
OpenVPN is a powerful tunneling protocol that has become the staple protocol for all safe and reliable Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in the market. While being absolutely secure, OpenVPN can be implemented in many different ways.
VPN services offering OpenVPN let users access an open-source software app that implements VPN techniques to form secure site-to-site and point-to-point connections. Consumers then use the servers of a VPN and rely on the encryption of OpenVPN.
So on that note, we’ll discuss some of the best OpenVPN services in South Korea and why OpenVPN is the most secure protocol available today. However, before we start, we highly recommend getting ExpressVPN, as it shows the best results with its OpenVPN protocol.
Quick Overview – Best OpenVPN Services in South Korea
Following are the three best OpenVPN services in South Korea in 2023:
- ExpressVPN – Offers the Best OpenVPN Services in South Korea – Offers 3000+ VPN servers in 94 countries, fast speeds, compatible apps for all major OSes, and a 30-day money-back policy.
- Surfshark – Budget-friendly OpenVPN Client – Robust service, fast servers, and ability to shield your data over public networks, available for only KRW 3029.65/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) .
- NordVPN – Trustworthy VPN with Robust OpenVPN Encryption – Offers robust security and a stealth service, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best OpenVPN Services in South Korea [Updated 2023]
OpenVPN is one of the most secure VPN protocols in the industry right now. After testing 40+ VPN services, we have come up with a list of the three best clients for OpenVPN:
1. ExpressVPN – Offers the Best OpenVPN Services in South Korea
- 3000+ servers in 94 countries
- Blazing-fast speeds of 85+ Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection
- Five simultaneous connections
- Unlimited bandwidth
- AES 256-bit encryption
ExpressVPN is the best OpenVPN services in South Korea . Its OpenVPN configuration outperforms all our minimum standards, making it a fantastic service that implements OpenVPN to a pretty high standard AES-256 cipher with an RSA-4096 handshake. In addition, Perfect Forward Secrecy is ensured through DH-keys, using SHA-512 HMAC for authentication.
ExpressVPN offers 3000+ VPN servers in 94 countries, all of which deliver fast servers speeds and instant internet connection response, making it one of the best VPNs for streaming in South Korea. Using ExpressVPN, you can circumvent geoblocks and stream ExpressVPN Netflix in South Korea, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+ without any lag.
Per our analysis of ExpressVPN, it’s pretty popular for all platforms and offers dedicated apps for macOS, Windows, Android, Linux, and iOS. Moreover, it also supports various gaming consoles, Smart TVs, and streaming devices. This means that you can use ExpressVPN on FireStick in South Korea, Roku, PS4, Xbox and ExpressVPN on Kodi in South Korea
Moreover, it also offers various significant features that you’d expect from a premium VPN service. These include split tunneling, AES 256-bit encryption, TrustedServer technology, and a kill switch. ExpressVPN also offers a watertight no-logging policy which ensures that all user data is safe. As such, your security is virtually impenetrable, making ExpressVPN one of the most secure VPNs in South Korea.
To summarize, ExpressVPN offers the first and the most efficient OpenVPN protocol to users. Apart from that, ExpressVPN also offers Lightway, L2TP, and IKEv2 protocols.
It costs only KRW8785.97/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan) and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also offers a 7-day free trial for mobile devices, so you can try it out risk-free. In case of any questions, use its 24/7 live chat support to get instant help.
Check out our comprehensive review of ExpressVPN in South Korea for more details.
- Advanced OpenVPN protocol
- Doesn’t leak your IP address
- RAM-only servers
- Strict no-logging policy
- Headquartered in the British Virgin Islands
- Five simultaneous connections only
2. Surfshark – Budget-friendly OpenVPN Client
- 3200+ servers in 100 countries
- Fast speeds of 80+ Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Unlimited bandwidth
- AES 256-bit encryption
Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN that uses the OpenVPN protocol by default. This protocol uses the 256-bit encryption ciphers provided by OpenSSL, for example, AES-256-GCM, which Surfshark uses, that guarantees the security of your data from brute-force attacks.
