Unconventional Shopping in Seoul: Unique Markets and Boutiques

Seoul, the bustling capital of South Korea, is one of the shopping capitals of the world. Almost every major luxury brand in the world has a presence in Seoul, and the city is home to South Korea’s best and brightest designers. There are also up-and-coming brands showcased by Seoul’s trendiest boutiques.

Photo credit: Timothy Riles on Unsplash.

Seoul also has a number of unique and fascinating markets, neighborhoods, and shopping centers that are travel destinations themselves. Whether it’s a traditional shopping street or a mall made out of old shipping containers, there are some unorthodox places to get your retail therapy in. Regardless of whether you buy anything or not, these will be valuable travel experiences.

Exploring a massive city like Seoul requires a lot of energy to get around, especially if you’re trying to hit all the best shopping destinations in town. Finding a reliable place to drop the bags off for a few hours is a great way to lighten the load and keep your arms open for all the fresh finds you’ll discover in Seoul’s amazing boutiques.

Hongdae.

Hongdae

Known for its youthful clientele and artsy vibe, Hongdae is a must-visit destination for trendy travelers looking for a bespoke shopping experience. This neighborhood’s streets and alleyways are lined with indie boutiques, vintage stores, local designer shops, buzzy cafés, and everything else you’d expect from a hip neighborhood.

It’s one of the best places in Seoul to discover one-of-a-kind clothing, accessories, and handmade crafts. Hongdae is also famous for its lively street performances and underground music scene, making it a vibrant and creative shopping district. Tucked away near Hongik University, Hongdae’s main shopping area is easily reached by taking the subway (Line 2) to Hongik University Station. From there, it's a short walk to the best shopping stretches.

Photo credit: Ciaran O'Brien on Unsplash.

Myeongdong

Myeongdong is the city's premier shopping district. This bustling area is a haven for fashionistas and beauty enthusiasts, with an abundance of cosmetics shops, international brands, and some of Seoul’s most renowned boutiques. While it may be less distinctive than some of the more peculiar shopping destinations, Myeongdong is still a quintessential Seoul institution that international travelers should definitely experience.

The streets are lined with neon signs, creating a vibrant atmosphere that’s lively at night. Don't skip tasting some Korean street food while you shop! Myeongdong is located in the heart of Seoul and is easily accessible by public transportation or a short walk from other tourist hotspots.

Pink Pool Cafe.

Pink Pool Cafe

This one is right out of a Wes Anderson film… Combining (very niche) retail offerings with a quirky cafe setting, Pink Pool Cafe is a must-visit for lovers of the color pink. This entirely pastel cafe boasts a stunning pink interior with vibrant decor, including (you guessed it) pink furniture, walls, and even a pink billiards table. You can sip on a cup of coffee and indulge in pink-themed desserts while enjoying the whimsical ambiance and twee setting.

The cafe offers a selection of pink-themed merchandise for taking home a keepsake. Pink Pool Cafe is located in the bustling Hongdae shopping district, making it the perfect detour for a charming coffee or popping in for a quick Instagram pic.

Beaker.

Beaker

Beaker is a multi-brand concept store that carries a few different lines but maintains a cohesive aesthetic and feel. Beaker originated in the artsy Hongdae neighborhood and has since expanded to other locations in notable shopping destinations in Seoul, including Garosu-gil and Shinsegae Department Store. The primary location is in Hongdae, where you’ll find the largest layout and best selection.

What sets Beaker apart is its impeccably curated selection of cutting-edge fashion from both local and international designers. The boutique features a mix of contemporary streetwear and avant-garde pieces. To put it plainly, Beaker traffics in the hipster aesthetic. If you want to know what styles are “next,” this is the place to go. Beaker’s thoughtfully designed space also creates a vibey shopping experience, so it’s a joy to visit regardless of whether you buy anything or not.

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Insadong

For a traditional Korean shopping experience, exploring the Insadong neighborhood is like stepping back in time.

This historic district is known for its art galleries, antique shops, and traditional craft stores. You'll find unique Korean souvenirs, such as hanbok (traditional silk clothing), ceramics, calligraphy brushes, and hanji (traditional paper).

Regardless of your shopping aims, taking a leisurely stroll down the main street lined with quaint shops and tea houses is a great way to immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Korea. You can easily reach Insadong from the city center by subway Line 3. The best shopping streets are a quick walk from Anguk Station.

