Living Information

If you plan on making a shopping trip and you are looking for the most inexpensive places with the most variety in Seoul, don't miss Dongdaemun and Namdaemun Markets and Insadong street, all within 5 subway stops of each other.

Take number 2 line to Dongdaemun Station and come out of exit #1. You will see the grand conglomeration of wholesalers known as Dongdaemun Market. Since opening in 1905, the market has constantly been one of the hottest shopping zones in the country. Specializing in wholesale clothing sales, it has grown steadily larger to encompass more than 20 shopping malls. A full range of fashion items from head to toe can be found here at low prices. The market is always crowded with tourists, retailers and regular customers.

Shopping malls close to the station sell goods both wholesale and retail, but mainly sell in bulk. They usually open at about 8 p.m. and close at 8 a.m. the next morning. The peak time comes late at night through early morning.

Major shopping malls here are Designer's Club, Migliore Valley, Nuzzon, Gwanghee Fashion Mall, Jeil Pyeonghwa, and Heungin Stardom. Teens or people in their twenties usually visit the first four of these, while Jeil Pyeonghwa and Heungin Stardom attract customers in their thirties or forties with items of simple and elegant design.

Jump on line number 4 from Dongdaemun Station and go to Hoehyeon Station. Take exit 5 and you will find the country's biggest traditional market -- Namdaemun Market in the very center of Seoul. It has children's clothing, men and women's clothing, daily goods, kitchenware and local and imported products. Most shops have their own factories and make the products themselves, offering both wholesale and retail prices. This enables visitors to purchase various items at extremely inexpensive prices.

All tourists coming to Namdaemun Market can find something to suit their tastes. The Japanese are into foods like seaweed, gimchi and ginseng, while the Chinese are into clothing and household goods. Tourists from the west simply enjoy the ambience of a traditional market.

Finally, get back on the blue line subway, heading northwards for Danggogae. Transfer to the orange number 3 line at Chungmuro Station. Go 3 stops north and get off at Anguk Station. Within 3 minutes' walk of exit 6, you will find the top of Insadong, Seoul's primary gallery and teahouse destination.

Insadong has long been home to dozens of art galleries and antique shops. Its narrow alleys branch out into all directions from one main street.

To explore the interesting places in these side alleys, it would be helpful to get a map of Insadong at one of three Tourism Information Centers that are located in the middle and at the two ends of the main street.

Art galleries began to cluster in Insadong from the 1970s. Galleries here display and sell modern art pieces as well as antiques. Their prices range from a few U.S. dollars to tens of thousands. Exhibitions are held frequently in well-known galleries, such as Insa Art Center and Gyeongin Art Gallery.

Over forty percent of the nation's antique stores are in Insadong. The antique shops sell quality products such as old paintings, ceramics, woodcrafts, metal ware, old furniture and many other items. Ceramics are to be found in particular abundance.

Numerous antique shops are renowned for their specialized wares: Tongmungwan for old documents, Haedonggodoja Research Institute for ceramics, Godosa for daily utensils of the past, Dongmundang and Gonghwarang for calligraphy supplies, and Naraksil and Gayajae for old furniture.


By James Ro
Korea.net Staff Writer