Bargaining in Dongdaemun

When I first arrived in Seoul, adjusting to the time difference between Korea and the U.S. was more challenging than I expected. I kept finding myself wide awake past midnight. I decided to take advantage of my insomnia and go on a late-night walk. I wandered for a while until I stumbled upon a mall with an unusual amount of foot traffic for 3 am. There were hundreds of motorcycles parked in front of the building, people carrying bags and bags of clothing, and a few food stands selling various quick snacks. It was incredible to see how this mall was still operating at a time when most of the city was asleep.

Inside the mall, it was overstimulating.

Piles of orders were stacked on the floor, store owners were recording live product videos (what I could only assume was on TikTok Live), and each new floor opened up into even more stores. There were about 8 floors of stores. As it was only my first few days in the country, and my Korean skills weren’t quite warmed up yet, I didn’t buy anything that night. But it only took a few weeks before curiosity pulled me back– determined to understand how this mall operated.

I learned that Dongdaemun has a large commercial district with many shopping malls. The mall I’d wandered into was one of several wholesale centers that operate at night (from 8 pm to 4 am), catering mostly to small business owners looking for inventory. These customers buy products in bulk at low prices, explaining why I would see people dragging bags towards the exit.

But if you’re like me– just trying to buy one or two things for yourself–, there are other malls in the district that are perfect for individual shoppers. Each floor has its own theme: women’s clothing, men’s clothing, accessories, souvenirs, luggage, etc.

After wandering the aisles and finally spotting something you like, this is where knowing just a little Korean and having cash is helpful.

“사장님, 이거 얼마예요?” (Owner, how much is this?)

The owner will either respond by entering a number into a calculator or ask you to make an offer.

Never take the first price they give. You always negotiate.

My go-to response was “좀 비싸요…” (It’s a little expensive.)

And if I really wanted sympathy points, I’d add: “대학생이에요…” (I’m a college student…)

If I felt like their price was within negotiating distance, I’d counter by typing a lower amount into their calculator. Usually, they shook their head and wrote back a slightly discounted price– still higher than my offer, but lower than their original. However, if they agree quickly, that’s a sign I probably offered them too good of a price.

And remember: you are never obligated to buy. If the price isn’t reasonable, just say: “괜찮아요.” (It’s okay.)…and walk away.

If you go with a friend, it is possible to get more deals for buying multiple items. My friend and I managed to negotiate two panda pajama onesies down from 50,000 won each to 25,000 won each (around $18). While I still think that we overpaid for the pajamas, we were happy to at least have made our first successful negotiation.

Later in the semester, when the weather dropped to 40° F, I realized I needed a coat. I thought that because I was used to cold weather from Boston, I would be fine with a few thermals and hoodies. I was very wrong. I really didn’t want to spend $100 on something I’d only wear for a few more weeks before going back home. So back to Dongdaemun I went. 

After going around to different shops, I found a simple, black puffer jacket for… you won’t even believe how much… 29,000 won. 29,000 WON. That was a $21 brand-new puffer jacket that was just as warm as the new $100 ones I saw in ‘8seconds’ across the street. I didn’t negotiate for this one (it was already a steal), but I did help my friend bring her coat down to 45,000 won ($30).

If you were to ask me what my favorite memory from studying abroad is, it wouldn’t be a cafe or a palace or my trip to Busan– it would be learning how to negotiate with sellers at the Dongdaemun markets and scoring a good deal. Shopping outside of the usual spots like Seongsu and Hongdae is such a unique experience. You never know what treasure you’ll find or the conversations you’ll have along the way.

To reward ourselves for finding a good deal, my friend and I would celebrate by getting a chicken skewer or a corndog from a street stand outside the malls.

While I am still learning about the Dongdaemun area, I highly recommend taking time to explore the different parts of it.