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

Place to buy Souvenirs with Low Price

Souvenirs is a must-buy product when you visit another country. Souvenir is just like the second evidence to prove whether you visit another country or not, beside photos. Usually, low budget tourists prefer to buy souvenirs with low price, but ending up only buying cheap keychains or magnets. Here in the place that I recommend, you will get high quality souvenirs with low price.

Place of Recommendation:

NAMDAEMUN MARKET

Namdaemun Market is a huge open-air market. You could find all things here, they sell stuffs such as clothes, souvenirs, even Korean ginseng! Many stuffs, such as clothes, that are widely sold outside this area, are coming from this market. So it means that its cheaper to buy all of stuffs that you wanted here. 

If you think the price is a little bit high, don't worry to ask for discount with the sellers here. They will give you either discount or extra gifts. This place is also a suitable place for people who are searching for big amount of stuffs because this place is a wholesale market with low price. The more stuffs (e.g. souvenirs) you buy, the more cheaper it is! So this place is suitable for buying souvenirs for your family, friends, colleagues, and other people.

Souvenirs that I bought during Field Research
(Magnets, Traditional Door Bell, and other K-Pop attributes)

Direction From Subway: Hoehyeon Line 4, Exit 5 or 6

Low Budget Shopping Place & Fashion District around Seoul

There are some shopping locations (streets or districts) around Seoul. Here are some of shopping locations that is low budget according to my research some details about the location of each of them.

1) Ewha Womans University


The road heading towards Ehwa Womens University is filled with stores that sell trendy and up-to-date clothes, cosmetics, bags, shoes, etc. This place is really like Women's heaven! There are several department stores, small and medium street fashion stores, hair salon, nail salon, shoes and bag shops, and many more. This area is aimed for women, so most of the stuffs that they sell are for women. Prices are affordable for local and abroad students, so it means its affordable for tourists also.


Direction from Subway: Ewha Womans University Station Line 2, Exit 2 or Exit 3, Walk about 330 meters from subway. (District: Seodaemun-gu)

2) Myeongdong

This is a must-go place if you are in Seoul. Myeongdong is a famous fashion district. There are a lot of stores, fashion stores, cosmetics, bags, shoes, and many more. Not only for women, men apparels and stuffs are available also. The clothes, bags, shoes and fashion apparels are so trendy and up-to-date. Don't worry about the price, based on my experienced, a piece of pretty simple dress just cost you about 15,000 KRW (90 000 IDR). The price are worthy and the condition of the stuff is also in a good condition.

Direction from Subway: Myeongdong Station, Exit 5/6/7/8/9/10 (District: Jung-gu)

3) Hongdae

Hongdae is another place like Myeongdong, but the difference between Hongdae and Myeongdong is Hongdae have more teens and youngsters visitors and sellers. This means that most of the stuffs that is selled and showed there is more for teens and youngsters with affordable price for them. Dont worry, if you're not in teens or youngsters category, this place might be interesting for you to visit. The most recommendable time to visit this place is on weekends. On weekends, there will be a free market that is held by university students, where they sell their hand-made stuffs and projects. This place sold all fashionable youngster stuffs with price that is affordable for students.

Direction from Subway: Hongdae University Station, Line 2, Exit 9

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