iPhone 18 Pro Max price Korea: $1,442 USD (₩1,990,000) — cheapest plan

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₩1,990,000 in Korea for the 256GB model, with storage tiers from ₩1,990,000 (256GB) to ₩2,690,000 (2TB). Apple confirmed Korea pricing at the September 9, 2026 keynote and listed configurations on apple.com/kr/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-18-pro-max. Pre-order opens Friday, September 12 at 0:00 KST; on-sale Saturday, September 19, 2026 (sim-free) or Friday, September 18 (carrier).

USD-equivalent at current ₩1,380/$ exchange rate: $1,442 (256GB) / $1,630 (512GB) / $1,804 (1TB) / $1,949 (2TB) — roughly $240-$500 above the US price (US 256GB is $1,199). The Korea premium is the smallest of any Asian market — Korea's aggressive carrier subsidies and Coupang competition keep prices closer to US levels than Japan ($540+) or India ($700+).

This FAQ covers the official Apple Korea pricing, SK Telecom / KT / LG U+ plans, where to buy (Apple Store Garosu-gil, Coupang, Hi-Mart), and how to find the cheapest iPhone 18 Pro Max deal in Korea.

What is the iPhone 18 Pro Max price in Korea? (Quick answers)

iPhone 18 Pro Max in Korea starts at ₩1,990,000 (256GB) and goes up to ₩2,690,000 (2TB) — roughly $1,442-$1,949 USD at the ₩1,380/$ rate. Korea has the smallest Asian premium over US ($240-$500 above). The cheapest way to buy is LG U+ with 24-month 5G contract (₩400k-700k subsidy — most aggressive in Korea) or Apple Trade In (₩400k-800k off for iPhone 15/16 Pro). Tourists get a VAT refund at the airport with a passport from Apple Store Garosu-gil or Hi-Mart. iPhone 18 Pro Max launches Friday, September 18 at SKT/KT/LG U+ and Saturday, September 19 at Apple Store.

Question	Answer
iPhone 18 Pro Max price in Korea (256GB)?	₩1,990,000 / ~$1,442 USD (10% VAT included)
iPhone 18 Pro Max price 512GB in Korea?	₩2,250,000 / ~$1,630 USD
iPhone 18 Pro Max price 1TB in Korea?	₩2,490,000 / ~$1,804 USD
iPhone 18 Pro Max price 2TB in Korea?	₩2,690,000 / ~$1,949 USD
iPhone 18 Pro Max USD price equivalent?	$1,442-$1,949 USD at ₩1,380/$ — only $240-$500 above US ($1,199 for 256GB); smallest Asian premium
iPhone 18 Pro Max release date Korea?	Friday, September 18, 2026 (SKT/KT/LG U+); Saturday, September 19 (Apple Store Garosu-gil sim-free)
iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-order Korea?	Friday, September 12, 2026 at 0:00 KST (midnight) — all 3 carriers + Apple Store
Cheapest carrier deal Korea?	LG U+ (₩400,000-₩700,000 subsidy with 5G plan + 24-mo contract — most aggressive in Korea)
Cheapest online deal Korea?	Coupang — ₩100,000-₩200,000 WOW cash-back for Coupang WOW members
Cheapest with trade-in Korea?	Apple Trade In — iPhone 15 Pro / 16 Pro for ₩400,000-₩800,000 off (highest trade-in values in Asia)
Can tourists get tax-free in Korea?	Yes — VAT refund at airport with passport at Apple Store Garosu-gil / Hi-Mart
Does Korea iPhone 18 Pro Max have FeliCa?	No — Korean contactless uses standard NFC (삼성페이 / Naver Pay), not FeliCa.
Is the Korea iPhone 18 Pro Max sim-free?	Yes — Apple Store Garosu-gil, Hi-Mart, Coupang all sell sim-free. Dual eSIM (no physical SIM tray).
Does Korea iPhone 18 Pro Max have Korea-exclusive colors?	No — same Burgundy / Glacier / Silver / Black as US/EU. Hardware identical to global except no FeliCa.

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How much is the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Korea?

