Shopping - Korea travel and tourism information

Namdaemun Ginseng Market (남대문인삼시장)

2021-06-09

25-8, Namdaemunsijang-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-752-1012

Namdaemun Ginseng Market is found along the central path of Namdaemun Market located on Namdaemun-ro.There are approximately 20 shops standing close together in the market, with seven other ginseng shops in a ginseng distributor center located on the second floor of Namdaemun Theatre building. Here, visitors can purchase quality ginseng at a 20~30% lower price than the regular consumer price.

Visitors can also purchase fresh ginseng and other processed products such as ginseng tea and powder, as well as a variety of oriental health foods including: red ginseng, honey, Yeongji mushrooms, traditional teas, brown rice and adlay.

Mucha (뮈샤)

2020-05-07

731, Samseong-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
+82-1588-9391

Mucha is a premium jewelry company owned and operated by Kim Jeong-ju, a renowned gemologist, jewelry designer and jewelry coordinator. The store carries fine jewelry under three brands - Mucha, Kiss by Mucha, and Mucha Arno, and offers custom design services as well. Mucha jewelry has been worn by many celebrities, and featured in many Korean dramas.

Times Square (타임스퀘어)

2026-06-10

15 Yeongjung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

Times Square is a large, comprehensive lifestyle complex equipped with various leisure, entertainment, accommodation, and dining establishments. The complex houses Shinsegae Department Store, which features a number of luxury brands and high-end local products, CGV Starium, which houses 12 movie theaters, including the world's largest screen, a multi-purpose performance center, Kyobo Book Center, E-Mart Discount Supermarket, Courtyard by Marriott, which features 273 rooms, Kolon Sporex Luxury Fitness Center, Amoris Banquet and Convention Center, I Like Dalgi Children's Theme Park, various dining establishments, and many more. In addition, several large outdoor spaces, which collectively span over near 14,850 ㎡, provide perfect spots for relaxation and enjoying the nature inside the metropolitan complex.

NOON Square (눈스퀘어)

2020-05-07

14, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3783-5005

NOON Square is a large shopping complex located at the center of Myeong-dong, known as a mecca of fashion and culture. It features a wide range of both domestic and international fashion brands. The highlight of NOON Square is Level 5 located on the 5th floor. Level 5 is designed with a concept of "multi-shop within multi-shop," featuring unique and original fashion goods designed by new independent designers. In addition, NOON Square is the first venue in Korea to install an outdoor escalator.

Mario Outlet (마리오아울렛)

2021-01-08

23, Digital-ro 9-gil, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2109-7000

Located in Gasan-dong, Seoul, Mario Outlet is Asia's largest downtown fashion outlet, with over 600 different brand shops. Mario Outlet has experienced great success since its opening in July of 2001, expanding to include a second hall in February 2004, and a renewal of the first hall into two separate blocks in September 2013. The three sections are jointly called Mario Outlet Fashion Town. In addition to fashion stores, the outlet mall features various convenience and dining facilities for an enhanced shopping experience.

Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street (문정동 로데오거리)

2025-03-29

10, Dongnam-ro 4-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street is a large shopping district containing over 200 brand-name discount stores. The street is T-shaped, with a 1-kilometer-long main street connected to a 400-meter-long alley, and the Munjeong 1-dong Resident Center located at the center. For shoppers’ convenience, there is a public parking lot (if visitors purchase goods at Rodeo Street, they can park here for free) and a parking lot for foreign tourists only (free of charge). Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street is one of Korea’s major shopping streets with customers ranging from teenagers to adults, since discount stores stocking sports wear, casual wear, shoes, men’s and ladies’ suits, and golf wear are all located on this street. Moreover, this is a great place to find deals on famous brands, at prices lower than at a department store. On some items you can get discounts of up to 70-80%.

Since most of the goods are stock from previous seasons, it might be better to purchase the more classic styles rather than the trendy fashions. In some cases, the goods might have been slightly crumpled or stained during the transfer from warehouse storage, but taking them to the dry-cleaners should fix most problems. However you should be careful when looking at the sewing quality, and check for missing buttons.

