45 Best Shopping in Seoul, South Korea

What started as Asia’s largest single market in 1970 has steadily grown into the vast indoor shopping destination it is today. This 10-story retail behemoth accessible via underground passage from the subway station is filled with a mish-mash of stalls selling everything from clothing, socks, and accessories, to buttons, fabrics, and home goods. There are also more than two dozen cafes and fast-food eateries on site. Most shops are closed on Sunday, except the home goods area open on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of the month.

Opened in 2021 as part of the Parc 1 mixed-use complex, the Hyundai Seoul is the largest department store in the country with an area covering approximately 13 football fields. Not only is it a haven for shopping enthusiasts with its five floors of on-trend fashion and luxury labels, but the sleek, design-forward space also features 90 restaurants, a hanging garden, and a gallery with more than 200 works.

Kim Jaehyun's high-end brand has garnered international acclaim and is one of Korea's fashion success stories. Her designs don't come cheap, but for anyone wanting to bring back a piece of Seoul fashion this is the place to go.

One of the best-known brands in young women’s fashion and make-up is Stylenanda, and its five-story flagship store in Myeongdong makes shopping a photo-worthy experience. Clad in pink and gold, the hotel-themed interior is reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, a film that was incredibly popular in South Korea. Popular products for purchase include their signature 3CE makeup and clothing such as simple T-shirts, jeans, and brightly colored dresses. There is a cafe on the fifth floor that recreates the experience of being in a pool. The rooftop also has a lounge that's open during the summer.

While this lifestyle concept store has branches all over South Korea, the Hongdae location is by far the best known. The five-story building sells accessories as well as both menswear and womenswear. In addition to A-Land brand items, the store features brands from other local designers. The overall style is best described as trendy and edgy. The items are a step up from stores at the nearby Hongdae Shopping Street and as a bonus, the store allows you to try on the items in its many fitting rooms.

Fans of K-Beauty will enjoy a pampering day at Amore Seongsu, a lifestyle cosmetics showroom which offers reservations for testing out makeup and taking classes from professional makeup artists in a beautiful garden setting. It's not exactly a shopping experience, but rather a spa-like service that allows you to sample 1,800 products from 40 brands. There's a rooftop to enjoy in addition to the garden-view rooms, and you can order tea from O'Sulloc's Tea House on the second floor. Booking a two-hour class means you can also take the products you like home.

If fashion is your thing, Gangnam's version of Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive is the place for you. This concourse is home to scores of boutiques, along with accessory shops, shoe stores, and luxury brand discount outlets. It also hosts some of the highest concentration of plastic surgery clinics in the world. If nothing else, it's a good place to check out the scene, as over the decades this has been one of the big places in Seoul to see or be seen.

Head to the second floor of the warehouse to find this shop of curated knick-knacks, which sells everything from hand-crafted wooden spoons to vintage china and illustrated postcards. Visitors looking for medium-priced souvenirs can find local ceramics for reasonable prices and have a cup of coffee by the window, as the older couple who run the establishment also sell beverages.

This quirky weekend market is filled with antiques and retro items spilling out from storefronts onto the sidewalks across from Dongmyo Shrine. Thrifters will love the vintage clothes and shoes, and bargain hunters can score various trinkets, tools, and glassware for just a few thousand won.

This eight-story mega mall is brimming with more than 500 stores selling the latest fashion trends. An estimated three million foreign visitors a year peruse the mix of luxury boutiques, emerging designers, sportswear, and fast fashion encompassed in this late-night shoppers’ paradise. If you’re looking for the hottest trends in K-style, this is the place to break out your credit card.

Gangnam has become defined by its love affair with luxury brands, and nowhere will you find a greater concentration of shops dedicated to these high-end goods than the Galleria Department Store at Apgujeong Rodeo Station. The store, which is spread out among two buildings (Luxury Hall East and Luxury Hall West) features international brands such as Prada, Bally, Ferragamo, Fendi, Tod's, Armani, Gucci, and more. There are also high-end jewelers, and Gourmet 494, a food boutique located in the basement.

This basement mall connected to Gangnam Station features tiny shops and kiosks selling the latest in fashion trends. It's a great place to browse if you have a bit of extra time on your hands.

Seoul's largest wholesale agricultural products market, set in an expansive complex, is also a major destination for meat and seafood. This is a real, functioning place of commerce, and if you're in the mood for meat or seafood, you can haggle with the vendors on the first floor and then take your spoils to restaurants situated above. While the experience may be a bit rough and tumble, you'll save a bit of won compared to other destinations in Seoul, and gain so much in experience.

Seoul has a reputation for inexpensive, high-quality tailored suits and Hahn's is one of the most established and convenient tailors in the area. For under $500, they will have a something ready in 2-3 days.

