To put it simply, Korea is heaven for shopaholics. There is nothing you cannot get while you do shopping in Korea. Among numerous shops and stores, we curated some of the most popular and worth visiting shops. At the centerpiece of shopping, from character shops to famous beauty brands, you will like it at least one thing. If not, you can buy items as a gift for your family or friends. Now, follow our guide to must-visit shops to get special and trendy items!
1. Character Shops
1) KAKAO FRIENDS Store
KAKAO FRIENDS is a highly recognized brand of character shops. The characters were born for the use of Korean mobile messenger application, ‘Kakao Talk’. At the entrance of each shop stands a giant Ryan! These characters are beloved not only by Korean people but also by people worldwide. Each character has a distinctive appearance and mood. Since there are a total of 30 branches in Korea, you will find the shop easily in major downtown areas and big shopping malls such as Gangnam Station, DDP, COEX Mall, and many more.
If you love the character ‘Ryan’ so much, how about visiting the theme park? :
2) LINE FRIENDS Store
LINE FRIENDS is also a character brand featuring lovely and lively characters that were created for the use as stickers in the mobile messenger application, LINE. At the character shop, you can purchase lots of merchandise on which adorable characters are painted or imprinted. It is totally worth just looking around the shop if you are fond of cute things.
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The noteworthy thing is that you can meet the distinguishing characters, ‘BT21’, which was created in collaboration with BTS!
2. Stationery: ART BOX
ART BOX is a popular Korean stationery brand. Although there are not so many branches, you can spot the shops on busy streets including Gangnam station, Myeongdong, and Sinchon. The shop handles a wide range of products from office supplies, fancy goods, to daily products such as socks, wallets, pouches, and even accessories! Further, you will discover cute miniatures, toys, and tiny little decorations. This shop is a paradise for a miniature lover for sure. Why not get tiny, adorable souvenirs and gifts here?
For other stationery shops in Seoul, click here.
3. Drugstore: Olive Young
While walking streets of Korean cities, you won’t miss this drugstore, Olive Young. If you are interested in beauty and healthcare, this is one of the must-visit shops in Korea. Even if you are not interested, you can buy things you forgot to bring from your home country or daily supplies you suddenly need. They sell not only a wide range of Korean beauty and makeup products you may have heard of, such as Peripera, or Too Cool For School but also deal in various online & offline brands.
As Korea’s beauty industry is advanced and well-known worldwide, you will get souvenirs for your friends or families and they would love it! It is less likely to regret buying mask sheets, lipsticks, and other steady sellers.
4. Outfit: Style Nanda
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Style Nanda is a famous fashion brand that was launched in Korea. It gained so much fame that the corporation L’Oreal bought a controlling stake in the company in 2018. This indicates the guarantee of the quality and innovation of its products. Visit one of these must-visit shops in Korea to look around how fashionable their styles are, and then get inspiration!
Address: 23, Wausan-ro 29da-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
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If you are a pink-lover, there is a splendid place for you, which is Pink Pool Cafe, a part of Style Nanda flagship store in Hongdae and Myeongdong. All over those stores are pink-colored, and those interiors and decorations will please you.
Address:
Hongdae branch – 23, Wausan-ro 29da-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Myeongdong branch – 37-8, Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
↓ Enjoy K-beauty after visiting Style Nanda! ↓
☞ Seoul Hair Salon in Hongdae (Hair & Joy) ☜
5. Cosmetic: 3CE
3CE(3 Concept Eyes) is an affiliated makeup brand of Style Nanda. It became popular worldwide, not to mention in Korea. Their products have high qualities, and the spectra of colors and texture are wide. At the shop, you can try out whatever you want. So, if you are a cosmetic lover, why not stop by the shop?
Address: 22, Apgujeong-ro 8-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
↓ Enjoy K-beauty after shopping at 3CE! ↓
☞ K-Beauty: 1 Day Makeup Class/Professional Makeup Service ☜
Do You Want to Purchase These Items Now?
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Photo Credits:
KAKAO FRIENDS Facebook
LINE FRIENDS Facebook
ARTBOX Facebook
Olive Young Global Facebook
StyleNanda Facebook
3CE Facebook
