Many Korean expats and tourists dream of watching Korean TV channels abroad. Sadly, channels like Kakao TV, JTBC, and Wavve are unavailable in other countries. For good or for worse, these channels offer the creme de la creme of Asian content.
They’re rich with shows, entertainment programs, and even sports live streams. But what if you venture abroad and want to stay in touch with them? How can you watch Korean TV outside of Korea? The trick couldn’t be simpler.
Everything revolves around being able to “convince” these channels that you’re in Korea. That can be done with a VPN for Korea and servers in this country. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Below, we explain the trick fully, so don’t stop reading now.
How to Watch South Korean TV Outside of South Korea?
South Korean TV channels are restricted to this country. This happens because of licensing agreements that permit the channels to broadcast in specific locations.
Usually, when a channel is from a specific country, its broadcasting rights limit it to that country.
Take German TV channels like ZDF and Das Erste. They originate from Germany and can only be accessed there. Now, some Korean TV channels will work abroad but we’re usually discussing less popular channels with arguably not the best content.
The others… well, they won’t work unless you’re in Korea or have a Korean IP address. The latter can be arranged if you use a VPN. This service allows you to switch your IP address to another country, and with servers in South Korea, get the required IP address.
In return, you can watch Korean TV channels live, as if you were in this country. The trick, however, is that very few VPN providers offer servers there. A premium option like NordVPN does the job perfectly, thanks to fast and streaming-optimized servers on Korean soil.
Our trick will rely on NordVPN but after that, we’ll mention a few more that will work. Below are all the steps you should follow to watch Korean TV outside of Korea.
1. Get NordVPN (or another VPN recommended in this article)
This is a premium VPN, which requires a subscription. Don’t worry, as the VPN has a 73% price reduction for the 2-year plan, which also comes with 3 free months. Another perk is a 30-day refund policy, allowing for a full refund in the first 30 days.
If you’re on vacation abroad, you can be refunded once you get back to Korea and don’t need a VPN to access Korean TV anymore. Either way, get NordVPN using the button above, select the deal you want, and provide your email.
Now, follow the steps to create an account and then download NordVPN to your device. You can use any device but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll use our Windows PC.
Once you install the VPN like any other app and open it, it will look like this:
2. Connect to a Korean Server
You’re one step from watching Korean TV live abroad. In NordVPN, open the server list by pressing “More Connection Options.” Scroll down, locate South Korea, and click it once.
NordVPN should connect in 3 seconds. As you see above, the app should display the “Connected” message in green, which indicates the connection is successful. If you’re on Android or iOS, the procedure is the same but this time, tap once on Korea.
If prompted to allow the VPN connection, do so, and you’ll get a Korean IP.
3. Watch Korean TV Live Abroad
Of course, since we now have everything sorted out. It’s time to go to Kakao TV or any other channel from this country. Watching Korean TV outside of Korea will now work and you can do so limitlessly thanks to unlimited traffic from NordVPN.
An optional step would be to get a refund from NordVPN if you don’t need it anymore. However, given its numerous benefits such as watching Netflix, staying safe online, gaming without latency, and many more, we don’t recommend that.
Best VPNs to Watch Korean TV Live Abroad
Korean TV channels can and will detect VPNs if they don’t work properly. That said, not every VPN allows you to unblock Korean TV abroad. For this to come to fruition, using top-grade premium VPNs is recommended. Don’t think they’re too expensive.
Our team cherry-picked three phenomenal VPNs for you, that will unblock every Korean TV channel you can imagine. The list is below:
1. NordVPN
Pros
- The fastest VPN for watching Korean TV abroad
- Double VPN servers on all devices
- Smart DNS feature for streaming
- Threat Protection blocks trackers and ads
- Meshnet allows for remote device access
- Includes a kill switch
Cons
- Linux client has no graphic interface
- It could benefit cheaper monthly plan prices
To watch South Korean TV outside of Korea, you should go for NordVPN. The VPN has 111+ countries and offers 10+ servers in Seoul – a beautiful city, mind you. Streaming is NordVPN’s strength, as it easily unblocks 20+ Netflix catalogs and anything else you throw at it.