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Common Ground

Located in the Gwangjin-gu district, Common Ground is easily the most unique shopping center in Seoul. This innovative complex is built entirely from repurposed shipping containers, giving it an industrial-chic aesthetic. Common Ground curates a selection of local designer boutiques, pop-up stores, and independent brands. It’s entirely aimed at attracting young and trendy shoppers, and it’s become a destination for international travelers looking for a fun place to find the best up-and-coming South Korean brands.

The clientele will be ultra-hip, given Beaker’s proximity to a local university, but it’s still an approachable and fun place to visit. Because the selection showcases independent smaller designers, the prices can vary from uber-cheap to very expensive. Common Ground is easy to get to, as it can be reached by taking the subway to Konkuk University Station. From there, it's a short walk. Just look for the cluster of blue shipping containers. You can’t miss it.

While it’s understandable that fashionistas will want to hit up Seoul’s many upscale fashion districts and boutiques during their visit, visiting one of these distinctive shopping destinations is a great way to explore Seoul fully. It offers an insight into Korean culture that can be both traditional and modern experiences. You might even run into your new favorite piece of clothing.

Seoul Searching | Laneige Flagship Store at Ewha Fashion Street.

Laneige opened their newest - and perhaps their prettiest - flagship store in Seoul a few months back, and Yue and I had the chance to visit it while we were in Korea. Located along the Ewha Womans University Fashion Street, one of the most popular shopping areas in Seoul, the new store is a massive three-storey building which boasts of modern architecture, trendy aesthetics, and an enhanced consumer experience.

Facade of the new Laneige flagship store.

The store from a different angle.

Designed with pink and blue hues, the first floor showcases the brand's various lines of makeup and skincare products, allowing customers to try and test them freely before making any purchase.

Inside the Laneige flagship store.

If you don't like the idea of using testers, you can try the Laneige Beauty Mirror, a fun and interactive app that virtually applies makeup on your face. With the Beauty Mirror, you can see how different Laneige products look on you and allows you to download the list of items that you used in the app.

Trying on the new Laneige Stained Glasstick. I'm wearing Shade #7 Pink Tourmaline.

There's also a special section of this store dedicated to the brand's line of sleeping masks. From the cult-favorite Water Sleeping Mask to the relatively new Water Bank Quick Hydro Pen, you'll find them all on display in this dreamy, psychedelic little corner.

The 'Beauty Sleep' corner featuring my favorite Laneige Water Bank Sleeping Mask.

If chemistry is your thing, you're in for a treat as this store lets you create and personalize your own Lip Sleeping Mask. It was a fun experience, and my inner nerd was thrilled to see hotplates and beakers and all that chemistry-related stuff. It's like junior high all over again!

Yue trying to read the captions before we start.
They're written in Hangul, but the staff explained to us what to do. 

Yue enjoyed this 'experiment' (as he calls it) a lot more than I did, even if he was just looking on and was not allowed to touch anything.

Step 1. Choose your scent.

Step 2 involves mixing the base and the scent and heating them up in this plate.

The base and the scent, plus all the tools you need to make your own lip sleeping mask.

Packing the finished product in the signature frosted jar. :)

The final step is designing the jar with a label/sticker of your choice.

The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, customized to your liking.

We also got a glimpse of the 'Study Room' at the third floor. It's a fun, experiential space where you can get hang out with your friends, perhaps enjoy some alone time with a cup of coffee and a good book, or get a one-on-one consultation with Laneige's beauty experts. This area also serves as a venue for Laneige's special events such as product launches, makeup tutorials, and beauty classes.

The 'Beauty Playground'.

We could have stayed longer and enjoyed some afternoon tea with other VIP members, but we were a little pressed for time since we were trying to catch BTS on their way to their fan meeting at Digital Media City. Next time, I'll try to sign-up for their K-beauty class, similar to the one they offer at the road shop and flagship store in Myeongdong.

To get to the Laneige Ewha Flagship Store, take exit 2 or 3 of the Ewha Womans University Station (Line 2). The store is just a few meters away from the exit.

Seoul Searching | Jongmyo Shrine.

Filial piety, they say, is one of the most important virtues and possibly the greatest heritage of South Korea. It means the attitude of obedience, care, and devotion towards one's parents and ancestors, and this virtue is clearly manifested in Jongmyo Shrine, the oldest and most authentic Confucian royal shrine to have been preserved.

