed on their websites.
The catch is that these channels are mostly Korean-only, with no separate foreign-language support. So if you have a Korean acquaintance who can help, signing up through such a local agent or noticeboard listing — under their name or through their referral — is economically much better: the line ultimately runs on the same big-3 networks (or networks that lease from them), so there's essentially no quality difference, just a difference in price.
LTE/5G wireless routers (internet with no installation) — just plug it in and it works, with no technician visit needed.
This can be a good alternative if your stay is only a few months, or if waiting around for an installation technician feels like too much hassle.
That said, the data allowance is limited (roughly 11GB-60GB a month) and the speed-for-price is lower than wired internet, so for a long stay, wired internet ends up more economical.
Pocket Wi-Fi rental — a short-term product for travelers, billed by the day.
It's inefficient for a long stay of several months or more, so just keep it in mind as a reference option.
This article is for general informational purposes — rates, freebies and promotions vary by telecom and change frequently depending on timing and the specific agent. Before actually signing up, be sure to confirm the latest terms directly by phone or in-store.