Myeongdong Shopping Street
명동 쇼핑거리
Central Seoul's best-known shopping district for cosmetics, fashion and tax-refund shopping. Treat it as a neighborhood rather than a single mall because individual stores keep their own hours.
Language
Place information
- Korean name
- 명동 쇼핑거리
- Address
- Myeongdong-gil area, Jung-gu, Seoul
- Nearest station
- Myeong-dong Station (명동역, Seoul Subway Line 4)
- Opening hours
- not published by the operator
- Hours notes
- The district office publishes an hours field for Myeongdong and fills it with a refusal: "varies by shop". There is no single opening time to state, and the street itself has no gate - what closes is each business, on its own hours.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
Nearby
Hadongkwan
A gomtang house in Myeongdong. It opens at seven in the morning and closes at four in the afternoon.
Myeongdong Cathedral
It publishes no visiting hours, because it is a parish rather than an attraction — what it publishes is a Mass timetable. The one clock that does cover the site belongs to 1898 Plaza, the archdiocese-run arcade under the approach, open 09:00 to 22:00 every day but two.
Myeongdong Underground Shopping Center
An underground arcade of 61 shops linking the Lotte Department Store main branch to Myeongdong's main street. The passage stays open around the clock even when the shops do not. Myeongdong has a second arcade with a near-identical name: the one attached to Myeongdong Station is the Myeongdong Station Underground Shopping Center, a separate 70-shop arcade under Toegye-ro.
Myeongdong Kyoja
A kalguksu house open since 1966. The menu runs to four dishes and it takes no reservations. The main branch moved to Toegye-ro in 2026 and now stands in front of exit 8 of Myeongdong Station.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Myeongdong street food start?
The stalls set up after dark. By day it is a shopping street; the food street begins in the evening.
When is it less crowded?
Early evening on a weekday. Jung-gu puts the zone's footfall at 1.5 million on weekdays and 2 million at weekends, which slows the walking itself on a weekend evening.
Do they take cards?
Some have terminals, but cash is reliable. 20–30,000 won covers an evening's circuit.
How much does it cost?
It differs by stall and season. Check for a displayed price and ask before ordering if there is none, and confirm the total when you order several things.
Is there anywhere to sit?
Almost nowhere. Standing or walking while eating is the norm, and rubbish goes in the stall's own bin.
Which station?
Line 4 Myeongdong Station or Line 2 Euljiro 1-ga Station. The stalls concentrate on the central street between the two and its side lanes.
Immediate refund or airport refund?
It depends on the amount. Immediate refunds come off at the till but are capped at under 1,000,000 won per transaction and 5,000,000 in total. Above that you need the downtown route (6,000,000 or less per transaction) or the airport.
Where are the airport refund kiosks?
Incheon Terminals 1 and 2, Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju. Unstaffed kiosks run 24 hours; staffed counter hours vary by terminal, and ports use mailboxes.
Which station is Myeongdong?
Line 4 Myeongdong Station or Line 2 Euljiro 1-ga Station. Which one you use changes where your walk starts.
Stories about this place
- Six Seoul Shopping Districts Compared: Myeongdong, Hongdae, Garosu-gil, Apgujeong, The Hyundai and Shinsegae
Six Seoul shopping destinations compared on who each is for, the price level and what there is besides shopping. Four are open-air streets and two are indoor department stores, so on a wet day or in high summer the list narrows to two.
- First Time in Seoul: 5 Places to Start
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Myeongdong, N Seoul Tower and the Han River parks, compared on what you'll see, when to go and who each suits. Two of the five charge admission; the other three have no opening hours, and something else to check instead.
Nearby Food
- Five Seoul Korean Barbecue Restaurants: Hanwoo, Galbi, Bulgogi and Pork Belly
- What the broth is made of — eight Seoul houses, seven different bases
- Northern Korean Food in Seoul: Naengmyeon, Eobok-jaengban, Mandu and Kongbiji
- Seven Seoul houses that open for breakfast — before eight in the morning
- Six Seoul houses that make the noodle by hand — kalguksu, guksi, sujebi
- Enjoying Seoul's Cafe Culture
Travel Guides
Related articles
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- Four Indoor Shopping Places in Seoul: Myeongdong Underground, Nakwon Arcade, AK Plaza Hongdae and Starfield COEX
- Four Working Markets in Seoul: Garak, Dongdaemun Jonghap, Majang and Seoul Jungang
- Six Seoul Traditional Markets, Compared: Food, Opening Days and Tips
- Night Shopping in Dongdaemun
- Squid Game Filming Locations in Seoul — a Subway Platform, a Bus Terminal and a Convenience Store
