What to buy in Korea?

Here are some Korean souvenirs.

One of the most stressful parts of traveling is getting Korean souvenirs and gifts for friends, family, and office mates. What are good things to buy in Korea?
I’ve lived in the Seoul area since 2004, and I’ve been a tour guide for a few years. In my own experience and through talking with tourists over the years, I’ve decided to put together a handy guide to getting “korea buys” that are unique and won’t weigh down your luggage.

Myeong-dong Cosmetics

The K-beauty thing is now becoming a… thing. The world is starting to take the Korean cosmetics industry seriously. I’ll admit that I’ve been sucked into it. Yes, I moisturize. Myeong-dong is the optimal place to shop for cosmetics. I’ll warn you, the crowds and the stores are CRA-ZAY! If you’re in a hurry or don’t know what to buy, go ahead and get a bunch of face packs. You can usually get a good deal for a bunch of them. They come in different–flavors isn’t the word I’m looking for. What I suggest is trying one of these face packs after chilling them in the refrigerator, especially if you’re recovering from sunburn. It’s intense.

Insa-dong

If anything, Insa-dong is the best place to get all your souvenir shopping done in one go. After over a decade living here, I still do my Christmas shopping for overseas family in Insa-dong. Stay away from the official souvenir shops, unless you like “Made in China” on your Korean souvenirs. The antiques are kinda iffy, and you may have trouble getting them on the plane. How about these suggestions?

Hanbok

Korean traditional clothes as well as other traditional styles can easily be found here. I suggest buying these for kids. They’re cheaper and easier to fit in a suitcase.

Name Stamps

Credit: Constant Crafter

This is one gift I like to give. I’ve even given one to Anthony Bourdain when he came to Seoul. There are lots of shops that make personalized name stamps. You can give them a design, your name in English, or have them make your name in Korean. They usually take fifteen minutes to make, and the prices start at around W30,000 (~$27 USD).

Traditional Paper

Credit: YoungDoo M. Carey (cc)

The art is perfectly fine to buy in Insa-dong. Yet the true craft is traditional Korean paper. You can find this in calligraphy shops. It really is a traditional art. It encapsulates Korea’s rustic beauty. I particularly like really rough paper with real flowers pressed in it. I sent some in a care package to my family in the U.S. one Christmas, and my grandmother liked it so much she framed it and hung it on her dining room wall. Best of all, it’s lightweight, and it folds, and it’s an interesting conversation piece.

Wedding Ducks

Credit: Wikipedia

These wooden ducks that look like duck decoys are used in traditional marriage ceremonies. If you know anyone getting married soon, this is a good souvenir for them.

Socks

Credit: Chelsea Marie Hicks (cc)

I used to laugh at the idea of buying the weird socks in Insa-dong, but I have actually given these to nieces and nephews, and they love them. We have a joke that you’re not famous in Korea until your face is on socks. You can get them with Korean celebrities. My favorite are the ones with Shin Ramyeon logos.

Stickers

Credit: Jessie Lynn (cc)

For the kids, stickers are so fun and unique. There are some that work the same as paper dolls, where you dress up a princess in sticker clothes. These have been my standby for kids gifts since 2004, and it’s always worked. Kyobo Bookstore is a great source, as is any stationery shop.

Wooden Models

Another fun gift for kids or the modeler in your life is these little wooden models of traditional Korean buildings. You can find them in bookstores or in the book section of supermarkets.

Food

Speaking of supermarkets, they have been my go-to source for souvenirs in any country I visit. I love finding fun foods while wandering the aisles. I’ve made the mistake of buying too many jarred products, which did weight down my luggage in London. In Korea, the snack aisles are loads of fun. The convenience stores are great as well. A word of warning, don’t try to bring makgeolli, as the pressure on the plane will make it explode (oops).

Tailor Made Clothing

Credit: World Walk About

Korea used to be one of the world’s top textile manufacturers. We have a lot of places that will make a suit to your specifications for a decent price. Many of these tailors are in Itaewon. I personally like to get tailor made shirts from Hamilton Shirts. They have my specs on file. I just choose the fabric and the style, and they ship it to me within ten days. They will even ship overseas–something to keep in mind. When my brother was visiting on his birthday, I bought him a tailor made shirt that was delivered to his house in America after he returned. If you are interested in this, read this blog post by World Walk About.

Order Korean Souvenirs Online

What have we missed?

What other great unique souvenirs would you suggest one get in Seoul? I know I’ve just scratched the surface. In fact, if you are able to make the hour and a half jaunt to Icheon, a village known throughout history as making the best pottery, you can buy some of the world’s greatest pottery and have it shipped to your door. That’s a topic for another post.