Ahead of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S26 series unpacked event, South Korea’s three mobile carriers have started early marketing campaigns at the same time. The strategy is to get ahead of rising number-porting demand that typically follows the launch of a new flagship model. After last year’s hacking incident, the carriers face two goals at once: defending existing customers and attracting new subscribers. Some expect the Galaxy S26’s success to determine the shape of the telecom market in the first half.

◆ SKT offers pure gold prizes, targets unlocked-phone demand as well

SK Telecom is running a pre-order event on its T Direct Shop. It will draw 10 winners from customers who apply for pre-order alerts by Feb. 25 and give each a 3.75-gram bar of pure gold shaped like a horse. The plan is seen as putting high-priced prizes front and center to boost early interest.

It will also provide, via a draw, coupons worth 10,000 won, 50,000 won, 100,000 won and 200,000 won that can be used on T Direct Shop to 500 people. Customers who return their existing handsets will receive up to an additional 150,000 won in compensation, limited to the first 3,000 people. It is also offering a VIP package that upgrades device storage from 512 GB to 1 TB through a draw among customers who sign up for certain plans.

It also prepared benefits targeting unlocked-phone users. It will pay 50,000 won in Naver Pay points to customers who activate a USIM or eSIM first by the end of this month, even if they change devices later.

◆ KT and LG Uplus also roll out compensation offers, including zero cancellation fees

KT will provide up to an additional 100,000 won in compensation for customers who apply for pre-order alerts when they return used devices. It will also hand out, on a first-come, first-served basis, a 50,000 won device discount coupon and a 50,000 won accessories coupon. KT also prepared an event to give 10,000 won in Kakao Pay to 1,000 people selected from alert applicants. Customers who choose plans of 69K or higher will also get an offer to buy a Galaxy Watch for as low as 0 won.

LG Uplus is running an event offering coupons worth up to 200,000 won for customers who apply for pre-order alerts. It will provide a zero cancellation-fee benefit even if customers have remaining contract periods, as long as 18 months have passed under its contract terms. It also offered benefits including an additional 150,000 won in compensation when selling used devices and 100,000 won in cashback from affiliated cards.

◆ "March number porting will set the tone for the first half"

Samsung Electronics will hold a Galaxy S26 unpacked event on Feb. 26. The official launch of the Galaxy S26 series is expected to take place by mid-March at the latest. The industry sees the Galaxy S26’s early performance as a key variable that will shape the mood in the telecom market this year. Analysts say the three carriers, which have had a bumpy period since last year’s hacking incident, will go all-in with the Galaxy S26 to defend against customer churn and absorb new demand.

An industry official said the structure is that early pre-order demand leads to actual subscriptions. The official added that the Galaxy S26’s success and the pace of number porting in March are highly likely to shape the tone of the telecom market in the first half.

Another official said it cannot be ruled out that subsidy competition could overheat depending on where customers flock after the actual launch. The official added that watching each company’s marketing strategy will also be a point of interest.