Settle Into Korea's Digital Life — From Arrival Day to Your Own 010 Number
Our recommendation for teachers moving to Korea: arrive online with a prepaid data eSIM, then switch to KT postpaid once your Residence Card (ARC) arrives. That ARC-registered number is what lets you shop on Coupang, use banking apps and pass Korean identity checks.
The 20th-Anniversary Welcome SIM was sold until 1 November 2026. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us.
40 GB
Data for 60 Days
$49.99
Korea Starter SIM
33–37%
Off KT Postpaid · 12 Months
010
Your Number, With Your ARC
Why Your Number Should Be Registered to Your ARC
A data eSIM is enough for maps, KakaoTalk and video calls home. But everyday Korean life online — ordering on Coupang, paying with Naver Pay, getting food delivered, opening a banking app — asks you to verify your identity with a phone number registered in your name. For foreign residents, that means a line opened with your Residence Card. Without one, these checks can be hard or impossible to complete.
Shopping & delivery
Online shopping such as Coupang and many delivery apps can ask for 휴대폰 본인인증 — a code sent to a number registered in your name — at sign-up or checkout.
Banking & payments
Korean banking and payment apps confirm it's you by phone. A number in your own name makes transfers, card sign-ups and app logins routine.
PASS app
With an ARC-registered postpaid line you can install PASS, the carriers' shared mobile-ID app, and replace most verification steps with one tap.
Calls & texts
The prepaid data eSIM has no phone number. Your 010 number lets your school, landlord and couriers call or text you like any resident.
Two Ways to Get There
Both paths end in the same place: an ARC-registered KT number. The difference is how much data you want before your ARC arrives.
Korea Starter SIM (USD 49.99), Then KT Postpaid
Buy before you fly. 40 GB over 60 days (two 20 GB / 30-day data eSIMs, issued one after the other). When your ARC arrives, switch to KT postpaid and get 33–37% off for 12 months. The USD 49.99 covers the data; KT bills postpaid monthly.
- ✓Regular price USD 59.98
- ✓33–37% off KT postpaid for 12 months
- ✓No penalty if you don't switch
- ✓Kimchi Mobile handles the KT application
5 GB Data eSIM Now, KT Postpaid Later
Mostly on Wi-Fi? A 5 GB data eSIM (from USD 7.99, for 7, 15 or 30 days) covers arrival. When your ARC arrives, apply for KT postpaid directly — the application is free.
- ✓Lowest upfront cost
- ✓10 GB and 20 GB sizes also available
- ✓Same ARC-registered 010 number in the end
- ✓Same 33–37% KT postpaid discount (12 months)
Got a promo code from Korvia?
If the Korvia team or your Korvia recruiter gave you a promo code, enter it at checkout on Kimchi Mobile. Codes are shared individually and are not published here. Not sure whether one applies to you? Ask your recruiter before you buy.
KT Postpaid Plans and Discounted Rates
You choose your plan when you switch, not when you buy. Prices below are the monthly rates listed by Kimchi Mobile on a 12-month contract — the same whether you come from the Korea Starter SIM or apply directly.
The 33–37% combines KT's standard 25% discount for a 12-month contract (선택약정) with an additional special discount, for the first 12 months. After that, the line does not end automatically — it continues on KT's regular rate. Call KT customer service and ask for the 25% contract discount again each year, just as Korean customers do.
| Plan | KT regular rate | With 12-month discount | Data | Calls & texts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KT Welcome 5Budget | 59,000 KRW | 38,750 KRW | 5 GB, then unlimited at 5 Mbps | 200 minutes & 200 texts |
| KT 5G Simple 110GBBasic | 69,000 KRW | 46,250 KRW | 110 GB, then unlimited at 5 Mbps | Unlimited domestic calls & texts |
| KT Netflix Choice (Basic)Premium | 90,000 KRW | 56,500 KRW | Unlimited, no speed cap | Unlimited domestic calls & texts |
Requirements: physical Residence Card (ARC) and a Korean bank account or card. 12-month contract — if you cancel early, you repay the discount you have received (할인반환금); check the exact amount in the MyKT app or with KT before cancelling. Current plan details and terms: Kimchi Mobile product page.
