No trip to South Korea is complete without some form of Korean souvenirs to take home, from tasty treats like kimchi or soju to more lasting treasures like Korean Starbucks mugs or cute photo booth snaps.
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Be it cool glasses from Gentle Monster to Squid Game merchandise or customizable gifts there are super South Korea souvenirs for you to take home alongside your photos and magical memories.
Here is our guide to Korea souvenir shopping with gifts to suit all budgets and tastes (quite literally) – and don’t forget to claim a tax refund on any single purchases over 15,000 Won!
You might like – Our guide to Seoul’s best shopping malls and districts including Seongsu-dong
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For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >
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All set for South Korea? Do one final check with our Seoul first timers guide and our South Korea packing list
The best South Korea souvenirs to take home
1. Sheet face masks
K-Beauty is big business and now one of Korea’s biggest exports, up there with K-Pop, K-Drama and amazing Korean food!
Latest reports indicate that for the first time, exports of Korean beauty products were in excess of $10 Billion USD last year.
The most popular K-beauty souvenir to bring home is face-masks, available for as low as 1,000 Won from stores such as Daiso, Nature Republic and even Korean convenience stores like 7-Eleven.
Premium Korean face-masks are way cheaper than Western equivalents and are light and easy to transport (unless you buy dozens like us) and are cheap and cool gifts for friends back at home.
You might like our guide to bookable Seoul K-Beauty treatments >
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2. Olive Young K Beauty
One of the most common topics of conversation in our South Korea Travel Tips and Planning Facebook group is traveller’s hauls in Olive Young stores.
Perhaps the most famous Korean beauty brand, Olive Young has over 1,400 stores across South Korea.
The K-beauty shop Olive Young has become so well known all over the world that many flock to Seoul with empty suitcases just to fill them up with ‘miraculous’ moisturiser or blinged body scrubs. Popular brands include Round Lab and Torriden (which you can buy on Amazon too).
Such is Olive Young’s popularity with overseas visitors, they now have dedicated Olive Young Global stores (including two in Myeongdong, and a new five-storey one in Seongsu-dong).
These stores are specifically aimed at overseas tourists with all their best-selling lines in massive volumes, signs in English, plus multilingual staff and lots of duty-free shopping kiosks.
South Korea Hallyu Tip – remember to bring your passport if you want a tax refund! Travellers to South Korea can get up to 10% off / cashback when you spend between 15,000 Won to 1,000,000 Won.
You might like – Our first timers guide to visiting Seoul >
3. Gentle Monster – Korean sunglasses and prescription glasses
Good quality prescription glasses and sunglasses are often cheaper than from your home country so if you want to ‘see’ South Korea in its full glory, be sure to bring your latest eye test and prescription.
One of the most famous eyewear retailers in Korea is Gentle Monster. They have lots of eye-opening stores, none more so than at the Gentle Monster Gangnam Flagship Store Sinsa which is part art gallery, part glasses and optical wear shop.
Yes, Gentle Monster in Gangnam has a huge upside down model elephant hanging from a harness next to some Roman columns – not your typical eyewear store.
Gentle Monster is one of the best known Korean optical brands famed for its oversized glasses with low bridge noses which help create a smaller face effect. Gentle Monster glasses are often worn by K Pop artists and Korean celebrities.
You might like – the 101 best things to do in Seoul, South Korea >
You might like these Seoul neighbourhood guides:
Dongdaemun
Euljiro
Gangnam
Hannam-dong
Hongdae
Ikseon-dong
Insadong
Itaewon
Myeong-dong
Seongsu-dong
Sindang
Or check out our best neighbourhoods in Seoul Guide >
4. Korean phone accessories (customisable too)
Bling your mobile phone / cell with cool customizable features like designing your own phone case, adding sweet as stands or cute character stickers like Choonsik from Kakao Friends.
You will find dozens of customizable phone shops across Korea. Typically, you can choose from hundreds of add-ons and accessories starting from 1,000 Won each (more for bigger characters / adornments) which you can then glue onto a phone case (or some shops will do this for you).
