Seoul is the capital of Korea with over 600 years of history. It is the heart of Korea’s culture and education as well as politics and economics. Seoul is home to many old historic sites like Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces, and places of traditional culture like Bukchon Hanok Village, Insa-dong, and Namdaemun Market. The shopping and entertainment districts of Myeongdong and Apgujeong, and Asia's largest underground shopping center COEX Mall also draw a large number of tourists every year. The Hangang River, which runs through the center of the city, is also a distinctive landscape of Seoul that offers a myriad of resting areas for citizens.
The Korean flag is called taegeukgi. The design symbolizes the principles of the yin and yang forces in Asian philosophy. The circle in the center of the flag is divieded into two equal parts. The red half represents the protective cosmic forces of the yang. Conversely, the blue half represents the responsive cosmic forces of the yin. The two forces together embody the concepts of continual movement, balance and harmony the characterize the sphere of infinity. The circle surrounded by a trigram in each corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of the four universal elements: heaven, earth, fire and water.
Seoul is classed as having a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but temperature differences between the hottest part of summer and the depths of winter are extreme. In summer the influence of the North Pacific high-pressure system brings hot, humid weather with temperatures soaring as high as 95°F (35°C) on occasion. In winter the city is topographically influenced by expanding Siberian highpressure zones and prevailing west winds, temperatures dropping as low as 7°F (-13.7°C). The bitterly cold days tend to come in three-day cycles regulated by rising and falling pressure systems, however, bringing some relief. The most pleasant seasons in the city are spring and autumn, when azure blue skies and comfortable temperatures are a sure bet. The city experiences heavy rainfall, but most of it falls in the summer monsoon period between June and September.
Freedom of religion is fully guaranteed in the republic of Korea. Korea’s traditional religions are Shamanism, Buddhism and Confucianism have all played an integral role in the country’s sociocultural development. There are also minor religions based on various combination of elements from these traditional religions. Christianity has developed a large following since the introduction to the peninsula in the late 18th century.
Koreans call themselves in Korean Hangukin or Hanguk saram. Korean people are an East Asian ethnic group and are believed to be part of the Altaic populations, just like Mongolians, Tungusics and Turkics. Archaeological evidence suggests that Koreans are descendant of Altaic groups coming from South Central Siberia. Koreans are the world’s most homogenous population ethnically and linguistically. There are few minorities in Korea: some Chinese, Japanese and westerners but in low numbers. So homogenous is the population in Korea that if you are a westerner in Korea you still feel conspicuous and, in smaller towns and villages Koreans will stare at westerners because they are not used to seeing people of different ethnicity. Korean language is a distinct language, which derives from Altaic languages, thus it is completely different from Japanese and Chinese (although throughout its history Korean was influenced by those two languages) and it has some similarities with Mongolian. Hangeul , Korea’s official alphabet, was first invented by King Sejong during the Joseon Dynasty. Originally called Hunminjeongeum, the language was conceived in 1443, and further promulgated by the King in 1446. At the time of its inception, the language consisted of 17 consonants and 11 vowels however, since then, 3 of the originally established consonants and 1 vowel have fallen into disuse bringing the total number of characters to 24. Syllables are formed by the selective combination of vowels and consonants to create words. The official name for the Korean language was changed to ‘Hangeul’ in 1910. Hunminjeongeum Proclamation Day was called ‘Gagya Proclamation Day’ up until 1926, and it wasn’t until 1928 that it was changed to its current title, ‘Hangeul Proclamation Day’. The chart below represents the 24 Hangeul characters together with their romanized equivalents. ‘The Hunminjeongeum,’ a historical document which provides instructions to educate people on the use of Hangeul, is registered with UNESCO. UNESCO awards a ‘King Sejong Literacy Prize,’ every year in memory of the inventor of Hangeul. Hangeul written in syllabic units made up of two, three, or four letters.
Korea is one of the most dynamic and colorful countries in the world. In the short time following its dramatic and impressive development, it has managed to maintain the delicate balance between preserving its impressive history and traditional and embracing all the conveniences and technology of the modern world. This dichotomy of old and new is reected in Korea’s diversity of shopping and tourist destinations; international tourists will be delighted by both the glittering department stores and shopping malls, and the charming traditional markets. There’s no better place to go than Korea for an all-inclusive getaway of shopping, touring, and entertainment
e Street of Korean Culture and Crafts Captivating International Tourists
TNo.1 Tourist destination
Where tradition and modern artistic sensibilities meet.
