Making payments in South Korea can be challenging if you do not have a Korean bank account. Even if you have one, Korean payment systems are anything but foreign friendly. Not to mention, the majority of Korean websites are not in English, or if they are they do not offer the same options as the Korean page which adds to the frustration. And how would you even go about buying resale K-Pop tickets or items from South Korea when you are outside the country? Wonderful is well aware of the challenges foreigners face when it comes to shopping and making payments in Korea based on years of experience. We can help with a wide wide variety of proxy payment requests – anything from online shopping on Korean websites, to paying for customs tax and traffic fines. Please note that for accounting purposes, we would need some form of receipt, invoice or proof of payment to be able to assist. Here are some ways we can help.
Proxy Payments for Visa Applications
Some foreign embassies require payments for visa applications to be done strictly via wire transfer from a local bank account. For foreigners living outside Korea, Wonderful offers the ideal solution for you. Just send us the booking or reservation details, and we can make the wire payment on your behalf.
Bunjang / Jungonara / Secondwear / 3rd Party Purchases
If you are trying to buy a signed BTS album or a second-hand phone from a Korean reseller on Bunjang, Jungonara, Twitter, etc., you would not be able to use foreign cards and payment systems. It would also not be advisable, as resellers usually require some scrutiny to avoid fraud. Wonderful can help contact resellers of items on your behalf, do basic checks to avoid fraud and arrange the secure payments when available. We can also assist with looking for items on 3rd party websites, fully handling communication with resellers, and consolidating items and shipping them abroad if you are not in Korea. You can learn more about the process here: How to shop on Bunjang/Jungonara/Hello Market with Wonderful
Shopping and Food
While some Korean websites accept foreign cards, the majority still require local payment methods. That also applies to food apps such as Yogiyo and Baemin. If you are struggling with the tons of Korean programs that you have to install just to get the payments to work, Wonderful would be happy to take that off your hands. We can also help you make accounts on websites such as E-Mart and Coupang as well as handle delivery arrangements for large items such as furniture and appliances.
Check out our articles below to learn more about shopping and food apps in Korea.
Bills and Fines
Another common struggle many long-term foreign residents face is paying for bills or fines. Typically bills and fines have payment deadlines, and if you are not familiar with online banking are not able to go to the bank in time, the payment period can expire. Wonderful can help call the authority or service and request for a new payment account and help settle the bill for you if you like. Most of the time the services do not offer English support. We can also help settle customs tax payment and troubleshoot most customs related issues that most people face.
Tickets
Any K-Pop fan knows that buying concert tickets can be a nail biting battle where every second counts. The same can be true if you are trying to buy baseball tickets for popular matches or secure KTX tickets during Chuseok. We have years of experience assisting our clients with buying and paying for all kinds of tickets, so aside from making direct payments for tickets, we can help with competitive ticketing , even looking for third party options should they sell out. If you are trying to purchase tickets outside Korea, we can also receive tickets on your behalf and you can later pick them up from our office or we could send them to your accommodation.
Useful tips for buying K-Pop concert tickets in Korea:
Tips for Buying Kpop Concert Tickets in Korea Best Upcoming Concerts Shows and Fansign Events in Korea
Services
In a society that has largely turned cashless, you might not always have that 50,000 KRW note to pay the plumber or the courier when they deliver your items. You might need to pay a mover, but they do not accept foreign cards or any cards whatsoever, which can lead to a frustrating experience. No worries. Wonderful can handle payments on your behalf and make sure everything goes smoothly. We can also help with paying reservation fees to restaurants, venues and more.
Please note that for transactions that we do on your behalf, there will be NO processing fees when you pay us by bank wire transfer. In instances where you pay by card/Paypal, we only charge an 8.5% processing fee that goes to the payment processor for their services. We do NOT benefit from this fee. For tickets we would only charge an additional 5,000 KRW for shipping and handling when the ticket is first sent to our office, although if you like, we can have the tickets sent directly to your home. You will only be paying for our time.
Regarding our pricing, we charge for the time taken working on your request by the minute, for as low as 1250 KRW per minute, depending on your preferred pricing package. For more information regarding our pricing, please follow this link.
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