In our tests, NordVPN proved to be extremely fast thanks to NordLynx – a WireGuard-based protocol. Moreover, NordVPN includes Threat Protection, which blocks trackers, ads, viruses, and malware. Its apps are equipped with Double VPN servers.
For privacy-aware people, they’ll double the encryption and provide two protection layers. More impressively, NordVPN has full P2P support, along with Onion Over VPN allowance for braver users who venture the darknet frequently.
The VPN has 10 simultaneous connections, plus you’ll find its unlimited traffic perfect for streaming Korean TV anywhere. NordVPN’s apps are state-of-the-art, with impressive features even on iOS and Android.
NordVPN includes 256-bit encryption and a no-logs policy with a couple of security audits. Its Panamanian jurisdiction is privacy-friendly and with RAM servers, you can be sure no data is stored. In terms of pricing, expect NordVPN to be fair and square.
The 2-year deal is affordable but users can pay a bit more to get NordPass or NordLocker. The most expensive plan includes 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage, for example, and all plans are covered by a 30-day refund policy. Try NordVPN risk-free below.
2. ExpressVPN
Pros
- Many servers in South Korea
- 8 simultaneous connections
- Excellent speeds with Lightway
- Apps for tvOS and Fire TV
- No-logging policy
- AES-256-bit encryption
Cons
- It’s more expensive for some people
- Lack of advanced features in comparison to NordVPN and CyberGhost
ExpressVPN is a tried-and-tested option for this cause. With 3,000+ servers and hundreds in South Korea, the VPN is capable of great things. First, it’ll unblock Kakao TV, WATCHA, and other Korean channels overseas. However, it’ll also work with Netflix Korea!
This is perfect for watching Asian shows and movies that you couldn’t otherwise. We also appreciate ExpressVPN for its speed. With the Lightway protocol, it’s amazing for streaming in 4K and enjoying streaming services like BBC iPlayer and Hotstar.
Another benefit is the kill switch. It’ll protect you from unwanted IP and DNS leaks if the VPN connection drops. ExpressVPN keeps no logs on its servers, so privacy-aware users will remain anonymous and safe from ISP monitoring.
This VPN offers an impressive 8 simultaneous connections. While less than NordVPN, it’s a notch above CyberGhost. Also, many praise its Advanced Protection, which blocks ads, trackers, and ads. ExpressVPN works on all devices, even tvOS, which Apple TV users will oblige.
Ease of use is perfect thanks to one-click connections. Additionally, ExpressVPN includes RAM-only servers for added privacy, with the option to use Smart DNS (MediaStreamer) on all devices. The only downside is the price, which is a tad higher for some users.
As said, a 49% discount is here, making the annual plan attractive with 3 free months. ExpressVPN even includes obfuscation at this price, so getting over censorship will be quick and painless if you ever visit China or India. What more could you possibly want?!
3. CyberGhost
Pros
- 20+ servers in Seoul
- Optimized for streaming and torrenting
- Affordable 2-year plan
- Apps for desktop/mobile platforms
- NoSpy servers
Cons
- No obfuscation
- Slightly convoluted Windows client
CyberGhost makes watching Korean TV outside of Korea smooth. It has at least 20 servers in Seoul for watching Wavve, Kakao TV, and other channels abroad. Not only that but the VPN’s Korean servers are P2P-friendly for those who dabble in torrenting.
This Romanian VPN has everything you need for a cheap price. At just over $2 a month, the VPN comes with split tunneling, an ad blocker, and top-grade DNS leak protection. Yes, it uses Private DNS servers and something called NoSpy servers for even more privacy.
