Search
this site
View
map of Asia
View
map of South Korea
Buy
This Allposters.com
Copyright © All World
Vacation Station
|
|
REPUBLIC
OF KOREA TRAVEL GUIDE
|
|
South
Korea Hotels
Korea's
Top 10 Tourist Destination
Shopping
in Seoul, Korea
Shopping
in South Korea : What you can Consider Buying
Top
Ten Attractions in Seoul
Visiting
the Demilitarized Zone in Korea
'Gangnam
Style' inspires tourist campaign in Seoul (video)
“You know the song and you
know the dance… But what’s Gangnam?” Cashing in on the success of PSY's
viral musical video, Seoul officials have started a campaign to attract
tourists to the city's Gangnam district.
The amazing success of the
South Korean rapper's song, which has spawned many parodies on YouTube,
has inspired officials in Seoul to launch a campaign to attract tourists
to the city’s titular Gangnam district.
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
The Republic of Korea,
commonly known as South Korea or the Korea Republic, is an East Asian country
on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. To the north, it is bordered
by North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), with which it was
united until 1945. To the west, across the Yellow Sea, lies China and to
the southeast, across the Korea Strait, lies Japan. Approximately one-half
of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital Seoul, the second
most populous metropolitan area in the world.
Korea traces its founding
to 2333 BCE by the legendary Dangun. Since the establishment of the modern
republic in 1948, South Korea struggled with the aftermath of Japanese
occupation (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), and decades of authoritarian
governments, undergoing five major constitutional changes. While the government
officially embraced Western-style democracy from its founding, presidential
elections suffered from rampant irregularities. |
It was not until 1987 that
direct and fair presidential elections were held, largely prompted by popular
demonstrations. South Korea has been a vibrant multi-party democracy for
two decades.
The South Korean economy
has advanced rapidly since the 1950s and is now the 11th largest (nominal
value) economy in the world. South Korea is also one of the world's most
technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries; it has the
third most broadband Internet users among the OECD countries and is a global
leader in electronics, digital displays, shipbuilding, semiconductor devices,
and mobile phones. |
|
Shopping
in Seoul, Korea by Marilyn Chew
South
Korea Hotels
Surrounded
by mountains, Seoul is a vibrant and fascinating city with a population
of about 10 million. With more than a million registered motor vehicles
and dominated by skyscrapers and multi-lane highways, it still manages
to maintain a hidden history of ancient temples, palaces, pagodas and peaceful
gardens. This ancient city has been the capital of Korea since the 14th
century.
Weather
Seoul's has a distinct four
seasons: Spring - nice weather. Temperatures range from 16°C (62°F)
to 24°C (75°F). Summer - hot weather and heavy monsoons (as well
as typhoons). Temperatures range from 24°C (75°F) to 35°C (95°F).
Autumn - blue skies, sunshine and spectacular foliage fall. Little rain.
Temperatures range from 12°C (55°F) to 20°C (70°F). Winter
- cold and dry. A good time to visit if you like skiing. Very few tourists
and freezing weather. Temperatures between -6°C (20°F) to 10°C
(53°F) with January bringing the most snow.
Shopping
Seoul is a heaven for shoppers
with numerous mega-shopping centers. You can really shop till you drop.
Seoul is famous for high quality goods coupled with excellent and reasonable
prices. |
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
Only one caution: be prepared
for large and massive crowds. Usually people including most tourists are
polite, but there can be some pushing and shoving at times in and around
the major shopping areas.
Namdaemun (The Great South
Gate) Market
The downtown Namdaemun Market,
the biggest traditional market in Korea (covers about 10 acres), offers
everything from ginseng to kimchi to military uniforms. Among the popular
items for tourists are clothes, shoes, fabrics, tableware, flowers, ginseng
products, toys, and watches. It is a world-famous shopping paradise and
an attraction that tourists should not miss. Most shops have their own
factories and make the products themselves offering both wholesale and
retail at an extremely low prices. Prices are generally 10% to 20% lower
than prices at other markets. Hours vary by store, so it's advisable to
plan out in advance according with a shopping list before you start the
actual shopping. Wholesalers operate from midnight to 6:00 a.m., and retailers
are open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Although most retailers close their
stores on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, many street vendors operate
stalls in the alleys. Near the main street to the north of the market there
is also an extensive underground arcade. Visitors can get travel information
and interpretation guide service in English and Japanese for free.
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
Yongsan Electronics Market
Yongsan Electronics Market
was formed by a host of small electronic dealers and has since developed
into the greatest electronic shopping town in the East. It covers a whopping
78,650 square meters in size. It has more than 7,000 shops in 24 shopping
centers which includes Electronics Land, Najin, Seonin, Wonhyo and a computer
wholesale center.
Visitors to this shopping
town can enjoy shopping for almost all kinds of the latest electronic products
and components, including computers, games and lighting equipment. The
prices are about 10 to 30% cheaper for Korean made products, while imported
items can go as low as 50% lower than elsewhere. |
Also, it is possible to
receive larger discounts at the beginning of the year, at the beginning
of the school year or during holidays. Most major stores are open from
10:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Shinch'on
One of the most famous shopping
streets in Seoul, Shinch'on is located within walking distance of 4 universities.
The are restaurants, cafes, cinemas and night clubs filled with youths
wearing the latest fashions. It was a wild place to be on eve of public
holidays.
Insa-dong
If you're shopping for antiques,
Insa-dong is the place. It's a narrow street lined with antique stores,
art galleries and secondhand bookstores. Dubbed "Mary's Alley" by foreigner
to Seoul, Insa-dong is the best place to purchase antiques, reproductions,
calligraphy, paintings, and a wide variety of implements and articles from
Korea's past. Traditional teahouses and art galleries are also concentrated
in this area.
