5 Best VPNs for South Korea – Unblock Any Content with a Korean VPN

A list of countries that have made an indelible mark on the world of technology would probably remain incomplete without the mention of South Korea. Indeed, the South Korean government is not only open to cutting-edge technologies but also invests a significant percentage of its budget in research that leads to technological innovations.

Today, this Asian country ranks in the league of countries driving 21st century innovations. Despite the country’s legacy of advancing emerging technologies, the government surprisingly regulates access to the Internet.

Through the Korean Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), Korean authorities can closely monitor the online activities of Internet users. Well, the KCSC doesn’t just monitor what people do online; it ensures that people are held accountable for certain comments they make online. In some cases, people risk jail time for online publications that the South Korean government considers “inappropriate.

Understanding the Situation and Playing Safe

From the above, the situation in South Korea is disastrous, as ordinary South Koreans feel that their government is trying to gag them. To be clear, strict numerical laws often apply when an Internet user post comments that are considered political. Apart from political comments, Korean officials block sites year after year because of their content.

By blocking these sites, people living within its geographic borders cannot see the content of the sites. In addition, if a Korean site blocks sites about gambling, porn, and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people will be blocked before anyone can even view it!

Technically, this means that Korean cyberspace is being closely monitored as local authorities continue to crack down on sites whose content they consider to violate social norms. But there is a way out of this quagmire: all you need is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) software.

With Korean VPN software running on your PC or the application on your mobile device, you can bypass these restricted sites and make the most of the Internet. That said, we will show you the best VPN for South Korea, so you can bypass these geo-restricted sites.

5 Best VPN for South Korea – Comparison Table

Top 5 Best VPN for South Korea

5. PureVPN – Great Service for South Korea

Website: purevpn.com

Money-back guarantee: 31-day

One of the quality VPN services that is sure to meet your browsing, security and streaming needs in South Korea is PureVPN. In fact, PureVPN stands out by offering the best privacy service in its class thanks to certain security features. Today, its many users in Seoul and elsewhere in Korea enjoy this service like no other. Some of the features that enhance the security of PureVPN subscribers include military-grade encryption, an automatic Internet kill switch, protection against DNS leaks, and strong non-logs policy. These features work together to provide you with adequate privacy and security, so you don’t have to worry about a hacker or ISP searching your online activities. 

With these features, you can also enjoy the Internet at incredible speed in Seoul, Suwon, Daegu and many other cities – thanks to split tunneling and unlimited bandwidth. But that’s not all. You can enjoy the torrent knowing full well that the service has the speed, capacity and security to keep you using the P2P network. Without a doubt, all these features are built in to work seamlessly for Koreans. Guess what, there are other fascinating features.

Supported Client Software:  

Features:

• There are kill switch and Double VPN
• Availability of Onion over VPN
• 300,000 IP addresses available in 2,000 servers scattered across 180 locations
• Allows up to 5 devices to connect at the same time
• Has split-tunneling and unlimited bandwidth

Pros:

• PureVPN has 18 servers in Seoul alone, thereby helping users to bypass geo-restricted sites in the country
• It also has dedicated features for unblocking World Cup streaming sites 
• PureVPN can unblock and stream US Netflix, Hulu, Fire Stick and BBC iPlayer
• Given its price, PureVPN is very affordable
• It boasts high-level security and anonymity in South Korea

Cons:

• Sometimes, users find it frustrating to connect

You’ve seen the benefits of PureVPN for the Koreans. To shed some light on these benefits, it is worth mentioning that it has 18 high-speed servers in Seoul. With the network of servers in the Korean capital, you can bypass all the geo-blocked sites in the country. Beyond the Asian country, PureVPN has countless servers in strategic locations around the world. This means you can subscribe to PureVPN from Seoul to bypass US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Fire Stick and Hulu. 

Needless to say, it has a good customer service team working every day. So no matter what time of day or night you send them a message, you’ll be sure to get a response almost immediately. All of these benefits explain why Koreans and tourists alike rely on PureVPN for efficient VPN service in the country and beyond. They also explain why PureVPN is included in this list of the best VPNs for South Korea.

Read our detailed review of PureVPN.