Guides From Kimchi Mobile
Step-by-step English guides for the parts of digital life that depend on your Korean number — identity checks, banking, PASS, customs codes for overseas orders, and Netflix on KT.
Postpaid SIM and ARC Verification for Foreigners
How postpaid lines, ARC verification and the PASS app work, and the common reasons verification fails.
Korean Phone Number for Banking: Kakao Pay, Toss & 본인확인
Why banks, Kakao Pay and Toss need a 010 number tied to your ARC — and why KakaoTalk does not.
PASS by KT App: Setup Guide
Install PASS on iPhone or Android with your KT line, with the Korean labels on each screen and common fixes.
Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC)
Register and renew the PCCC you need for overseas online orders — it asks for your ARC and phone number.
KT Netflix Plan in English
Link Netflix to the KT Netflix Choice plan step by step, or move an existing account.
Do You Need a Korean Number for KakaoTalk?
When an overseas number is enough, and what to check if a verification code fails.
Prepaid Data eSIM to KT Postpaid
The ARC bridge, bank account and conversion steps for getting your 010 number.
From the Plane to Your Own Korean Number
Step 1 · Before departure
Buy before you fly
Order on Kimchi Mobile. Enter your Korvia promo code at checkout if you have one. The eSIM QR code arrives by email.
Step 2 · Arrival day
Land on data
Activate the eSIM when you land. Maps, video calls and the messaging apps you already use work straight away.
Step 3 · First weeks
Apply for your ARC
Book your immigration appointment early — your school or recruiter can help. The card is issued 2–6 weeks after you apply.
Step 4 · When your ARC arrives
Switch to KT postpaid
Send scans of both sides of your ARC. Your Korean 010 number is issued — eSIM or USIM.
Step 5 · From then on
Use Korean apps fully
Pass 본인인증, shop on Coupang, set up banking apps and the PASS app with your own number.
Is Your Phone eSIM-Compatible?
The prepaid data eSIM needs a carrier-unlocked phone that supports eSIM. Check before you buy.
| Brand | Compatible Models (Examples) | How to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | iPhone XS / XR (2018) and newer | Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM |
| Samsung | Galaxy S20 / Note 20 and newer, Fold 3+ | Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM |
| Pixel 3 and newer | Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM | |
| Other | Recent Xiaomi, OPPO, Motorola models vary | Search your model + "eSIM support" |
No eSIM support? Once your ARC arrives, apply through the KT Postpaid Plan Application and choose a physical USIM — it is shipped to your address in Korea.
More on the ARC itself: 외국인등록증 발급·갱신 가이드 · Comparing carriers? Cell phone plans in Korea.
eSIM & KT Postpaid FAQ
What happened to the 20th-Anniversary Welcome SIM?
It was a limited offer for Korvia's 20th anniversary and was sold until 1 November 2026. Sales have ended. If you bought one before then, your purchase keeps the terms it was sold with. Everyone arriving from now on can use the Korea Starter SIM described on this page.
Which option should I choose?
If you will use your phone a lot in your first weeks and plan to stay a year or more, buy the Korea Starter SIM before you fly: 40 GB over 60 days, then an optional switch to KT postpaid at 33–37% off for 12 months once your Residence Card (ARC) arrives. If you mostly live on Wi-Fi, a cheaper 5 GB data eSIM is enough to get you through arrival; when your ARC arrives, apply for KT postpaid directly. Both paths lead to the same KT postpaid plans with 33–37% off on a 12-month contract.
I received a promo code from Korvia. How do I use it?
Enter it at checkout on Kimchi Mobile. Promo codes are shared individually by the Korvia team or your Korvia recruiter, so they are not published on this page. Not sure whether one applies to you? Ask your recruiter before you buy.