The provider has 3200+ VPN servers in 100 countries, making many server locations to choose from. Using these servers, you can securely perform all our favorite online activities, including streaming, gaming, and torrenting. While playing games, Surfshark turned out to be the best VPN for Overwatch in South Korea, Minecraft, Roblox, and Call of Duty.
As for devices, Surfshark supports unlimited simultaneous connections and unlimited bandwidth on a single account. The VPN offers dedicated apps for multiple operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. Moreover, you can also use the OpenVPN protocol with Surfshark on Kodi in South Korea, Roku, Smart TVs, routers, Xbox and Surfshark on PS4 in South Korea as well.
In addition, Surfshark also offers various advanced security features that ensure user security at all times. These features include AES 256-bit encryption, Camouflage Mode, DNS/IP leak protection, RAM-only servers, and MultiHop. Moreover, its privacy policy guarantees zero logging of user data, which is another significant attribute of the service, making it another one of the top OpenVPN services.
All in all, Surfshark is great if you want the best OpenVPN services at an affordable cost. Apart from OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), you also get the latest WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols.
You can get this VPN for only KRW3029.65/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan). It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial (on mobile), so you can use the VPN free without any risks.
You can get help from Surfshark’s 24/7 live chat support if you have any queries. Check out our in-depth review of Surfshark in South Korea for more details.
- Super-affordable VPN service
- Efficient OpenVPN protocol
- The no-logging policy is audited
- MultiHop and CleanWeb
- Requires your email ID for registration
3. NordVPN – Trustworthy VPN with Robust OpenVPN Encryption
- 5500+ servers in 60 countries
- Fast speeds of 82+ Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection
- Six simultaneous connections
- Unlimited bandwidth
- AES 256-bit encryption
NordVPN is a solid OpenVPN client full of amazing features on both performance and security fronts. NordVPN uses AES-256-CBC cipher for secure connections with HMAC SHA256 hash authentication in the data channel.
It combines these VPN protocols with the RSA-2048 handshake in the control channel. The 2048-bit DH key ensures perfect forward secrecy of the user’s VPN secure connection. This overall setup is pretty robust for a VPN.
Along with excellent encryption, NordVPN offers 5500+ servers in 60 countries. It also offers blazing-fast speeds. When you combine these features with NordVPN’s ability to bypass firewalls of streaming services like NordVPN Netflix in South Korea, Hulu, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer, and you have one competent VPN service provider in your hands.
As for devices, the VPN offers six simultaneous connections to users, making it one of the best VPNs for multiple devices in South Korea. NordVPN offers dedicated apps for FireStick, Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS and can be configured manually on Roku, Kodi, Smart TVs, routers, PS4, Xbox, and more.
Now, let’s talk about NordVPN’s security. Based in Panama, the VPN follows a truly zero-logging policy, so users can rest assured their data won’t be getting into the hands of anyone they don’t want.
While the VPN doesn’t log any data itself, it ensures that no one else does it either by offering AES 256-bit encryption, obfuscation technology, DoubleVPN, and RAM-only servers. Moreover, along with OpenVPN, it also offers the Nordlynx protocol to stay secure.
Finally, you can get NordVPN at the cost of only KRW5255.78/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) (Get 57% Off + 3 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan) and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to test it out for 30 days. Along with that, you also get a 7-day free trial on Android devices to enjoy its service without spending a dime.
If you face any problems, NordVPN offers 24/7 live chat support, email, and troubleshooting articles support to cater to them. Check out our in-depth review of NordVPN in South Korea for more details.
- Robust OpenVPN protocol
- Packed with excellent security and privacy features
- RAM-only and obfuscated servers
- DoubleVPN
- Interface of the Windows app is sluggish
What is OpenVPN and How Does it Work in South Korea?
