10 Best Korean VPNs + 2 Free Korean VPNs
When it comes to VPNs, there’s almost limitless choice in 2022. With hundreds of companies competing with each other, it’s hard to tell exactly which services are best. The issue of finding a quality VPN is only made more complicated when you’re seeking a specific location.
While nearly every VPN offers U.S and European locations, it’s a bit harder to find a Korean VPN. However, with the reasons to use a Korean VPN server constantly increasing, this is quite a surprise.
Not only does a VPN allow access to a range of Kdrama websites that are primarily or only available in South Korea, but it also allows access to a range of otherwise inaccessible game servers. At times, you will even need a capable Korean VPN to access your Korean bank accounts while traveling abroad.
As a gamer, I often have to use a VPN when I travel outside of Korea to retain access to Korean game servers. Whether it be Black Desert or Lost Ark, neither can be accessed while you are physically outside of the country. The exception, of course, is if you have a VPN.
On the other hand, there are also day-to-day activities that can require a Korean VPN server. I’ve previously been blocked from accessing my Korean bank accounts, emails, or other services while traveling. This is not only incredibly frustrating, but it can totally disrupt life!
Finally, there’s also the chance that you aren’t looking to VPN into Korea, but rather to keep your connection in Korea, but with privacy. There is a lot of unsecured WiFi in Korea, and ISPs are able to snoop on what you’re doing online. If you want more privacy, but don’t want to lose too much in the way of speed, using a Korean VPN is the best choice.
Therefore, as someone who has used and relied upon a range of VPNs in the past, I wanted to put together a post detailing my own experiences using Korea VPNs. If you’re looking for such a service yourself, I hope that this post can come in useful.
As always, I would love to hear about your experiences. If you’ve used a service to VPN to Korea in the past, what did you rely on? On the contrary, if something didn’t work well I’d also love to know – perhaps it deserves a spot on this list.
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Why Do I Need a Korean VPN?
If you’re reading this post, you likely already know the answer to this question. If this is you, feel free to skip this section and move to the Korean VPN list below! If you’re still on the fence or wondering why you would want a VPN in the first place, read on!
To watch Kdramas online. While there are some accessible Kdrama websites outside of South Korea, many websites are region-locked. These Kdrama websites will either be region locked to Korea itself, or to a country such as the U.S. When I used to live in New Zealand, I had to constantly run a VPN to access U.S-based Kdrama websites and there weren’t any alternatives. If you’re looking to watch Kdramas online, make sure to have a Korean VPN for the best experience!
To play on Korean game servers. When it comes to games, Korea is one of the few countries alongside China that regularly has its own game servers – servers that aren’t accessible to those outside of the country. Popular MMOs such as Black Desert and Lost Ark can’t be accessed on their Korean versions without a Korean VPN.
To access Korean websites and social networks. Many Korean websites and social networks require you to be physically located in Korea to access. Luckily, VPNs provide a great way around this restriction! For example, when I visited New Zealand I was no longer able to access my Korean bank account as access outside of Korea was restricted. In order to manage my funds, I had to rely on a Korean VPN.
To protect your privacy. While all of the reasons so far have assumed that you live outside of Korea, what if you live in Korea? Well, a VPN is still well worth investing in. Why? Because the Korean government is known to eavesdrop on the web pages you visit. Even if you’re not up to no good, privacy should be a basic human right.
While the government isn’t likely to be snooping on you (unless you really are up to no good!), there are many other malevolent parties that can view your internet activity. VPNs make it far harder for anyone to see what you are up to.
Best Korean Privacy VPN
These are the VPNs that specialize in privacy. If you are already living in Korea and looking to have more digital security, these are the Korean VPNs to check out. Each of these VPNs offers a unique addition to privacy, whether that is by undergoing independent auditing, no-log policies, or otherwise.
Cloudflare WARP (1.1.1.1)
Price: Free (all you need). $4.99 for WARP+
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
Cloudflare offers two services – 1.1.1.1 and WARP. Both of these are fantastic options for anyone looking to ensure their privacy in Korea. This service is actually to California, and it’s not the right service for anyone looking to VPN into Korea. Rather, it’s for people who are looking to protect their privacy while in Korea.
Cloudflare offers two services 1.1.1.1, which encrypts your DNS lookup history, and WARP, which is a VPN. 1.1.1.1 is free, and it provides a level of privacy but will not prevent ISPs from seeing what hosts you are talking to. However, what’s amazing about 1.1.1.1 is that it will actually increase your browsing speed because it’s currently the fastest DNS in the world.
