So, you just got done with visiting a ton of interesting places in Korea, and now you have to get some souvenirs and shopping done.
Where do you even begin?
South Korea is famed for its dizzying amount of shopping choices, especially in the sprawling metropolis of its capital Seoul. The city caters to a wide range of budget, tastes and ages, ranging from affordable and chic street fashion to pricey luxury masterpieces.
So, to help you get back to Malaysia with a luggage bag full of the best Korean goodies, here are 5 places we recommend you shop at in Seoul!
Hongdae
Budget: Midrange
Best For Who: Youth fashion fans, hipsters, LINE/Kakao Friends lovers
First on our shopping list is Hongdae, where due to its proximity next to Hongik University, it caters to youth looking for the latest trends and even the young-at-heart!
To start off, try some retail therapy at the dozens of fashion and cosmetics stores such as Stylenanda with its stylish female fashion offerings, Chuu with its girly pink-heavy apparel and Etude House with its time-tested makeup.
Here we have to give a special shoutout to Espoir too, a makeup concept store that allows you to use “beer” dispensers machines that contain liquid foundation!
Now, Hongdae isn’t all just street fashion either, it’s also home stationery, lifestyle and character-themed goods that’ll make your room just a lil bit cuter.
The most prominent of the Hongdae’s character-goods stores are definitely the two flagship stores of the massive rivals LINE and Kakao, who each offer a dizzying variety of goods stamped with images of their competing families of cutesy Friends mascots.
But real talk, how about helping out smaller, local artists? That’s when you head to KT&G Sangsang Madang, a cultural complex that supports the local arts by providing a space for artists to learn, grow and market their crafts. Browse the gift shop for windchimes, gift cards and tote bags―all designed by local Korean artists!
Special Mention: Ewha Women’s University District
Budget: Midrange
Best For Who: Fashion hunters
If you’re still looking for more retail goodness, the nearby Ewha Women’s University District is only a 15 minute train ride away. The tree-lined area offers various clothing, shoes and cosmetics for both sexes. The university itself is also worth a visit for its unique campus which looks as if it’s built into the earth itself.
Dongdaemun
Budget: Low-High, depends on the mall
Best For Who: Fans of convenience, mall lovers, window shoppers
Feel like splurging your heart out at a single mall instead? How about twenty? Then Dongdaemun is your next destination.
Home to almost twenty malls filled to bursting with luxury fashion, cosmetics, cuisine and everything else in between, this shopping district is the perfect place for those who love to shop till they drop.
To list every mall and each store within would be a bit much, so here are a few standout malls you should give a try when you’re in the area.
Doota Mall is a fashion hotspot that offers the latest designer outfits, all in an array of duty-free stores.
Hyundai Department Store doesn’t sell cars, but it does sell a whole range of premium luxury goods from international brands such as Micheal Kors and Versace.
apM, apM Place and apM Luxe are wholesale malls that offer accessories and clothing in bulk for real cheap.
Ikseon-dong
Budget: Midrange
Best For: Dessert lovers, hipsters, Insta lovers
If you’re looking for a shopping spot that’s a bit more cozy, down-to-earth and maybe even eccentric, then you can never go wrong with Ikseon-dong.
Located in a maze of winding narrow streets and alleyways, Ikseon-dong’s warm brick and wood Hanok-style storefronts quickly welcome you into quirky cafes, restaurants and even a shooting range!
The comfy and inviting storefronts of Ikseon-dong are also the perfect place to get some picture-perfect photos to brag about on your social media.
One of the most popular (and packed) spots for this at the Cheongsudang Café, where two rows of towering bamboo and lanterns guard a stone path into the interior.
And don’t just stop at the outside, go right in and enjoy the food! From toast to coffee to ice cream and even craft beer, Ikseon-dong is truly the artisanal foodie’s paradise.
A must-try is definitely the salt bread from Soha Salt Pond Bakery, which has a quirky model of some salt flats serving as its storefront.
Up for more mouth-watering food? Then check out our list of toasty Asian winter foods!
If you have the time, take a short walk to the former Unhyeongung Palace, where Korean royalty once resided. The traditional Korean-style building is complemented beautifully by the greenery around the area.
Myeong-dong
Budget: Mid-High
Best For: Foodies, fashion lovers
Myeong-dong is one of Korea’s prime shopping streets, famed for its huge variety of retail offerings and some of Seoul’s best street food.
Drop by the ALAND store sells street clothing that is the darling of even K-pop stars! Or stop by SPAO or Top Ten for a more casual feel.
If you’re still looking for more choices or international brands, visit the impressive Shinsegae Mall and Myeongdong Underground Mall as well.
Plenty of K-beauty stores also offer local brands such as Holika Holika, Innisfree and Skin Food. If it’s fashion or beauty, it’s probably in Myeong-dong!
Myeong-dong is also a foodie’s paradise that’s lined with stalls, restaurants and snack stores that’ll leave you burping at the end of a night out!
Start with an appetizier from the many stalls around the area’s night market, including street foods such as tteokbokki fish cakes, bulgogi and soondae sausages.
Next, dig into a meaty meal and the Chicken and Beer Street which has-what else-classic Korean fried chicken places and beer pubs!
Once you’re done stuffing yourself full, how about getting a few yummy souvenirs at HBAF (short for “Healthy But Awesome Flavor” or “Honey Butter Almond And Friends”)? The unmissable gold yellow store sells flavored almonds of all kinds, like cheese, spicy and even matcha!
Insa-dong
Budget: Low to Mid
Best for: Souvenir hunters, art and crafts lovers
As much as Seoul shopping revolves around cool threads, fast fashion and cosmetics, there is still a traditional heart that hangs onto old and time-tested crafts. One of these places that still holds onto tradition is Insa-dong.
Thanks to its history as a residence for government officials and later as an antique market, the suburb and its shopping street is now home to many shops selling traditional Korean arts and crafts.
Shops here offer Korean crafts ranging from arty tools such as calligraphy brushes and paper to more practical cutlery such as chopsticks, bowls and plates made from wood, ceramic and much more.
The Ssamziegil mall is a good starting point to find some neat crafts, but many of the real handmade stuff can only be found on street level in the alleys and side streets.
Fancy having a traditional Korean dojang name stamp made for yourself or your loved ones? Then stop by one of the many traditional stores and get a craftsperson to carve one out for you!
So those are our five best shopping spots in Seoul. And that’s not even everything in Seoul or Korea itself! Been to a place in the list? Got any place that’s better? Let us know!
