What to buy from Seoul (apart from cosmetics)?

Anyone who has been to Seoul would have to agree that Seoul is a shopping paradise. Their stuffs are cheap, designed well and quality build. Well, mostly, you still have to use your judgment.

There are endless lists of things you could buy here. Today, we’re going to talk about those things that are worthy of your luggage space to fly them all the way back to Australia. And, that is not cosmetics (because you can get them from thesesameshop.com~!)

Let’s begin, note the following are in no particular order.

1. Jeans

To be honest, I’m not a jeans person. I only have 1 pair and wear them less than 10 days in a year. My problems for jeans are that the skinny ones are uncomfortable to wear, and the baggy ones make me look short and fat. But the pair of jeans I recently got from Seoul makes me want to wear it every single day.

The fabric is extremely soft and breathable. It has a loose fit style, but makes me look at least 5kg slimmer. The length is just right for my short legs. The waist has an elastic band making it effortless to slip on, but in no way looking like an old lady’s pants. Simply put, I’ve never had a pair of jeans fits this perfect and looks this great. Best part, it costs 30,000 Won, which is around $35 AUD.

Even if you’re not a jeans person, you could easily grab one or two pairs while in Seoul. You can get jeans in Dongdaemun, Hongdae, Sinchon, and Ewha Women’s University area where clothing shops are common.

2. Earrings

If you’re an earring wearer, you’ll love Seoul. In Seoul, fashion earrings are everywhere. They have endless designs to choose from that you could easily spend 1/2-1 hour in those larger shops. Plus, they take up nearly zero of your luggage space! I recommend getting the ones around 10,000 Won ($10-$12 AUD) mark with posts made out of 925 silver. They are more durable and less likely to change colour. You can easily find them in Myeongdong, Bukchon and Hongdae area.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more, I really like the brand J.estina. Their signature crown design is super cute. Their earrings are mostly 925 silver and constructed with quality. They are around $80-$150 USD for a pair, with more premium ones over $200 USD. I recommend getting them from Lotte Duty Free (online for extra discounts and cashback), Hyundai Outlets Store in Dongdaemun and Sinsadong.

3. Socks

This is another must-buy whenever I go to Seoul. These socks are usually sold at underground stations. They are 100% cotton, comfortable and have super cute designs (or plain ones if you prefer). They usually sell for 1,000 Won a pair, or 11 pairs for 10,000 Won. No bargaining required. You can find them at underground station of Myeongdong, on the streets of Hongdae and Dongdaemun.

4. O’sulloc Jeju Green Tea

O’sulloc is a chain tea house in South Korea. I love their orchid fragranced green tea. But in this post, I’m going to recommend something other than tea. It is their green tea milk spread. The spread is like a green tea sauce. You could spread them on bread or cookies, use them in baking, or eat them straight. They are like the green tea equivalent of Nutella. You can get these from any O’sulloc tea house in Seoul, and they have Tax Refund on the spot.

5. Bidet (Electronic Toilet Seat with Washer)

You might be thinking, what..? But yes, I brought back a bidet from Seoul, and it was probably the best purchase of my trip. I don’t know why the western countries haven’t gotten onto this awesome device that all households should have. They make your toilet experience so much more hygienic and enjoyable. I’m going to stop it here, you can research about the goodness of bidets, but if you’re thinking of getting one, Seoul is a much better place than Japan, at least for Australians.

First of all, South Korea has the same voltage as Australia, which means you wouldn’t need a converter which can cause problems for your electricals. Secondly, they are much cheaper than Japanese ones.

It was actually not easy to get a bidet in Seoul. I found mine at Yongsan Station where the electronics are sold. The shop owner there was extremely helpful at explaining the functions and differences of the models. I went for a decent model of the brand Apple, and it was around $250 AUD. It comes in cushioned retail packaging that you could put it straight to airplane luggage. Put on a fragile sticker if you’re worried. The whole thing weighs about 4kg, which was not too bad.

The installation was pretty straightforward. I’m a girl with absolutely no plumbing knowledge. So if I could do it, you’ll have no problems.

6. Sanitary Pads

This is another weird one. But I love Korean sanitary pads. My favourite is the Sofy Bodyfit Gui Ae Rang by LG. You can find these at Olive Young and supermarkets in Seoul. These pads have a patch infused with oriental herbs which smells heavenly and cancels out the odour naturally. You’ll have to try these to feel the comfort.

7. Coloured Lens

Coloured lens is pretty common in Seoul. They have great colour variations (eg. pink, purple, gold) and appear very natural on brown eyes. They are also quite comfortable to wear. I got mine from OLens, which had 1+1 offers of 15,000~20,000 Won for two monthly pairs, that’s about $8-$10 AUD per pair! They also give you free bottles of solution, contact lens carrier and mirrors as gifts depending on your luck. OLens have outlets in Myeongdong and Express Bus Terminal. Note that OLens is not circle lens, their lens have diameters around 13mm which is not overly enlarging.

Now that I’ve shared all of my must-buys from Seoul, which one are you most interested in?