Comprehensive clothes shopping: from fabrics to accessories.
Traditional market with a history dating back to the birth of Seoul 600 Years Ago
Favorite haunts of the young and .free-spirited
Luxury fashion street, Asia’s Champs-Élysées: high-end fashion and beauty salons
Convenient shopping and abundant tourism infrastructures for internationals
The street of artistic sensibility decorated by designers and artists
The global community in Seoul: global fashions and foods.
The unconventional side of Hongik University.
Brand new products at discounted prices.
Giant Shopping Complex for One-Stop Shopping
Electronics paradise & largest shopping mall in Asia
Dongdaemun Market started as a traditional market in 1905 and experienced its ďŹ rst major transformation in 1970s as it began to develop as a center of the textile industry.The market is a mixture of both traditional and modern stores. popped up in the late 1990s, attracting young people by holding frequent music and dance performances at night. Various fashion shows and festivities are also held year-round. The following map shows the most important shopping palces in Dongdaemun.
The Gwangjang Market is the nation’s ďŹ rst market and continues to thrive as
a popular tourist destination today. The second oor of the market provides all of your silk, satin, and linen bed-sheet stores, which are the largest and most famous in Seoul. Many of the stores in the area even have their own factories supplying fabrics to the Namdaemun Market, Pyoung Hwa Market, and even to some department stores. Even though the goods are not brand-name products, the wide selection of high quality goods at inexpensive prices makes it an
enjoyable shopping experience.
Unlike many other traditional markets, Kwangjang Market has preserved its rich history and maintained the feel of a traditional market, shying away from modernization. Operated by kind-hearted merchants that embody the warmth of the Korean people, the market is a great place to eat delicious food and purchase .various items at inexpensive prices Hanbok shops in Kwangjang Market focus on traditional hanbok rather than modernized hanbok, which are said to be more practical than their traditional counter.part. Beautiful hanbok are available at 30% off their average asking price The Pyounghwa Fashion Town market in Dongdaemun has been selling fashion clothing and accessories for over 50 years ever since the end of the Korean War. It was here that in 1953 North Korean refugees started selling clothes made from US army uniforms. Their market was then named Pyounghwa, which means peace, in the hope that no other wars would be fought on Korean soil. The Pyounghwa Fashion Town was therefore the beginning of the 30,000 stores that now make up Dongdaemun Fashion Town, which is seen as .one of the global centers of the fashion industry
As one of the largest markets in Asia, Dongdaemun Shopping Complex boasts huge hanbok shops. Most of the hanbok in Korea are distributed there. It offers a wide array of hanbok from traditional hanbok to modernized hanbok in addition to accessories and clothing materials. Dongdaemun Shopping Complex is a popular spot among international tourists who want to experience traditional Korean culture and purchase various souvenirs
As one of the largest markets in Asia, Dongdaemun Shopping Complex boasts huge accessory shops. Most of the handmade accessories in Korea are distributed here. Colorful accessories with unique designs are available .at inexpensive prices
Doota is a fashion mall full of trendy fashion items. There are 540 stores throughout the 8-story building including designer shops, select shops, luxury brand stores, cafes, and restaurants. Doota provides unique, high Doota is a fashion mall full of trendy fashion items. There are 540 stores throughout the 8-story building including designer shops, select shops, luxury brand stores, cafes, and restaurants. Doota provides unique, high quality products at reasonable prices under the motto of ‘Fast & First’ and offers a one-stop .shopping experience
Tourists during the World Cup. It is one of the largest fashion malls of Dongdaemun, competing with both Migliore and Doota. New-Freya provides a number of convenient facilities and leisure sites to pack more fun into each visit. New-Freya’s MMC Theater is open 24 hours a day, and other forms of entertainment can be found at the [N] Zone, including karaoke, PCs, DVDs, a colatec (a club exclusively for young teenagers), and a gaming arcade. Other facilities include the largest state-of-the-art sauna in Korea, a fitness center, golf range, food court, hospital, securities exchange, travel agency, bookstore, and flower shop.