The UNESCO World Heritage marker located near the main road.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jongmyo is known as the supreme state shrine as it houses the 'spirit tablets' of the deceased kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty. The shrine has existed in its present form since the 16th century, conserving not only its physical form but also the traditional ritual practices of paying tribute to their ancestors and honoring the dead.

The path leading to the gate of Jongmyo Shrine.

More of Jongmyo Shrine after the jump!

Seoul Searching | Revisiting Kondae: Common Ground.

My frequent visits to South Korea made me realize that shopping in Seoul should not be limited to just the (more) popular tourist destinations. Of course, I still love going to Myeongdong because almost all of my favorite Korean cosmetics brands are there, and Dongdaemun because it has Shake Shack and sneaker outlets.

However, I came to realize that it's more fun to shop at the lesser-known shopping districts where it's relatively peaceful (read: no rambunctious tourists from you know where) and less crowded. And if you're lucky, you might come across some really good deals (like 1+1 sale events or clearance sales) or find goods that are sold at cheaper prices.

One of my favorite lesser-known shopping destinations is Kondae (Konkuk University), located just two subway stops away from where we live. Lined with restaurants, cafes, and retail shops, Kondae is a go-to destination for teens and yuppies (I have not used this word in such a long time, lol), and is now garnering attention for being the new Gangnam.

Kondae is known for its 'Taste Street', a whole block lined with pubs, cafes, and restaurants with vast dining options - from samgyeopsal, Chinese food, to Western cuisine. It also has a Rodeo Fashion Street where you'll find a variety of clothing stores and popular sports brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour. In addition, Kondae is also home to Common Ground, the very first pop-up container mall in the country.

Welcome to Common Ground!

More of Common Ground after the jump!

Foodie Goodie | Sulbing Cafe.

Nothing can be as refreshing as a shaved ice dessert amidst the summer heat. And when it comes to shaved ice desserts, you'll find a variety of them in Asia. There's halo halo in the Philippines, cendol in Singapore, kakigori in Japan (though I have yet to try the authentic Japanese version myself), and bingsu in South Korea.

Patbingsu (팥빙수) is a popular Korean dessert which literally means 'red beans shaved ice'. That being said, this dessert is made with shaved ice, red beans, condensed milk, fruit syrup, and other sweet toppings such as chopped fruit. While the original version of this dessert was extremely simple - just broken bits of ice with sweetened red bean porridge - many varieties are now available, most of which have been popularized by the Korean dessert cafe chain Sulbing.

The boys at Sulbing!

The brainchild of Jeon Song Hee, an enthusiastic Korean woman who majored in food and nutrition in college, Sulbing originated in Busan, with its first store opening in 2013. Within a year, Sulbing has expanded enormously and now has 490 franchise outlets all over South Korea. With its extreme popularity, you're bound to come across an outlet or two when you go out and about in downtown Seoul.

Sulbing in Myeongdong.

Best sellers!

The boys and I visited the Sulbing Cafe in Myeongdong. I reckon there are three Sulbing Cafes in the area, but the branch that we visited is the one right above the Nature Republic store.

Yue busy with Pokemon Go, lol.

The store was spacious and well-lighted, with a cozy ambiance to boot. The boys and I did not have a hard time getting seats as the place was not too crowded when we arrived.

Sulbing menu.

The poster boy of Sulbing, Lim Siwan. :)

Sulbing's menu offers a plethora of bingsu flavors - from the classic Sweet Red Bean to the more decadent Tiramisu Sulbing. Aside from bingsu, Sulbing also has toast, pastries, coffee, and lemonade on their menu. Some branches also serve traditional Korean tea and traditional Korean snacks such as tteokbokki, red bean bun, and grilled sweet potatoes.

Injeolmi Sulbing + Churros.

The husband was a bit overwhelmed with the bingsu choices, so he let me decide which flavor to get. I ordered the best seller Injeolmi Sulbing (7000 won), which was big enough for all three of us to share. Yue saw Churros on the menu, so I got him a Churros set (6500 won) which includes a glass of what they call 'Real Fresh Lemonade'. 

That's the lemonade at the far right hand corner. 

