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Kyobo Bookshop
With more titles than a medium-sized library, Kyobo is the largest bookshop in Seoul. It boasts an English-language information desk and has a room stacked floor to ceiling with books in English (and a few other European languages). It also has large, well-organised selections of CDs from various genres - and a fast-food area.
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Lotte Department Store
This is four classy stores that are linked together - the department store, Lotte Young Plaza, Lotte Avenuel and a duty-free shop - and includes a multiplex cinema , food court, hotel and restaurants. It's almost impossible not to get lost inside this busy-busy beehive but it's an experience.
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Lotte Mart
A mega discount supermarket with a household goods section that is spread over two floors next to Seoul train station. Come here for good-deal gifts and souvenirs, particularly in the food and drink line.
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Migliore
Always teeming with teenage-looking trendsetters, this high-rise Myeong-dong mall is packed with fashion shops, has a food court on the 7th floor and an outdoor stage by the entrance.
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Mythos
All the Siwan label music (mainly European folk rock) can be found here as well as rock, world and progressive music. If the Strawbs are your bag, drop by.
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Nakwon Musical Instruments Arcade
On the 2nd floor are 200 small shops that sell all kinds of musical instruments and equipment. Local musicians may put on impromptu shows as they choose their instruments. Be careful about fakes.
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Namdaemun Market
This huge night-and-day market dates back to the 15th century and has thousands of shops and stalls selling ginseng, dried seaweed, clothes, shoes, accessories, hiking gear, watches, handicrafts, sunglasses, spectacles and contact lenses. The variety and cheap prices attract both tourists and locals and food stalls offer cheap meals for the adventurous.
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Noryangjin Fish Market
All kinds of marine life swim around in tanks and bowls in this covered market. Large crabs, rays, tuna and shellfish are on display along with more exotic species such as sea cucumbers and sea squirts - the orange one is called meongge . For stalls that will grill or steam what you buy fresh from the market, take the exit from the subway station, cross the bridge over the train tracks and go down the stairs into the market.
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Pan
Mainly second-hand CDs and LPs are stacked up all over the shop, so who knows what gems you might find if you have the patience to look through them all.
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Purple Record
All music genres are covered in Purple Records, a well-established record store that appeals to local art students and is always worth a browse. Open until midnight.
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Queen Liz
Ladies can buy a drink in this beauty café with violet velour armchairs, and then use all their make-up and cosmetics for free. If it all goes wrong you can pay for a professional make-up by Lee Eun-im who trained in France and speaks English. A finger package - nail care and colouring plus a finger massage - is worth the cost. It's on the 4th floor above US 66 bar.
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Record Forum
Despite being a small record store that has hardly any room for customers, Record Forum has a selection guaranteed to interest jazz and blues enthusiasts.
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Seoul Selection Bookshop
Run by Hank Kim, this is the friendliest place to buy English books on Korean culture along with Korean CDs and DVDs. Staff can advise on which DVDs to buy - or you can hire them. Coffee, second-hand books and free Internet access are available too. Every Saturday morning they screen a Korean DVD with English subtitles. See the website for 'what's on'.
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Sogong
Shops in this upmarket underground arcade sell ginseng, stationery, antiques, handicrafts, clothing and accessories, and it joins up with Myeong-dong underground arcade.
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Ssamziegil
This stylish new three-floor complex is packed with small arty-crafty shops, has a mini vineyard on the roof and a cool restaurant in the basement
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Star Market
The sassy style and low prices lure customers inside this new youth-oriented fashion store and café that employs Russian staff who look like they moonlight in hostess bars.
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Synnara Record
A large selection of CDs and DVDs of all genres is available here, and you can listen to the latest sounds before buying. There is another branch in Sinchon. Take subway Line 2 to Sinchon, Exit 2.
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Taste Maximum
Up-and-coming Seoul fashion designer Kim Gyu-sik and his associates have a cute boutique here in Apgujeong and in Lotte department store in Myeong-dong.
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Tea Museum
Sip unusual teas from around the globe in this tiny, antique-filled teashop in Apgujeong with over 50 herb, flower, fruit and leaf teas (and teapots) for sale. South African rooibos teas are popular.
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Techno Mart
Electronic gear takes up seven floors of this high-rise next to Gangbyeon station. It's less overwhelming and easier to find your way around than Yongsan Electronics Market. On the 9th floor is a relaxing outdoor area with views of the Han River, while on the 10th floor is the CGV Gangbyeon multiplex cinema.
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Volkswagen
This middle-of-the-road boutique is bigger than most and has room for all the latest styles as well as half a Volkswagen car inside.
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Washington Shirt
Custom-made business shirts cost around ₩28 0 to around ₩55 0. They are on the plain side (wearing an Aloha shirt to work would give your Korean boss a heart attack), but the shop has a range of designs to choose from.
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What The Book
This new bookshop, run by a couple of young and helpful expats, sells mainly second-hand books. They stock thousands of books at reasonable prices, and add a rare touch of culture to the Itaewon scene.
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Yongsan Electronics Market
The Yongsan Electronics Market is probably the largest electronics market in Asia, with 5000 small shops spread around almost a dozen buildings. Everything from household appliances to the latest Nokia, audio-visual equipment, computers and computer accessories are on sale. If you can plug it in, you can find it here.
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Youngpoong Bookshop
Youngpoong Bookshop is another mega downtown bookstore with English-language books downstairs in sections F1 and H3 and plenty of people-watching possibilities.
