Ready to shop? Your essential Korean shopping guide. From Olive Young beauty hacks and Personal Color analysis to underground fashion malls and Daiso treasures.
If you buy your souvenirs at the airport or a random street stall in Myeongdong, you are losing money. In reality, the best place to buy gifts is a local hypermarket. Specifically, Korean supermarket shopping is an essential part of the travel itinerary. Places like Lotte Mart (Seoul Station) or E-Mart are massive warehouses filled … Read more
In America, if you like a lipstick color, you just buy it. However, in Korea, buying lipstick is a science experiment. You might have heard of Personal Color Analysis in Korea. Basically, it’s a diagnostic process where an expert drapes hundreds of colored fabrics under your chin to find the colors that make you look … Read more
In NYC, a haircut costs $100 and takes 3 weeks to book. In Seoul, a haircut costs $20 (or less), includes a head massage, and makes you look like a K-Drama star. Korean hair technology is years ahead of the rest of the world. They have perms for everything—roots, bangs, and even the sides of … Read more
In America, my skincare routine was simple: Wash face with a harsh scrub, dry with a towel, done. In Korea, skincare is not a routine. It is engineering. You’ve heard the myths. “Koreans use 10 products every night!” “You need snail slime on your face!” So, you walk into Olive Young (the Korean Sephora/CVS hybrid), … Read more