CyberGhost is audited by Deloitte for being so safe and secure. Besides, CyberGhost beats Surfshark in many cases, which is another cheap service. Regardless, we like that it offers 100+ countries, all populated by 10 Gbps servers.
This is even better considering the inclusion of dedicated IPs that won’t cost a fortune. In addition, users can get an antivirus and a security updater for Windows that will update all their apps and remove vulnerabilities. Believe it or not, all of this is just $1/ mo on top.
Unlike NordVPN, CyberGhost doesn’t have obfuscation. It’s a bad choice for China and Iran. Also, its 7 simultaneous connections are less impressive but not by much given it’s just three devices fewer. On the other hand, the VPN is hasty and uses WireGuard.
This is why it performs so well and unblocks South Korean TV channels abroad effortlessly. Did we mention a 45-day refund policy? Now we have! Its special 2-year deal is decorated with a 45-day money-back guarantee and a 24-hour FREE trial. Now, this is a phenomenal deal!
Which Free VPNs Can Unblock Korean TV Overseas?
With free VPNs, you’re never in the clear. Free services tend to overlook important VPN features, one of which is a server network. Due to restricted budgets, most include only the most “important” servers that usually aren’t in South Korea.
In other words, free VPNs have no Korean VPN servers that you could use. As a result, they won’t allow you to watch Korean TV abroad. An exception is TunnelBear with servers in nearly 50 countries. Sadly, this one gives you 2 GB of monthly traffic.
With this “much”, watching Korean TV overseas will be nearly impossible. The 2 GB of traffic will evaporate in 30-60 minutes tops, after which, you’ll be without a VPN for the rest of the month. But this isn’t the only issue. TunnelBear is slow. All free VPNs are!
Some of them even store logs and sell private information to advertisers. This violates the purpose of a VPN because why use one if your data is STILL sold?! We’re against using free VPNs to unblock Korean TV outside of Korea because they won’t work.
However, we encourage you to try TunnelBear or any similar provider. You’ll quickly find out why they’re so underwhelming compared to the three premium services. Honestly, paid VPNs aren’t that expensive to justify going for their free rivals.
Summary
In today’s guide, you’ve learned how you can watch South Korean TV live abroad. At least we hope so. The trick is fairly straightforward and requires a VPN unless you’re looking to visit Seoul or any other city. Alter your IP to South Korea and you’re ready to roll.
This will unblock KBS World, Kakao TV, SBS, MBC, and other channels no matter your location. As said, NordVPN is the most reliable pick but other alternatives like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are more than great.
Choose your VPN, follow the three simple steps from above, and watch Korean TV anywhere.
FAQ
Let us complement our guide about watching Korean TV abroad with a few more bits of information:
Is accessing Korean TV overseas legal?
Yes, it’s legal. VPNs are legal for the most part and if you’re using them to unblock TV channels and streaming services, you’re free of trouble. Korean TV channels are restricted to their mother country because of licensing agreements.
In theory, watching them abroad is against the rules. However, when examining these channels’ terms & conditions, our team found no anti-VPN policies and clauses. In reality, millions of people unblock foreign TV channels with VPNs. So far, no one got in jail or had to pay an eye-watering fine.
If I’m in Korea, do I need a VPN?
People in Korea don’t need a VPN for Korean TV. They already have a Korean IP for obvious reasons, so all of these channels will work. But for other purposes, a VPN is always needed. Korea isn’t the most privacy-friendly country, plus, it’s known for light censorship.
These issues plague many Asian countries like India and China. That said, if you’re in Korea, we suggest using a VPN to maintain your online privacy, get over censorship, and of course, unblock restricted content such as streaming platforms, online bookies, and so forth.
What’s the fastest VPN for watching Korean TV?
According to our test, that title goes to NordVPN. ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are fairly fast but NordVPN edges them out. We have a complete rundown of the fastest VPNs on the market, so we strongly suggest checking it out.
