5 Best VPNs for South Korea in 2024 

While not as restrictive as Russia or China, South Korea employs online censorship and data logging to monitor its citizens. ISP services in South Korea are even required to collect and share user data with the government. Moreover, the country has blocked 160,000+ websites to date in an effort to ban gambling, torrenting, and adult content.

Yet another issue encountered by Internet users is that by traveling outside South Korea, its popular local content will likely be inaccessible. Luckily, you can solve all these problems by using a VPN for South Korea. A VPN will help you bypass geo-restrictions and bans to access content both inside and outside the country, all while avoiding government surveillance.

In this article, we’ll cover the 5 best VPNs for South Korea and give you a detailed guide on how to use them to get a South Korean IP address. We’ll also explain all the benefits of using a VPN, answer some FAQs, and much more.

Best South Korea VPNs - Our Shortlist

1. ExpressVPN – Our #1-Rated South Korea VPN
2. NordVPN – Best VPN for South Korea with Obfuscated Servers
3. CyberGhost – Most Affordable VPN That Works in South Korea
4. Surfshark – VPN for South Korea with Unlimited Connections
5. Private Internet Access – Most Customizable South Korean VPN

How to Get a South Korean IP Address

To get a South Korean IP address, you’ll need to subscribe to a VPN with South Korea server locations. Follow these steps to make things easy:

1. Subscribe to a VPN with servers in South Korea (we recommend ExpressVPN).
2. Download and install the VPN app on your device(s).
3. Open and log in to the VPN app.
4. Connect to a VPN server in South Korea.
5. That’s it! Now you can surf the Internet safely with your South Korea IP address.

The Best VPNs for South Korea in 2024

To find the best VPN for South Korea, you should follow the criteria established in our guide on the top VPNs with most servers. This includes finding a fast, safe, and reliable VPN with South Korean server options and a robust global server network. 

The best South Korean VPN must offer obfuscated servers, which conceal your VPN traffic. A kill switch is also crucial, as it prevents data leaks if the VPN connection drops. Additionally, strong encryption (AES-256) ensures that your outgoing data is unreadable, while a no-logs policy guarantees that nothing is stored long-term. 

Look for a VPN that can easily unblock websites outside and inside South Korea, such as Rakuten Viki, Daim, Netflix South Korea, and Naver. It must also support numerous devices and let you run many simultaneous connections. Lastly, the VPN you choose must offer a decent refund policy, along with professional customer support.

Based on this, here are the 5 best VPNs for South Korea in 2024:

1. ExpressVPN – Our #1-Rated South Korea VPN

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for South Korea, with 3,000+ servers in 94 countries worldwide. It has many fast servers in Seoul, South Korea. This VPN easily unblocks local websites in South Korea like Naver, Netflix South Korea, Rakuten Viki, and Daim. It is equally powerful globally, letting you access popular streaming and gambling sites from anywhere.

Overall, ExpressVPN proved to be the fastest VPN. It uses its advanced Lightway protocol that offers stable and reliable performance, no matter your location. Many of its servers employ obfuscation, which will conceal that you are using a VPN.

ExpressVPN has implemented a no-logs policy, meaning that its servers won’t store your sensitive data. For further protection, it offers AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and data leak protection. 

This South Korean VPN app has impressive cross-platform support that includes computers, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and more. You can even set it up on your router to protect gaming consoles and other devices that aren’t natively VPN-friendly. Moreover, it lets you establish up to 5 connections simultaneously.

You can test out ExpressVPN without risk, thanks to their 30-day refund policy. If you encounter problems, you can contact their customer service 24/7 via live chat. 

2. NordVPN – Best VPN for South Korea with Obfuscated Servers 

NordVPN offers 5,700+ servers in 60 countries, including 10 servers in Seoul, South Korea. With such a massive network, you’ll be able to avoid overcrowded servers. Obfuscation is also available, so you can conceal your online activities and easily unblock services inside and outside South Korea, like Rakuten Viki, Daim, Netflix South Korea, and Naver.