If you’re looking for total privacy, Cloudflare’s second service, WARP is a fantastic Korean VPN choice. What WARP does is NOT protect your IP address (and therefore allow you to access region-locked content), but rather protect your traffic from your ISP and eavesdroppers.
Both 1.1.1.1 and WARP are free for unlimited data. However, WARP+ offers faster speeds for a price of $4.99 per month. Unless you are looking for the best speeds, standard WARP and 1.1.1.1 will be sufficient for most users in need of a Korean VPN.
Learn more about Cloudflare WARP
Hide.me
Price: Free (10gb), $9.95 (monthly), $6.66 (monthly on annual plan), $3.84 (monthly on two-year plan).
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
Hide.me is one of the most trusted and longstanding Korean VPNs on this list. Advertised as the fastest VPN provider, their claims have held true from my experience. While the speed would drop at times, Hide.me consistently performed better than all of the more well-known VPNs on this list.
What makes Hide.me stand out from much of the competition is its transparency. They’ve been audited by independent security analysts and don’t store logs due to being based in Malaysia. Malaysia does not require logs to be stored, and therefore Hide.me does not need to store logs either.
If you’re looking for a privacy-focused Korean VPN, then Hide.me is probably the best choice on this list. Even when signing up for the free plan, no information is requested or stored. This means that whether you want a short-term VPN for quick access to a banking app or website or are looking to stream, Hide.me is an option worth looking into.
Surfshark
Price: $12.95 (monthly), $3.99 (monthly on annual plan), $2.30 (monthly on two-year plan).
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
A relative newcomer in the VPN space, Surfshark has made waves due to its strict privacy features. While it’s also a good performer, Surfshark makes this list due to its no-log policy. This means that your browsing logs are never stored and therefore can’t be provided to any organization or government.
This lack of stored data makes Surfshark a great Korean VPN. Of course, they offer Korean servers that unlock a range of Kdramas and Korean game servers. Where some VPNs can no longer bypass region locks due to using widely-known IPs or for other reasons, Surfshark bypasses region locks fantastically. I’ve never had any issues with it.
One of this Korean VPNs’ more unique offerings is the built-in adblocker. This blocker can block ads across apps and programs by preventing access from the domains. This makes it far more effective than browser-based ad blockers. For the cheap price, this makes Surfshark a great offer.
On top of this, I found Surfshark to be one of the better-performing VPNs on this list. While it wasn’t the best for latency (and, therefore, gaming), it was great for viewing Kdramas or other Korean content. If you’re just looking to access Korean bank websites (or other restricted sites), Surfshark is also worth considering.
Best Kdrama/Korean Game VPN
These VPNs offer either good speeds, low latencies, or unlimited data caps. In some cases, they offer all of the above! If you want a VPN for Kdramas, you will want to look at the programs with the best speed and unlimited data. For gamers, the lowest latency is the best choice.
Windscribe
Price: $1 per month (Korea only, 30GB per month). $4 – $9 per month (all locations, unlimited data).
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
You won’t find Windscribe on many lists detailing the best VPNs. Why? Because they discontinued their affiliate program and bloggers and review websites can’t make a profit promoting them. Of course, I too rely on affiliate income to run this website. However, there’s no denying that Windscribe is a good Korea VPN Choice.
Windscribe comes with 20GB of data per month for free. However, this data can only be used for specific locations – Korea is not included. With that being said, Windscribe offers a unique service that the other VPN servers in Korea on this list do not. That is a $1 plan that offers 30GB of data per month.
For that reason, I’ve found Windscribe to be a great VPN choice for anyone that is only looking to use a VPN for low data tasks. If you need a VPN for online services (banking, emails, etc) this is a fantastic choice. If you want to stream dramas, you will either need to upgrade to the Pro plan or look for a different VPN.
A final note: Windscribe is a relatively small VPN platform, so it’s less well-known. This means that, at times, Windscribe will work where other VPNs with well-known IPs have been blocked.
NordVPN
Price: $11.99 (monthly), $4.99 (monthly on annual plan), $3.49 (monthly on 2-year plan). Regular sales for lower prices.
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
Quite the opposite to Windscribe, you likely already know about NordVPN. This Korean VPN makes this list because although it is marketed all over the internet, it has some of the most affordable prices on this list. However, there is a catch.