Does the Korea Starter SIM give me a Korean phone number?
Not on arrival. The prepaid part is data only — no calls or text messages. Your Korean 010 number is issued when you switch to KT postpaid with your physical Residence Card (ARC). Until then, maps, video calls and messaging apps you have already set up work over data. New sign-ups that send an SMS code to a Korean number may not work yet.
Why does my number need to be registered to my ARC?
Many Korean apps and websites — online shopping such as Coupang, payment and banking apps, food delivery — confirm who you are with 휴대폰 본인인증 (mobile identity verification), a code sent to a phone number registered in your name. A data-only eSIM has no number, and a number not registered to you can be hard to verify. Once your KT postpaid line is opened with your ARC, the number is yours and these checks become routine. You can also install PASS, the carriers' mobile-ID app, which shortens many verification steps.
If I start with a 5 GB eSIM, do I still get the 33–37% discount later?
Yes. Kimchi Mobile lists the same KT postpaid plans and the same 33–37% 12-month discount for direct applications, and the application itself is free. The difference between the two paths is the data before your ARC: 40 GB with the Korea Starter SIM, or whatever data eSIM you choose.
How is the 33–37% discount made up?
It combines KT's standard 25% discount for a 12-month contract (선택약정) with an additional special discount, so you get 33–37% off the monthly rate, depending on the plan, for the first 12 months.
What happens after the 12 months?
Your line does not end automatically. It is a postpaid plan, so it simply continues on KT's regular monthly rate. To keep a discount, contact KT customer service and ask for a new 12-month contract discount (25%) — Korean customers do the same every year.
What if I buy the Korea Starter SIM and never switch to postpaid?
Nothing is charged. Switching to KT postpaid is optional and there is no penalty if you do not convert. You keep the 60-day data you paid for.
Can I get a refund on the Korea Starter SIM?
According to Kimchi Mobile's policy: a full refund if no eSIM has been issued yet; after the first 20 GB eSIM is issued, the price minus USD 29.99; once both eSIMs are issued, no refund. Check the product page for the latest terms before you buy.
How long does the ARC take, and will 60 days be enough?
The ARC is issued about 2 to 6 weeks after you apply at immigration, depending on your office. The 60-day data period is fixed and does not wait for your ARC, so book your immigration appointment early. If you run short, you can buy an additional data eSIM.
What happens when my data runs out?
The Korea Starter SIM is delivered as two 20 GB / 30-day data eSIMs, issued one after the other. If you need more, you can buy an additional data eSIM from Kimchi Mobile. Data-only eSIMs are also sold in 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB sizes.
What do I need to switch to KT postpaid?
Your physical Residence Card (ARC) and a Korean bank account or card. KT currently accepts E-1 to E-7 and F-1 to F-6 residence statuses. Send Kimchi Mobile scans of both sides of the ARC; they submit the application to KT. Your Korean 010 number is issued at conversion, and you choose an eSIM or a physical USIM. A USIM is shipped by courier to your address in Korea and arrives in 1–3 business days.
My phone doesn't support eSIM. What can I do?
The prepaid data eSIM needs an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone. If yours does not support eSIM, use Wi-Fi or a physical prepaid SIM from an airport counter until your ARC arrives, then apply through Kimchi Mobile's KT Postpaid Plan Application and choose a physical USIM.
What if I cancel KT postpaid before 12 months?
You can cancel, but you repay the discount you have received (할인반환금). After 12 months there is no penalty, and the line keeps running until you cancel it. Check the exact figure in the MyKT app or by calling KT before you cancel.
Do I pay Korvia or Kimchi Mobile?
You pay Kimchi Mobile directly. Korvia does not charge you anything for the eSIM or for the KT postpaid switch — this page is our recommendation for getting set up, not a Korvia product.
Ready for Your Move to Korea?
Get your eSIM before you fly, and switch to KT postpaid when your ARC is in your hands. Questions about your situation? Your Korvia recruiter can help.