NordVPN can run on OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, and NordLynx VPN protocol. NordLynx is the most advanced, offering an instant and stable connection. Although generally quick, this VPN struggles with remote servers and is noticeably slower than ExpressVPN. That said, its performance is reliable.

To protect your safety, NordVPN uses AES-256 encryption and has implemented a kill switch. This is a fail-safe feature that will block Internet access if your VPN connection is disrupted. Moreover, when it comes to privacy, you are in good hands. NordVPN is a no-logs policy service that uses RAM-only servers, which can’t store user data. 

NordVPN has strong cross-platform support, so you will find apps for computers, smartphones, routers, and more. Since NordVPN lets you connect up to 6 devices simultaneously, you can easily protect your whole home network.

Thanks to NordVPN’s 30-day refund guarantee, you can try it without commitment. If you encounter any problems, you can turn to its 24/7 live chat support for a refund.

3. CyberGhost – Most Affordable VPN That Works in South Korea

CyberGhost has over 9,500 servers in 90+ countries, which includes 24 South Korean servers in Seoul. Unfortunately, there are no obfuscated servers. Despite that, it easily unblocks global and local services, such as Naver, Netflix South Korea, Rakuten Viki, and Daim.

While it offers a smooth connection, CyberGhost is one of the slower VPNs on our list, but you shouldn’t have any issues if your base speed is above average. Its performance is reliable and consistent overall, and it supports multiple VPN protocols—primarily WireGuard and OpenVPN. 

CyberGhost’s protection is air-tight, thanks to the military-grade AES-256 encryption, which will make your outgoing data unreadable. This is an audited no-logs VPN, meaning that its servers don’t store your sensitive data. It also comes with a reliable kill switch and WebRTC, DNS, and IPv6 leak protection that’ll keep you safe in real-time. 

This VPN for South Korea lets you connect up to 7 devices simultaneously. It has an app for all major devices running macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux. Although CyberGhost is affordable, you still get a 45-day refund window to thoroughly test it. If it doesn’t work as it should, leave it to their 24/7 live chat support to find a solution.

4. Surfshark – VPN for South Korea with Unlimited Connections

Surfshark is a budget VPN with 3,200+ quick servers in 100 countries. There are also fast and reliable servers in South Korea, strategically placed in Seoul to provide optimal coverage. This VPN also has obfuscation (Camouflage Mode), so you can completely hide your online activity.

Thanks to its server network reach and obfuscation, Surfshark reliably unblocks websites in South Korea and worldwide. So, you can access popular local content on Naver, Rakuten Viki, Netflix South Korea, and Daim, as well as international platforms and services. 

There are multiple VPN protocols available: OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. WireGuard is the most efficient, giving you an instant and stable connection perfect for browsing and streaming. Speaking of speed, Surfshark is just below ExpressVPN in terms of performance. It will reduce your base speed by around 20%.

You can enjoy Surfshark’s reliable performance on as many devices as you want, as it lets you create unlimited simultaneous connections. It is compatible with a wide range of devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets—and it also supports router installation.

In terms of security, Surfshark follows a strict no-logs policy and doesn’t store any sensitive user information. It uses high-level AES-256 encryption to make your data unreadable to third parties. Additionally, it has a kill switch and various leak-protection tools that will shield your identity.

Since Surfshark is a premium South Korean VPN app, it also has responsive 24/7 customer support. In case you are not impressed with the provider, you can get a refund by taking advantage of their 30-day money-back policy.

5. Private Internet Access – Most Customizable South Korean VPN

Private Internet Access (PIA) has thousands of servers in 84 countries around the world that offer fast and stable connections. This includes servers in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. PIA lets you employ obfuscation via Shadowsocks proxy, so your ISP and the government won’t be aware that you are using a VPN.

PIA offers OpenVPN, IPsec, and WireGuard protocols. When it comes to speed, it’s the slowest VPN for South Korea on our list, but its performance is reliable and stable. It can quickly unblock websites both inside and outside South Korea, including Naver, Netflix South Korea, Daim, and Rakuten Viki. 

