I’ve been writing lately about all of the global (recognizable! familiar!) food options I was happy to find in Seoul. We’ve now covered the dessert chains, the fast food joints, and the restaurants. But today I want to get into the global non-food stores that will make your life easier in Seoul.
Whether you’re a homesick expat looking for familiar brands, a prospective traveler mentally preparing, or just plain curious about the shopping scene in Seoul… welcome! Hello!
I’ve picked out 7 familiar stores today, but this list is by no means exhaustive. I already know there are several athletic fashion stores (Adidas, Nike, Lululemon) and high-end fashion shops (Chanel, Coach, DIOR) that have been excluded from this list. I’m sure there are others I’m missing too– feel free to drop a note in the comments below if you think of/ know of more stores to add!
Seoul truly is a global city with a population that really really really loves shopping. You will likely be able to find anything you could imagine here in this city- whether that’s in one of these familiar chains or in the excellent Korean brands we grew to love!
Stores are often rotating in and out, so be on the lookout for new ones, too.
1. IKEA
When we first moved to Seoul one of the major obstacles was figuring out how to shop for/physically carry and move all of the furniture we needed. After a lot of furniture shopping in various department stores and furniture markets, IKEA was a lifesaver for us.
The storeroom/ find the boxes area of Ikea is a nightmare even in your native language and country, and it was doubly-so there… but it was still by far the best value for our $$$! If you purchase a minimum dollar amount, they’ll ship it to your door. This was a HUGE win in a massive city where we would’ve needed to rent a moving fan or something similar.
During our 3 years in Korea we purchased a LOT from IKEA: a couch, a mattress, a bed frame, bookshelves/storage cubes, hooded kids towels, kids utensils/plates/cups, kids toys, kitchen bowls, cutting boards, kitchen table/chairs, a rug, potty training potty for kids, and probably even more I’m forgetting.
THANK GOODNESS FOR IKEA!
I know I said this list is about non-food stores, but I can’t help but mention the beauty of enjoying swedish meatballs in a minimalist Ikea food court. There are small areas in the food court where kids can play and get out their wiggles as well as the big kids play area (for those that are potty trained).
That said…
Unfortunately, the locations are pretty far onto the outskirts of downtown Seoul. From where we lived on the eastern part of Seoul it took us 2 hours (door to door) taking the normal subway + a subway KTX train situation. So… that’s a pretty huge hassle. This trip was much more manageable once we decided to buy a car (about a 45 minute drive in the car).
Additionally, the Gwangmyeong location in particular gets VERY crowded, so be mentally ready to handle that. Luckily the parking structure is massive, and it’s not TOO far from the train station if you do take public transportation. Just make sure you know how you’re going to carry all of those goods you buy BACK on the train. 😉
Locations in Seoul:
Gwangmyeong (southwest outskirts of Seoul): Iljing-ro, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Goyang (northwest outskirts of Seoul): South Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Goyang-si, Deokyang-gu, 권율대로 420
2. Costco
Although lots of people primarily go to Costco for groceries, we can’t forget that it’s also a major shopping store for home goods, electronics, outdoor gear, children’s toys, baby gear, and so much more. We almost bought both our refrigerator and our couch at Costco.
I loved perusing Costco for Christmas decor and children’s toys around their birthdays/Christmastime. Three cheers for Costco in Korea!
If you want to know more about Costco in Korea, check out my guide to grocery shopping in Seoul.
Locations in Seoul:
Yangjae (south Gangnam): 159 Yangjae-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Yangpyeong (western Seoul/ Yeongdeungpo): 156 Seonyu-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Sangbong (northeastern Seoul): 336 Mangu-ro, Jungnang-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Gwangmyeong (southwest Seoul): 40 Iljing-ro, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Hanam (eastern Seoul): South Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Hanam-si, 미사강변중앙로 40
3. Daiso
Daiso started in Japan in 1977, and has since taken over the globe! Daiso is truly a worldwide phenomenon. There are 75+ locations in the USA already (most of them in California) and over 1000 locations in Korea. When we moved to Korea my husband recognized it from his time spent in Japan. It’s very popular amongst Koreans and expats alike.
It’s like a step above a dollar store (in price and quality) and the variety is incredible. Don’t miss this store!
It’s also a great place to find seasonal decor and holiday items for their global audience– particularly at Halloween and Christmastime (Daiso is given a shout-out in our complete guide to everything Christmas in Seoul).
