South Korea’s capital has plenty to keep you and your credit card busy.

Thanks to the Korean fever that’s been affecting us all, Seoul has become a coveted destination in recent years. But what do you really expect? Pop stars on every street corner, living soap opera lives? Well, get back to reality and concentrate on enjoying a shopper’s paradise which offers everything from cut-price beauty products to hot local designers.

Buy, Baby, Buy

Like Hong Kong, people come here to shop—but for very different products. Beauty creams and potions at tempting prices are the order of the day. Get that “Korean Beautiful” look thanks to brands like Etude, Skinfood, The Face Shop and Rojukiss—they’re at least 30% cheaper than in Thailand. And the best place to shop for beauty is Myengdong.

Myeongdong (Subway: Myeongdong) reminds us of Siam Square—only cooler (weather-wise) and smaller: hundreds of tiny shops selling cosmetics along with cool fashion stores such as Uniqlo and Zara and petite cafés. The basement of Aland, a multi-brand store retailing unique clothes and accessories, is also worth checking out if you have a lot of cash. The area is not large so you can cover it in an hour. And if you miss the first Skinfood or Etude store, don’t worry, there’s one on every street corner. 

Within walking distance from Myeongdong is Dongdaemun (Subway: Dongdaemun), a place where Korean teens come for bargain fashions. Imagine three Platinum Fashion Malls (called Doota!, Miglior and HelloapM) each with its own very distinct personality. Doota! (www.doota.com) is the chic one of the three and worth checking out. The eight-floor building is packed with stylish apparel and accessories from young Korean designers. The basement (B1) and the first floor house cutesy feminine clothes, while the fourth floor is for guys. Head up to the seventh floor for some kimchi and bibimbap at the food court or hit the alfresco rest area on the rooftop to recover from it all. If you feel suitably recharged, then the basement floor of HelloapM (www.helloapm.com) is where to go to find lesser known local designers while Migliore (www.migliore.co.kr) is just like Pratunam so that means cheap and counterfeit offerings with aggressive vendors.

Essentials

Getting there

China Eastern flies from PVG to Seoul daily starting at ¥1,304 one-way. See www.expedia.com for deatils

Getting Around

The easiest way to travel is by taking the subway. Ticket starts from KRW900 (¥5) for the first 10 kilometers. Taxis are affordable during daytime, but when the subway stops running at midnight, they turn feral—no meters and crazy price hikes.

Where to stay

The Shilla Seoul (202 Jangching-dong 2-ga, Jung Gu, Seoul, +82-2230-3310, www.shilla.net) is located close to Namsan Hill and blends Korean touches of with five-star comforts. Currently offering a ‘Shopping at The Shilla’ room promotion featuring daily breakfast, free mobile phone rental and KRW20,000 (¥118) vouchers to use at The Shilla Duty Free with further discounts. Rates from KRW280,000 (¥1,651).

W Seoul Walkerhill (21 Gwangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, +82-2465-2222, www.wseoul.com) delivers trademark contemporary designs and high levels of service. The promotional room rates start at KRW223,000 (¥1,313).

Alternative Attractions

History lesson

The 600-year-old capital boasts six palaces. Gyeongbokgung (Subway: Gyeongbokgung) is the highlight and not just because it’s the largest. Built in 1394 during the Joseon Dynasty, the palace is now Korea’s architectural landmark. It is also home to The National Folk Museum of Korea (www.nfm.go.kr) and the Korea National Museum (www.museum.go.kr) which offer you a detailed insight into Korea’s culture, history and traditions.

Urban Utopia

Not far from Myeongdong is Cheongaecheon, a small canal that runs through a long row of buildings and an office plaza. It used to be the city’s dirtiest slum but, following a US$900 million investment, the dull, polluted creek has been given a new lease of life as a 6km-long park. Now, you can enjoy the newly cleaned waters of the waterway flanked by lush gardens.

Show Up

Why not try the touristy, but surprisingly funny Jump show, daily at Jump Theater (Subway: Jongno 3-ga or Jonghak), which combines martial arts with slapstick. Tickets for the Jump shows are KRW40,000 - 50,000 (¥235 - 294).

Fun park

A popular spot for both locals and travelers who love adrenaline is Lotte World (Subway, Jamsil, www.lotteworld.com), Korea’s largest indoor theme park. With an area of 82,650 sq meters, Lotte World actually includes an amusement park, ice skating rink, shopping center, duty free shops and a fitness center. A pass for tourists is KRW21,000 (around ¥124).

Play Time

You’ll find plenty of trendy bars and clubs around Itaewon, Hongdae and Gangnam districts. Of the three, we have to say we prefer Gangnam (Subway: Gangnam), as it is less touristy and has a vibe that’s pretty similar to Silom. Try Club NB (www.clubnb.com) and Club Mass (www.clubmass.net), both have dramatic LED-lit fronts that lead to dark, almost industrial, underground dance floors. Entrance is BTK and a bottle of beer will set you back KRW5,000 - 7,000 (¥30 - 40), as you listen to standard hip hop and K-Pop tunes.