Shopping Center: E-Mart

E-Mart is a quite large shopping center. This place is similar to Lotte Mart. You can find a lot of things here. This mart is similar to department store. They don't just sell foods and stuffs, but they also sell cosmetics, clothes, stationaries, etc.

E-Mart

Here in E-Mart, there are variety of microwaveable food and also sushi corner with low price. If you wish to save your budget for food, this place might be a good place to buy your food. 

Direction from Subway: 

Yongsan Station, Line 1 and Jungang Line

Food Tips: Buying Delicious Food while Saving Money @ Korea

Low price is often identical with low quality, but not for this one that I will recommend to you. Wherever you travel, you always need to eat to regain energy. Food is one of the essential aspects in travelling. 

To eat delicious, high quality and hygiene food while travelling, no need to go to a 5-stared hotel restaurant or other large expensive restaurant, there are lots of other alternative that you can choose beside those expensive places. Below here are some tips and choices of buying low price food with high quality that is useful for tourist that wants to save his or her money. 

1. Microwavable Food

Microwavable Bibimbap

There are a lot of instant microwavable Food in Korean Convenience Stores. Beside quick, the price is also affordable for students, so that means it's affordable for tourist. Don't worry about the variety of foods, there are a lot of kind of food, such as Tteokbokki, Bulgogi, Rice, Hamburger, Pizza, Chicken, and many more. You can heat and eat your food in the convenience store itself or bring it to the hostel or guesthouse that you're staying.


2. Street Foods

Kimbap - Street Food

Street Foods are well-known for their delicious taste and low price. There are variety of street foods, I have mentioned some of those in my last post, here. Street foods' price will never exceed over 10,000 KRW, you could eat variety kinds of street foods until full just for 5,000 KRW. You could find street food kiosk in every corner of Seoul and other city. The portion is large enough, it's for 2 people.



3. Supermarket Sushi

Sushi

Sushi are widely sold in some large supermarket around Seoul area, such as in E-Mart & Home Plus. There are variety kinds of fresh sushi in those supermarket's sushi corner. This dish is the healthiest and the most delicious this with the most low price. You could get a piece of sushi for 500 KRW. Go buy a lot of pieces and eat until you full!



4. Supermarket Sampling

This choice is recommended to those who are having an extra time on their travelling agenda because this might takes time. Large scale supermarket usually provide a lot of food samples, such as curry, meats, dumplings, soups, seafoods, noodles, and many more. Go walk along and explore entire floors at the supermarket and eat free foods.

Beside those choices, there are a lot of choices out there around Seoul. Go find and explore by yourself, travelling don't have to spend a lot of money :)

Night Street Foods @ Gwangjang Market, Seoul

Korea is famous for their night street foods in markets and along roads. Usually people meet their friends and colleagues to eat snack, drinks, and have a chat together. Many people like to meet and gather together in night street food markets because the low price and the delicious dishes. 

Gwangjang Market itself is a Korean traditional market that is located near Dongdaemun, Seoul area. There are many shops there that sells textile materials, raw foods, and other products. When the night comes, this market will be filled by a lot of streed foods sellers, you could find all of kinds of Korean street foods here.

Gwangjang Market @ Night

Gwangjang Market have been listed in the list of must-visit places in Seoul by the Korean Tourism Organization. Here in this market, not only trying street foods, but you could also meet and interacts with a lot of kind local Korean people. 

Don't worry about the price, street foods are well-known for their low price. So, eat as much as you can  here!

Direction from Subway: Jongno-o Station Line 1, Exit 7 or 8, then walk for a while from Dongdaemun until you reach this market

Need more information about this place? Visit their official Website http://www.kwangjangmarket.co.kr/

Korean Street Foods Overview

Korean street foods are Korean traditional snacks and food that are relatively cheap. The range of price is from 500 KRW - 3,500 KRW (4000 IDR - 28,000 IDR). Don't worry about the size of the food, Korean food are relatively in big portion. You could find street foods mostly in markets, roads, and other places that is full of people, in every corner of Seoul. Here in Korea, the food are hygienic enough to be eaten, there are less dirt and pollution there and the sellers are trying hard to make sure that the food they sell is hygiene enough (e.g. covering used plates in disposable plastic bags, etc.).  Below here are some kinds of Korean Street Foods with their details.


1. Tteokbokki 
(Pronounciation: Tok-Bok-Ki)

Tteokbokki is a stir-fried cake that is made from rice (literally rice cake). This street food is a spicy cake, with chewy rice cakes that is really addictive, makes you don't want to stop eating this food.

2. Kimbap
(Pronounciation: Kim-Bap)

Kimbap is a food that is similar to Japanese Sushi. A rice roll with nori (seaweed) surrounding it, filled with meat (tuna or other), carrots, and other variety of vegetables. This food will surely makes you full and the price is relatively cheap. This is a must-try food if you're in Korea.