Migliore is a clothing fashion mall located in Dongdaemun with hundreds of wholesale shops. Much of the Dongdaemun area from Jongno 5(oh)-ga to the Dongdaemun Subway Station is a flea market selling clothing, sporting goods, home appliances, furniture, etc. However, as Dongdaemun underwent modernization, fashion malls like Migliore, Cerestar, and Doota were established. The Dongdaemun Migliore sells the latest fashions marketed to the younger generation, with customers in their teens making up 80% of their business. Migliore is a convenient facility that has an enormous variety of products sold at reasonable prices.
Hello apM is a centrally located shopping in Dongdaemun market that appeals to young people because of it's fresh styles and low prices. It is crowded year-round with young people from all over the world. Bargaining has faded out over recent years with prices more often indicated, however some sellers still do it.
Buyers. The spacious interior makes customers feel as if they were .shopping outdoors in the open marketplace
Opened in November 2008, Goodmorning City is one of the largest shopping malls in Korea. It is located near the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station and is directly linked to other shopping malls in Dongdaemun. The mall is comprised of 23 floors and over 700 stores, offering visitors virtually every kind of product—from fashion accessories to electronics. On the eighth floor, visitors can find a spacious food court and restaurants; on the 9th floor, Megabox Movie (a state-of-the-art movie theater with 1,680 seats). With a variety of stores and amenities, Goodmorning City is truly a comprehensive shopping mall that provides visitors with an amazing shopping and entertainment experience.
09:00~22:00
January, April, July, October, and December around early July and mid-January, and the summer and winter sales offer the most discounts with 20-30% off of the regular items, and more than 50% off of items more than 2 or 3 years old.
Located in front of Exit #14, the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, the center provides information in English, Japanese, and Chinese about the Dongdaemun Market, lodgings, and public transportation. • Hours: 09:00~22:00 • Tel: +82-2-2236-9135~6
• Location: Take Subway Line No.2, No.4, No.5 to Dongdaemun Stadium Station and go out of Exit No.1; you will see the Tourist Information Center located 150m from the exit.
Insa-dong Street is one of the most memorable attractions in Seoul and represents the focal point of Korean traditional culture and crafts. The area is still a center for the arts,The street offers rich opportunities for visitors to experience Korean traditional culture and arts. Various art events and festivals are regularly held along the street. Vehicles are not permitted on the street during weekends. This map shows the most important places in Insadong.
Toyo specializes in pottery for daily use such as mugs, plates, and tea cups. Crafted by Sonnae Pottery (a pottery village in Jinan, Jeonbuk), pottery in Toyo demonstrates sophisticated simplicity and elegance. Guests can also can view pottery for decorative purposes. The Sonnae Pottery was honored with the 2008 UNESCO Seal of Crafts Exellence in East Asia.
Insa Art Plaza is a giant shopping mall that deals with everything Korean: traditional crafts made by superb artists, daily use pottery, lacquerwear, hanji (traditional Korean paper) crafts, silver/pearl/crystal accessories, mobile phone key rings, scent pouches, tradtional teas, rice cakes, traditional chopsticks and more. Customers can purchase high quality products at reasonable prices at Insa Art Plaza.
Tong-In Store is the oldest traditional crafts shopping center in Korea. It is home to over 100 shops that sell ancient and contemporary traditional crafts, as well as galleries that display crafts collections by emerging artists.
Park Young Sook Bedding (Atelier Seoul) is the gallery of the modern potter, Park Young Sook. It displays and sells white porcelains representing the Chosun Dynasty, Buncheong ware, and ceramics with modern avors. Various items include ower vases, decorative ceramics, and daily use earthen ware. Park Young Sook also opened her store (PAHK NY) Lin New York in 2002. Queen Elizabeth II of England visited her store in 1999 as well
Opened in 1979, Kukjae Embroidery specializes in embroidered crafts using Korean traditional patterns. Every product is handicrafted, delicate, and elegant. Kukjae Embroidery is known as a frequent destination of foreign dignitaries. It offers a seminar in which international tourists can learn how to make embroidered crafts.
The National Souvenir Center is a duty free shopping complex that sells Korean souvenirs, including crafts, pottery, lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, traditional food items, and Korean celebrity memorabilia. Visitors can expect to find items that are made by renowned local artists as well as of cultural and historical significance.
