Korean wave tourism street number 1, Myeong-dong (1)

At Myeong-dong, the street number one of Korean wave tourism, you can grasp a fashion trend at a glance and buy nearly every cosmetics that you can get at a cheap price in Korea. Located in the Namsan mountain to the south and the Cheonggye creek to the north from Myeong-dong, it is good to walk in nature within urban area. It feels terrific to taste foods of street stalls in a long row one by one. 

Take Korail airport railroad, transfer to the subway line no.4 at the Seoul station and get off Myeong-dong station. At that moment, you soak into Myeong-dong’s charm.

[Course 1] Myeong-dong’s guide for shopaholic

 Is there anywhere a modifier as ‘shopping heaven’ matches better than to Myeong-dong? In addition to lined with road shops which sell cheap and high quality cosmetics, SPA brand stores like <Uniqlo>, <Zara>, <H&M> and so on receive guests. Let me introduce here and there of Myeong-dong which shopaholics seem to like. 

1. A-land

A-land, emerged like a comet in 2005, is a select shop which helps rising designers grow on their own and establish themselves as a gateway to success for young fashion designers. As Korea’s   largest select shop for rising designers, it runs 12 shops in Korea and 3 stores in Hong Kong. 

This shop has the biggest merit in that customers can purchase characterful clothes of mid-20s young designers. With the recent opening of <A-land M> right across this shop, it is making a new attempt for only men’s wear.

Tel: 1566-7477 , Business hours: 09:00 ~ 23:00

2. cosmetics road shops

It is not too much to say that every cosmetic brand of shops hosted in Korea is gathered in Myeong-dong. It is so popular that tourists can buy high quality cosmetics at a cheap price. Particularly, beauty masks are in great vogue.

More various brands are available in Myeong-dong than at duty free shops of Incheon International Airport. Lots of tourists visit these stores because they are fascinated with whole bunch of free cosmetic samples in their shopping bags.

3. the main shop of Shinsegae department store

This department store had opened as Gyeongseong branch of Japanese Mitsukoshi department store in 1930 and kept up business in the name of ‘Dongwha department store’ after liberation in 1945. It had been changed once again as the main shop of Shinsegae department store. 

Only Shinsegae is continuing to use the old building as its main shop among other Korean department stores. It has been over 90 years since this store had been built. This store implemented the first bargain sales for domestic customers and also issued credit cards for the 1^st time in Korea. 

If you don’t watch ‘Sacred Heart’ by Jeff Koons on display at Trinity garden on the 6th floor of this building, you have great regret for this chance. This masterpiece, worthy of 30 billion Won, is like this store’s mascot. Besides this piece, art works by famous artists at home and abroad are pleasing

to visitors’ eyes.

4. the main store of Lotte department store

The main shop of Lotte department store, located in the Namdaemun-ro, Myeong-dong, forms ‘Lotte town’ putting together from Young plaza, a duty free shop, a movie theater, luxury goods store Avenuel to Lotte Hotel. The 1^st floor of Young plaza runs the entertainment select shop for Korean wave tourists. 

‘Star avenue’ where visitors can meet Korean wave stars with pictures on the road to go to a duty free shop is laid out. The roof garden located in the rooftop of Young plaza is open as a rest place for tourists. Let’s stop by here.

Article/photo by Kim jeongheum