Seoul, shopping

Seoul is full of shops everywhere. Downtown is lined up with huge shopping malls and department store, and there are street vendors everywhere. Shops for skincare, clothes and accessories are plentiful and available at different price ranges - something for everyone. Imports are very expensive though.

I found the Shinsegae Department Store on my first day in Myeong-dong and I thought I hit the jackpot. There's half a floor full of shoes! There I found the Louboutin shoes I had been considering for a while...but they never had it in my size in HK or SH. Although ideally I would like to get a pair of platforms but these would do also. There was a 30% discount but since imports are expensive the 30% offset the extra.
Interestingly I found Balenciaga shoes in a couple of local chain shoe shops. I think they are licensed to be manufactured in Korea. The quality is slightly above average and not the best, somewhat similar to Ann Klein if I have to make a comparison. I wanted some platforms so badly I thought I would try them. I wore them once to dinner and they seemed comfortable enough.
I found these at the Lotte Department Store. A Korean brand and pretty funky. They are not very well made but the salesman was so nice and polite I thought I would give them a try. One could use some silver slingbacks anyway. I wore them once and walked around for a bit. After 90 mins my feet were hurting like hell. The front pinched my toes even band-aids didn't help. They were not very comfortable for walking al all. I guess I will wear them for evening cocktails or something.

I found these in Myeong-dong from one of the many street vendors. There were a whole lot more colors.

The headband came from Doota, one of the malls in Dongdaemun which all open till 5am daily. Tres tres Chanel don't you think?
I bought a couple of belts from Doota and made my retreat. There were tons and tons of clothing and accessories and I was beginning to experience sensory overload. To up the spirits I couldn't help but to go and look at food again on my way back. In the basement of Lotte Department Store there is a huge food section with cooked food and grocery.

I am not really a bun person but it made me smile just by looking at the freshly steamed buns. They smelled good.

I think they were pineapple buns with cream fillings. Looked good.

Then of course there was the colorful kimchi showcase.

Just as I thought kimchi is all vegetables I found one made with big chunks of beef!

In the grocery section there was a whole tank turbot. Yum.

Look at the size of this crab.

Salted fish - I bet they'd taste good on a BBQ.

Too bad we didn't have a kitchen in our hotel room!