One our our travel essentials is reliable and affordable mobile internet access. It’s arguably the most important thing to have, allowing us easy access to communication, navigation and entertainment.
It used to mean having to hunt down local data SIM cards in the airport, immediately after landing and clearing customs. Which was my routine when I used to travel regularly for work. So much so that I knew exactly where to go and which plan to buy, across all the airports that I frequented.
Of course, there was always the choice of activating data roaming packages offered by local telcos. But they were always exorbitantly priced, and scary news about accidental thousand dollar charges would occasionally surface.
I had always wondered why they didn’t price it more reasonably and try to capture the revenue lost to foreign telcos. I’m sure they still received a cut, but why not eat the whole cake?
Personally, I would have welcomed the convenience of having data access overseas just by switching on my phone, even if it was slightly more expensive.
My wish was finally fulfilled during our recent trip to Seoul, when we had the chance to try out the data roaming package offered by my current telco, StarHub Giga.
They had two different packages: gigaRoam APAC covering 14 Asian countries, and gigaRoam ROTW covering 34 global destinations. The Wife and I both signed up for the APAC version and paid S$5.00 each, a reasonable price for 1GB of data valid for 5 days.
Given that our daily mobile data usage in Singapore rarely exceeds 200MB, the quota offered seemed more than sufficient. Especially since any data-intensive usage could be deferred until we had free internet access in our hotel.
To cover the entire duration of our 10 day trip, we just had to remember to sign up for another 5 days upon reaching the halfway mark.
Initial activation was done automatically after we switched on our phones in Seoul. After it successfully found and connected to a local telco (SK Telecom), we received SMS confirmation that our data roaming packages were active.
This was confirmed by the Giga app, which clearly showed how much data I had left, as well as the specific expiry date and time. We checked our usage at the end of every day, and averaged around 150MB daily.
In the morning of Day 5, we received a timely SMS reminding us of the imminent expiry of our data package in six hours time. I still had about 300MB left and was curious if it would be rolled over when I activated a new package.
I found the terms and conditions on the Giga website, and clause 3.13.6 indicated that it would indeed be rolled over. After paying for the extension and checking the Giga app, I saw that the leftover 300MB did actually carry across.
However, the same clause 3.13.6 also stated that the “…[entire bundle of data] will have an extension of validity [to 5 days] from the new purchase date.” Which I think is an important point to note, and implies that you should only buy an extension close to expiry.
Otherwise, the new 5 day countdown would start prematurely. For example, if you bought an extension package on Day 3, it would expire on Day 8 and not Day 10, which you might have assumed.
I felt that a more customer-friendly move would have been to start counting only after the end of the initial 5 days. Making it a full 10 day duration, regardless of when the extension was bought. But it is what it is.
Interestingly enough, I recently checked the online terms and conditions and seems like the entire clause 3.13.6 has been deleted. Making both the data rollover feature and expiry extension deadline ambiguous. I’m not sure why they did that, but it’s something to be aware of.
Regardless of this technicality, we were happy with the gigaRoam APAC service and we had no issues with mobile data access throughout our entire trip in Seoul.
It was easy to buy, seamless to activate and convenient to extend. Saving us the hassle of finding, buying and swapping SIM cards at the airport. It may not be the cheapest option for data roaming out there right now, but it’s good enough for us.
We’ll be using it for our upcoming trip to Japan, and I’m cautiously optimistic that it will continue to work like a charm there as well. (2024-03-28 Update): We just got back from our Japan trip, and happy to report that it worked just as well in Osaka, Kyoto and Uji.
Note: If you’re new to giga and plan to sign up with them, you can consider keying in my referral code nhkmqi during checkout. You’ll get a S$2.00 discount and I’ll earn a S$2.00 credit. But if you have family or friends who are already giga customers, please use their referral code instead.
Seoul Spring 2023
Trip planning: Hansik, sijang and hanok (Seoul Spring 2023)
Our flights are booked, hotel rooms are reserved and all that’s left is to count down to the day that we finally take to the skies again.
Up in the air again with Singapore Airlines in Business class
For our very first post-pandemic flight, we redeemed 208,000 KrisFlyer miles for a pair of Business class return tickets to Seoul.
Ryse Hotel is right in the heart of bustling Hongdae
During our previous trips to Seoul, we stayed in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun and City Hall. This time, I decided to try a new neighbourhood in the Western part of Seoul.
Comforting pork soup at Donsubaek for our first meal in Seoul
After a six plus hour flight and faced with an unexpected drop in temperature, a piping hot bowl of pork soup really hit the spot.
Masan Seafood and their ugly delicious agujjim
Monkfish may possibly be the ugliest fish in the world, but it also happens to be one of the most delicious.
A relaxing afternoon interlude at Tteuran Teahouse in Ikseondong
As you step through the heavy wooden doors, you can’t help but feel a sense of serenity sweep over your entire body.
For jeongmal delizioso Korean fusion food, head to Banjoo Iksun
Beautifully browned potato dumplings and generous chunks of smoky bacon floated on a pool of vibrantly green perilla leaf cream.