The Injeolmi Sulbing, as you can see, is topped with crunchy sliced almonds, soybean powder, and injeolmi, a variety of Korean rice cake. The injeolmi has a soft and chewy texture like mochi, which I absolutely love. The boys enjoyed this bingsu as much as I did - it's not cloyingly sweet, and the shaved ice with condensed milk complemented the soybean powder quite well.

Injeolmi is love! :)

The Churros were okay, though they're really nothing out of the ordinary. The Lemonade, on the other hand, was quite good. You'll know from the taste that they used nothing but freshly-squeezed lemons.

Bingsu date, success! :)

I have tried a few bingsu brands here in the Philippines, and I thought they were all quite good. Until I visited Sulbing, that is. They all now pale in comparison to the bingsu that Sulbing serves, at least in my opinion.


Sulbing Cafe - Myeongdong
20 Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
+82 2 3401 7900

Seoul Searching | Seoul Rose Festival.

South Korea is beautiful any time of the year, but it's most beautiful in the spring when the weather is pleasant, the temperature is neither too cold nor too warm, and varieties of gorgeous flowers are in bloom. During this time, an abundance of festivals take place throughout the nation - some celebrating culture and the arts, others celebrating unique and local delicacies, not to mention those celebrating the flowers in bloom.

One of the more popular spring festivals in Korea is the Seoul Rose Festival usually held in May and takes place in the area of Jungnang-gu. This year, the festival commenced on May 19 and I made it a point to visit on its opening day. My friend Melissa - who came to Korea for a quick vacation - arrived in Seoul on the same day, and rushed over to Jungnang-gu as soon as she dropped her luggage off at the hostel that she was staying. It's not everyday that we get to experience events like this and just like me, she wouldn't miss this for the world! :)

Mel and I at the 2017 Seoul Rose Festival! :)

The Seoul Rose Festival is an annual event which showcases over a million roses of more than 40 varieties. The festival usually runs for three days (from Friday to Sunday), with a variety of programs based on each day's themes.

Roses in full bloom!

The first day of the festival was 'Rose Day', with the festivities kicking-off with a rose-themed parade complete with a military band. Merchants from Bulgaria also participated in the parade; they're dubbed as pros in the rose industry as they hail from Kazanlak, where the world-famous Rose Valley is located.

Participants of the Rose Parade.

Also held on that day was a Rose Singing Contest, which we happened to catch a glimpse of when we went near the stage. I'm not sure what prizes were up for grabs, but the contestants can only sing songs related to flowers. Mel and I were more amused at the crowd comprised mostly of middle-aged women, singing and dancing to the music. Ahjummas know how to have fun!

The Rose Stage, where performances were held.

A huge basket of roses.

Rose Garden.

All you need is love.

Sun, sky, and roses.

Mel and I enjoyed the sight and the scent of these colorful roses, stopping every once in awhile to take photos of varieties that we have not seen before.

A rare breed. :)

Gold rose.

Pink sweetheart roses.

Yue, on the other hand, had a blast at the experience zones - the playground, in particular - and the photo zones, which were scattered all over the place.

My Little Prince. :)

Let's get physical!

Mini library! 

The festival also featured an array of food trucks selling street food and traditional Korean dishes, and merchandise booths where you can buy traditional Korean souvenirs and festival memorabilia such as flower crowns and rose halos.

Yukhoe - raw beef seasoned with spices.

This stall sells grilled squid and the like.

However, the highlight of this festival is the Rose Tunnel, which stretches 5.15 kilometers long. Walking through the tunnel proved to be a challenge for the three of us as it was super crowded that day. There were photo zones along the way, but we did not have the chance to take pictures because of the massive crowd.

One of the pretty fixtures that we saw at the festival.

The Rose Tunnel!

Mel and my little man. :)

But we had a blast nonetheless, and we're definitely doing this again next year!

Promotional poster, 2017 Seoul Rose Festival.

To get to the festival venue, take the following routes:

- Meokgol Station Exit 7
Walk straight for approx. 40m. Turn left and walk straight for approx. 400m to Jungnangcheon Stream.
- Junghwa Station Exit 4
Turn left and walk straight for approx. 400m to Jungnangcheon Stream and Junghwa Sugyeong Park.

Watch the Facebook live video of the Seoul Rose Festival here.

Seoul Rose Festival
332, Jungnangcheon-ro, Jungnang-gu, Seoul