You might like – 30+ best Korean apps to download on your phone >
5. Starbucks Korea mugs, tumblers and bearistas
Starbucks Korea is a popular place for travellers and locals to enjoy a cup of coffee or sweet treat – with around 1,900 coffee shops in Korea, Starbucks South Korea is ranked fourth in the world in terms of number of cafes, after the USA, China and Japan.
From exclusive Korean Starbucks mugs to cute collectibles and plushies, there are lots to collect and bring home as souvenirs from South Korea.
Any regular visitor to Starbucks in different countries will be well aware that each ‘region’ has its own Starbucks – we’ve seen this in so many countries such as Thailand, Taiwan and Japan and Korea is no different.
There is the standard Korea Starbucks collection (‘Been There’) which includes different designs representing cities like Busan, Seoul, Jeonju, Gyeongju and Jeju plus limited edition / seasonal mugs for special occasions.
As of summer 2025, the price of a Korea Starbucks mug is 34,000 Won or Starbucks Korea tumblers for 42,000 Won.
We also like the Starbucks Korea Bearista range which are cute bear figures in traditional Korean outfits or uniforms to represent each of the regions.
Find out more in our Starbucks Korea mugs, collectibles and stores guide – or check out the 5 most beautiful Starbucks stores in Seoul.
6. Korean Soju
Korea’s most popular alcoholic drink, soju 소주 is widely available in every bar, convenience store and supermarket. And soju is surprisingly cheap making it one of the least expensive drinks and best value souvenirs in Korea (often cheaper than mineral water and soft drinks).
Soju is VERY cheap in South Korea – for a standard bottle in a CU convenience store or a 7-Eleven store, it usually costs around 1,800 won per bottle (around £1, $1.30 USD, $2 AUD and $1.70 SGD).
These Korean soju prices are based on the popular brands Jinro Chamisul and Lotte Chum Churum as of our last visit to Seoul in May 2025.
So iconic is soju in Korea, we’ve even spotted cute soju souvenir like plushies, badges and magnets – cheers and ‘geonbae’.
Please remember to carry soju back home in your checked luggage and that the legal drinking age in Korea to purchase alcohol is 19 years old and above.
You might like our guide Korean Soju >
7. Customizable Nike Korea gear
Noon Square Fashion Mall in Myeongdong is home to a popular Nike custom store, where you can design your own personalized Nike merchandise. There are several other Nike customizable stores in Seoul including in Hongdae and Dongdaemun.
Here, pick your own Nike transfers and graphics from thousands on display in-store to create your very own unique Nike wear – nice! To customize your own Nike merch, you need to get a ticket early in the morning as this usually sells out most days.
Given the cost, this might be best as a (VERY) special Seoul souvenir treat to take back and show off to friends back at home.
You might like – Top 50 things to do in South Korea >
8. Buy socks in Myeongdong
Like, shed loads of socks! Literally every other stall in Myeongdong (ish) sells funky, quirky pop socks or cartoon character socks – and they are cheap too with cutesy colourful ankle socks starting from 1,500 Won (less than a £1) a pop.
From Hello Kitty and Doraemon to slightly non legit branded socks like Starbucks or 7-Eleven, this is sock Heaven.
For the best choice and highest concentration of sock shops in Myeongdong, ‘hot foot’ it either to the Myeongdong Underground shopping mall or the stalls and shops along Myeongdong Walking Street.
You might like – 40+ things to do Myeongdong including Myeongdong Night Market
9. Squid Game merchandise
We found so many items of Squid Game themed merchandise in South Korea on our last trip.
From Olive Young to GS25, Kakao Friends to Young Hee energy drinks, Squid Game was EVERYWHERE – if only we had shares in Netflix!
Most of our Squid Game souvenir purchases were made in convenience stores. Check out our guide to all the best things to buy in 7-Eleven Korea and CU stores.
We’ve also spotted Squid Game merchandise stalls at Myeongdong Night Market on our latest trip to Seoul in May 2025.
Please note the huge Squid Games Experience and gift shop in Seongsu-dong sadly closed in June 2025.
Check out all the Squid Game merchandise on Amazon >
10. Korean honeycomb candy (dalgona or ppopgi)
Popularised overseas by its appearance in Netflix’s global streaming hit Squid Game, many street food vendors in South Korea now sell the honeycomb biscuit (dalgona) with big placards showing the Squid Game characters (hopefully the Netflix copyright team aren’t skulking in the shadows).