That catch is that for the best prices, you will need a long-term plan. NordVPN offers a 3-year plan that requires a higher upfront cost, but that will result in a far lower monthly fee. While this won’t be for everyone, if you believe you will need a Korean VPN long-term, Nord could be the right choice for you.
While they advertise themselves as being a fast VPN service, and they are decently fast, they are not the fastest. I found other services to be faster – Cyberghost for one seemed to perform slightly better from my experience.
Vyprvpn
Price: $15 (monthly), $8.33 (monthly on annual plan)
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Browsers, Routers
Vyprvpn is one of the best Korean VPN options if you are looking for peak performance and privacy. While the cost for this VPN is one of the highest on this list – even on an annual plan – the performance is among the best on this list.
I was able to play games on Korean servers with decent ping with Vyprvpn. While this VPN is likely overkill for watching dramas and streaming content (there are cheaper alternatives), it’s fantastic for anyone wanting to game. Where latency matters, I can recommend this VPN based on my previous experiences.
The dynamic server switching offered by this service is also a convenient feature. It ensures that when a server is overloaded or otherwise busy, users will be diverted to new servers. This means that theoretically, users should receive consistent performance regardless of traffic.
Cyberghost
Price: $12.99 (monthly), $4.29 (monthly on annual plan), $3.25 (monthly on two-year plan)
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
Another big Korean VPN, Cyberghost is on this list because of the vast number of servers that it offers. While this VPN has over 3700 servers, that isn’t relevant for this article. What is, however, is the 24 that are located in Seoul alone.
Although these servers are neither P2P nor physically located in Korea, they offer consistent performance as users can move between servers when they become busy. With that being said, the lack of physical servers and P2P connections means that Cyberghost will never be the fastest Korean VPN.
The pricing of Cyberghost is also competitive, with similar plans to NordVPN but at a slightly lower cost. While their speeds for Korea are a bit slower, this shouldn’t provide an issue for streaming content – it may make web searches a bit more time-consuming, though.
Adguard VPN
Price: $11.99 (monthly), $3.99 (monthly on annual plan), $2.99 (monthly on a two-year plan)
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Browsers
Although I haven’t personally used Adguard VPN before, I’ve heard good things about it from friends also living in Korea. I decided to add it because the pricing of this Korean VPN is very affordable – while the monthly cost is far from the lowest on this list, the two-year plan makes prices very competitive.
With a dedicated server in Seoul, Adguard VPN promises good speeds that will allow you to bypass region-locked content and websites. On the other hand, if you’re looking to protect your privacy, there are also many locations outside of Korea that you can connect to.
One of the best features of Adguard is that you can selectively choose websites that are accessed with the VPN. For example, you can set up your favorite Kdrama website to always connect with the VPN. For other websites, however, your browser will default to your actual location.
This feature is super convenient as it saves you the hassle of needing to turn your Korean VPN on or off every time you visit a different website. I wish more companies would implement such a feature!
ExpressVPN
Price: $12.95 (monthly), $9.99 (monthly on six-month plan), $8.32 (monthly on annual plan)
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
Well, we all knew it was going to be included in this list somewhere. Express VPN is one of the most famous VPNs globally. Known for its affordable prices, high speed and privacy features, a list like this wouldn’t be complete without Express VPN.
While I don’t find ExpressVPN to have the best speed out there (despite what many review websites state), I did find it to be the fastest ‘big’ VPN. Amongst NordVPN, Cyberghost, and TunnelBear I found that ExpressVPN was the fastest – this made it ideal for playing games on Korean servers.
With that being said, it wasn’t as fast as some of the smaller VPNs in my experience. However, with a range of servers in South Korea that support all six of Express VPN’s protocols, this is a flexible Korean VPN choice.
ExpressVPN offers competitive monthly pricing but the prices never drop as low as the competition when it comes to longer plans. If you’re looking for an affordable VPN, you might want to look elsewhere. However, for a consistently well-performing Korean VPN, make sure to consider ExpressVPN.
PureVPN
Price: $10.95 (monthly), $2.99 (monthly on annual plan), $1.99 (monthly on two-year plan).
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Browsers, Routers
PureVPN is another privacy-focused Korean VPN that emphasizes security and peace of mind for its users. With its recent update, PureVPN also supports far higher speeds, making it one of the best VPNs for viewing Kdramas.
If you’re looking at using many devices with a Korean VPN, then PureVPN is your best bet. Where most companies offer 4-6 devices per plan, PureVPN offers up to 10. This allows you to easily secure all of your devices without needing to log out and log in between devices.