3. Hotteok
(Pronounciation: Hot-tok)

Hotteok is a sweet-flavoured snack that is similar to pancake. Made of glutinous rice or flour, filled with  sugar, ground peanuts and cinnamon powder and it is pressed on a hot griddle. A really nice dish when its raining or in a cold weather.

4. Bungeobbang 
(Pronounciation: Bungo-pang)

Bungeobbang is a fish-shaped cake, made of bread, filled with red bean paste. This dish is really cheap, you could get 3 until 5 fish-shaped cakes for only about 2,000 KRW. There are some point of views among local people, most of them said that the one that eat the head first must be a positive and passionate person, while the one who eat the tail first must be a sensitive and romantic person.

There are other varieties of street foods out there around Seoul with low prices. When you visit Korea, you have to try those and other kind of street foods, it's a must! :)

Special Event: Korea Grand Sale 2013 ( Jan 11 - Feb 28 2013)

South Korea's government will held a big event in Seoul, which will be the Korea Grand Sale 2013. This event will be held from 11th January until 28th February 2013. This event will allows foreigner tourists to receive special discounts and promotions for shopping, accommodation, dining, entertainment, beauty-health, and many more.

Korea Grand Sale 2013

Discounts and Promotions:

• Shopping: Up to 30% discount and special additional gift for shopping in some Duty Free shops and department stores (Galleria Luxury Hall, Hyundai Department Store, Lotte Department Store,  Shinsegae Department Store, Dongwha Duty Free, Duty Free Korea, Lotte Duty Free, The Shilla Duty Free, Wallkerhill Duty Free, etc.)
• Accomodation: Some promotions in some large hotels (Renaissance Seoul Hotel, Grand Ambassador Seoul, Ritz Carlton Seoul, Imperial Palace Hotel, Hotel Seokyo, Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Times Square, The-K Seoul Hotel, etc.)
• Dining: Up to 50% discount and special additional gift in some restaurants, coffee shops and others (TGIF, Todai, Gogung, Black'smith, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Red Mango, Loterria, Caffebene, etc.)
• Entertainment: Up to 40% discount and Buy-1-get-1-free promo at some performance shows, cinema,  and theme parks (Nanta Show, JUMP show, Fanta-Stick Show, Drum Cat show, Lotte Cinema, Everland Theme Park, Lotte World Theme Park, Namsan Seoul Tower, Korean Folk Village, etc.)
• Beauty and Health: Up to 30% discount and special additional gift for shopping in some well-known Korean Branded Cosmetics shops, hospital, and spa (Etude House, NATURE REPUBLIC, Its Skin, Aritaum, Innisfree, the saem, Jasaeng Hospital of Korean Eastern Medicine, Dragon Hill Spa and Resort, etc.) 
• Others: Up to 60% discount and buy 1-get-1-free promo at some convenience store and exchanging rates in banks (Seven Eleven C. Store, Lotte Super, GS 25 C. Store, Buy the Way C. Store, Hana Bank, Korea Exchange Bank, Woori Bank, etc.)

In order to receive those discounts and special promotions up there, you must present your KOREA GRAND SALE COUPONS upon payment on those places. You can present it using PRINTED COUPON or COUPON ON YOUR MOBILE SCREEN.

Website to Obtain the Coupon: 

http://www.koreagrandsale.co.kr/global/cts/view.do?pcode=GTS003&uId=7&menuNo=110452&lang=en

Discount Card: Korea Pass Card

Korea Pass Card is a useful card that could be use for tourist to receive special discounts. This card is similar with T-Money, but this card could be use for shopping uses. Korea pass card could be use in places that allows you to pay with credit cards. Below here are some details and advantages of this card.

Korea Pass Card (only can be use in Seoul)

Advantages Korea Pass Card:

1. Allows you to receive 20% discount in 63 City
2. Allows you to receive 20% discount in Lotte World Theme Park
3. Allows you to receive 10% discount for entering Namsan Seoul Tower
4. Allows you to receive 10% until 30% at Lotte Hotel
5. Allows you to receive favourable exchange rates in Hana Bank (30-50% rate)
6. Allows you to receive 5-30% discount entering National Museum of Korea 
7. Allows you to receive 5-10% discount in Lotte Duty Free shops
8. Allows you to receive 10-30% discount in some restaurants (TGIF, Lotteria, Korea House)
9. Allows you to receive 10% discount in some beauty & health services (Zen Hair Salon, Bella Skin Care, etc.)

and many more...

Place to Purchase this Card:

You can purchase this card in airport, 7-Eleven Mini-market, and Lotte Mart in Seoul area. If you wish to recharge the amount of the card, you can go to 7-Eleven Mini-markets, subways, and also street kiosk that displays "CASH BEE" logo.

Cash Bee Logo

If you're interested and want to find more information about this card, you can proceed to the website, which is http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SH/SH_EN_7_5_1.jsp