Traveling to Korea can be a smooth experience, especially when it comes to staying connected. If your phone doesn’t support e-SIM or dual SIM cards, buying a SIM card upon arrival might seem cumbersome. In such cases, renting a WiFi Egg, which can be conveniently picked up at Incheon or Gimpo airports, is an excellent and budget-friendly alternative. Here are some real-life experiences that highlight the benefits of using a WiFi Egg in Korea.
User Experience 1: “I think you definitely can, when my family comes to Korea they rarely use SIM, wifi egg is just a more budget-friendly option since you can share one wifi egg with multiple devices. Usually machines that take waiting numbers doesn’t accept anything but Korean number anyway and I don’t really imagine there’s a lot of instances where you will encounter those waiting machines.”
User Experience 2: “Yes, if you don’t need to make calls or texts. If you do, you can use something like WhatsApp to stay in touch with family. A lot of prepaid eSIMs that you don’t get at the airport don’t come with a phone number/texting capabilities (data only) which is essentially like using a WiFi Egg. I have an iPhone so I used iMessage and FaceTime to keep in touch, which work over WiFi/Data only. My boyfriend has an Android so we used Discord to stay in touch. No issues whatsoever.
Benefits of Reserving a WiFi Egg
Even though you can purchase a WiFi Egg at the airport without a reservation, it is highly recommended to make a reservation in advance due to significant price differences (e.g., ₩8,800/day vs ₩4,400/day with reservation). Here are some additional benefits of reserving a WiFi Egg in advance:
- It is highly recommended to make a reservation in advance for a WiFi Egg rental. This ensures availability and often provides better rates than last-minute airport rentals.
- Most services require advance booking rather than on-the-spot purchase at the airport.
- You can typically reserve a WiFi Egg online before your trip, up to 180 days in advance in some cases.
- The cut-off time for reservations is often 1-2 days before your pick-up date.
- While it may be possible to rent without a reservation at some locations, the rental fee without reservation is typically much higher (e.g. ₩8,800/day vs ₩4,400/day with reservation).
- Advance reservations allow you to choose your pick-up location and ensure the device will be ready when you arrive.
- Some services mention that they prioritize customers with reservations (“Always Reservation Customer FIRST!”)
Recommended Provider
We recommend using the WiFi Egg provided by SK Telecom, the largest telecom company in Korea. You can make a purchase at the following link:
https://krsim.net/product/Korea-4G-LTE-WiFi-Egg-Router/35
How to Pick Up Your WiFi Egg in Korea
Here’s how you can rent a WiFi Egg at Korean airports:
- Pre-booking: It’s highly recommended to reserve your WiFi Egg online before your trip. This ensures availability and often provides better rates than last-minute airport rentals.
- Pick-up locations: Major pickup points include:
- Incheon International Airport (Terminal 1 and 2)
- Gimpo International Airport
- Gimhae (Busan) International Airport
- Jeju International Airport
- At Incheon Airport Terminal 1, you can collect pre-booked devices at:
- Counter #1 opposite exit 13 (open 24 hours)
- Counter #2 opposite exit 2 (open 6:00am-10:00pm)
- Required documents: When picking up, you’ll need to show:
- Your passport
- A valid credit card (Visa/Mastercard) for the security deposit
- Rental process:
- Go to the designated counter at your arrival airport
- Present your booking confirmation, passport, and credit card
- The staff will provide you with the WiFi Egg and explain its usage
- Return: You can typically return the device at any of the pickup locations before departing Korea.
Remember, while on-the-spot rentals may be possible, they’re subject to availability and might be more expensive. It’s always better to book in advance for a smoother experience and potentially better rates.
Pickup Locations
At Incheon Airport Terminal 1, you can pick up pre-booked devices at:
- Counter #1 opposite exit 13 (open 24 hours)
- Counter #2 opposite exit 2 (open 6:00am-10:00pm)
At Gimpo International Airport, you can typically pick up pre-booked WiFi devices at:
- SKT Roaming booth at Gate 1
- Business Hours: 06:30 AM – 11:00 PM