Shopping

Clothing Markets and Underground Shopping
Clothing markets and underground shopping areas offer trendy fashions at prices often less than retail. Dozens of styles of clothing are crammed into tiny stores, often resembling booths at an expo. Shops are set up in rows, sometimes winding through several stories of a building, other times located underground around a subway stop. It's a common practice to try to bargain with shopkeepers over prices.

Clothing markets are largely concentrated around Seoul's Dongdaemun Stadium subway station. Wholesale clothing markets are widely open to the public and filled with great deals. Trendier "malls" have also opened in the area, including Migliore, Doota and Hello apM, with slightly higher prices and arguably better styles. Shopping in
Dongdaemun goes until dawn at many shops, with customers fueled by street food and the hope of scoring the best deals.

Underground shopping areas keep more traditional opening hours but offer a similarly chaotic atmosphere, as areas seem equally crammed with shoppers as with clothing, shoes, and household goods. The area beneath Gangnam's main shopping and dining street is packed with some of the city's most famous underground shops for young women's clothing and shoes. The Express Bus Terminal also has an extensive shopping arcade dedicated to clothing, shoes, household goods, and fresh, dried and artificial flowers and plants.
 
Department Stores
There are a number of department stores in Korea, located mainly in larger cities. These stores are similar to Western department stores, and often carry many Western labels as well as having familiar cosmetic counters on their ground floors. Department stores offer fixed prices, and usually have two-week long sale periods in each of the four seasons. Korea's most well-known department stores include Hyundai, Shinsegae, Lotte and Galleria. The Shinsegae Department Store in Shinsegae Centum City in Busan's Haeundae district was recently named the largest department store in the world by Guinness World Records, beating out New York's Macy's Herald Square flagship store.
 
Shopping Malls
Western-style shopping malls are rare in Korea, although a few can be found in large cities. Shops at these malls represent popular Asian brands (Giordano from Hong Kong, Uniqlo from Japan) as well as a number of Western brands (including Nike, Zara, Body Shop, Marks and Spencer, Levis and Apple). Large department stores, like Hyundai and Shinsegae, anchor these malls, which also often contain movie theater complexes. Seoul's COEX Mall in Gangnam-gu and I'PARK Mall in Yongsan-gu are good examples.

Korea's first outlet mall, Yeoju Premium Outlets in Gyeonggi-do, features more than 120 stores including Diesel, Adidas, Vivienne Westwood and Salvatore Ferragamo.
 
Large Discount Stores
These retailers resemble Korea's department stores but sell items at a lower price. Household goods, clothes, furniture and groceries can all be purchased under one roof. E-MART, Home plus, Lotte Mart and Kim's Club are some of the more common discount retailers in Korea.

Costco also has number of locations throughout Korea. Membership is required to purchase goods at these wholesale stores, and international membership cards are acknowledged.
 
Food Shopping
When it comes to food shopping, there are many options, including neighborhood supermarkets, grocery sections in large discount stores and traditional markets. Please see the Food & Drink Section for more information.
 
Convenience Stores
Today there are more than 10,000 convenience stores throughout Korea. The Family Mart chain has the most locations, with GS25, 7-Eleven, Buy the Way, and Mini Stop stores also common. Convenience stores sell a variety of goods including snacks, prepared foods, groceries, magazines, office supplies, beverages and tobacco products. Residents can also pay bills and use delivery services at several convenience stores.

Paying Bills
Family Mart, GS25 and 7-Eleven stores now offer bill payment services throughout Korea. Bills can be paid on business days (as with at banks) but can also be taken care of on weekends and holidays as
well. There is no charge for taking advantage of this service. Payments are made through bank transfer, so only debit cards can be used for payment. The 2D Code must also be printed on the bill. This is an example of a 2D Code.

Parcel Delivery Services
GS25, Family Mart and Buy the Way all offer parcel delivery services. Parcels can be sent at any hour, although next day deliveries must be sent before 3 pm. Prices are determined by weight, with a 2,500 won base fee.
 
'Foreigner' Goods
Finding clothing and shoes in sizes larger than the average Korean size may be difficult for foreign residents. Garments at clothing markets can prove to be a challenge, with many of the hottest styles available only in one size, the ironically-named "free size." Large clothing markets, like
Dongdaemun's Doota, do have shops that specialize in carrying clothes in sizes medium and above. Neighborhoods with large foreign populations are often home to stores dedicated to carrying clothing and shoes for larger body types. Seoul's Itaewon has both women's and men's clothing shops that carry many Western brands in larger sizes, as well as shoe stores with a wider range of fits.
 
Traditional Markets
Traditional markets sell a variety of items in a more traditional Korean shopping setting. Famous markets in Seoul include Namdaemun Market and Gwangjang Market.

Booths, stalls and shops at Namdaemun Market feature goods including food, clothing, jewelry, household goods, ceramics and bedding. Gwangjang Market specializes in traditional Korean wares including linens, custom-tailored hanboks (traditional Korean clothing) and lacquerware.
 
Electronic Markets
All types of electronics, from computers to video cameras, sound systems to game consoles, can be purchased at Korea's electronic markets, often at a considerable discount. The most well-known is Seoul's Yongsan Electronics Market, which has more than 7,000 shops located in 24 shopping centers. Guui's Techno Mart features 8 floors and more than 2,000 electronic shops.
 
Duty Free Shopping
International travelers may purchase items without having to pay import duties or taxes. Shops are located at Korea's international airports, seaports and tourist areas around Korea. Shoppers must present their passports and international ticket to be able to make purchases at Duty Free shops. The Korea National Tourism Organization runs a number of Duty Free shops, as well as independent companies. More information about Duty Free shopping in Korea is located on the Korea Sparkling website: http://www.visitkorea.or.kr
 

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