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A street food cart on a shopping street in Seoul

Seoul

How to Shop in Myeongdong: Stations, Tax-Free and Street Food (2026)

Photo: LinasD, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Seoul street food 2011 march 02.jpg

Checked against official sources on October 20, 2026

Summary

Myeongdong is reached from Myeong-dong Station on Line 4 or Euljiro 1-ga Station on Line 2, and is part of a special tourist zone (Jung-gu Office). The Myeongdong Tourist Information Center at 181 Euljiro 2-ga lists hours of 09:00–18:00. Stores marked Tax Free can refund VAT at the till with your passport. Bring cash for street food. Namdaemun Market is a short walk away, near Exit 5 of Hoehyeon Station.

At a glance

Subway
Line 4 or Line 2
Info center
09:00–18:00
Tax refund
₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000
Per trip
Up to ₩5,000,000
Street food
Cash
Bring
Passport

Korean for this

  • 얼마예요?

    eolmayeyo?

    How much is it?

  • 택스 리펀드 돼요?

    taekseu ripeondeu dwaeyo?

    Can I get a tax refund?

  • 그냥 구경하는 거예요

    geunyang gugyeonghaneun geoyeyo

    I'm just looking

  • 입어 봐도 돼요?

    ibeo bwado dwaeyo?

    Can I try it on?

  • 다른 사이즈 있어요?

    dareun saijeu isseoyo?

    Do you have another size?

  • 다른 색 있어요?

    dareun saek isseoyo?

    Do you have another color?

All Korean phrases

Details

Myeongdong (명동MyeongdongMyeongdong) is a compact grid of shopping streets in central Seoul, with cosmetics shops, fashion stores, department stores and street-food stalls. Together with Namdaemun Market, it has been a designated special tourist zone since 2000 (Jung-gu Office). This guide walks you through a shopping day, neutrally: it names places to help you find your way, not to rank them.

Before you start

  • Your passport, for tax-free checkout.
  • Cash in won for street food. Street shops and markets may take only cash (VisitKorea).
  • A card for stores. Most accept international cards.
  • A map app with exits and walking routes. Google Maps is limited in Korea; see map apps.
  • A bag for rubbish. Bins are scarce on the street.

Step by step

Step 1 — Take the subway

Two stations serve the area (Jung-gu Office):

  • 명동역Myeongdong-yeokMyeong-dong Station on Line 4, on the south side of the shopping streets.
  • 을지로입구역Euljiro-ipgu-yeokEuljiro 1-ga Station on Line 2, on the north side.

Each station has several exits. Enter your first stop in your map app and use the exit it suggests. See the Seoul subway guide for exits and transfers.

Step 2 — Get a map and help

The 명동 관광정보센터Myeongdong gwangwang jeongbo senteoMyeongdong Tourist Information Center is at 181 Euljiro 2-ga. Jung-gu Office lists its hours as 09:00–18:00 and its phone as 02-778-0333 (Jung-gu Office). Staff there have maps and tourist information.

In Myeongdong, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun, Jung-gu also has guides in red vests who work as walking information points. Stop one and ask.

Step 3 — Shop the main streets

The streets between the two stations are lined with cosmetics shops, fashion stores and cafés. Jung-gu describes Myeongdong as a shopping area that runs from luxury goods to small items, with Lotte Department Store, Lotte Young Plaza and Myeongdong M-Plaza among its larger stores.

Practical points:

  • Department store hours. Generally 10:30–20:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:30–20:30 Friday to Sunday and on holidays, with one closing day a month at most stores (VisitKorea, August 2025). Check the store's page before you go.
  • Testers. Cosmetics shops put out a 테스터teseuteoTester for many products. Try before you buy.
  • Deal tags. 1+1won peulleoseu wonBuy one, get one free usually means two of the same product.
  • Compare prices. The same product can be priced differently between shops. Prices on tags already include tax.

For how one large beauty chain works, see the Olive Young guide.

Step 4 — Get the tax back at checkout

Look for "Tax Free" or "Tax Refund" signs at the door or till. Show your passport when you pay. Participating stores can take the VAT off at the till for payments from ₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip (VisitKorea, October 2025). Above that, keep the refund receipt and claim at the airport. Full steps are in the tax refund guide.

Step 5 — Eat street food

Street-food carts, 거리가게geori gageStreet stalls, line the central streets. Most set up from the afternoon and run into the evening, so a late-afternoon visit gives you the most choice. Prices are usually written on the cart. Pay in cash unless the stall shows a card reader.

Eat near the stall, and hand your stick or cup back to the vendor if there is no bin.

Step 6 — Change money, if you need to

The area has many money changers, 환전소hwanjeonsoMoney exchange. Compare the posted rates at two or three, and count your money at the window. Bring your passport. The currency exchange guide explains rates and alternatives.

Step 7 — Walk to Namdaemun Market

남대문시장Namdaemun-sijangNamdaemun Market is a traditional market with clothing, leather goods, kitchenware, crafts, accessories and food (Jung-gu Office). Its tourist information booth is at Namdaemunsijang 4-gil 21, about 50 m from Exit 5 of 회현역Hoehyeon-yeokHoehyeon Station on Line 4, with listed hours of 10:00–19:00 (Jung-gu Office).

Each arcade in the market sets its own hours and holiday closures; the market's official site posts arcade hours and holiday schedules. Bring cash.

Places and hours at a glance

Place Hours (as listed) Getting there
Myeongdong Tourist Information Center 09:00–18:00 181 Euljiro 2-ga
Department stores 10:30–20:00 Mon–Thu, 10:30–20:30 Fri–Sun and holidays Check each store
Street-food stalls Mostly afternoon to evening Central Myeongdong streets
Namdaemun Market tourist information 10:00–19:00 Near Exit 5, Hoehyeon Station (Line 4)
Namdaemun Market arcades Vary by arcade Check the market site

Hours are from Jung-gu Office and VisitKorea pages checked in October 2026. Confirm before you go.

Common problems

  • Crowds. Evenings and weekends are busiest. Shop in the late morning, then come back for street food later.
  • A price seems wrong. Ask for the price before you pay, and check the tag. To report a problem, call the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline (+82-2-1330), which answers in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese 24 hours a day, and in Russian, Vietnamese, Thai and Malay/Indonesian from 08:00 to 19:00 (VisitKorea).
  • No tax refund at the till. Not every store participates. Look for the sign before you queue.
  • Card declined at a stall. Use cash, or move on to a shop that takes cards.
  • Carrying too much. Shop for heavy or liquid items last, and read the packing rules in the Olive Young guide.

Questions and answers

Which station is best for Myeongdong?

Either. Myeong-dong Station (Line 4) is closer to the southern streets; Euljiro 1-ga Station (Line 2) is closer to the northern end and the department stores there.

When is the best time to visit?

Late afternoon gives you open shops and street stalls. Weekday mornings are quieter for shopping.

Do shops in Myeongdong speak English?

Many larger stores have staff who speak English, Chinese or Japanese. A translation app covers the rest.

Is Namdaemun Market open on Sundays?

Hours vary by arcade, and some close on certain days or holidays. Check the market's official site before you go.

Next, read the full tax refund guide so you can claim the rest of your refund at the airport.

Official sources (7)

Last checked October 20, 2026Next check due April 18, 2027

Rules can change. Confirm on the official site before you travel.

Next stepKorea Tax Refund for Tourists: Step by Step (2026)

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