Mainly geared toward teenagers and early-20-somethings, this mall is overflowing with trendy frocks, candy-colored shoes, glittering baubles, and numerous other frilly accouterments. Everywhere you look you’ll see signs screaming “Sale!” and this mall is indeed known as one of the best places in Dongdaemun to score a bargain. As the name cheekily suggests, the mall is open from am to pm and back again into the wee hours of the morning. Note: most shops carry only women’s clothing, and there are limited options for men. 

One of the best stores in the city for art supplies, Homi Art Shop is a favorite among students at Hongik University. The store has a wide range of products from spray paint to calligraphy brushes and needles for knitting. The prices are reasonable, and there is always a sale bin in the back corner with products up to 80 percent off. Also check out the collection of hanji (traditional Korean paper) on the second floor.

Thirty or forty clothing boutiques line two parallel streets approximately a quarter of a mile from Hongik University Station to KT&G Sangsang Madang. While most of the shops focus on trending women’s apparel, there is the occasional secondhand shop and pet goods boutique. It’s easy to tell which stores sell what as many of the shops display half their items out front. You'll find a range of similar items along the street at varying price points, and most items are not available to try on. Evergreen items like T-shirts and jeans can be a good deal, but beware that these fast fashion items often come apart after a few washes.

Hyundai is one of South Korea’s most popular department store brands, and this outlet version offers the previous season’s styles for a deep discount. Men’s, women’s, and kids’ clothing are all available, as are handbags, shoes, beauty products, appliances—you name it. The complex features various cafes and bakeries, and the parking lot has two dedicated female-only floors.

Since 1985, this has operated as Hyundai's flagship store, with upscale shops selling designer brands, restaurants, household goods, food, and more. The rooftop is home to the Sky Park garden, where you can relax among the bamboo and birch trees and watch the clouds drift by.

This polished mall is set in the three basement levels of the International Finance Center and is connected to the subway station via an underground walkway—a real godsend if you’re visiting Seoul during a frigid winter or the dog days of summer. While the mall features a pretty standard lineup of coffee shops, fast food eateries, and cosmetic and fashion brands, it’s also known for hosting Hallyu events such as K-Drama movie premiers in its 4D theater.

Open since 1973, the Itaewon Foreign Book Store is a small used books store near Noksapyeong Station. While the prices are not as low as what you might find elsewhere, the owner can chat to you about the books in store as well as the changes in the neighborhood. Don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation or for help searching—the store looks disorganized, but there is method in the madness.

This traditional street market offers a nice break from the high-end, super shiny luxury shopping that dominates the area. The vendors sell fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meat, along with dry goods, houseware, clothing, and many other practical items. There is also a lot of cooked food available for eating on the spot or taking out, such as roast chicken and barbecue pork, making it a popular stop for people heading to a baseball game at nearby Jamsil Stadium.

The works here combine traditional Korean design and modern functionality, elevating basic household items—boxes, frames, even bookmarks—into works of art. Kawa's designs have been featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MOMA. One of the higher-end shops in Insadong's Ssamzgiel Complex, this is a good place to look for unique (and somewhat pricey) souvenirs.

Kwang Ju Yo sells superb Korean celadon and porcelain pottery. All of its works are made just outside of Seoul in Gwangju, a traditional center of Korean pottery.

The flagship branch of Korea's largest chain of bookstores, Kyobo has an excellent selection of English language books as well as a decent selection of stationery, international magazines, and electronic goods. With lots of little nooks for reading and plenty of space to hide away, it's a great place to go if you're looking to kill a few hours. The bookstore also hosts book signings and author talks throughout the year.

Korea's largest chain of bookstores, the flagship branch has an excellent selection of English language books.

Kids (and kids at heart) can never resist the cuteness overload at Line Friends, a store filled with plush stuffed animals, pajamas, and toys galore. Star characters from the Korean line Brown and Friends as well as collaborations with Minions and Maison Kitsuné are top sellers.

As if Lotte didn't have enough of a presence in Jamsil, they also have a department store right across from their mall. This store opened in 1988 to coincide with the Olympic Games and predates the rest of the Lotte properties, which makes it seem a bit dated as a result. Don't let the years fool you, though: this is a dialed-in place of modern commerce with luxury brands and everything else you would expect from such a mega store. The real selling point is the food court, which offers a wide range of Korean and international choices. If you're in Jamsil and can't decide where to eat, look no further.

Open since 1979, the Lotte Department Store is a major landmark in the area. Spanning fourteen floors and two buildings, the department store is known for their selection of cosmetics on the first floor and options for young women in their annex, Lotte Young Plaza. The department store also has a reputable food court and grocery shop on the basement level.

Opened in 2014, this mammoth shopping center includes luxury brand shops, a Lotte Mart, a Hi-Mart electronics store, scores of restaurants, a spa, a movie theater, an aquarium, and a concert hall. It's shiny, impressive, and immaculate, and it's worth a visit just to stroll around and bathe in the splendor of hypercommercialism in action.