The OpenVPN Community Edition is an open-source VPN project. It forms secure connections on the internet using a customized security protocol that uses SSL/TLS. This is a community-supported OSS (Open Source Software) that various OpenVPN Inc. supports and uses a GPL license.
OpenVPN can be used in different configurations, depending on the preference and goals of the user. Its encryption length, supported by OpenVPN, is up to 256 bits. It can use certificates, usernames/passwords, or pre-shared keys for authentication purposes. The strongest security it provides is through the use of certificates.
OpenVPN’s security protocol differs from L2TP and IPSec, as it relies only on SSL and TLS for the security and encryption of communication. SSL and TLS are virtually impenetrable OpenVPN encryption standards, which is where the real strength of OpenVPN as a secure tunneling protocol stems from.
Users can visit the OpenVPN community to discuss configuration and development-related issues regarding this protocol. This is one of the reasons why the open-source VPN protocol has gained so much popularity in South Korea.
What Can You Do with an OpenVPN Service in South Korea?
With the best OpenVPN services in South Korea, you can do almost anything that a VPN is designed for. Here’s everything you can do with it:
- Browse the web with stronger privacy and encryption to avoid worrying about your online activities and identity being scrutinized by third parties such as governments, agencies, advertisers, and cyber criminals.
- You can bypass internet censorship and website restrictions using the best OpenVPN servers. With this protocol, you’ll stay unhindered by any geo-restrictions or other blockades, making for a free open-access online experience.
- Secure device traffic and communication so you stay secure while accessing sites that require sensitive data.
Thus, whether it is better privacy you seek or free access to the internet, OpenVPN has all the bases covered. However, instead of looking for the best OpenVPN server free, you should opt for ExpressVPN without a thought.
What Makes OpenVPN Better than Other Protocols?
OpenVPN is the most stringent VPN protocol. It’s compatible with multiple encryption ciphers, such as AES 256, ChaCha20, and Blowfish. It has no known vulnerabilities and is supported natively by almost all VPN services. Even though we recommend OpenVPN, WireGuard is a faster and more secure alternative.
However, if you decide to stick to OpenVPN, then you need to know that you’re equally safe. OpenVPN provides the perfect balance of both, enabling fast speed without compromising security strength. Experts worldwide have repeatedly audited the protocol, establishing it as a reliable and trusted VPN protocol.
How to Set Up OpenVPN in South Korea
OpenVPN can be set up in two different ways in South Korea. The first method that we’re going to show you is much simpler, and we would recommend it for users who are not technically inclined.
Dedicated OpenVPN Apps
All leading providers offer dedicated clients who have built-in support for OpenVPN. These clients are extremely easy to set up: users can select the OpenVPN protocol with a single click and even change to other tunneling protocols like PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, etc.
The VPN providers listed above all have dedicated apps. So all you need to do is download and install the provider’s software (VPN app) on your system and device if you want to use an OpenVPN service in the easiest way possible.
OpenVPN GUI
You can also set up OpenVPN connection services using third-party clients like OpenVPN GUI. This is an open-source OpenVPN client that can be used to configure your VPN.
Almost every major VPN offers .ovpn files, which you need to configure that VPN using OpenVPN GUI.
Once you download and install these files, you can use the VPN through the OpenVPN GUI. If you have difficulty finding .ovpn files of your preferred VPN service, contact customer support.
More often than not, they are happy to provide you with the lives and even assist with the setup process.
OpenVPN Compatibility with Major Platforms
Most premium VPN providers offer cross-platform compatibility. In addition, some providers go the extra mile and offer compatibility with routers, gaming consoles, and media streaming devices.
OpenVPN for Windows
It is easiest to find an OpenVPN service for Windows. Every provider that is worth mentioning has at least a dedicated VPN Windows client for the Windows platform.
So, you should have no trouble getting an OpenVPN server setup client from the official website of your VPN provider. If your VPN service is too backward to have a native VPN client, you can use OpenVPN GUI to run the VPN through .ovpn files.
