Best VPNs for South Korea (2024)

Want a VPN to gain privacy and bypass online restrictions in South Korea? Would you liketo watch Naver TV, KakaoTV, or AfreecaTV abroad? This guide outlines the best VPNs for South Korea.

In recent years, the South Korean government has ramped up its efforts to snoop on internet users. The government uses laws like PIPA, the Network Act, the Telecommunications Business Act, and the National Intelligence Service Act to spy on users and enforce online censorship. This makes a Virtual Private Network (VPN) an essential privacy tool for all internet users in South Korea.

In this guide, we explain how anybody in South Korea can use a VPN to prevent surveillance and internet blocks. Our recommendations will let you access censored news and social media sites. They will also bypass geo-restrictions to access Japanese TV services in South Korea – or to watch Korean platforms like Naver, Wavve, AfreecaTV, and Tving from abroad.

A VPN can also be used to stream international services like the US Netflix catalog or the UK's BBC iPlayer in Korea. Plus, you can use a VPN to bypass restrictions on WiFi networks – such as at work, in school, or on public WiFi. We tested dozens of leading VPN providers to find the best VPNs for Korea. Below, you can see our recommendations.

Best VPN services for South Korea in 2024:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN for Korea.Strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Has fast speeds and reliable servers to stream Korean TV abroad. Includes obfuscation, a kill switch, and Tor over VPN. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark:A fast and secure VPN that represents superb value for money. Lets you connect an unlimited number of devices. Unique features include a GUI app for Linux, rotating IP addresses, and malware filtering.
3. ExpressVPN:Servers in 105+ countries, including South Korea and Japan. Has a custom app for routers. Works in China. Strong encryption to help you bypass government censorship and surveillance.
4. CyberGhost VPN:A fast and secure VPN that is perfect for beginners. Korean servers work to unblock streaming services like Naver TV and Kokowa. Has a generous 45-day money-back guarantee and is outstanding value for money.
5. Proton VPN:Great for torrenting thanks to its port forwarding feature. Offers a limited free plan with no bandwidth limits, perfect to bypass Korean censorship if you are strapped for cash.
6. IPVanish:A no logs VPN with servers in Korea, AES encryption, obfuscation, and a kill switch. Runs on a proprietary network of fast, secure servers. Fast for gaming and streaming in Korea.
7. Atlas VPN:A newer VPN with ad blocking, malware filtering, a kill switch, and split tunneling. Fast Wireguard protocol for HD streaming and gaming.

Summary Table

No value	TEST WINNER	No value	No value	No value	No value	No value	No value
No value	NordVPNwww.nordvpn.com	Surfsharkwww.surfshark.com	ExpressVPNwww.expressvpn.com	CyberGhostwww.cyberghost.com	Proton VPNwww.protonvpn.com	IPVanishwww.ipvanish.com	Atlas VPNwww.atlasvpn.com
Ranking	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Avg Speed (Mbps)	100+ Mbps	100+ Mbps	100+ Mbps	100+ Mbps	100+ Mbps	100+ Mbps	100+ Mbps
Popular sites Unblocked	95%	88%	86%	85%	87%	70%	93%
Simultaneous Connections	6	Unlimited	5	7	10	Unlimited	Unlimited
Logging Policy	No identifying data	No logs stored	No identifying data	No identifying data	No logs stored	No logs stored	No logs stored
Best deal (per month)	$3.09 SAVE 63% + FREE months	$2.29 85% off 2yr starter plan	$6.67 Save 49%	$2.03 SAVE 84%	$4.99 SAVE 50%	$2.50 SAVE 77%	$1.83 SAVE 83%

Finding the best seven VPNs for Korea isn’t easy. There are hundreds of consumer-facing VPNs on the market, which means we had to consider many different factors and providers.

Our criteria for inclusion in this guide were non-negotiable:

• Minimal impact on connection speed
• 256-bit encryption
• A kill switch and DNS and IPleak protection
• An excellent choice of locations, including Korean VPN servers
• Access to popular streaming services
• Helpful and reliable customer support
• Apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS

To make it into the top three VPNs for Korea, our recommended VPNs must also have diskless servers that run on RAM. This ensures that the VPN can instantly pull the plug on a server to wipe it. This is perfect in an emergency.

Our top three recommendations must also have completed third-party audits of their apps, policies, and infrastructure. This means you can trust the VPN to provide you with watertight online security. Scroll down for a full explanation of our VPN testing methodology.

