Six Seoul Shopping Districts Compared: Myeongdong, Hongdae, Garosu-gil, Apgujeong, The Hyundai and Shinsegae

As much as what a district sells, what matters in Seoul is whether it has a roof.

Four of these six are open-air streets — Myeongdong, Hongdae, Garosu-gil and Apgujeong Rodeo. In rain you are under an umbrella the whole time, and in high summer or deep winter the walking itself becomes the work. The other two are indoor department stores, unaffected by the weather.

Seoul's summers are humid, its winters are cold and its rainy season is long, so it is worth checking the forecast before choosing.

The two indoor stores also win on a day with no shopping list

A roof keeps off more than the rain. The same split settles a second question — where do you go on a day when you have not decided what to buy?

On the four streets the thing to do is walk and look, and if you buy nothing what you have is the walking. Each of the two stores holds one destination that is not a shop — Shinsegae's free exhibition hall and The Hyundai's indoor gardens — so leaving empty-handed still leaves you something to have seen.

It does not hold in reverse. Myeongdong and Hongdae lose on weather, not on interest, and on a day when you know what you are buying the streets offer far more choice.

Once you are in the neighbourhood, read the area guide

This compares only which shopping district to choose. What to do once you have arrived in a given neighbourhood is a different question, and the area guides answer it.

What to see in Myeongdong — places to visit in Myeongdong
Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong — popular places in Hongdae and Yeonnam
Dongdaemun after dark — Dongdaemun night shopping
Gangnam and COEX — things to do around Gangnam and COEX

Traditional markets are a different kind of place altogether and are compared separately in Seoul's traditional markets — that list splits on the clock rather than on a roof.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I shop in Seoul?

The weather decides before the merchandise does. In rain, heat or cold it is The Hyundai Seoul or Shinsegae Main Store and nothing else; when the weather is fine, choose on budget — Hongdae is the lowest, Garosu-gil and Apgujeong Rodeo the highest.

Can you shop on a rainy day?

Four of the six here are open-air streets with no shelter at all. The indoor options are The Hyundai Seoul and Shinsegae Main Store. Seoul's underground arcades are another way to stay dry, but that is a different kind of shopping from this list.

What is the difference between Garosu-gil and Apgujeong Rodeo Street?

They are within walking distance and different in character. Garosu-gil gets brand pop-ups most often and leans towards looking; Apgujeong Rodeo mixes restaurants and cafés among the clothing shops, so it is not purely a shopping trip. They are also the pair here that most easily fits into a single day.

Is any of them worth visiting without spending?

Shinsegae Main Store. A history-of-retail exhibition sits inside a bank building completed in 1935, and the operator states that every visitor may view it freely. The Hyundai Seoul also draws plenty of people who walk a lap for the indoor gardens and waterfall and buy nothing.

What are the opening hours?

This article does not state them. The four streets have no doors, so hours vary shop by shop, and neither department store publishes its hours in a form that can be cited. Department-store rest days change monthly, so check the official site before visiting.