Namdaemun Market

Seoul, the capital of South Korea is a shopper's paradise. You can find anything and everything in this city. Your choice would not however be restricted within a few shops only; rather innumerable shops in and around the city offer so much variety that you would feel confused about what to buy and what not to buy. One best thing about Seoul is that specific streets and neighborhoods are dotted by a range of shops that sell different varieties of the item you are looking for. Namdaemun Market, for example, is lined by shops that sell all types of toys, tableware, watches and even vegetables.

Namdaemun Market is located in downtown Seoul. Covering a huge expanse of more than 10 acres, this market is home to over 1000 shops, stalls, retailers and even street vendors. Catering to those who want to buy all items of their choice under one roof, this market has a couple of departmental stores too. The shops sell everything from garments to ginseng products; tableware to toys and watches too.

The shops are housed into the buildings that are lined on both sides of the street. Wholesalers at Namdaemun Market sell things from midnight to 6 in the morning and retailers start to operate from 7 in the morning till 5 at dusk. Generally retail outlets remain closed on every first and third Sundays of each month. The street vendors however sell things during all days in a month. Sidewalks and alleys are the best places to buy items from vendors as they sell thing at much cheaper price than the retail outlets.

Since this market is frequented by many tourists, the shopkeepers can speak a few English words. Bargaining is a common practice at Namdaemun Market but if you do not speak Korean then it may not prove to be effective. The shopkeepers generally accept foreign currency and you can also convert your currency into Korean Won from the local exchangers. But beware of black marketers. To reach this downtown Seoul market you can get a bus from Itaewon.