One more thing to bear in mind is the shopping season. Even discount stores have periods when stock runs low. The best time to shop is immediately after the stores in Rodeo Street restock their merchandise. This is done at about the same time as department stores. There is also an enormous variety of goods to choose from during the Rodeo Festivals in May and September. The purchased goods are exchangeable but non-refundable, so check the quality of the products carefully before purchasing.

In addition, Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street has a wide selection of restaurants and entertainment facilities. There are a number of pizza places, coffee shops, and food courts, as well as internet cafes and game rooms in the alleys behind the stores. Visitors can also relax in the surrounding parks. There’s a park with a 600-year-old zelkova tree right behind the Munjeong 1-dong Resident Center. Munjeong Rodeo Street is not just a shopping district; it’s a cultural area. The ‘Munjeong-dong Cultural Festival’ takes place every year in May, and the ‘Munjeong-dong Rodeo Festival’ takes place in May every other year. During these festivals, visitors can watch traditional Korean performances, traditional wedding ceremonies, international fashion parades, hip-hop dancing, and more. A charity sale is held on weekends and national holidays on the open-air stage of the Munjeong 1-dong Resident Center, and merchandise is sold for even bigger discounts.

Lotte Premium Outlets - Gimhae Branch (롯데프리미엄아울렛 (김해점))

2020-06-29

469, Jangyu-ro, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
+82-55-900-2500

The Lotte Premium Outlets Gimhae Branch offers domestic and international brand name clothing, fashion accessories, and more, at lower prices than the average department store. The outlet is stocked with 20 luxury brand names including Burberry and S.T. Dupont, as well as 110 famous Korean brands. It also comes complete with various convenience facilities and a large food court, allowing shoppers to spend the day in comfort as they hunt for bargains.

Pyounghwa (Pyeonghwa) Fashion Town (서울 평화시장)

2025-01-06

274, Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

The Pyounghwa Fashion Town market in Dongdaemun has been selling fashion clothing and accessories for over 50 years ever since the end of the Korean War. It was here that in 1953 North Korean refugees started selling clothes made from US army uniforms. Their market was then named Pyounghwa, which means peace, in the hope that no other wars would be fought on Korean soil. The Pyounghwa Fashion Town was therefore the beginning of the 30,000 stores that now make up Dongdaemun Fashion Town, which is seen as one of the global centers of the fashion industry.

Spread over a large area, this historical fashion market is divided into several districts, the ‘Gu Pyounghwa Fashion Town’ is the oldest, and there is also the ‘Shin Pyounghwa Fashion Town’, ‘Dong Pyounghwa Fashion Town’, and ‘Cheong Pyounghwa Fashion Town’.

Seoul Gyeongdong Market (서울 경동시장)

2024-12-03

3 Gosanja-ro 36-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

As the nation began to recover from the aftermath of the Korean War, farmers from the northern Gyeonggi-do region and Ganwon-do gathered around the old Seongdong Station (renamed ‘Hansol Donguibogam’) to sell their produce and wares. The farmers’ impromptu gathering on the fallow farmland to make their transactions soon led to the birth of a new marketplace. With the recent remodeling of the market, including the long-neglected Gyeongdong Theater, the place feels totally renewed and full of energy. Thanks to the renovation and diverse food stalls, the place is always bustling and filled with people.

Gukje Market (국제시장)

2025-10-23

Area of Sinchang-ro 4-ga, Jung-gu, Busan

The current marketplace of Gukje Market first formed after the liberation of Korea from the Japanese administration when people gathered to trade overseas products left by the Japanese and brought in by Koreans who came back from abroad. Following the Korean War, refugees who fled to Busan set up stalls in order to make a living by selling smuggled or imported products, which developed into Gukje Market (gukje meaning "international" in Korean) of today. Gukje Market is one of Korea’s largest markets and a testament to Korea's modern history. The market is divided into two wings, and first-timers to the market are advised to be careful not to get lost in the maze-like alleys and halls.

Shopping - Korea travel information