Don’t know what to buy as a souvenir or for yourself? Check out our list of things to buy in South Korea.
Skin Care
If you were not aware of how incredible Korean skin care products are, you do now! South Korea has become the go-to destination for amazing facial treatments, latest skin care products, and even get a thing done or two (we’re talking about plastic surgery).
You will notice skin care shops everywhere as you walk through the streets of Seoul or any other large city in South Korea. Korean beauty corporations are constantly releasing items that are the “holy grail” of skin care. While we do buy skin care products, we are not specialists in this field, but here is a list of the skin care companies to keep an eye out to buy in South Korea.
- Laneige
- Innisfree
- Cosrx
- Some by Mi
- Banila Co
- Hanskin
- Mediheal (in particular their masks)
- Klairs and many more
Although some people might think that you can obtain these products on Amazon or other websites, I promise you there won’t be as much variety of products as in Korea, so stock up on all that you can.
Clothing
When we first came to South Korea we felt pretty much out of place. We felt that everyone was always super in fashion, all wearing the latest trends. We later started to see that these fashionable clothes were accessible to buy and could be found pretty much anywhere.
There are some great clothing stores in Gangnam, Myeongdong, Departments Stores, Coex, Jamsil Lotte Tower, etc to buy in South Korea. If you are on a budget and want to get clothes that are a bit much cheaper, we would recommend going to areas such as underground Gangnam Station, underground Express Bus Terminal Station, Hongdae, Ewha University area, and Euljiro.
Helpful tip: Notice how we mentioned underground train stations multiple times, because these places are awesome and great for the wallet. So don’t be afraid and explore the area around the station that you are heading to. You might find stores with affordable prices.
Alcohol
We are sure you have heard of soju, the most popular alcoholic beverage in Korean society. This traditional Korean liquor can be found all over the country in local convenience stores or supermarkets in a variety of presentations, but we want to tell you about the less popular but more exclusive ones.
The most common are the sojus in green bottles, which are the cheapest (less than $2) and are also found abroad. Even though we strongly recommend purchasing some of these green bottles as a souvenir, stronger sojus that take longer to process and are known to be of superior quality can also be found. Stronger sojus are found in the alcohol section of department stores in Seoul. They are more expensive (starting at $20) and many of the bottles are made of ceramic with unique presentations, such as Korean traditional masks. These are definitely good souvenirs to have on your list before returning home!
If you prefer lighter alcoholic beverages, we recommend makkoli. This is a Korean rice wine with a slightly sweet flavor. Its alcohol content typically ranges between 6 and 9 percent, and it is available in a variety of formats in all convenience stores. Don’t forget to teach your friends and family back home how to toast in Korean: geonbae!!
Korean Snacks
Ramyeong
Even though you can find Korean Ramyeon in Korean markets outside of Korea, when you visit Seoul, you will find more variety and new types that could be a good choice if you are unsure what gift to give to a loved one. We recommend going to a local supermarket and looking for packages of 6 ramyongs. This is a cheap and light gift that won’t add too much weight to your luggage.
Unique Flavors
When we first arrived in Korea, we were surprised by the availability of chips. We were used to chips in our home country, but the variety available here is truly astounding. There are various types of chips available, including sweet potato, shrimp, squid, and even ramyeong-flavored chips.
Stationery
East Asia, I believe, is responsible for the majority of the creative and fun stationery. South Korea is indeed one of the best places to find stationery products that may make your studying and working life a lot more enjoyable. Whether you’re searching for entertaining pencils, pens, erasers, backpacks, keyboards, or calendars, you won’t be disappointed by the variety of goods available.
To get started on your stationery adventure, visit businesses like Artbox in Gangnam. Stationery is reasonably priced at places such as Daiso.
Hanbok
If you intend on visiting the palaces, we pretty much guarantee you will see girls and guys dressed in hanboks. Not just outsiders, but also locals, dress up to access the palaces and snap photographs. These hanboks are widely available for rent around the palace and you can purchase them in the same establishments or in the surrounding area of Bukchon Village. These designs are very stunning and unique gifts to take with you..
Helpful tip: If you wear a hanbok to enter the palaces you are able to get a discount or even enter for free.
Let us know in the comments what are your favorite souvenirs to get when you travel abroad!