When it comes to the internet, South Korea is one of the most widely connected countries in the world. Of the nearly 52 million people in the country, 67% of them are internet users (2007 estimate). A number that has nearly doubled since the year 2000.

All forms of connectivity can be found in South Korea, from cable modem, ADSL, Very high data rate DSL (VDSL), Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH), Broadband over Powerline (BPL), WLAN, WiFi, Broadband Wireless Local Loop (B-WLL), broadband via satellite and the debut of WiBro.

Internet Cafes (PC Bangs)

The PC bangs ("bang", meaning "room" is pronounced with a short "a" sound in Korean) are on nearly every block and around every corner in the country. It would be difficult to find a small commercial building that didn't have at least one "PC bang" sign hanging from it.

The popularity of the PC rooms in Korea can be greatly attributed to the popularity of online-gaming. Most people have at least one computer in their home, but prefer to go to the PC rooms to join their friends for a game of Starcraft or Warcraft (There are even a couple of TV stations that just show you "professional gamers" playing these games). Other games, like 3rd person shooters and some Korean-made games, are also very popular.

How To

When you first walk into a PC room in Korea, you'll get a card from the person at the desk (sometimes you'll have to stand there a minute because they're off playing a game on a computer). The card will have a number on it that you'll enter into the little "sign in" area on the computer you decide to sit at (You might have to turn the computer on first, as they don't usually leave them on when they're not in use). That sign in area will just sit on your desktop and tell you how much you owe.

When you're finished using the computer, you give the card to the person at the desk and they'll tell you how much you need to pay. Some places will require you to sign out on the computer before the amount will register at the front desk.

Cost

A spot at a PC room is charged by the hour and is very inexpensive. The older rooms have a decent sized monitor and a fast connection and charge anywhere from 500-1000 won/hour ($0.5-1 US). These days, many PC rooms have upgraded their computers and replaced their monitors with large LCD screens. The upgraded rooms will charge anywhere from 1000-2000 won/hour ($1-2 US), which is still quite cheap in comparison to most western internet cafes. Some even offer free instant coffee (or they might charge 100 won).

Extras

A variety of snacks (noodles, shrimp chips, chocolate, etc.) and drinks can be purchased in a PC room and most rooms welcome smoking. Many of the PC rooms have a designated smoking section in them, but some of the older ones still don't (you'll know when you walk in).

Internet at Home

If you are just visiting Korea, pretty much all hotel and motel rooms will have a computer with an internet connection in them. It's free with the room.

If you are teaching and living in Korea, and would like an internet connection installed in your apartment,  you can ask your school's director to arrange for one to be put in. It can be anywere from 20,000-40,000 won/month ($20-40 US), depending on the city you live in.

If you'd like to buy a computer, a cheap alternative to buying new would be to check online forums where other expats are selling their stuff, or have one built for you at a local computer repair shop for 300,000-400,000 won ($300-400 US).