Apple Korea pricing (VAT-inclusive):

Storage	Price (₩)	Monthly (24 mo, no carrier)
256GB	₩1,990,000	₩82,917/mo
512GB	₩2,250,000	₩93,750/mo
1TB	₩2,490,000	₩103,750/mo
2TB	₩2,690,000	₩112,083/mo

Prices include 10% VAT. Sim-free and carrier-unlocked configurations are identical.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max launched at ₩1,890,000 (256GB) in 2025. The 2026 price increase is ₩100,000 (5.3% higher), smaller than the US/EU/Japan increases.

What are the iPhone 18 Pro Max colors in Korea?

Same as global: Burgundy, Glacier, Silver, Black. The Korean marketing names are direct translations. No Korea-exclusive colors.

Which carriers sell the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Korea?

All three Korean carriers:

Carrier	Pre-order	On-sale	5G type
SK Telecom (SKT)	Sept 12, 0:00 KST	Sept 18	5G Sub-6 + mmWave
KT	Sept 12, 0:00 KST	Sept 18	5G Sub-6 + mmWave
LG U+	Sept 12, 0:00 KST	Sept 18	5G Sub-6

Korean carriers typically offer ₩300,000-₩700,000 off the sim-free price when bundled with a 24-36 month contract and a 5G premium plan (T plan, Y plan, 5G 슬림).

What is the cheapest iPhone 18 Pro Max in Korea?

Three cheapest options:

1. LG U+ — historically the most aggressive iPhone subsidies in Korea. ₩400,000-₩700,000 off with a 5G plan + 24-month contract.
2. Coupang — Coupang iPhone launch events often offer ₩100,000-₩200,000 cash-back "WOW" deals for Coupang WOW members.
3. Apple Trade In — trade in iPhone 15 Pro / 16 Pro for ₩400,000-₩800,000 off sim-free price. Apple Korea Trade In offers the highest values in Asia.

For combined savings, LG U+ contract + Apple Trade In can bring the effective iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB price down to ₩800,000-₩1,100,000 — a 50% discount off the sim-free price.

When does iPhone 18 Pro Max launch in Korea?

Event	Date (KST)
Keynote	Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 2:00 AM KST
Pre-order opens	Friday, September 12, 2026, 0:00 KST (midnight)
On-sale (carrier)	Friday, September 18, 2026
On-sale (Apple Store sim-free)	Saturday, September 19, 2026

Where to buy iPhone 18 Pro Max in Korea?

Five primary channels:

1. Apple Store Garosu-gil (Seoul) — full lineup, trade-in, immediate pickup
2. Apple Store Myeongdong (Seoul) — second Apple Store Korea; opened 2024
3. Hi-Mart / Lottemart — major electronics retailers; cash-back points
4. Coupang — Coupang iPhone launch event + WOW member cash-back
5. SKT / KT / LG U+ stores — carrier-locked; requires contract

For tourists, the Apple Stores and major electronics retailers offer tax-free shopping with a passport. Tourists from non-Korean countries can claim VAT refund at the airport.

Is the Korean iPhone 18 Pro Max sim-free?

Yes — Apple Store and most electronics retailer inventory is sim-free. The Korean sim-free version works on all three carriers (SKT, KT, LG U+) and supports dual eSIM (no physical SIM tray).

For Korean users who travel frequently, the sim-free iPhone 18 Pro Max with dual eSIM is ideal for switching between Korean and foreign carriers without swapping SIMs.

Are there Korea-exclusive iPhone 18 Pro Max features?

No major Korea-exclusive hardware, but two regulatory features:

• DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) — Not included on iPhone 18 Pro Max (Apple never supported DMB on iPhones)
• FeliCa-equivalent — Korean iPhones include the NFC chip but Korean contactless payment (삼성페이, Naver Pay) works via standard NFC, not FeliCa

Korean iPhone 18 Pro Max hardware is identical to US / EU versions.

Should I buy iPhone 18 Pro Max in Korea or wait for the iPhone Duo?

The iPhone Duo launches in Spring 2027 in Korea. Same trade-off as other markets: buy iPhone 18 Pro Max now if you want a flagship this year; wait 6-8 months for iPhone Duo if you want the foldable form factor.

For the full iPhone 18 Pro Max spec sheet, see our iPhone 18 Pro Max hub.