Last updated on January 31st, 2023 at 11:09 am

This is an unusual blog post to write for me as I barely go on shopping sprees in my travels. However, resisting shopping in Seoul was like resisting a casino in Las Vegas. I couldn’t help but step out of character to check out the shopping culture in Korea.

Having said that, Seoul isn’t like Dubai, where people go crazy buying world-famous brands in fancy malls. We wouldn’t even be having this conversation if that was the case. The uniqueness of shopping in Korea lies in the originality of their native brands and products. And if they managed to attract me, a novice in skincare, beauty products, and cosmetics, and that too on my holiday, it says a lot. 

In fact, shopping was almost like a tourist attraction in Seoul for me. There are tons of other things to do and see in Seoul that we’ve captured in another post.  And for accommodation, here’s a list of places to stay in Seoul.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Where to shop in Seoul?

Ok, enough talking; let’s go on a virtual shopping tour but make sure you have read our important tips before going to Seoul post for more information.

Let’s move the spotlight for a second to Seoul’s famous underground malls, which are built under the city’s subway train stations. Consider them as the go-to place for the latest Korean fashion trend on a low budget.

If you are short on time then go to Myeongdong for cosmetics, Insadong for souvenirs, and GOTO underground mall for clothes, accessories, handbags, and more.

Popular Shopping Districts in Seoul, S. Korea

Myeongdong

This place is like no other – Be prepared to get lost in the unparalleled streets of beauty, skincare, and cosmetics. If you thought Starbucks was a little extreme to open shop at every corner in Seattle, you are in for a surprise in Myeongdong. I counted about 15 different Korean beauty brand stores (see photos below), while some stores repeat themselves every other block.

PRO TIP: Three of these Korean beauty companies have opened stores in NYC, don’t forget to check them out – Nature Republic, Innisfree, & Club Clio. 

The stores in Myeongdong open at about 11 am but the energy of Myeongdong comes to life with its night market. Outside each of these stores are girls and boys passing over free samples as they greet you with a loud Annyeong  Haseyo (Hello in Korean). Of course, there is no pressure to buy but as a courtesy, step inside the store if you do accept the free samples. However, if you do end up buying something, they’ll give you more free samples without you even asking for it.

Pro TIP: Seoul Global Cultural Center is also located in Myeongdong where you can get shopping coupons and other free cultural experiences like trying the Hanbok or K-pop classes. It is located on the top floor of M Plaza right next to the Zara store.

High-End Shopping Malls in Myeongdong:

Lotte Department Store, Lotte Young, Shinsegae

Gangnam 

There are actually two underground shopping malls in the Gangnam district.

• The Gangnam subway station underground mall.
• Express Bus Terminal underground mall, a.k.a GOTO mall, the largest underground mall in Seoul. I’d recommend going to GOTO mall, it is a haven for ladies!

Underground malls is a serious business in Seoul. GOTO mall is almost half a mile long with stores selling handbags, footwear, clothes, cute hats, home décor, you name it. One can easily spend hours exploring this underground shopping mall.

Ladies, GOTO Mall is the place to go if you are a sucker for Asian fashion but want to stay on a budget. And to be honest, the quality of clothing wasn’t cheap at all given the price you pay.

High-End Shopping Malls in Gangnam:

COEX shopping mall

Namdaemun

 If you truly want to experience where the locals shop then head to Namdaemun. This place instantly transported me back to India. The photos below will explain my feelings better. It was interesting that this market not only carried traditional & local stuff but day to day household items. Definitely, a place to go to get the local feel of Korea.

Dongdaemun

The Dongdaemun market is one of the largest in Korea and the only one open till wee hours of morning i.e. till about 4 am. You must speak Korean well enough to bargain for better prices here since the market is primarily for wholesale buyers. However, there are shopping malls for retail shoppers. If you only have a few days like us but still want to check out a local market then try Namdaemun instead.

High-End Shopping Malls in Dongdaemun:

Doosan Tower (Doota Mall)

Insadong

This is “the” shopping street for tourists, in my opinion. It has all the cute souvenirs shops but without the crazy crowd or vendors from Namdaemun. There are cafes, restaurants, bars above the shops selling local handicraft and trinkets. I found Insadong very attractive to stroll around. However, some things were over-priced compared to Namdaemun. 

Hongdae and Ewha University

Hongik University area in Hongdae and the fashion street near Ewha University are both very popular amongst students for affordable Korean fashion shopping. If you are around checking out some of the themed cafes in this area might as well swing by the shops as well. I didn’t get a chance to check either of these two areas.

What to buy in Seoul, Korea?

If you are curious about what to spend your money on then here are some quirky things we shopped for in Seoul. The list also includes things we didn’t care about picking up. It will give you a good idea about what you could possibly consider buying in Korea.

• Korea traditional hand fan (definitely came in handy in the summer)
• Skin Care & Beauty Products (facemasks, tinted lip balm, makeup) 
• A wine bottle hanbok cover souvenir
• A Korean bookmark
• Korean fashion clothes
• Hats (they have some really cute designs!)
• Handbag/purse
• The traditional hanbok headband (I don’t know when I’ll ever use it!)
• Korean Ginseng (A variety of ginseng products are available in the market, we weren’t really into this one) 
• Stationary (I fell in love with stationary all over again in Seoul)
• Chopsticks 
• Hand mirror
• Socks, especially ones with uber-cute designs on them (Flaunt it!)

Creative beauty products only in Korea (check the photo below) 🙂 Did you guys notice my cupcake-shaped tinted lip balm in the photo above? Link to that Holika Holika lip balm on Amazon. 

Seoul Shopping Tips! 

• Make sure to travel with plenty of space in your luggage – just saying. 
• Although this shopping guide was primarily catered towards women, in general, Korean men are very well groomed. So I guess the beauty products apply to men as well.
• Clothes are mostly designed for petite Asian women so it is a challenge to find bigger sizes.
• The underground shopping malls don’t have trial rooms, you’ll just have to wing it for fitting.
• Some vendors in underground malls may waive off sales tax if you pay by cash instead of a credit card. Similarly, you can get a higher discount if you buy a lot of items from one shop. Bottom-line, don’t hesitate to bargain a little at underground shops.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for more free beauty product samples if you think you want to sample a certain product but didn’t get it.
• As a foreign tourist, you may get sales tax refunded in shopping malls as long as you show your passport and have shopped for KRW30,000 or more. Don’t hesitate to ask the shops about this process; it’ll save you a ton of money! In some cases, it’s instant tax removal and in some others, they give you a receipt to claim a tax refund at the airport before departure.

It was so much fun it was to write an unusual post like this. I hope you guys enjoyed the virtual shopping experience with us in Korea! Please share along with family & friends.

Happy Travelling Shopping!