- Seoul Shopping: the fun never stops, even at night - Photo by the Author
Seoul is a great city for shopping. It is a lively metropolis of about 10 million and, while tightly embracing its history and traditions, Seoul is also an extremely modern and fashion conscious city. Both bargain and designer shops abound.
Insadong, Itaewon, and Myeongdong for Best Seoul ShoppingSeoul has many cultural pockets hidden within its crowded streets. Know which neighborhoods to hit for certain shopping needs.
Insadong is located in the northern part of Seoul near to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jogyesa Buddhist temple, making it a great shopping/sightseeing combo. Along small pedestrian streets you can find traditional teahouses and restaurants, art galleries, handmade paper and jewelry, clothing, masks, instruments, bags, candies, and other local artisan crafts.
Myeongdong is considered a fashion mecca for young, hip Korea, and this is where you’ll find big department stores (like Lotte, Shinsaegae, and Migliore) carrying trendy Western and Asian brands. Uniqlo and H& M are some of the latest additions to the narrow crowded avenues of Myeongdong (try not to go on a weekend to avoid the THRONGS). Forever 21, American Apparel, The Body Shop, and Zara can all be found here as well.
Itaewon is your destination for “things Western”, as it’s right next to the primary U.S. army base in Seoul. Here you can find a plethora of otherwise tough to find products, including international phone cards, ethnic spices, cheeses, tortillas, and European and American brands of chocolates, teas, and toiletries. Here is where you'll find the best and most variety of international restaurants, and there are a few shops that specialize in “big sizes” of shoes and clothing.
Seoul Subway's Underground Shopping Arcades
Seoul’s subway system is vast, and some stations have extensive underground malls and huge department stores within them. Stores within the subway stations can often have great bargains on clothing, shoes, accessories, and even kitchen goods, but there are also plenty of pricey boutique-style artisan shops. Some of the best, biggest, and most popular under-ground shopping arcades are at Gangnam Station and Express Bus Terminal station. The two are connected by an underground walking tunnel. For electronics galore, try Yongsan station.
Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets SeoulKorea has some fabulous open-air markets, which encompass the tradition of Korean food and drink as well as offering opportunities for a bargain on anything from electronics to eyeglasses, hardware, toys, silks and clothing. The two most famous street markets are Namdaemun and Dongdaemun, both named for their location next to historical city gates. Both are popular tourist locations that are also frequented by locals, and both stay open during the nighttime.
Rebecca Rosenberg - Austin based writer, traveler, music enthusiast, and budding information scientist. M.S.I.S. Candidate, University of Texas at Austin, ...