Located around the Insa-dong Street Intersection, Bonwon Calligraphy has provided customers with top-notch calligraphic supplies for over 30 years. Products are especially well priced because the shop is involved in both manufacuring and selling supplies. Being one of the largest of its kind in Insa-dong, the shop is frequented by calligraphic experts. Customized products are available upon request.
Arirang Master Crafts Shop is a comprehensive shopping center dealing with Korean traditional crafts. It covers traditional crafts by famous artists, pottery for daily use, decorative pottery, lacquer ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, crafts made of Korean traditional paper and more. Every product has a fixed price. In addtion, customers can enjoy diverse works displayed in the Migak Museum (Migak means delicate sculpture for eyes to see), located in the shop.
Popular among Koreans and international tourists, Korean Souvenir Center offers representative Korean souveniors. It deals with certified high quality products that have won craft/souvenir contests held by national organizations such as Korean Tourism Organization. Its third floor houses Namisum (Nami Island) Seoul Center which has attracted many Japanese tourists in recent years.
10:00~18:00 (Open all year-round, including holidays)
January, April, July, October, and December
The information center is located 100m from Ssamjigil, toward Jogyesa Temple. Services offered include interpretation services, tourism information, free internet access, and a program allowing visitors to wear hanbok (traditional Korean clothing). By making a reservation at least a week in advance, visitors can listen to a number of recordings about Korean culture in English, Japanese, and/or Chinese. • Hours: 09:30~18:30 (Open all year-round, except for Lunar New Year and Korean Thanksgiving Day) • Tel: +82-2-737-7890~1 • Nam (South) Insa Tourism Information Center Located right in front of Nam Insa Madang, to the south of Insa-dong, the tourism center offers interpretation services along with tourist information. • Hours: 10:00~18:00 (Open all year-round, including holidays) • Tel: +82-2-737-7885 • Buk (North) Insa Tourism Information Center Located 50m from Exit #6 of Anguk Station (Subway Line 3), the center offers tourist information, interpretation services and information on lodging and various performances. • Hours: 12:00-22:00 (Open all year-round, except for Lunar New Year and Korean Thanksgiving Day) • Tel: +82-2-734-0222
• Take Subway Line No.1 to Jonggak Station and go out of Exit No.3, walk toward Jongno 2-ga and make a right at Kum Kang Shoes building. Or take Subway Line No.3 to Anguk Station and go out Exit No.6, turn onto the street where Crown Bakery is located 30 meters away.
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.To international visitors, Myeong-dong is a stunning shopping district with countless shops and restaurants. Every Korean cosmetic brand has a branch in Myeong-dong. 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. This map shows the most important shopping places in Myeongdong.
The Lotte Department Store Main Branch is located in the hotspot of Myeongdong’s fashion district. Myeongdong offers the largest shopping area in Korea with 2 million shoppers visiting at a daily basis. Hence, Myeongdong plays as an essential tourist course for foreign visitors. The Lotte Department store is conveniently located near major forms of transportation and is the leading department store in Korea.
Opened in November 2003, Lotte Young Plaza was the first shopping mall in Korea devoted to casual wear for young people. The mall offers diverse brands as well as a variety of items from accessories to youth casual wear and women's casual wear. Its unique interior designs, convenient location, and top-notch services make this mall a popular shopping destination among both Koreans and international visitors
NOON SQUARE is a large shopping complex located at the center of Myeongdong, known as a Mecca of fashion and culture. It features a wide range of global fashion brands including Mango, Steve Madden, H&M and ZARA, as well as various facilities for leisure, entertainment and dining. In addition, NOON SQUARE is the first venue in Korea to install an outdoor escalator.
The Aritaum store in Myeong-dong offers an array of items of all different price ranges. Laneige and Iope brands are particularly popular among international visitors.
KOSNEY is a spacious shopping mall that offers virtually everything. It sells clothes, stationery, shoes, hats, and design products that particularly attract young women. Unlike some shops in Korea, KOSNEY has fitting rooms so that customers can try on clothes to their liking. Most products are within a reasonable price range.