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4. VyprVPN – Big Variety of Connections for South Korea

Website: vyprvpn.com

Money-back guarantee: 30-day

VyprVPN, one of the high-end VPNs that has changed the way ordinary Koreans and tourists access the Internet in the country, is on that list. The VPN service features unique Chameleon VPN technology, over 700 high-speed servers in 70 locations (including South Korea), and 200,000 IP addresses. These are some of the amazing features that make VyprVPN seamlessly bypass any restricted server in South Korea.

Most importantly, it has distinguished itself because VyprVPN is well known around the world for always maintaining its servers. Today, it has become one of the fastest and most reliable VPN services in Korea and around the world. Just like anywhere else, you can easily use Korea’s user-friendly VyprVPN application and software. It has even more interesting features as detailed below.

Supported Client Software: 

Features:

• The features can be customized to suit a user
• NAT Firewall is enabled
• It has over 700 servers across 70 locations around the world, it has 200,000 IP addresses
• This service supports the simultaneous connection of 5 devices

Pros:

• VyprVPN is compatible with Windows, Android, MacOS and iOS
• Chameleon protocol helps to unlock geo-blocked sites in South Korea
• There is a 24/7 helpdesk team that answers queries
• And this South Korea VPN delivers high-level security and anonymity
• There is a no-log policy
• One-month refund option

Cons:

• The helpdesk team needs to improve on its service
• The monthly renewal price is not reasonable enough

With multiple IP addresses at your disposal, you can easily connect to any server of your choice based in Korea and start unlocking geo-blocked sites. On the other hand, from the comfort of your home in Korea, you can use VyprVPN to bypass all popular pay streaming sites such as US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Stick and others. Interestingly, this VPN gives you the security you need when accessing such sites without fear of your IP address being blocked.

Don’t forget that it has more than 200,000 IP addresses in its pool to allocate to its global user community, including those in Korea. Do you use Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, router or macOS in Seoul? If so, your operating system doesn’t really matter, because VyprVPN is compatible with all these platforms and more. Also, a big compliment to its customer service team that works 24/7 to solve technical problems for users in South Korea. Indeed, they add value to VyprVPN’s excellent service. Without question, VyprVPN deserves a place on the list of the best VPNs in South Korea.

Read our detailed review of VyprVPN.

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3. ExpressVPN – Multi-Functional Option for South Korea

Website: expressvpn.com

Money-back guarantee: 30-day

If you are looking for a VPN service that gives you military-grade security in South Korea, your search ends here. ExpressVPN features 256-bit encryption technology and an Internet shutdown switch, allowing you to browse the web and stream HD video. With 3,000 servers in 160 locations, you can bypass geo-restricted sites in seconds. This is simply because the servers are fully programmed for lightning speed. With this VPN for Korea, you won’t have to worry about your Internet speed slowing down when you are connected to a VPN. 

Keep in mind that you can’t watch US Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Stick in Korea without going through their firewalls. So the extensive server network helps you bypass the most popular streaming sites and start watching your favorite streaming sites. Most importantly, the VPN service keeps no record of your browsing history, reassuring the user that their privacy will not be compromised. Get more out of life when you use ExpressVPN for Korea because it is specially programmed to protect your security and browsing needs.

Supported Client Software:  

Features:

• Covers up to 3,000 servers across 160 locations, including South Korea
• 30,000 IP addresses
• There is an Internet kill switch
• It doesn’t log sensitive data
• It also runs on Windows, iOS, MacOS, Android, etc.

Pros:

• This VPN is good for unlocking geo-restricted streaming sites in South Korea
• There are many impressive features, such as split tunneling, and DNS/IPV6 leak protection
• Its connection is super fast and reliable
• Its high-level 256-bit encryption is good for online data protection
• ExpressVPN has good support for torrenting and P2P activity
• It is user-friendly

Cons:

• Its monthly fee is relatively high

It is clear from the foregoing that ExpressVPN has established a strong position in Korea and elsewhere in the world. You may imagine that you could be computer literate to be able to use this VPN in Korea. The fact is that nothing could be further from the truth. To start using ExpressVPN in Korea, all you need to do is follow a 3-step installation process. Yes, it is easy to install and use.