Dalgona is made with sugar and baking soda. As in the Netflix show Squid Game, many street food vendors sell versions with shapes ready to be carved out by you (if you dare!).
You can also buy Squid Game style dalgona making tools on Amazon >
You might like – 35 Korean street foods you must try in South Korea >
11. K-Pop Souvenirs in Myeongdong
Hello to ‘Hallyu’! Korean popular music has gone global, with K-Pop groups now worldwide stars – from BTS to Blackpink, Seventeen to Stray Kids, there are dozens of K-Pop groups to enjoy.
If you are visiting Seoul soon and want to buy K-Pop music or merchandise, the highest concentration of Seoul K Pop stores is in Myeongdong.
And the Seoul K-Pop stores in South Korea don’t just sell – Pop music or books – you’ll find all manner of K-Pop merchandise from BTS LEGO through to chocolate bars with your favourite K-Pop bands etched on them (too good to eat?). You can also buy BTS LEGO on Amazon >
From Seoul K-Pop stores in malls to market stalls and shops, here is our guide to the 15 best Seoul K-Pop stores in Myeongdong as of summer 2025 >
12. Choonsik and other Kakao Friends merchandise
Looking for a ‘purrfect’ souvenir from South Korea? Meet Choonsik the cat (춘식이), the most popular character from Korea’s Kakao Friends 카카오프렌.
There are Kakao Friends stores and concessions all over South Korea, including a flagship store in Hongdae. Kakao Friends are cartoon characters created to help promote Kakao Talk, a popular messaging app in Korea.
Choonsik is a relatively new Kakao character but has been the breakout ‘star’ with lots of new Choonsik merchandise being released every month.
From characteristics to collaborations, merchandise to plushy prices, here is our ultimate Choonsik the cat >
13. Buy traditional Hanbok clothing
Many visitors to South Korea’s historical sites wear hanboks and traditional Korean costumes – they are especially popular in Gyeongju, Jeonju and Seoul’s historic Royal Palaces and Bukchon Hanok Village.
Some places even allow free admission if you hire hanbok – but you could also buy hanbok as a lasting South Korea souvenir.
Hanbok style clothing has been around for over 1,500 years and dressing up in these outfits is a popular family / tourist activity.
You can buy hanboks in Seoul at many places including Kwangjang Market Hanbok Shops (광장시장 한복매장), Namdaemun Market, Dongdaemun and along Insadong’s Cultural Street.
Check out our guide to using a professional photographer for a hanbok photoshoot >
You might like – 50+ top things to do in Seoul with kids >
14. Wappen House – Korean customiseable gift store
There are many souvenir shops in Seoul, but for a more unique gift or keepsake, head to one of the many customizable DIY gift shops.
Perhaps the biggest Seoul customizable gift shops is Wappen House 와펜하우스, which has sprung up recently in key Seoul neighborhoods like Myeongdong, Insadong and Hongdae. It also has locations in Gangdong, Busan and Jeju.
The customizable gift shops in Korea are usually easy to spot (especially Wappen House) – they have very colourful rainbow exteriors, neon lights and windows full of the types of gifts you can make. It is also a great Seoul activity with kids especially when it is raining.
From prices to locations, here is our guide to Wappen House and how to customise bags, keyrings, pencil-cases and more >
You might like – 80+ things to do in Busan >
15. Instant Noodles / Ramyun Noodles
OK, so this is one of the most common Korean foods you can probably buy back at home but you will find some more unusual flavors and lesser known brands if you shop in Korea.
Ramen noodles have dedicated sections in South Korean convenience stores like CU and 7-Eleven – you can usually find a dedicated aisle chock full of choice ramen flavours like sriracha, curry, seafood and fried chicken.
Even better, most convenience stores in South Korea include either a hot water vat / urn or plumbed system where you pour boiling hot water on your noodles and then slurp away in the store or on the go.
Prices start from 1,300 Won for small packets of instant noodles. Popular brands which you can find on Amazon include Nongshim (농심) and Samyang Foods (삼양식품).
