Seoul is heralded as a paradise for shopaholics. But its landscape have shifted in the past two years.
As lockdowns initiated and borders closed, shopping carts deserted thestreets of Myeongdong and tenants exited Dongdaemun, Seoul’s largest shopping complex. Fortunately, 2020 was a big year for old clothes. Vintage, secondhand and up-cycled apparels started to take off, especially with the term ‘sustainability’ being thrown around the industry.
Seoul might be more well-known for quirky socks, ribbed oversized t-shirts and knitted overwear, but maybe it’s time to look at the shopping industry’s less-explored territory.
With that said, here are the 11 best curated thrift stores for vintage apparels that you can find in Seoul, categorised by location.
1. Hongdae
Hongdae is inarguably the best area for thrifting.
Renowned for its youthful ambience and artistic expression, its streets are littered with cafes, art galleries and fashion outlets that comprises of high-end brands and local boutiques.
The vintage thrift stores in Hongdae have the perfect balance of curated and affordability. You’ll find typical thrift store brands such as Carhartt and Ralph Lauren, which range from ₩10,000 to ₩30,000, as well as varsity jackets and pullovers from American universities.
Wow! Vintage and Ropa Usada Hongdae have the biggest range of apparels and brands. They also have the most reasonable prices, with a Burberry polo t-shirt with a nova-checked collar for ₩30,000 and a Carhartt re-worked tote bag for ₩50,000.
If you’re lucky, you might also find steals on their discount racks that start from ₩5,000.
Meanwhile, Today’s Vintage and Yuko Vintage have more curated, hence, pricier apparels.
Thrift stores in Hongdae
Wow! Vintage, 서울 마포구 홍익로 1 지하1층, Instagram
Ropa Usada Hongdae, 서울 마포구 와우산로 110, Instagram
Yuko Vintage, 서울 마포구 와우산로27길 62 지하1층, Instagram
Today’s Vintage, 서교동 339-1 오늘의 빈티지, Instagram
Hi! Vintage, 서울 마포구 어울마당로 131-1 지하1층, Instagram
2. Gangnam
If Hongdae is notorious for its underground culture, Gangnam is recognised for its posh and high-end brands.
You’ll find Massimo Duty, Yves Saint Lauren, Gucci, Comme de Garcon, Louis Vuiton- just to name a few- in these curated thrift stores.
With three floors, Second Street houses the largest collection preloved apparels.
Prices start from ₩50,000 for the aforementioned brands and more, and if you’re lucky, you might be able to get something off their discount rack at ₩20,000.
Meanwhile, Soobaak Vintage, also known as Watermelon Vintage, has a smaller collection, but a heavier emphasis on ‘vintage’.
The folks there aren’t just procuring second-hand clothing. Instead, you’ll find actual vintage clothes that are out-of-production, with a price range between ₩50,000 to ₩200,000. A red and green striped from Ralph Lauren that was made in Korea in the 90s was priced at ₩60,000.
Thrift stores in Gangnam
Soobaak Vintage, 서울 강남구 도산대로17길 36 지하 1층, Instagram
Second Street, 서울 강남구 논현로153길 61 1층, Instagram
3. Dongymo Flea Market/Gwangjang Market
For cheap thrills, we have Dongmyo Flea Market and Gwangjang Market.
Located two train stations apart, these two areas embody the essence of thrifting.
Dongmyo Flea Market is street market that sells almost everything you can think of. Don’t be surprised to find a majority of seniors in the area though. It’s kind of their turf, but this is where all the good stuff’s at. I’m talking NBA windbreakers, Champion hoodies and Ralph Lauren pullovers from ₩5,000. From Dongmyo Station Exit 3, walk backwards and turn right. You’ll find a wide street with piles of clothes on the floor that goes for ₩5,000 for any three pieces.
There are also curated stores, CEMT and The Old Vintage, in the area but I recommend checking out the following stores first for their lower prices.
Head out of Dongmyo station Line 6, Exit 5 and turn left into the street before CEMT.
Curated thrift stores in Dongmyo Flea Market
Ppogeuri Vintage, 서울 종로구 지봉로 12
Vintori, 서울 종로구 지봉로4길 28, Instagram
DM Vintage, 서울 종로구 난계로27길 72 1층, Instagram
Reworked clothings
For the most unique pieces you’ll ever find, we recommend Seoul Vintage (Dongmyo), located right outside Dongmyo Station Exit 3. You’ll find embroidered Burberry pullovers, reworked Carhartt jackets, cropped North Face puffer jackets, and more.
Seoul Vintage (Dongmyo), 서울 종로구 종로 358 1,2층, Instagram
Meanwhile, Gwangjang Market only has one thrift store, but it’s the best place to go to if you’re looking for affordable shoes.
Shoppers can expect sandals, running shoes, sneakers and boots and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, the shop owner is more than happy to recommend.
Doc Marten 1461 Round Toe Lace-up Shoes and a high-cut Converse Chuck 70 were only priced at ₩50,000 and ₩45,000 respectively. Both were in pristine condition.
Thrift stores in Gwangjang Market
Kuki Shoes, 228 Gwangjang Market
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*Featured image: @soobaak_vintage/Instagram
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About Author
Colman Cheung
There are pros and cons when being friends with Colman. You get good food recommendations and the occasional candid shots between taking snaps of the food. But there’s also the mandatory 15-minutes waiting time and the constant whining of how your noodle pull sucks. He’s also a sucker for coffee.
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