Best VPNs for South Korea in 2024

Here's our list of the best VPNs for South Korea:

NordVPN is an exceptional VPN that offers a wide selection of features at a low price point. The VPN comes with applications for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. Plus, you can install and use it on six devices consecutively. This makes it a great VPN for people who own many devices, or for a family who wants to share their VPN.

NordVPN has robust AES encryption, a no-logs policy, and plenty of advanced privacy and security features. This includes a kill switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscated servers for added privacy, and bypassing firewalls in countries like China, Tor over VPN servers, and Double VPN. These security features allow you to bypass online censorship in Korea without being tracked.

The VPN has servers that are completely diskless for added security, and it has paid for full third-party audits of servers, apps, and policies. We should note that it suffered a breach at a single server in Finland in 2018. However, the issue (which was caused by the third-party server vendor) was quickly patched and ultimately led the VPN to exclude third parties from its network.

RAM-based servers are located in 61+ countries and the VPN has servers in various places across the Asia Pacific region, including South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. You can use it to unblock Korean TV platforms like Rakuten Viki, Dramafever, Kocowa, TVN, and OnDemand Korea from abroad.

In addition, NordVPN’s international servers work to access Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, and many more from Korea. It even throws in a free Smart DNS service that works to access US streaming services on devices that won't allow you to install a VPN directly. And it has router compatibility and setup guides. An incredible all-rounder with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN has also recently made itsMeshnet private tunnel free for everyone, so you can create private, encrypted tunnels between devices that you trust to pass network traffic.

Surfsharkwas launched in 2018 in the British Virgin Islands. The provider carefully crafted its service by taking all the most impressive attributes of the world’s leading VPN providers. As a result, this VPN has over 3,200 servers in 100+ countries, reliable 24/7 live chat support, and apps for all popular platforms–including a GUI app for Linux.

A Surfshark subscription starts at just 3258 KRW per month, but you can use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. This makes it perfect for people who own many devices, or if you want to share your account with friends and family.

The VPN comes with secure OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, which make it both super fast and great for gaining online privacy whether at home, at work, or using public WiFi. The apps come with a kill switch, obfuscation, split tunneling, built-in ad blocking, tracker blocking, and malware filtering. This is incredible considering the price point.

With servers in South Korea, you will be able to watch your home services from abroad. Plus, you can also access popular Japanese, US, and European services from Korea. Surfshark even works with Netflix US and Japan regions, making it a fantastic all-rounder.

It is also compatible with routers and you can test it using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Finally, this VPN has diskless servers that run on RAM and has carried out full third-party audits of its apps, policies, and infrastructure. Your privacy is safe when using Surfshark to access government-censored content.

BEST VALUE VPN FOR KOREA:Surfshark boasts an affordable price point and functionality that rivals its more expensive competitors. Works in China. Has many features and apps for all devices. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our fullreview ofSurfshark.

ExpressVPN is a veteran provider that has been around since 2009. In that time the VPN has maintained an impeccable record of providing privacy for its global user base. The VPN is perfect for users in Korea thanks to local servers there, AES-256 encryption, and apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Firestick.

Servers are located in 105+ countries, including over 26 servers in the Asia Pacific region. However, some of those servers are virtual locations provided by a server physically located in a different country. You can check the status of each location on its website to gain transparency over where your data is actually being processed. As with our top two recommendations, ExpressVPN’s server network runs only on RAM for added security.

The large international network makes the VPN perfect for accessing Japanese TV platforms like Hulu from Korea – and Korean platforms like MBC, KBS, SBS On Demand, and Tving from abroad. It also works to access international services like HBO Max, YouTube TV, ESPN, NBC Peaco*ck, BBC iPlayer, and ITV X.

A no-logging policy ensures that this VPN never retains any records of what its users do while connected. It does keep some aggregated logs to keep the service running smoothly, but these do not affect user privacy. Plus, this VPN has a kill switch, obfuscation, DNS leak protection, and an auto-connect feature to help keep you safe on public WiFi and to protect you against Evil Twin attacks.

To give you help at any time of the day, ExpressVPN has 24/7 live chat support. The agents are friendly and knowledgeable, which is great. Overall, an impressive VPN, however, it is a little bit pricey compared to the VPNs we have recommended above it. That said, it is extremely fast thanks to its proprietary Lightway protocol, which makes it great for streaming and torrenting.

CyberGhost VPN is a Romania-based VPN provider that was launched in 2004. It is super fast thanks to its massive network of over 10,000 servers in 100+ countries. This includes servers in Korea to let you access home services from abroad and servers in Japan to access Hulu, TV Next, or Hulu Japan.

