5 Best Places to Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul

The flagship branch of Korea's largest chain of bookstores, Kyobo has an excellent selection of English language books as well as a decent selection of stationery, international magazines, and electronic goods. With lots of little nooks for reading and plenty of space to hide away, it's a great place to go if you're looking to kill a few hours. The bookstore also hosts book signings and author talks throughout the year.

While the items here may not be as unique compared to Insa-dong's many specialty shops, the National Souvenir Center is a good one-stop solution. Here you'll find a number of shops, each focusing on a traditional type of craft; the items are all authentic and (generally) of high quality. Their selection of jewelry boxes, table linens, and vases are easy choices for anyone having a hard time deciding what to buy. 

A select shop with several locations across the country, Object highlights works by local artists and sells a range of goods from stationery to tote bags and keychains. It’s a great place to get a glimpse of design trends in the country and pick up cute, affordable knick-knacks. The goods are unique and cost less than ₩10,000.

Located in a basement near Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul Selection is the physical bookshop of the eponymous publisher. They're dedicated to translated works of Korean literature and in-depth, English-language books of Korean history and culture that would be difficult to find elsewhere. In addition to these types of books, you'll find DVDs, Korean language workbooks, and academic works by long-time Korea experts. Visitors can check the bookstore's social media for events and book signings sometimes held by the publisher. 

As beautiful as hanbok (traditional Korean dress) is, it can be difficult to wear on a daily basis. That's why modern designers have been reinterpreting these designs to make them more practical for day to day living. These outfits are called daily hanbok and can be found at a growing number of shops in the Jongno-gu area. One shop that's become known for their selection is this small boutique in Ikseon-dong, which has a range of outfits from the floral and fantastic to the muted and pared-back. The store is within a hanok (traditional Korean house) and jam-packed with clothes, so you may find moving around in the space a bit difficult, but the staff are friendly and willing to answer any questions you may have along the way.