Locations in Seoul are abundant and too many to list here, but can be found in neighborhoods such as: Gangnam, Express Bus Terminal, Itaewon, COEX, Yeouido, Apgujeong, Konkuk University, Daechi, Jamsil, Sports Complex, and more.
4. Sephora
If you are hoping to find some familiar makeup, beauty, and hair products while over in Korea, then first and foremost… I’m wondering if you’ve heard of K-beauty products. Because they are fantastic and you should absolutely be taking advantage of them while you’re there (I mention my go-to K-beauty brand in this Korean pop culture 101 post).
But secondly, I’m happy to share with you that Sephora is found in several large malls throughout Seoul! Admittedly, make-up is not something I’m super passionate about, and I never bought anything here. But I did feel a bit of comfort seeing those iconic black and white stripes as I’d pass through Lotte Mall now and again.
IFC Mall (on L1) : 10, Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Lotte World Mall (on B1) : 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Parnas Mall (on B1) : 521, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Hyundai Uplex (1st Floor) : Hyundai Uplex, 13, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
5. H&M
OK onto the clothing! This is something I care about significantly more than makeup. I lived in Korea with tiny growing humans that needed clothes to fit those growing bodies. As far as children’s clothing goes, many Korean brands are VERY $$$! H&M (the beloved Swedish-turned-global clothing brand) is very reasonably priced in Seoul, though!
Having a clothing company I was familiar with already felt so comforting and manageable when everything else felt so different. Granted, you will find some different sizing on some of the clothing… but it’s nothing a quick google search won’t solve for you (or if you are picking out clothing for yourself… trying it on the old fashioned way haha).
They have an excellent clothing selection for baby, kids, women’s, men’s AND a fun home goods area, too. The shoes and accessories sections are all packed here, too. The Jamsil Lotte World Mall location was 3 floors (not including the separate H&M Home), so lots of options here. And great sales, too!
H&M can be found all over Korea (seriously in tons of different cities) which is very cool!
Locations in Seoul: Gangnam Shinsegae, Gangseo NC, Gimpo Airport Lotte mall, Hongdae, H&M Mario Mall, Jamsil Lotte World Mall, Myeongdong Junganggil Store, Shinsa Garosu Store, Sindorim Hyundai D-Cube Store, Starfield COEX Store, Yeongdeungpo Time Square Mall Store, Yongsan IPark Mall Store
6. Zara
Next up, we are continuing our global clothing brand overview with a look at Zara! Although Zara originated in Spain, you can find them all over the world. If you are into fashion then it’s good news for you that you can find Zara stores in many of the large malls in Seoul! You can also often find Zara Kids stores and Zara Home stores.
I’m not a die-hard Zara fan, but a few times a year they do have AWESOME sales to watch out for! And the clothing items we bought there for my son have lasted really well over the years.
According to My Guide Seoul there are 16 Zara store locations in Seoul.
Locations in Seoul: COEX, Gangnam, Myeongdong, Gimpo Airport, Jamsil Lotte World Mall, and several more.
7. UNIQLO
Finally, the last of the global clothing brands on our list is UNIQLO. Japan’s high-quality/textile-focused clothing brand is completely underrated. They make a wide variety of clothing, ranging from comfortable undershirts/layering items and athletic gear to comfortable pajamas, character graphic T’s and workplace wardrobe staples. You can find men’s, women’s and children’s clothing here.
Our apartment was close to a UNIQLO store when we lived in Philadelphia and I fell in love with the store then (read all about our love for Philly food, historical sights, and cultural attractions!). I was thrilled to have them in Korea, too! Everything I’ve bought there (for myself and my children) is still holding up great, years and multiple kids later.
For what it’s worth, I highly recommend their kids thermals and lightweight puffer jackets (seriously the best!!) and the socks for adults –they come in so many different colors and are so durable yet soft and comfortable.
There are 14 Locations in Seoul, including :
Gwanghwamun D Tower, Jamsil Lotte World Mall, COEX, Lotte Department Store Starcity, Hyundai Department Store Mokdong, Hapjeong, IFC Yeouido, UPlex Sinchon, Ipark Mall, Sinsa, Time Square, and more
That Wraps it Up!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have questions or thoughts in the comment section below.
And don’t forget to check out the other articles in this Seoul Global chains series:
Cover photo Photo by Jueun Song on Unsplash
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