Vision World Business: korean shopping Myeong-dong

No.1 Tourist Destination

Myeong-dong is one of the busiest places in Seoul and is among Korea’s premier shopping destinations. Over 1 million shoppers pass through this area each and every day. Located in the heart of Seoul, Myeong-dong market has been a witness to Korea’s tumultuous modern-day history as a center of city politics, economy, and culture. To international visitors, Myeong-dong is a stunning shopping district with countless shops and restaurants. Its wild popularity has led to similar shopping districts springing up all across the country.

International Shopping District
Two anchor department stores (Lotte and Shinsegae) and a number of large shopping malls lie along the streets of Myeong-dong. Shops for clothing or cosmetics can be seen at every corner, and street stalls dot the spaces in between, offering tasty snacks, inexpensive clothes, or sparkling accessories. The air is abuzz with the mix of foreign languages as shopkeepers and international tourists haggle in English, Japanese, and more. The area’s well-developed transportation grid makes it the ideal place for visitors who may not yet be familiar with the city.

Fashion, Skincare, and the Works!
Thousands of brands are sold in Myeong-dong. The two major department stores sell mostly luxury brands while shopping malls such as H & M and Migliore offer selections at more modest prices. Relatively inexpensive products can be easily purchased at street stalls and other shops.

Every Korean cosmetic brand has a branch in Myeong-dong. The market is home to roughly a thousand cosmetic shops and hundreds of skin-care stores, with several large cosmetic shops clustered around the central street (Jungang-gil) and Myeongdong Theater. Sales associates usually can speak a few foreigner languages (to some degree), which makes for a pleasant shopping experience for international visitors who don’t speak Korean. For the added convenience of international shoppers, many fliers are written in other languages as well.

Aside from shopping, visitors can check out the Myeongdong Cathedral and the nearby Namdaemun Market, a market with over 600 years of history. Myeong-dong’s combination of historical significance, nearby tourist attractions, and prime shopping has established it as the ultimate tourist destination in Seoul.

Tourist Information Center

Myeong-dong Tourism Information Center
Located at the Myeong-dong Jungang-ro Intersection, this information center employs two guides who can provide assistance to visitors in English, Japanese, and Chinese. As an added convenience, there are a number of multi-lingual guides free-floating around the Myeong-dong area, ready and willing to assist tourists. Just look for people wearing red vests marked with an ‘ⓘ’ information logo.
1. • Hours: 09:00-22:00 (summer hours), 09:00-21:00 (winter hours) (Open all year-round, including holidays)
2. • Tel: +82-2-774-3238
Seoul Cultural Exchanges & Tourism Information Center
Located on the fifth floor of M Plaza, the center offers tourist information on the city of Seoul in addition to various Korean cultural programs. Professional, multi-lingual staff members offer information on lodging, tourism, shopping, festivals, and performances. Amenities include free internet and coin-operated lockers.
1. • Hours: 10:30-22:00 (Open all year-round, Closed: Lunar New Year and Korean Thanksgiving Day)
2. • Tel: +82-2-3789-7961~3

Locker Rentals

Euljiro Station, Subway Line No.2
• Fees
- Small lockers: ₩2,000
- Medium lockers: ₩3,000
• Fees are charged every four hours up to 12 hours, after which fees are charged once every 12 hours.
• Accepted forms of payment: T-Money Card (electronic transit card), credit cards, cash
Myeong-dong Station, Subway Line No.4
• Fees
- Small lockers: ₩2,000
- Medium lockers: ₩3,000
• Fees are charged every four hours up to 12 hours, after which fees are charged once every 12 hours.
• Accepted forms of payment: T-Money Card (electronic transit card), credit cards, cash
• Near Exit #2 or #8 of Myeong-dong Station
Seoul Cultural Exchanges & Tourism Information Center
• Fees
- Small lockers: ₩1,000
- Large lockers: ₩3,000
• Fees are charged once every 24 hours
• Lockers can only be accessed during office hours (10:30-22:00)