Migliore Myeongdong provides customers with easy access to its stores, as it is directly connected to the Myeongdong Subway Station (Line 4) and also has its own parking facility. If Dongdaemun claims to be the shopping district for teenagers, Myeongdong is regarded as the shopping district for youth in their 20’s. Throughout the area, signs are written in English, Chinese and Japanese for foreign visitors. Many shops in the Myeongdong district sell unique self-designed clothes, bags, shoes, and fashion accessories at very reasonable prices. This is a one-stop shopping spot for fashion items that will dress you from head to toe. Right outside of the 1st floor of the Migliore building, an outdoor stage has been erected for various fashion shows, concerts, and festivals.
09:00-22:00 (summer hours), 09:00-21:00 (winter hours) (Open all year-round, including holidays)
January, April, July, October, and December
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 ( i ) information logo. • Hours: 09:00-22:00 (summer hours), 09:00-21:00 (winter hours) (Open all year-round, including holidays) • Tel: +82-2-774-3238
January, April, July, October, and December
• 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. • Hours: 09:00-22:00 (summer hours), 09:00-21:00 (winter hours) (Open all year-round, including holidays) • 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. • Hours: 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. • Tel: +82-2-3789-7961~3
Take Subway Line No.4 to Myeong-dong Station and go out of Exit No.6. This will lead you to the main street of Myeong-dong.
Street vending started because of the increasing number of unemployment and homeless people in Seoul, so in return the government started to give people the approval sheet to sell on the street, but in 1999 the government stopped giving the approval to people because Korean government afraid to lose their appearance in front foreigners, so in return they the stopped it, but still there are street vendors selling on the street and their number are increasing yearly. However, the government doesn’t have an actual action toward people who have approval or not, as long as they don’t across the line. So here are the steps to start a legal street vending: Step 1 : Choose the location Street vendor should know the best please that he/ she wants to sell the item in Step 2 : Get the approval and permissions:• As it mentioned before that the government stopped giving the approval to people, so the street vendor should go to the people who has the approval before 1999 and buy it from them and the price can be very expensive. • Also some areas in Myeongdong or Dongdeamun or Insadong are owned be a specific person. If the vendor wants to sell his/ her items in these areas he/ she must go to this person and ask him/ her for permission of using of specific area in return he / she pay a specific amount of money that it should me agreed by both of them. Step 3 : Knowing and choosing supplires area Here are the best areas that are good as suppliers • Insa-dong :- For traditional items, we recommended him/ her to go to because there are many stores will be glad to supply people. • Gyeonggito and Janngwon :- For trendy items such as, shoes, clothes, bags, toys, fabrics. There are many factories located there for supplying item to people who has small businesses •
Dongdaemun market:- there is a supply market from 12 a.m to 6 a.m
• Juangzhau which is located in china. Most Korean people get their supplies from this area because it cheap and the transportation take one hour.
I I’park Mall page9 Insa Art Plaza page 17 Insadong page 16-20 Itaewon page9 A K Apgujeong page8 Korean souvenir center page18 Arirang Master Crafts shop page18 Kosney page 22 L Aritaum page22 Language page5 B Lotte department page22 Becoming a street vendor page26 Lotte young plaza page22 Bongwon calligraphy page18 M C Migliore page12 Climate and Holiday page29 Munjeong-dong page9 Climate page4 Myeongdong page 21-25 Myeong-dong noon square page22 Coex page8 N Content page2 Namdaemun page7 D National ag page3 Dongdaemun page 10-15 National Souvenir center page18 Dongdaemun shopping complex page11 New Freya page12 Dongdaemun shopping complex (hanbok P Park young sook bedding page17 shop) page11 R Doota page12 References page32 E Religion page4 Ethnincity page5 S Ewha University page8 Sale time page14,19,23,24 G Samcheong-dong page7 General information page27 Seoul history page3 Shopping in seoul page6 General information page27,28 Sinsa-dong page8 Goodmorning City page13 Subway page14,19,24 Gukje Embriodery page17 T Gwangjang Market page11 Tong-in store page17 Gwangjang Market (hanbok shop) page11 Tourist information page14,19,23,24 H Toyo page 17 U Hello APM page13 U:US (fashion mall) page13 Hongdae page9 Useful Korean phrases page30 Y Yeongdaungpo page9
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