What to Buy at Korean Department Stores in Winter: Cost-Effective Winter Items Recommended

Unknowingly, this year is almost over. Although it has been a very frustrating year, I still hope to live a little happier. With Christmas just around the corner, Korean department stores have launched various promotions one after another, so our family went out together, planning to pick one New Year gift for each person. So which department store to go to? Naturally, it's Shinsegae Department Store in Korea, which I have always enjoyed visiting. Without further ado, let me take you to see what winter items are worth buying at this Korean department store.

The main store of Shinsegae Department Store, located in the Myeongdong shopping district, is quite close to our home, about a twenty-minute subway ride away. Large shopping malls in Korea generally open at 11 a.m., with the earliest opening at 10:30 a.m. If there are no special plans, you can sleep in and come over leisurely. This time, we had a clear goal for shopping. For down jackets, we headed straight to The North Face store on the 5th floor of the new building. Previously, when browsing down jacket recommendations online, many people recommended this brand. The new models this year are also nice, with a simple and understated design. The key point is that the quality is really good. In Korea, many people wear The North Face during the freezing cold, which shows it's very warm.

What I had my eye on online was this classic trendy model, the 1996 ECO NUPTSE. It's a short style favored by my husband and daughter. When I touched it, it felt especially thick and soft to the touch. Wearing it, it's not heavy but very light and neat. The key to keeping a down jacket warm is the filling and the amount of down. This model uses high-quality, high-loft goose down, with a down content of 75% to 80%, providing excellent cold resistance. If you don't want to wear the hood, it can be stored directly into the collar, which is very convenient. Packing is also very simple. One side pocket can not only be used to warm your hands but also serves as a storage bag. Just roll up the down jacket and pack it away. The store staff told us that when flying, you can actually use it as a neck pillow. One jacket with multiple uses, very smart.

It comes in four colors: yellow, orange, green, and purple. Let me show you a picture. The colors are all black paired with bright tones, making it easy to match with jeans.

My husband chose the dark green one. Originally, I was a bit put off by the high chance of matching with others in The North Face, but on the way here, I saw a Korean girl wearing it and it looked very stylish, so I went for the purple one.

My little princess tried on the following parka-style coat, which is also popular this year. It comes in black and pink. She immediately fell in love with this light pink one. Although it's not stain-resistant, our tomboy rarely shows her girly side, so I'll indulge her.

I asked the store clerk what DRYVENT on the jacket means. The clerk said it's a waterproof and breathable fabric developed by The North Face, which is waterproof, durable, breathable, and windproof. It also uses high-quality, high-loft goose down. The slant pockets are for keeping hands warm, perfect for my daughter who doesn't like wearing gloves; she can just put her hands in the pockets.

After buying the down jackets, our next stop was the cosmetics counter. Our Sulwhasoo products were used up, so since we rarely come to a Korean department store, we had to stock up. I've been using the following Sulwhasoo set of toner, lotion, and cream, which is considered their basic skincare line and also their star gift set, with great hydrating and moisturizing effects. The toner has a refreshing texture and can improve the skin's moisture retention. After applying, my face feels moist and comfortable, very smooth.

The lotion is very fine, can nourish the skin, improve skin texture, and make the skin look more elastic, moist, and radiant, giving a younger appearance.

The whole set is very convenient. After applying it before bed, my nose area doesn't get oily in the morning, and my skin is moist. Foundation also applies well without clinging, giving a good makeup finish. Everyone knows that buying cosmetics at a Korean department store counter gets you a lot of samples. This time, we still received this many.

Because of year-end work pressure, I've been stressed, and a few more wrinkles have appeared on my face. So I also stocked up on the Time Treasures Premium line gift set. The packaging looks more premium than the basic set. My colleague at work has been recommending the eye cream from this line to me, and I finally bought it this time.

The eye cream has a very rich texture. After applying, the skin around the eyes is very soft and smooth, and it can also improve puffiness. I don't know if it's psychological, but after using it for a while, I feel that the fine lines have indeed faded a bit.

The set also includes a toner, a lotion, an essence, and a cream. The ingredients are also herbal plant-based formulas, with added ginseng extract, primarily for anti-aging and anti-wrinkle effects. The texture is fine and easy to apply, absorbs quickly, is very moisturizing but not heavy, without a greasy feeling, quite refreshing, and has good skin affinity.

When we went, the epidemic situation was manageable—not severe, but still unsettling. Fortunately, the Korean department store had comprehensive防疫 measures, with regular disinfection and hand sanitizer available. Korea also implemented a mandatory mask policy, requiring customers to wear masks when entering the store, so overall it was quite safe. After a rare outing, everyone was happy to have bought their desired gifts. Indeed, if you go shopping, you should go to a Korean department store; it guarantees you won't leave empty-handed. Also, I hope this epidemic can end soon and everyone can return to normal life.