You might like – 30+ unique, weird and wonderful Seoul attractions >
16. Daiso Korea – the ultimate bargain hunters destination
A popular topic of shopping conversation in our South Korea Travel Tips and Planning Facebook group because of all the bargains to be had, Daiso is a Japanese discount store that has around 6,000 locations worldwide.
The Japanese chain Daiso is huge in South Korea – there are over 1,100 stores all over South Korea including the 12 storey one in Myeongdong, and a large store in Gangnam Express Bus Terminal.
Daiso in South Korea sells a mix of Japanese, South Korean and overseas goods including Disney merchandise, K-beauty products plus stationery galore – K-Beauty fans also love buying the 1,000 Won Vaseline face masks.
Most Daisos in South Korea are open until quite late in the evening (usually 10pm).
17. HBAF Flavoured Almonds
We were H-Baffled at first by the sheer number of the HBAF stores in and around Myeongdong Walking Street.
Very popular with tourists and families, HBAF are flavoured snacks (usually almonds or nuts) that have cute cartoon characters on their packaging and in their HBAF stores.
HBAF is a food / snacking company that sells all manner of nuts, snacks and coated goodies like honey butter almonds, wasabi almonds, mini caramel salted pretzels – apparently it is mainly tourists in Myeongdong that buy them to take back home.
The HBAF stores are brightly lit with huge nut like cartoon character malls and rammed to the rafters with colourful food packaging and sachets. The HBAF souvenir products in Korea are also stocked in many big stores like Olive Young and Korean Mart.
Read more about HBAF almonds in our guide to HBAF stores >
Check out the HBAF store on Amazon >
18. Korea Green Tea
Time for tea in South Korea. The most beautiful and famous tea-fields in Korea can be found at Boseong Tea Plantation in the Jeollanam-do region, near Suncheon and Gwangju (although Jeju Island is also known for its green tea plantations too).
Whilst we’d recommend buying your green tea at the source amidst gorgeous green tea fields, you can buy Korean green tea in most supermarkets like Lotte Mart.
In particular, Osulloc green tea from Jeju Island is a popular purchase – and you can even buy miniature Osulloc building block sets where you create a miniature tea-room; too cute!
You might like – 40+ things to do in Jeju Island, South Korea >
19. Korean snacks and confectionery
There are lots of iconic Korean snacks to take back home from the classic Lotte Choco Pie to Pepero chocolate sticks (a bit like Pocky) available in dozens of flavors.
For something a little different, take home Lotte Green Candy Grapes or stock up on Crunky, one of our favourite Korean chocolate bars available in so many shapes and sizes (Neil likes cookies and cream flavour).
Check out this Korean snack box available to buy on Amazon USA >
You might like – Our guide to the best Korean SIM cards and eSIMs with 2025 prices >
20. Banana Milk (Binggrae)
Bangin’ banana milk (binggrae) is super popular in South Korea, particularly with the young. Popular with all ages and available in every CU convenience store or Korean 7-Eleven, banana milk has been enjoyed for decades since its introduction in the early 1970s.
And before you say ‘this isn’t a souvenir as it is chilled’, there are also carton versions available which are kept on shelves in shops and can be taken back home.
Not only is it a popular drink, but there are also loads of Korean banana milk souvenirs from embroidery patches to keyrings.
From prices to other similar milk flavours by Binggrae, here is our ultimate guide to Korean banana milk >
21. North Korean Money
The DMZ (seems to be one of the few places you can buy North Korean currency (bank notes and coins) in South Korea.
However, we aren’t sure of the legalities or ethics of it and whether the reselling of this currency is actually allowed. We just know we had the opportunity to buy North Korean coins and notes and many people on our tour did so.
Check out our guide to DMZ Tours from Seoul and FAQs >
You might like – 10+ best Seoul neighbourhoods to visit and stay in >
21. Metal chopsticks and tableware
Most dishes in Korea are consumed with metal chopsticks so it is a bonus if you are already proficient with them, meaning you can have oodles of noodles. And remember, in many Korean restaurants, the chopsticks are kept in a hidden away draw beneath your table.
Shops like Daiso or local markets like Namdaemun Market (with a dedicated Kitchenware street) are a great place to bring back kitchenware, plates and cups from – Daiso even has training chopsticks for young children.
