Updates from my recent Seoul trip this time round will come sprouting up randomly, so bear with me.
I was reading QQ's exchange blog over at
Seoul Sunday (where the sis is blogging about her awesome exchange experience) and was pretty much feeling
sour about her buys. No reason to actually, since I will acquire partial inheritance to them once she gets back here. Yes, I consider myself extremely lucky for being the exact size as her, right down to our pretty feet. Except for.. that's for us both to know.
Seoul, in my opinion, is one of the best places to shop, in terms of options and price. I know many might cringe at the sight of Asian fashion as it is commonly seen to be 'cutesy', but if you scour through the shops and analyze some of the street fashion in Seoul, you will be pleasantly surprised.
1) Hongdae (홍대)
A lot of independent shops exist here, and it is very much like an outdoor Far East Plaza, only better. A pretty extensive range of options and the prices here are very reasonable. Plus point ? A great place to see Korea's very own streetstyle. A pity I did not snap any since I was too busy umm.. shopping ?
You can also find plenty of small cafes and dessert shops. Very quaint. Oh, beneath here lies Coffee Lab, which makes one of the best coffees in Seoul. I am not kidding.
2) Edae (이대)
Edae, houses a women's university, called Ewha Women's University. Imagine an entire university just for girls. I digress. The main point - there are plenty of little shops here. Just like Hongdae, they are of an outdoor concept. What I really love about shopping in Seoul is that you find yourself walking in these little lanes, unsure and uncertain where you might land next or what you might find next.
3) Dongdaemun (동대문)
I have to admit, during the recent trip, I did not shop as much at Dongdaemun as I did during my trip back in 2009. This is partly due to the fact that I had done enough damage at Hongdae and Edae. However, Dongdaemun remains in my list because for one thing, if you love shopping at night and I really mean late night, till the wee hours of morning, here is the perfect place for you. Average closing time is about 4 am in the morning. So, yes, you can definitely go crazy. The malls present here are APM, Good Morning, Migliore and Doota. Unlike the conventional malls, you can actually bargain at these places, with the exception of Doota. Doota stocks more of higher-end designer apparel.
4) Myeongdong (명동)
(Pictures from my trip in '09)
Next, I present to you the streets of Myeongdong. I love walking around here, in general. However, I find the things here to be a tad more pricey as compared to the others I have mentioned. Here, you get to see more tourists as well, and that is probably why they jack up the prices. You can also find a few international brands such as Forever 21, ZARA and H&M over here. Pretty much defeat the purpose of shopping at these places since we have them over in Singapore, in my opinion. Except for H&M, of course !
5) Apgujeong (압구정)
A high-end district. The first picture depicts a shopping mall called Galleria which houses luxury brands such as Chanel. As QQ is still a student and I am fresh out of university, shopping here was not an option.
6) Insadong (인사동)
(Pictures from my trip in '09)
Insadong is all about the Korean culture and delicacies. Where else is the best place to get souvenirs ? Here it is. Visit Ssamzie-gil for handmade handicrafts. Stop at a teahouse and enjoy the extensive range of teas.
I am counting down to the days till I step on Seoul ground again.