Traditional Korean rice cakes and pour over coffee for breakfast
Rice is a staple in many Asian countries. Besides being the main source of carbohydrates, it’s also used to make different types of sweets.
Lotus Lantern Festival at Gwanghwamun Square
The lantern displays were just one component of the week-long festival leading up to the Buddha’s birthday celebration, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Baek Nyeon Baekse just took the top spot in our samgyetang shortlist
Samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is easily one of our favourite Korean dishes. It’s great on cold, rainy days and even better when we’re feeling under the weather.
When Korean executives need a quick meal, Hanilkwan is where they go
Bibimbap is a dish that requires audience participation, and it’s always fun to mix all the ingredients into a beautiful mess.
Strawberry tea and desserts at bright and breezy Mil Toast
The Wife went with a hot Strawberry Tea, not knowing exactly what to expect but confident that it was a good choice. South Korea was, after all, famous for their high quality strawberries.
Watching the Lotus Lantern Parade from our seats at Jongno 3-ga
You know that an event is a huge deal when a 3km stretch of road, right in the heart of a major city, is shut down for several hours on a busy Saturday night.
Bus ride to Mangwon Market for our Korean street food fix
Dessert was in the form of spicy eomuk skewers, from the very first stall we saw when entering the market. Just look at that fiery and luscious sauce!
The hanjeongsik at Hangaram was easily our best meal in Seoul
Despite being mentally prepared for the large number of incoming items, when the food started arriving, we were hopelessly overwhelmed by the non-stop cascade of dishes.
Mall hopping at The Hyundai Seoul and Starfield Coex
Given a choice between hiking up a mountain or wandering around an airconditioned mall, I choose the latter. Any time of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year.
Jeon and makgeolli at John Makgeolliano in Yeonnamdong
One mission of our recent vacation in Seoul was to drink as much makgeolli as possible. And since jeon is the perfect accompaniment to makgeolli, we found an interesting place to have both.
Wandering the jinjja yeppeuda alleys of Ikseondong Hanok Village
Of all the neighbourhoods we’ve been to in Seoul, Ikseondong is the prettiest by far. Here are five memorable places that we visited.
There’s a reason why Myeongdong Kyoja is so popular
After mixing everything into a beautiful mess and taking in a big mouthful, the first thing that hit me was a pleasant nuttiness, followed by deep umami. The noodles were firm and chewy, releasing flavour with every bite.
From now on, Novotel Dongdaemun is where we’ll stay in Seoul
Five months before check-in, I booked a 53sqm Residence Deluxe Room on a fully flexible rate. Our four night stay in May had an average daily rate of ₩256,000.
The Wife walked into Pleats Mama and almost didn’t make it out
I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.
The complete Hanwoo K-BBQ experience at Majang Meat Market
Our 422g platter with four different cuts of Grade 1++(9) Korean beef cost ₩71,000 at the butcher’s shop. The total bill after adding the table charge, drinks and transport came up to only ₩89,800.
Buying African beans from Blue Bottle Coffee in Samcheongdong
A wide selection was on display, together with their origins, tasting notes and prices. They were sold in unusually large 300gm bags, with blends going for ₩25,000 and single-origins for ₩35,000.
Our very first taste of ganjang gejang, courtesy of Keun Giwajip
I found out the hard way that ganjang gejang is an acquired taste. One that, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to acquire.
Strolling down Gyeongdong Market for a truly local sijang experience
One thing we like to do when visiting a foreign city is to explore grocery stores and traditional markets. It gives us a chance to glimpse into the lives of people going about their day-to-day activities.
The tragic fate of the jjukkumi at Najeongsun Halmae
Somewhere in the Yongdu-dong neighbourhood, within the Dongdaemun-gu district, a brass octopus stands at attention, solemnly saluting all who walk past.
Jeolla-do grilled eel two ways at Songgang Freshwater Eel
In South Korea, jang-eo (장어) is considered a health food that boosts energy, and is especially popular during the hot summer months.
Shopping for souvenirs at Emart Cheonggyecheon
Grocery shopping is probably not on the minds of most tourists. But coming from a non-agricultural country like Singapore, the opportunity to bring home fresh, tasty and cheap produce was simply too good to miss.
Last minute dash for Goraesa Eomuk just before boarding our flight
The Wife had a look in her eyes that hinted that she was thinking about buying one of everything. But she managed to restrain her impulses and only picked out three pieces.
Our 10 day Seoul itinerary and how much we spent
We spent a total of ₩5,450,000 for our entire trip. Here’s the cost breakdown by flight, hotel, food & drink, shopping, transport and other travel-related expenses.
And just like that, The Wife turned into a kkaennip addict
I can still remember the precise moment that it happened. We were having dinner at Hanilkwan and one of our banchan was a simple salad of shredded cabbage and kkaennip, tossed in a light vinaigrette.
Lotte Mart Seoul Station is a Korean snack food paradise
Our extensive haul only lasted us a few weeks. We could have stretched it out a bit longer, but when faced with a convenient stockpile of addictive Korean snacks, the first thing that goes out the window is self-control.
