Underground Malls

Photo: Gangnam Terminal Underground Shopping Center

This is where fashion trendsetters in Korea gather to check out the latest products from fashion-forward stores that don’t put a dent in your budget. A plethora of stores feature high-end fashion brands at more affordable prices than both department stores and outlets. Some of them have recently gone through renovation or remodeling, offering more and more reasons for customers to come check out the many styles available. Be sure to bring cash along, as some stores do not accept credit cards in order to offer such low-priced apparel.

Gangnam Station Underground Shopping Center

Gangnam Station Underground Shopping Center is one of the most popular places for shoppers in their 20s and 30s. This is also a place where you can become familiar with the famous “Gangnam Style.” High-quality fashion brands, as well as other fashion accessories like shoes, hats and sunglasses, can be found at excellent prices. Even if you’re not looking to buy right away, these shops are great for browsing, and they make it easy to compare prices to help you get great deals. For these reasons, the center attracts droves of thrifty twenty-somethings and older.

• ☞ Address: 396 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• ☞ Directions: Gangnam Station (Seoul Subway Line 2, Sinbundang Line)
  - The shopping center is connected to the station.
• ☞ Operating hours: 10:00-22:00
  
• ☞ Website: www.sisul.or.kr (Korean only)

Gangnam Terminal Underground Shopping Center

Conveniently attached to a subway transfer station connecting lines 3, 7 and 9, Gangnam Terminal Underground Shopping Center is also shortened as "Go-to mall" among locals. Over 600 stores are lined up on both sides of the two long, parallel corridors featuring clothing, fashion accessories, interior products, flowers and dining establishments. If you are looking to update your fashion or home interior to the latest trends, you can easily lose track of time browsing these deal-packed, fashion-savvy stores!

• ☞ Address: Underground Level, 200 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• ☞ Directions:  Express Bus Terminal Station (Seoul Subway Line 3,7 and 9)
  - The shopping center is connected to the station.
• ☞ Operating hours: 10:00-22:00
• ☞ Website: www.sisul.or.kr (Korean only)

Bupyeong Underground Shopping Mall

Photo: Foreign language interpretation services

Bupyeong Underground Shopping Mall boasts the largest number of stores in the nation, with 1,400 individual businesses crammed into its space of over 31,000 square meters. One of its main strong points is that its services are designed to help foreign shoppers. The mall offers leaflets with an informative, easy-to-read map and interpretation services in both English and Chinese. Helpers wearing red hats wander the mall and can assist you with any language difficulties while you browse through the mall.

• ☞ Address: Underground Level, 7 Bupyeong-daero, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon
• ☞ Directions: Bupyeong Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, Incheon Subway Line 1)
  - The shopping center is connected to the station.
• ☞ Operating hours: 10:00-22:00 (Interpretation services 14:00-22:00)
  * Bupyeong Station Underground Shopping Mall and Sinbupyeong Underground Shopping Mall closed first and third Tuesday of the month.
  * Bupyeong Central Underground Shopping Mall and Bupyeong Dae-a Underground Shopping Mall closed second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
• ☞ Shopping Center TIP: Leaflets are available in English or Chinese from Building C, Management Office near exit 18.
• ☞ Website: www.bpsm.co.kr (Korean Only)

Seomyeon Underground Shopping Center

Seomyeon Underground Shopping Center has a long history in Seomyeon, the most bustling area in Busan and a hub of public transportation. The shopping center has a great number of clothing, accessory, and shoe stores, and is connected to Daehyeon Free Mall Busan Branch and Lotte Underground Mall. The mall is known for offering both known and unknown brands. The shopping area also continues to the ground level, making it one of the best spots to wander around in the city.

• ☞ Address: 737 Jungang-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan
• ☞ Directions: Seomyeon Station (Busan Subway Line 1, 2)
  - The shopping center is connected to the station.
• ☞ Operating hours: 10:00-22:00 (Closed second Monday of every month)
• ☞ Shopping Center TIP: Seomyeon Central Information Desk provides foreign language interpretation assistance in English, Chinese, and Japanese (Monday- Saturday 09:00-19:00).

Daehyeon Free Mall - Daegu Branch

Photo credit: Daegu Metropolitan City

Located on Dongseong-ro, which is often considered to be the heart of Daegu, the Daehyeon Free Mall Daegu Branch, with its 14 years of history, is a much loved underground shopping center by locals. The mall is easily accessible, as it is directly linked to Jungangno Station of Daegu Subway Line 1, and many city buses stop at the location. Out of all underground malls, it prides itself for having a musical square that showcases four excellent international musicals, whose posters also adorn the walls of the square. There are also many photo zones that can be found within the mall.

• ☞ Address: Underground Level, 580 Gukchebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu-si
• ☞ Directions: Jungangno Station (Daegu Subway Line 1)
  - The underground shopping mall is connected to the station.
• ☞ Operating hours: 11:00-22:00  (closed Mondays)
• ☞ Shopping Center TIP: The musical square can be found if you head from the underground water fountain to the Novotel Ambassador Daegu. Performances are typically held on the last Wednesday or Thursday of the month, but are subject to change depending on circumstances.
• ☞ Website: www.primall.co.kr (Korean only)

<Last updated in July 2015>

* This column was last updated in July 2015, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details from the official websites before visiting.