Clothing
Young folks usually head to Myeongdong for getting the newest westernized fashion, as there are many shops in that area. Getting your clothing in department stores is also possible but international brands have opened shops here. Dongdaemun is rather for the cheaper, but indivual style. There are four major shopping malls (doota, migliore, Hello apm, Good Morning City), which house sellers inside.
You have to bargain everywhere they don‘t put a price tag on it, but you can also get discounts if you ask. Some places give you an tax free purchase, when you present them your passport. As multifunctional complex COEX mall is know for its countless shopping venues. It‘s accessible by Samseong Station (green line 2). You can find books, a cinema, restaurants, KTV, an aquarium, a Kimchi museum, record stores, electronic stores, bags, beauty shops, cosmetics stores, opticians, and convenience stores (visit http://www.coex.co.kr/eng).
Around Sinchon, Idae and Hongik you will find student clothing, i.e. cheap as well as flea markets (Hongdae, march to october, see below). Itaewon is known for its expats, not least beacuse of the nearby US army base and its customers. So you will easily find oversize clothing, sports clothing, hip hop style, leather goods but also suits. Many foreign restaurants open here and even the waiters usualy start talking in English to you.
This place has a lot of well-made international cuisine. Northern American food, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Italian food restaurants are located on the main streets as well as near “the hill”.
Luxury goods are around the southern Han river area, namely Apgujeong and Gangnam. The most expensive luxury goods can be found here, many chic fashion designer boutiques and exclusive wear. Also many department stores have floors with expensive goods like Myeongdong‘s Lotte Department Store.
Arts and Handicrafts
Objet d‘arts are found in Insadong, Samcheong-dong and Hongdae. Insadong is famous at foreigners. You can find Hanboks [Korean clothing], calligraphy goods like scrolls and brushes, crockery, wall paintings, figurines, fans, sacs and whatever your tourist heart wants. The official tourist shop offers handmade seals with your Korean name encarved. Prices vary between cheap to overpriced, if you buy a lot get yourself an overview what you need before you empty your wallet.
Independent Art
The Open Market in Hongdae opens saturday and sundays, whenever young Hongik art students offer their work near the playgrounds. Wallets, paintings, figures, bookmarks, bags, clothing - everything is offered, quite individually and suitable as gifts. Many designers offer their goods just solely to get enough money for studying and living costs, so it’s a good thing to help them too.
Electronics
Best to be found in Yongsan, Gangbyeon (Tecno Mart): Anyone in need of electronics should head to Yongsan, the largest electronics quarter in Korea and Asia. Dealers sell pc parts such as displays, casing, CPUs, peripherials at competetive prices, repairing is also available. Brown goods (household electronics) is available too. But attention to anyone who wants to buy a camera. It’s not really cheaper, because the warranty is Korean and not worldwide sometimes. It means you buy a grey import when you return. Also, you should research your choice of camera first because many vendor talk nonsense and just try to sell. The vendors have their stands really close to each other, so it pays off to to get around and ask several vendors for prices. You can also get your prepaid mobile phone here for very nice conditions. If it should be contract, you should better head to the stores in city, because they have a service for foreigners. Gangbyeon Station has the Tecno Mart, which is smaller than Yongsan, but offers the same goods - everything electrical.
Fish
** Noryangjin and Garakdong Market**: Bot something to take homoe with you usually, but you can get most fresh seafood here. Many vendors offer you live fish - „only what lives is fresh“. The fish will then be butchered and prepared almost instantly, at the surrounding restaurants you can get it delivered and enjoy. Just walking around the fish market is an attraction itself, which might be strange to some because of the naval habitants, which wait until they are…eaten.