Must-Buy Items in Korea | Korea Shopping Guide | Don't Miss These Must-Buy Items in Korea

As a human being, I am basically a procrastinator—I promised to compile a list of must-buy items in Korea but ended up dragging it out for almost half a year. I traveled to South Korea with my bestie at the end of last year, and back then we already noticed that things in Korea are much more affordable than in China. Especially at Shinsegae Duty Free, we picked up all the must-buy items in Korea in one go. What? You don't believe me? Then keep reading.

When it comes to must-buy items in Korea, the first thing to mention is definitely cosmetics. Walking down the streets, you see Korean girls with such smooth skin, and many mother-daughter pairs are so hard to tell apart that you can't tell who is the mother and who is the daughter. This shows how much Koreans care about skincare, which is closely related to the development of their cosmetics industry. Stepping into some Korean makeup stores that are quite well-known in China, you often see high school students skillfully picking out products—clearly they've been paying attention to cosmetics since they were young. The Shinsegae Duty Free that my bestie and I went to is more oriented toward tourists, so the brands there are a step up.

From international luxury brands like GUCCI—honestly, this was the first time I saw GUCCI's makeup line; I guess I've been living under a rock.

To some homegrown Korean brands, like 3CE, which is famous for its makeup—the nine-pan eyeshadow palette in the shade OVERTAKE is practically a staple for everyone. Their lip glosses are also gorgeous in color and easy to use, and they're no less than high-end brands!

I brought back a big haul this time too. Then there's the abib mask, which has been super popular in Korea recently. The most popular ones are the PH series—fishwort mask and lemon mask. The names might sound a bit weird, but the ingredients are great—no harmful additives—so they suit most skin types. My bestie and I bought some, tried them when we got back, and found they really work. dr.jart sheet masks—the "pill" masks are honestly the most conforming sheet masks I've ever used, no exaggeration!

Now that we've talked about cosmetics, the second must-buy at duty-free shops is luxury goods. Compared to domestic counters, they not only have more new styles but are also much more affordable. Brands like Hermès and chole that I never dared to dream of before—well, after gritting my teeth and stomping my feet, I still can't afford them. Haha, just kidding. As a girl from the poor neighborhood, I can only feast my eyes on them. But my bestie, who is my rich friend, couldn't be dragged away even by eight oxen and quickly joined the queue. Fine~

So I just browsed the more affordable brands like Tory Burch and MCM. Can't afford a big bag? Then buy a small bag. Can't afford a small bag? Then buy a wallet! MCM has plenty of cute wallet styles. I took some pictures and posted them on my Moments, and some friends actually asked me to bring them stuff—so I felt less guilty about spending.

They say the best things to show a man's status are a car and a watch. I remembered that my boyfriend's and my anniversary is coming up. He's been working for a few years and still doesn't have a decent watch, so I decided to be generous and pick one for him—mainly because Shinsegae Duty Free has great deals, haha. My bestie is always good at choosing watches, so she recommended A. Lange & Söhne and Piaget. Both brands were available at the duty-free shop. We went in, browsed around, and picked a simple watch that still highlights taste. When I paid, it still hurt a little, but according to my bestie, it was way nicer than what's available in China. And I heard it's also cheaper than domestic prices—no way he won't be moved to tears!

Lastly, the always must-buy item every time I go to Korea—CheongKwanJang Red Ginseng. I give it to my parents and to my bosses, and they always love it. Not only does it contain Korea's precious medicinal red ginseng, which helps boost immunity, but the packaging is also very elegant, making it perfect as a gift. Especially in this special period, it's exactly what's needed.

Above is the list of must-buy items in Korea compiled by me and my bestie. Once this period is over, we're definitely going back for another shopping spree!