Itaewon
Itaewon is famous for bargain
hunting. If you like to dig through piles of junk to find hidden treasures,
this is the place to go. Here you can find branded goods which were rejected
for export at very attractive prices. These items are not bad in quality,
they just are of irregular or odd sizes.
Apkujong
Apkujong-South of the river
(Kangnam) is a place of fashion. It`s the land of upscale Department Stores,
funky cool boutiques and luxury branded shops. This is the happening place
for the latest in fashion. If you have the money, they have the goods!
Techno Mart
Techno Mart, a large shopping
center, is occupied by more than 2,000 electronic shops located from the
1st to 8th floor. You can purchase electronic products, computers, sound
systems, communication equipment, CDs and much more. Prices here tend to
be 10% to 20% lower than other places. |
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
Offering a variety of goods
from the antiques to the latest in fashion and pricing ranging from bargain
prices to top end exclusive prices, Seoul is truly a heaven for shoppers.
South
Korea Hotels / Seoul
Hotels
Top
|
About the Author: Marilyn
loves travellings and maintains the website: All About Travellings - An
informative site on travellings, tours and holidays. |
|
Shopping
in South Korea : What you can Consider Buying by Geraldine
Tan
South
Korea Hotels
We were extremely excited
when we touched down at the Incheon International Airport. I had done lots
of research on South Korea and brought with me the shopping list that I
had prepared earlier. No items to be sparred, we were determined to make
this trip a fulfilling one!
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
Although we had constantly
reminded ourselves to be gentle with our pockets, we arrived home with
bags of Korean specialties. We did a great deal of shopping in Seoul and
Jeju Island, fully utilising every compartment of our luggage bags to make
rooms for the things that we bought. Like Singapore, South Korea is a good
place to shop. If you are visiting South Korea, here are my recommendations.
-- Korean Ginseng --
An expensive and nourishing
herb, Korean Ginseng is widely known for balancing the "chi" in the body,
good for the overall well-being of the body. I got to know from the sales
assistant that Korean Ginseng is also effective in relieving menstrual
cramps in women. |
Grown in the mountains,
Korean Ginsengs between four to six years old are harvested and sold. The
older the Korean Ginseng, the higher the price it demands.
Besides the normal "white"
Korean Ginseng that I have mentioned earlier, you will also be able to
find what is known as the Red Ginseng in South Korea. The Red Ginseng is
prepared by treating "white" Korean Ginseng in Chinese herbs, giving it
a red colour. It is known to be effective in treating erectile dysfunction
in men.
Apart from being the main
ingredients for many of the Korean cuisines such as the Ginseng Chicken,
Korean Ginseng can be taken on its own in small slices or in the form of
powder. As Korean Ginseng tastes a little bitter, you may want to consider
buying honey coated Korean Ginsengs. The sweetness of honey helps to curb
the bitterness of the Korean Ginseng a great deal.
If you find Korean Ginseng
too expensive, Korean Ginseng products such as ginseng candies and rice
cakes are good and affordable alternatives. Korean Ginseng and ginseng
products can be found in many shops in Seoul. |
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
-- Amethyst --
We visited an amethyst shop
in Seoul. Amethyst is a gemstone that is purple in colour and many women's
favourite. I was amazed by the Korean's creativity and brilliant workmanship
in jewelleries. Amongst the beautiful pieces of amethyst jewelleries, I
came across an amethyst bracelet that could be folded into a four-leaved
clover pendant! You should see the "WOW" written all over my face! Amazing!
We were told by the sales
assistant that amethysts come in two grades - Grade A and B. Grade A amethysts
are darker in colour and more expensive while Grade B amethysts are less
expensive but in a lighter purple. Drop some hints to your partner. You
might just get yourself an amethyst bracelet as your birthday present!
Buy
This Allposters.com
|
-- Honey --
Honey is good at soothing
any discomforts caused by a sore throat. Should you be visiting the Jeju
Folk Village, buy yourself a few jars of honey, a perfect gift for everyone
back home! Here is a trick that you might want to try. Scoop two tablespoons
of Korean Honey into a bowl, followed by some water. Gently sway (not shake)
the bowl, allowing the excess honey to stay at the base. Notice that polygons
of the same sizes, similar to the cells in a beehive, start to appear in
the honey!
-- Kimchi --
Kimchis are fermented vegetables
served in every Korean meal. They are made of vegetables such as cabbage,
cucumber and radish. |
Red, hot spices are applied
onto the vegetables and kept for fermentation in big jars. Extremely hot
and sour, kimchi is a delicacy in Korean cuisine. Kimchi comes in airtight
packets and can be found in all supermarkets in South Korea. In order not
to cause your fridge to stink, make sure you keep the kimchi in airtight
containers after you have removed it from its packaging.
There are simply too many
things to try out in South Korea, and it is impossible for me to cover
all of them here. If you like shopping and planning to go for a vacation,
visit South Korea! I can assure you that you will shop till you drop!
South
Korea Hotels
Top
|
About the Author For
more travel resources and information, please visit the Travel Mambo™ website
at http://www.travel-mambo.com. During her trip to South Korea, Geraldine,
a young Singaporean, was extremely captivated by the Korean's rich culture
and beautiful sceneries. She has written to Travel Mambo™ to share her
experiences with the rest of the world. |
Top
Bangladesh
- Cambodia - China -
Georgia
-
Hong Kong - India
-
Indonesia & Bali - Japan
-
Kazakhstan
- Korea (South) - Kyrgyzstan
- Laos - Macau - Malaysia
-
Maldives - Nepal -
Pakistan
-
Philippines
- Singapore - Sri Lanka
- Taiwan - Thailand
- Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
|