CyberGhost VPN has fewer advanced features than our top providers. However, it has everything you need to gain privacy online, whether at home or on public WiFi. This includes the OpenVPN protocol with robust AES-256 encryption to let you bypass internet blocks, and browse the web without ISP and government tracking.

Apps are available for Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac, which means it will work on just about any device. It also supports up to seven simultaneous connections, which is usually enough for most power users. The WireGuard protocol is available to play games, download torrents, and stream in HD. Plus, this VPN works to access Netflix US and other streaming services from Korea.

CyberGhost VPN has 24/7 live chat, so you can always ask questions or get help accessing a specific service at any time of day. In addition to having a no-logging policy, it features a kill switch, ad blocking, and DNS leak protection. However, you will not find app-based split tunneling or port forwarding, so those who torrent a lot may prefer an alternative.

It is also worth noting that this VPN does not have any obfuscation features, so if you are an expat living in China, you may also prefer a different provider. However, CyberGhost VPN remains one of the best cheap VPNs for regular home users in South Korea.

EASY TO USE:CyberGhost VPNis quick to learn and has all the features that average home users need in Korea. Has a range of servers in South Korea to watch Naver TV, Wavve, AfreecaTV, and Tving from abroad. Provides privacy at home and on public WiFi. Works with Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and other international services. Generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our fullreview ofCyberGhostVPN.

Proton VPN was launched in 2017 by the developers of the well-known private emailing service Proton Mail. It is the only major provider that has a free plan with no bandwidth cap, which means you can use it frequently. This makes it perfect to bypass internet blocks – or to prevent ISP and government snooping – when you can’t afford a premium VPN subscription.

Just bear in mind that the free version only has servers in the US, the Netherlands, and Japan. You will not be able to get an IP address in South Korea for free. However, the server in Japan will still bring a smile to many Korean users' faces!

A paid Proton VPN plan starts at just 7003 KWS and will increase the availability of servers to over 71 countries. This includes servers in South Korea to watch Naver TV, Rakuten, MBC, KBS, SBS, and others from abroad – or on restrictive networks such as at work or in school.

Proton VPN excels in regards to optimization, with features like port forwarding, split tunneling, and a "VPN Accelerator" that claims to increase speeds. It also includes the WireGuard protocol, which makes it fast enough for HD streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

To keep your data secure, Proton VPN includes robust security features such as AES-256 encryption, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, a kill switch, MultiHop servers (called Secure Core), and NetShield, which blocks malware and tracking. The VPN keeps no logs, and all servers have full-disk encryption. It's ideal if you're in need of a secure connection to access online services.

For support, you can submit a ticket, email, or search the knowledge base, and live chat is available to subscribers from 9 am until 5 pm CET. An excellent option if you seed torrents and want plenty of advanced settings.

HAS A FREE PLAN:Proton VPN has a free tier perfect for anybody in Korea that can't afford a subscription. Has everything you need to browse the web securely. Just bear in mind that paid plans offer faster speeds for streaming and torrenting. Has servers in Korea. Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.

Read our fullreview ofProton VPN.

IPVanish is a VPN provider based in the US. Admittedly, this isn’t the best place for a privacy service to be based, due to the presence of the NSA, government warrants, and gag orders that can be leveraged to force a company to start logging in secret.

The good news, however, is that IPVanish has a solid no-logging policy that promises never to track the users' source IP address, the servers they connect to, or any of the data that passes through their servers. It also has AES encryption, a kill switch, and split tunneling. This makes the VPN secure to gain privacy in Korea.

Apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Firestick/FireTV, and Chrome OS. This makes it ideal for users who need a VPN for all their devices. What’s more, this VPN allows unlimited connections, which means you can use it on all your devices and even share your account with friends and family.

IPVanish has a network of proprietary servers that belong to its parent company J2 Global. Those servers are located in 50+ countries, including servers in South Korea, Japan, and seven other countries in the Asia Pacific region. This makes it a solid option for streaming Korean TV platforms from abroad.

The only caveat is that IPVanish is primarily positioned as a privacy service rather than a VPN for streaming Korean content. You should test it with your own streaming services before committing long-term. That said, it works with Netflix US and it has a 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can test it yourself.

It is worth noting that the VPN suffered some controversy in 2018 when it emerged that it helped the Department of Homeland Security to engage in a targeted attack on a user suspected of child abuse. This investigation did not affect the privacy of other users.

BEST MULTI-DEVICE VPN:Allows you to use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. IPVanish is fast thanks to its WireGuard protocol. Works for streaming US services, but it is less good for international platforms. Has servers in South Korea and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

Atlas VPN has a basic free plan that users can use to connect to servers in the US and the Netherlands. This makes it useful for anybody in Korea who needs to bypass government blocks or gain freedom of access but cannot afford to pay for a VPN. Just bear in mind that the free version has a monthly 10 GB data cap and does not include apps for Linux or Fire TV.