However, if you are struggling with how to connect to the servers in South Korea, to start bypassing some of the local geo-restricted sites in the country, simply contact the 24/7 customer service representatives. You can certainly count on them to provide you with technical support at any time, any day. What’s more, the application is compatible with Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. So you can share your VPN services with 5 of your friends in Korea or anywhere else in the world. All these points strongly indicate that ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN for Korea.

Read our detailed review of ExpressVPN.

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2. NordVPN – Secured South Korea VPN

Website: nordvpn.com

Money-back guarantee: 30-day

NordVPN offers South Koreans a simple way to unlock geo-restricted sites. In addition to bypassing geo-blocked sites, they can be sure that their safety is guaranteed when they surf the Internet. Overall, NordVPN is focused on improving usability and advanced security. On top of that, this VPN product remains the premium VPN service with the largest number of servers ever achieved. Note that NordVPN has 5,100 servers in 60 locations worldwide. Of the total number of servers, 10 servers are hosted in South Korea.

Supported Client Software: 

Features:

• There is a smart DNS service
• Additionally, it comes with double encryption
• It has dedicated IP addresses
• There are important functionalities, such as kill switch, stealth mode, etc.
• Allows the simultaneous connection of 6 different devices

Pros:

• 5,100 servers around 60 locations around the world
• It supports lots of devices, such as online game consoles, routers, etc.
• It adheres to its no-log policy, thus giving users high-level anonymity
• User privacy and security are guaranteed
• It has some exceptional unblocking capabilities, making it one of the best in South Korea
• NordVPN’s connection speed is reliable and fast

Cons:

• Its monthly renewal fee is a little high

When it comes to security and privacy, NordVPN is definitely ahead of the pack. Well, that’s because it has dual VPN technology, a fully implemented non-logs policy and protection against DNS leaks. Not to mention that there’s an automatic kill switch, which ensures that your data remains safe in the event of a connection failure. On the bright side, you don’t have to worry about cybercriminals when using public Wi-Fi in Seoul, Busan or Incheon.

Without a doubt, NordVPN is a huge relief for you. Since this VPN for Korea allows up to 6 people to connect to it at the same time, you can actually share it with your loved ones – no matter what operating system they are using. Of course, NordVPN works on all popular operating systems. If you are in Korea and need a VPN service that offers a mix of good speed and high-level security, you certainly have it with NordVPN. Yes, that’s why we’ve added it to this list for you.

Read our detailed review of NordVPN.

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1. CyberGhost – User-Friendly VPN for South Korea

Website: cyberghostvpn.com

Money-back guarantee: 45-day

Since South Korea is a top priority for Romanian-based online security companies, 12 of its 5,700 servers are deployed in South Korea. Just like the other Korean VPN services we have reviewed so far, CyberGhost also has its own strengths. It is focused on delivering industry-leading unlocking capabilities, top-notch security, and ease of use. We can only recommend this VPN to a user if they are aware of the factors we have mentioned.

Supported Client Software: 

Features:

• It allows 7 devices to connect at the same time
• There is a Wi-Fi Protection
• It has a DNS leak protection
• There’s a standard 256-bit encryption
• An Internet kill switch is readily available

Pros:

• This VPN is exciting for torrenting, due to its fast and reliable connection
• CyberGhost runs on Mac, Windows and Android, iOS and Linux
• It is good for unlocking geo-blocked streaming sites, like Netflix, Fire Stick, and BBC iPlayer
• It has lots of exciting features
• Via live chats, the 24/7 customer service tackles users’ challenges

Cons:

• Sometimes, the connection is inconsistent

So far you have seen the features, advantages and disadvantages of CyberGhost VPN. Make no mistake, this high-end VPN is exceptionally good for Korean users who want to put their online security first. Moreover, you can always contact its customer service and be sure to get an answer to your messages as soon as possible. Note that governments and ISPs around the world are always on the lookout for people who participate in peer-to-peer file sharing over the BitTorrent network. 

However, CyberGhost offers all its Korean users the technical support and security needed to share such files, regardless of their size. In fact, using CyberGhost in Korea transcends unlocking streaming sites just to watch your favorite movies and TV shows. Yes, it also gives you the much-needed security when accessing the Internet from a public Wi-Fi network anywhere in the country. Without mince words, CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs in South Korea. 

Read our detailed review of CyberGhost.