OpenVPN for Mac
The story with Mac compatibility is a little bit different. Although many VPNs have dedicated apps for Mac in South Korea, this isn’t a general rule. For instance, all the virtual private networks on the list above offer native OpenVPN clients.
You can use a third-party client such as Tunnelblick for those VPNs that do not have a dedicated VPN client compatible with macOS.
OpenVPN for Android
Like Windows, OpenVPN apps for Android are really easy to find and are available for hundreds of providers. In addition, almost every popular VPN has its OpenVPN app available on the PlayStore.
Nonetheless, if you are interested in a provider that doesn’t have an OpenVPN app for Android, you can use this third-party client. It is easy to use and does not require rooting/jailbreaking your Android device to get it to work.
OpenVPN for iOS
Apple has an inexplicable fondness for the L2TP protocol, set up by default on all iOS devices. However, many VPN apps support OpenVPN for iOS.
OpenVPN Connect is a good third-party app for iOS, which will allow you to configure OpenVPN for those VPN services lacking a native client for iOS.
OpenVPN for Router
Some VPNs can be set up on a router itself, which adds VPN protection to your network at the router level. Simply connecting to such a router puts you under the protection of the VPN you have configured.
Though only a few routers support and offer the best OpenVPN configuration, the setup process is quite tricky and detailed for those who do.
What is the Difference Between VPN and OpenVPN?
OpenVPN is pretty trustable on public Wi-Fi connections. It is an open-source software solution that helps in implementing the use of VPNs.
A VPN, on the other hand, allows you to access restricted websites and other numerous facilities you cannot access for whatever reason.
FAQs – Best OpenVPN Services in South Korea
What is OpenVPN used for?
OpenVPN is used to secure and encrypt data sent over the internet so that users can keep their confidential information safe during an exchange from third parties.
OpenVPN utilizes VPNs to keep your data encrypted and secure that’s sent on the internet. Its customized protocol utilizes SSL/TLS for key exchange. Since its formation in 2001, it’s been the de facto standard in the open-source networking area, with 60+ million downloads.
Is OpenVPN free in South Korea?
The OpenVPN open-source project might be free in South Korea. However, commercial use of OpenVPN is not free. You are welcome to try the OpenVPN Access Server, which is free to install and offers 2 simultaneous connections as a trial.
Which is the fastest OpenVPN server in South Korea?
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN service in South Korea when used with the OpenVPN protocol. We tested it on our base speed of 100 Mbps. Using OpenVPN on our local Dallas server, the VPN gave us a speed of 83.28 Mbps.
Is OpenVPN a good VPN protocol?
OpenVPN is the most recommended protocol by the best VPN providers in the industry today. It’s the protocol that you want to be using. It’s one of the latest options, but its security and flexibility have made it one of the most commonly used protocols.
Can OpenVPN be hacked in South Korea?
VPNs using OpenVPN can be hacked in South Korea, but it’s almost impossible to do so. Most of the best VPN services use the OpenVPN protocol by combining it with ChaCha or AES encryption – a combo that’s impossible to decrypt through brute-force attacks.
Do you need a VPN to use OpenVPN in South Korea?
Yes, you need a VPN service to use OpenVPN in South Korea. You can connect to OpenVPN using a premium VPN service, like ExpressVPN, Surfshark, or NordVPN, that offers setup guides that aid you with configuration.
Why is OpenVPN the best?
The OpenVPN protocol provides excellent security and is highly adaptable for third-party software. It includes 256-bit encryption (though the number of bits can be configured at any time) via OpenSSL, a widely used software library to secure connections across different networks.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a trustworthy open-source VPN application, you need to go for OpenVPN. The protocol is fast and secure, and its service is unmatchable if you choose the right VPN service.
Mostly, a provider that offers a huge network of servers, fast speeds, and excellent customer support should be enough to get a good service. According to us, ExpressVPN checks all these boxes and offers the best OpenVPN services in South Korea.
However, you can always try out the VPN through its 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re skeptical.