Jeonju
Jeonju's biggest market has lively food stalls on Friday and Saturday nights. Expect long waits at some stalls, like the one selling sweet-and-sour shrimp…
Must-see shopping in South Korea
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Tastefully designed, natural glazed pottery for daily and decorative use are artfully displayed on the ground floor of this complex that includes a…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Uberstylish flagship boutique of the Japanese label. Take the elevator to the 4th floor then work your way down through the maze-like corridors. Take a…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
In the same mould as Doota, if slightly more focused on global brands, this high-rise department store has multiple levels of clothing, cosmetics,…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
No need to root around Dongdaemun Market for the latest hot K-designers, with this store in the COEX Mall showcasing the designs of 100 rising stars…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
For consumers of contemporary Korean art and design, these five gallery spaces at the MMCA showcase some of the best of what's on offer, from fashion and…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Just opened at time of research is this postindustrial shopping mall, art centre and office complex housed in an old factory unit. The open-air roof has a…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
The colossal Homeplus Mall is not just the most hulking landmark in town, but an all-under-one-roof shopping bonanza, with long hours. There's a small…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Usually shortened to MMMG, this stylish emporium tells a story on every storey, from Swiss brand Freitag on ground level up through to Japanese homewares,…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Selling beautiful traditional-style furniture and decorative pieces for your home, including a variety of lamps with shades made of hanji (handmade paper).
Busan
West of Nampo-dong, this traditional market has hundreds of small booths with a staggering selection of items, from leather goods to Korean drums.
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
The flagship store of this Korean cosmetics brand specialises in organic skin products and essential oils using germinated sprouts.
Busan
You could easily spend an hour getting lost in this enormous traditional market specialising in produce, seafood and knick-knacks.
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Spread over three levels, this multilabel boutique mixes up vintage with new designer men's and women's fashion and homewares.
Lotte Department Store – Dongnae
Busan
Department store in Dongnae. From the metro station, take the overhead crosswalk.
Busan
One the city's oldest bookstores, with a decent selection of English books.
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Korea isn't a particularly cheap country in which to pick up electronics (even for home-grown brands like Samsung), but this humongous collection of tech…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
There are two close-by branches of this multibrand boutique that’s a byword for chic, high-end fashion. The original, worth a look if only for its…
Seoul
An old market arcade has become a Friday-night and weekend hot spot for browsers in hip Yeonnam-dong. Secondhand clothing, homemade cookies, an overload…
Gyeonggi-do & Incheon
So this is where all the people are! Trust Songdo's only happening hang-out to be a vast open-air mall offering discounted big-brand shopping, a few…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Back in the 1980s there were around 50 eel-leather shops in Itaewon. Now there's just Mr Choe's, which has sold his luxuriously supple handbags, belts,…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
One of the best places in Seoul for traditional crafts is the wholesale handicrafts market in the upper floors of Building C and D at Namdaemun Market,…
Gwangju
Brand names such as Vuitton and Dior rub shoulders with an art gallery and basement food court/supermarket here. There’s also a Starbucks, the favourite…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
A variety of nicely packaged teas grown at the company’s plantations on Jeju-do (Jeju Island) as well as tea-making implements are on offer here. A cafe…
Daegu
This hulking, multistorey complex has more than 4000 stalls in six sections including clothing, silk and street food. Bustling yet orderly, it’s been one…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
As well as the food and fabrics sold here, head upstairs for stalls full of second-hand clothing. There's the usual flannel shirts, vintage dresses, army…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
With brand-name shopping and three floors of eateries, this giant department store sprawls around the major overground Yongsan station. Check out the…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
In a street famous for its antique stores (which originated when departing US soldiers sold their belongings), Ando is one of the most well known. The…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
War, what is it good for? Military surplus shops might be one answer, and this Aladdin's cave is loaded with genuine army uniforms and equipment, some of…
Seoul
Ecofriendly shoes, bags and other goods, some made from recycled products, are sold at this attractive basement store. Look for the wallets and bags made…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
The black cat Curo is the superstar character in hundreds of costumes and disguises – everything from Darth Vader to Marilyn Monroe – at this creative…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Chang Eung Bong creates and sources exquisite fabrics used for fashion and soft furnishings, including gorgeous quilts, pillows and contemporary spins on…
Seoul
Although there's a bigger branch of Object in Hongdae, this one is notable for specialising in products that involve some element of re- or up-cycling,…
Nakwon Musical Instruments Arcade
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Want a pink guitar or an orange banjo? Browse the vast variety of musical instruments and equipment of all kinds spread mainly over the 2nd and 3rd floors…
Northern Seoul
Korean-designed youthful clothing and accessories are just a few of the types of colourful goods sold here alongside stationery, kitchenware, candles and…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Paint your own design onto a range of plain pottery pieces for a unique souvenir. A cup costs ₩15,000 but you'll either need to be in Seoul for three…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Itaewon’s best bookshop sells a wide range of English-language fiction and nonfiction with an interesting section on Korean culture. Also stocks current…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
The attractive sculpture garden behind the Sejong Center is the location of this spring-to-early-autumn, twice-monthly market, where you can buy a wide…