By subscribing to the premium version, which starts at just 2,390 KRW, you will get access to a network of 750+ servers in 45+ countries with no bandwidth limits. This includes servers in Japan to watch your favorite Japanese TV shows from Korea. It also works with Netflix US, and other popular streaming services. However, it does not provide IPs in Korea.

While the service does not include OpenVPN, it does offer WireGuard and IKEv2, along with a no-logs policy, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, auto-connect, ad tracker blocking, and a split tunneling feature. Just bear in mind that the kill switch leaks your IP address momentarily during reconnection.

You can also use its "SafeSwap Servers" to change your IP address periodically, or "MultiHop+ servers" to pass your data through two servers, to gain additional protection. Atlas VPN does not support router installation and free users are limited to email support only. However, paid subscribers can use the 24/7 live chat.

BEST NEW VPN:Atlas VPN is a newer provider that is already on par with many leading services. Strong encryption and unblocking capabilities. Great for streaming. Has servers in 44+ countries, but does not have a server in South Korea. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our fullreview ofAtlas VPN.

Methodology: How we chose the best VPNs

Claiming that a VPN is the best is easy. Plenty of inferior VPNs claim to be the fastest, the most secure, etc. This is what makes choosing a VPN so tricky for consumers. To help out consumers, we have put together a comprehensive VPN testing methodology. This allows us to test and compare VPNs to find the best possible services.

Our strict criteria mean that only providers dedicated to digital privacy, with excellent usability and optimal performance make it onto our list. Below, you can see exactly what criteria we used to pick the best VPNs for Korea:

• Privacy: At Bleeping Computer we take your privacy seriously. We are committed to recommending providers that never log personally identifiable data or VPN activity. Our recommendations have watertight encryption and demonstrate a dedication to advancing consumer security.
• Fast speeds: We will not recommend a VPN if it causes any significant negative impact on speed. Anybody with a good base internet speed will still be able to do data-intensive tasks like streaming, gaming, and torrenting while connected to the VPN.
• Top-notch customer support: To ensure that using the VPN is easy for everyone, we only recommend VPNs with good customer support. Most people are not tech experts, which is why we recommend VPNs that are always available to help you; preferably via live chat.
• Excellent reliability and usability: Although some sites may detect a VPN, regularly forcing users to disconnect can cause frustration and privacy issues. This is why we recommend VPNs that have auto-launch, auto-connect, stealth features to avoid detection, and split tunneling capabilities.
• A commitment to freedom of access: A VPN should not only have plenty of servers that work to access popular services and bypass censorship, but also be committed to providing netizens with online freedom. We commend services that include free plans, apps for uncommon devices, setup guides, reliable support, and fair pricing.
• Third-party audits: Having trust in a VPN is essential if you are to confidently trust it over your own ISP. While many VPNs have no-logging policies, we prefer to recommend those that have proven these claims using professional third-party audits carried out by reputable security firms. For our top three positions, we only consider providers who have undergone infrastructure, policy, and app audits.
• Diskless infrastructure: To make it into our top three recommended VPNs for Korea, we check that the VPN has servers that run in RAM. This kind of server is wiped clean as soon as you turn it off. The VPN can instantly delete all the data on a server by switching it off – perfect if a VPN is raided by the authorities or compromised in some other way.

South Korea VPN: FAQs

Can I use a free VPN in Korea?

Yes. In this list, we have recommended two VPN providers that have a free plan. You can use those VPNs to gain online privacy and security without paying. Just bear in mind that the free VPNs we have recommended have limited server locations. The free plan will not work to get an IP address in South Korea.

In addition, the free VPN plans we have recommended do not work for accessing popular streaming services and are not as fast as their premium counterparts. This makes them useful for accessing news and blocked social media – but not reliable for streaming and torrenting, for example.

Finally, we will note that although there are other free VPNs available on the market, these are a risk to your online safety and the health of your devices. Most free VPNs make a revenue stream by tracking their users and selling user data to third parties such as data brokers and marketing companies.

Free VPNs have worrying privacy policies, insecure encryption (and sometimes no encryption at all), and even apps that contain spyware. This makes using many free VPNs dangerous, which is why it is essential to stick to our recommendations if you want to stay safe and private online

Can I be tracked while using a VPN?