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How to Unblock Sites in South Korea?

Do you want to unlock a site in South Korea with a VPN? If yes, follow the instructions below:

• Make a choice from the list of VPNs above
• Download it to your device
• Look for a VPN server that is based in the same country where the site is located.
• Turn on your Internet kill switch (to disconnect the VPN if the connection fails – this way no one can follow what you are doing)
• Then connect to the website

After carefully following the above steps, you have successfully subscribed to a VPN service in South Korea. Note that you will need to check a list of servers in the country where a site is based in order to access the geo-blocked site. For example, as a British citizen on vacation in Seoul, you will need to subscribe to one of the VPNs mentioned above, follow the step-by-step instructions to install and connect to it.

Then you will need to search and connect to its server in London or elsewhere in the UK to obtain a UK IP address. Once your device has been assigned an IP address, you can then unlock and watch your favorite programs in the BBC iPlayer. This way, you won’t have to be bored, even if you are miles away from home.

Can I Use a Free VPN for South Korea Sites?

If the question is whether or not you can use a free VPN to unlock geo-blocked South Korean sites, the answer is a big YES! However, there are implications. The premium VPNs we’ve reviewed above have taken steps to improve their services by deploying innovative technologies and investing in relevant research.  Today, they offer services that rarely fail. In an effort to be highly competitive, they have technologies that protect you and your data in the event of a connection failure.

But you can’t say the same for free VPN services, because they don’t have adequate resources to maintain their IT infrastructure. As a result, some of them resort to questionable arrangements, such as selling subscriber data to third-party companies, simply to keep themselves afloat. Remember that one of the fundamental reasons people use VPN services is to keep their identity hidden. Unfortunately, for some of the free VPN service providers, this does not matter.

In addition to selling your data, their services are always horrible. For example, they don’t have a large network of servers like high-end VPNs. Therefore, you won’t be able to bypass some of the most sought after paid services like US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and many others. If your VPN cannot bypass these sites, then the goal of connecting to the Internet through a VPN is in vain. However, it has been reported that these free VPNs unlocked these geo-restricted services, but stopped working a few days later.

Of course you can use a free VPN for South Korean sites, but the VPN will be blocked just before you know it. Yes, this has happened several times. So, the best thing is to choose a paid VPN, in order to enjoy your streaming experience with military-grade security. Here’s an important point to remember: the cheapest Korean VPN on the technology market offers better services than the best of the free versions. 

What Content is Blocked in South Korea and Why?

The South Korean government closely monitors Internet use. As a result, there are strict laws that dictate how you use the Internet in the country. For example, the law prohibits Internet users from making anonymous comments on uncensored sites.

In addition, just before accessing such sites to leave a comment, you must access them using an official citizen reference number. Overall, the authorities have imposed restrictions on some sites because they are considered offensive to the sensibilities of the people and the government. These sites are as follows:

• Gambling sites
• Political sites       
• Pornography        
• Pro-North Korea sites

Do not think that the authorities are not serious with these laws, because there are severe penalties for those who dare to flout them. In fact, in South Korea, there is a law that provides severe penalties for people who have disclosed certain information with the intention of murdering people. Passed in 2008, this law was used as a legal basis for the repression of anti-government online discussions.

Final Words About Best VPN for South Korea

At the beginning of this guide, we explained how the South Korean government uses relevant legislation to monitor what people do online. It should be noted that it is not only the KCSC that tracks people online but also the Korean Communications Committee (KCC). In addition to regulating the use of the Internet, the KCSC, which is actually a sub-committee of the KCC, also regulates the media.

Together, they ensure that the activities of Koreans on the Internet are monitored. In the same vein, Internet service providers block content considered offensive or threatening to national security. For example, the distribution of pornographic content is punishable by two years’ imprisonment. In some cases, those who have violated this law must pay a fine of up to 20 million Korean Won (approximately US$18,000).

However, the VPN gives ordinary Koreans a glimmer of hope, as they can now do whatever they want without fear of being monitored by the government, the ISP or any cybercriminal. Well, VPN gives them a sense of freedom from the shackles of draconian law. Now that you’ve seen the best VPN for South Korea, simply choose one of these VPNs we’ve reviewed and enjoy the Internet as much as you like.