This provider strictly follows a no-logs policy and employs RAM-mode servers that can’t store any data. PIA is very flexible and lets you choose between two encryption modes: AES-128 (for better speed and performance) and AES-256 (for stronger security). Lastly, there’s DNS leak protection and a kill switch that will cut your Internet if something goes wrong with the VPN.

This VPN has an app for nearly every modern device, like tablets, phones, computers, and smart TVs. You can even install it directly on a router to protect gaming consoles and other devices without VPN support. Best of all, PIA lets you make unlimited simultaneous connections to protect your whole household. 

PIA offers a 30-day refund policy and has 24/7 live chat support that will help you solve all of your technical difficulties. This will come in especially handy because PIA requires a bit of manual configuration to optimize its performance.

Why Do You Need a VPN in South Korea? 

You need a VPN in South Korea to bypass online censorship, access geo-restricted content, and protect your privacy. Here are many more reasons for using a South Korean VPN that you should consider:

• Conceal Browsing Activity – Encrypting outgoing data will make it unreadable to outsiders. This will protect you from hackers, your ISP, and the restrictive South Korean government.
• Hide IP Address – Concealing your IP address will ensure your privacy and safety by masking your true location and any other identifying information.
• Avoid Bandwidth Throttling – Your ISP may start slowing down your speed if it notices that you use a lot of data. A VPN will prevent this from happening because your activity and bandwidth use will be hidden, even while using a South Korea server.
• Overcome Price Discrimination – Some online retailers, hotels, and even airlines will show different prices depending on your location. This is determined by your IP address, so you can use a VPN to change it and get better deals.
• Escape In-Country Censorship – In recent years, South Korea has blocked over 160,000 websites. This includes adult content like Xvideos, gambling sites like Bet365, and torrenting platforms like The Pirate Bay. A VPN will help you access them from inside the country.
• Enjoy Global Content – Services like YouTube TV and Hulu are unavailable in South Korea, while Netflix has region-specific content. You can use a VPN for South Korea to connect to a different country and unlock geo-restricted websites.
• Stay Secure on Public Wi-Fi – Public Wi-Fi is notoriously unsafe as it leaves your device vulnerable to hacking and phishing attempts. A VPN will keep you safe with encryption, data leak protection, and more security features.
• Improve Gaming Experiences – By using a VPN, you can unlock region-exclusive games. You can also use it to reduce your ping and stabilize latency by connecting to VPN servers located near game servers. Moreover, you’ll get protection from DDoS attacks, which can ruin your gaming sessions.
• Shop Safely Online – Scammers can trick you into buying things from a fake website to steal your sensitive information. The best VPNs will prevent phishing attempts.
• Torrent without Risks – The South Korean government has arrested owners of torrent sites and is cracking down on illegal downloading. Using a VPN is essential for safe torrenting.

Can You Use a Free VPN for South Korea? 

Yes, you can use a free VPN for South Korea, but we wouldn't recommend it. Unfortunately, free VPN services have severe limitations such as slower speeds and the fact that they threaten user privacy. Plus, don’t expect obfuscation, advanced leak protection, or a kill switch in a free VPN. Encryption is usually available, but it’s very poor.

Any free VPN will likely have a limited server network. To prevent them from overcrowding, they implement a monthly bandwidth limit, set between 2 to 5 GB. This means that you can’t use it for much more than browsing. 

Most free South Korea VPN providers actively monitor users and sell their data to ad agencies. Furthermore, many free VPN apps in the Google Play and App stores are fake and will infect your device with malware to extract user data.

So, if you want to protect your privacy and data, it’s best to avoid free VPNs and only use a premium VPN. If you’re not sure which one to choose, check out our list of the best VPN providers.

Final Thoughts

South Korean residents deal with moderate online censorship. Plus, the government has a habit of monitoring its citizens and actively collects user data through ISPs. It has also blocked thousands of websites that offer gambling, torrenting, and adult content. Using a VPN lets you avoid these restrictions and enjoy your privacy.

We recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN for South Korea due to its speed, robust network of servers with obfuscation, and air-tight security. With ExpressVPN, you can bypass restrictions and access any local South Korean or global geo-blocked content, no matter your location.

Now you know everything about the best VPNs for South Korea, so you can choose the best option for you. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!