A VPN is a privacy tool that encrypts your data and conceals your IP address from the websites you visit. This stops ISPs, local networks, and government agencies from being able to track what you do online. It also helps to protect you against other users when torrenting by concealing your IP address from other peers. A VPN can also help to protect you against Man-in-the-Middle attacks and Evil Twin attacks in public locations.

Just remember that a VPN will provide online privacy but not anonymity. There are ways that you may still be identified despite using a VPN: If you provide personally identifiable information, sign in to a website using your real identity, access a website that has left cookies in your browser, and if you purchase something using a credit card – you could still be tracked.

To ensure complete anonymity while browsing the web, you must consider what and where you post, how websites might use the collected data, and how to limit this collection in the first place. A VPN will help massively by preventing the WiFi network you use and your ISP from tracking you, but to remain completely safe while browsing the web in Korea, it is important to also use privacy-enabling extensions (such as uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger) and private browsing/incognito mode.

How does the South Korean government impose surveillance and censorship?

TheNational Intelligence Service Act has been criticizedfor allowing authorities to engage in online surveillance. A consumer privacy law called the Personal Information Protection Act allows the government to harvest large amounts of personal data, such as phone numbers, IP addresses, and other personal information. The government can also leverage the Telecommunications Business Act to intercept and monitor communications that take place over the internet.

To make online freedoms even worse, the network act of 2018 gave the government more power to restrict access to websites and services deemed to be against the “public interest”. This allows the government to restrict access to social media sites, news outlets, streaming services, and online gaming websites. As a result of this prevalent online censorship and surveillance, it is vital for citizens to protect their privacy online by using a VPN.

In this guide, we have recommended VPNs that provide watertight online privacy. Therefore, Korean internet users can privately regain access to censored websites and news removed by the Internet Communications Ethics Committee (ICEC)

Can I use a VPN to access South Korean streaming services abroad?

Yes. When you connect to a VPN server in South Korea, you get a valid IP address in the country. This means you can log in to Korean streaming services from Japan, China, or elsewhere around the globe.

Below, we have included a list of Korean streaming platforms that you can use with a VPN:

1. Naver TV
2. V Live
3. MBC
4. Melon
5. Daum TV Pot
6. Oksusu
7. Kakao TV
8. KBS World
9. tvN
10. Watcha
11. SBS Plus
12. AfreecaTV
13. Tving
14. Watchon
15. Tvchosun
16. Genie Music
17. Mnet
18. Bugs!

Remember that the privacy provided by a VPN also means that you can also use a VPN to access streaming services on public WiFi networks, during air flights, at work, in school, or on any other network where they have been blocked to stop you from watching.

What is the most popular streaming service in South Korea?

The most popular streaming service in South Korea is Naver TV. It is owned by Naver Corporation and is the most popular streaming service in the country, with over 48 million monthly users.

Naver TV is a free-to-use streaming service that offers users a wide variety of content including movies, music, sports, dramas, and variety shows. As long as you connect to a server in South Korea, you can stream Naver in Japan, China, the US, or anywhere else in the world.

Can I access Japanese TV platforms in South Korea?

As you probably know, Japanese TV shows and dramas are becoming pretty popular in South Korea. Korean viewers are increasingly interested in Japanese media, including TV shows, variety shows, and anime. Japanese dramas, in particular, have gained a strong following in South Korea in recent years. This is partly due to immigration from South Korea to Japan, which inevitably led to cultural sharing between these two Asian countries.

Many Japanese dramas have had Korean adaptations, which shows just how influential Japanese shows are in South Korean media. In addition, some Japanese variety shows and anime series have also gained a large fanbase in Korea. This popularity is leading to a growing interest in VPN services able to provide access to Japanese streaming services in Korea.

The good news is that our top recommended VPNs for South Korea all have servers in Japan. We have tested these servers and found that they work with numerous popular Japanese streaming services and TV networks. Of course, each VPN varies and will probably work with different services, so we do recommend that you test each VPN to check it meets your requirements.

Thankfully, all of our recommendations have a money-back guarantee, meaning you can test any VPN to see whether it works with the Japanese TV platforms youwant to watch. Below, we have included a list of popular Japanese streaming services that you can watch in Korea with a VPN:

1. Netflix Japan
2. Amazon Prime Video Japan
3. Hulu Japan
4. AbemaTV
5. dTV
6. U-Next
7. Fuji TV On Demand (FOD)
8. TBS Online
9. TV Asahi On Demand
10. NTV On Demand
11. WOWOW On Demand
12. J:COM On Demand
13. GYAO!
14. Rakuten TV
15. DMM.com
16. Nico Nico Douga
17. TV Tokyo Douga
18. Animax
19. BS11