As is needed to make this list, PureVPN offers multiple servers based in Korea. There is automatic server-switching for when certain servers get overloaded with traffic. This ensures that users always get good speeds and don’t need to take any manual action to do so.
I found that streaming Kdramas on PureVPN was effortless. The platform also worked fantastically in reverse – using Netflix on a U.S-based VPN while living in South Korea.
With the lowest prices on this list (for an unlimited data plan) and good speeds to match, PureVPN is a compelling offer. If you’re particularly concerned about privacy in Korea, PureVPN also allows for anonymous payment methods.
TunnelBear
Price: Free (500mb), $9.99 (monthly), $4.99 (monthly on annual plan), $3.33 (monthly on two-year plan)
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Browsers
Ah, TunnelBear. A few years ago, you couldn’t watch any YouTube Video without coming across Tunnelbear advertisements. While their ads have now slowed down, TunnelBear remains as one of the leading VPN services.
I used TunnelBear a few years back and I found their UI and programs very intuitive and easy to use. However, I found their speeds to be on the lower end of Korean VPNs. With that being said, the user-friendliness and price will make TunnelBear a VPN option worth considering for individuals less concerned about top speed.
With servers in South Korea, TunnelBear is a good choice for anyone looking for ease of use over performance. While TunnelBear is far from a slow VPN, it isn’t the fastest from my experience. However, with ‘Tunnels’ in South Korea, Tunnelbear is worth looking into for non-power-users.
Best Free Korean VPN
If you’re looking for a free VPN your choices will be limited. It’s expensive to run such a network, and no company wants to be at a loss. The two VPNs listed here are free due to the unique way they are structured or the fact that they make money elsewhere.
Urban VPN
Price: Free
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Browsers
The first question that most users have when encountering Urban VPN is ‘how is this Korean VPN free?’. Well, there’s actually a good reason. Rather than using dedicated servers like many Korean VPNs on this list, Urban VPN uses P2P (peer-to-peer) networking.
This means that the Urban VPN community all share their connections to help other users. While this might sound questionable – you don’t want to be sharing your browsing activity and other information with anonymous users, all data is encrypted and secure.
This allows Urban VPN to remain free because the company does not need to maintain or purchase servers. Rather, every user contributes to the network and allows it to remain free for everyone.
So, what’s the catch? Well, there’s no obvious catch. This Korean VPN is fast, free and appears to be secure. However, there are questions about the security of the P2P connection and the data that is being stored. This is currently a murky area for this VPN, and if privacy is your top concern it might be worth looking elsewhere.
With that being said, if you just want to watch Kdramas or play Korean games, Urban VPN is a Korean VPN worth considering. It’s fast (as fast or faster than many of the fastest paid VPNs), and free. However, it’s unclear how private it is.
Cloudflare WARP
Price: Free (all you need). $4.99 for WARP+
Platforms: IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1/WARP makes this list again! Alongside being a good performer, Cloudflare WARP is also one of the best free Korean VPNs. However, keep in mind that WARP can NOT be used to unblock region-locked Korean content as you can not choose the server location.
Rather, Cloudflare WARP is a great, free privacy alternative for anyone looking to browse the internet securely while in South Korea. WARP will prevent ISPs from seeing what you are doing, but will still show your true IP at the endpoint. This is why it can’t be used to unblock content.
Learn more about Cloudflare WARP
Korean VPN FAQ
How Can I Connect to a Korean VPN?
First, you need to decide on the best VPN. If you’re looking for an affordable option, I recommend Windscribe as a Korean VPN. If you’re looking for an unlimited option, consider VyprVPN.
How Can I Get a South Korea VPN?
First, choose the Korean VPN that you want to use. Some good choices are VyprVPN, Windscribe, NordVPN, and Cyberghost.
What’s the Best VPN in South Korea?
For gaming, I recommend VyprVPN for a Korean VPN. For watching Kdrama, a cheaper VPN with unlimited data such as NordVPN is a good choice. For privacy, Cloudflare WARP or VyprVPN is a good choice.
What’s the Best VPN for Watching Kdrama?
For watching Kdramas, NordVPN, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and Windscribe are the best Korean VPN choices.
What’s the Best VPN For Playing Korean Games?
When it comes to games, a low latency Korean VPN such as VyprVPN is the best choice.
What’s the Best Korean VPN for Privacy?
Personally, I use Cloudflare WARP for privacy when I am in Korea. However, most VPNs are a good choice for privacy.