You might like – Our guide to the best day trips from Seoul including Nami Island and Eunpyeong Hanok Village
22. Look out for Line Friends
Line Friends characters are ever so popular in South Korea and in most parts of Asia (these are cute cartoon characters that help promote the Line messaging service).
Although there are lots of Line Friends stores all around Seoul where you can find Line Friends merchandise galore, we found the largest collection of large Line characters in Insadong at the Anyoung Insadong shopping complex, and in Hongdae where you can pose with Line Friends models (kids love it).
You might like – Our guide to Seoul at night including going to a Korean baseball game
23. Korean Photo Booths
Time to get ‘snap happy’ at a Korean photo booth – whether you are looking for a superb selfie or gorgeous group shot with your friends or fellow travellers to take home, Korean photo booths are easy to use and an inexpensive souvenir from South Korea.
Better yet, half the fun is in the taking of the pictures, with a wide variety of props or backdrops to choose from – you can even be pictured with your favorite K-Pop band or cartoon character; one of the more unique South Korea souvenirs to take home for sure.
Literally located on every street corner, from pricing to poses, here is our ultimate guide to using photo booths in Korea >
24. Get a family portrait / children’s caricatures
Both Insadong and Ikseon-dong Hanok Village are home to quirky cartoon caricature studios, where street cartoonists have set up studios to do fun family portraits.
Prices vary but starting at 9,000 Won per person based on a minimum of two people, these are really good value caricatures.
You might like – Our guide to the 20+ best K-Pop activities in Seoul >
25. Jewellery and accessories from Blingbox, Nyunyu / Mimiline
Towards Dongdaemun and the DDP, join the bargain hunters at wholesale fashion, toy and jewellery stores Mimiline and Nyunyu.
These are popular chain shops with branches all over Seoul usually in high footfall areas like Hongdae and Gangnam and enjoyed by adults and kids alike.
Here you can buy everything from embroidery patches to LEGO keyrings, tote bags to miniature charms and mobile cases.
Often you get a discount if you buy more than one of something and both stores have several storeys of souvenirs, clothes and keepsakes.
We found them REALLY busy on the weekends so if your children don’t like queuing or you have a pushchair, it might be best to go on a weekday.
Another popular chain of jewellery accessory shops all over Seoul is Blingbox.
You might like – Where to stay in Busan / best neighborhoods >
26. Nail Niceites
A huge nail salon and other beauty shops located next to Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul’s Migliore Mall late-night nail shop has gone ‘viral’ on social media.
The row upon row of nail products and K Beauty items has featured in countless TikTok videos plus customisable clothes and fashion items – some of the stalls stay open until as late as 2am on some days.
Get glam at Seoul’s ‘Nail Mall’ on the 16th floor, with thousands of nail polishes, dip powders, acrylic sets, stickers and UV lamp lights!
27. Hechi Merchandise
Have you heard of Hechi 해치, Seoul’s tourism mascot who can be seen all over the city (and even on buses)?
Hechi and the ‘Soul Friends’ are cute characters that appear at all of the big events like Seoul Outdoor Library plus also have more permanent statues across the city.
Such is the popularity of Hechi, you can now even buy Hechi merchandise in several Seoul Tourism gift shops like Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Toys R Us.
From Hechi merchandise to where to spot the pink mascot in Seoul, here is our ultimate guide to Hechi in Seoul >
28. Korean Baseball merchandise
If you are going to baseball game on your Korea trip, then you’ll be able to visit some great stores selling branded team merchandise such as jerseys, baseball caps, inflatable cheering sticks and plushies.
Read more about going to a baseball game in Seoul >
29. Personalised Stamps
Finally, if you’d like to take back home your very own Korea stamp, there are various ways to create your own personalized stamp block, known locally as dojang 도장.
Some stations and malls have vending machines where you can create your own stamps – or there are special shops like this one in Insadong on Trazy or this on Klook.
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Hi – I am working my way through your blog as I will be in S Korea in a month or so !
You posted your pics of Starbucks mugs which I also collect, however I am positive I read somewhere that you could get your name in Korean on a china mug… however I can’t find where that was now. Do you know ? Many thanks in advance.
Coming in October and would like to know the addresses of these places in Myeondong. Thank you.